The Invitation/ Sanctified/ Health - Salvation

Once Saved Always Saved???

Heb 6:4-6 October 1, 1997

There is an abundance of false teaching in the church today concerning Hebrews 13:5 which says “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. This false doctrine has become known as the “once saved always saved” doctrine, stemming from early Calvinism and his doctrines of predestination. The true interpretation of the scripture is often misunderstood and taken out of context, leading to confusion which, in turn, may cause serious harm to those who accept this misuse of its meaning. I have come to believe it is bordering on, if not actually, heretical. Every time I have heard this teaching given the “teacher” insists on using only half of the verse. The other half isn’t even mentioned, never mind the entire context of the chapter. Chapter thirteen of Hebrews is filled with exhortations on how to “strive toward perfection”, that we might be “pleasing in the sight of Jesus Christ” vs 21. Before going any further let me establish that this part of verse five of Hebrews 13 is only spoken once in the entire Bible. When this often quoted part is used to back this teaching up, the first part of the verse is ignored. It often leaves the impression that we can do anything we want because He will never leave us or forsake us. The first verse starts with conditions as all of God’s promises to us do. That first part of the verse reads: “Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content with such things as ye have…“ Chapter thirteen closes the book of Hebrews, the book which tells us who God is, who Jesus is, and who we can be. Throughout the entire book, we are exhorted about what we must do and warned about what not to do. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end“. Heb 3:12-14 In chapter four we are warned not to fall into unbelief; “let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” And this from Paul, of all people, says; “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Cor 9:27

Let’s refer back to the Old Testament…

Second Chronicles shows that God was the same in both epochs, old and new, that he is the same yesterday today and forever. “… thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath also forsaken you.” 2 Chron 24:20 This quote is a preview or a pageant, if you will, of when the Lord would ‘forsake’ His people. The key words here are; “because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath also forsaken you.” Saints, don’t kid yourselves, or allow Satan to deceive you. There are many subtle ways to forsake the Lord. Many they are who have, and others who yet will. In Hebrews thirteen we find a list of exhortations that work toward our perfection and His “never leaving us nor forsaking us”. Verses one through four gives us the following: “let brotherly love continue, be not forgetful to entertain strangers, remember them that are in bonds, them which suffer adversity, the marriage bed is honorable, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Verse five has already been covered. We must trust the Lord to be our helper and not fear what man can do to us. Three times we are told to respect those who have the rule over us. The first time, in verse seven, we are exhorted to follow their faith. In verse 17 we are told to obey them that have the rule over us, and verse 24 admonishes us to salute all them that have rule over us and, all the saints.

After verse seven we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever. (I believe this is an exhortation that we should strive to be the same.) We are warned about strange doctrines and exhorted to establish our hearts with grace. Verses nine through thirteen warn us not to get entangled with “religion”! We should seek (or have faith in) no continuing city (worldly city) but one to come (heavenly city.) We are to offer praise to God continually with the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. We are told to do good, to communicate forget not: with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Paul says, “Pray for us (one another), and be willing to live honestly”. Then his prayer for us is; “May God make you perfect in every good work to do his will (not your own). Let Him work in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ.” The promise of “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” is given with the condition that we do our part by having assurance this promise will take place in our lives. We might make the case that it can be expressed this way: God will not forsake us, but we can betray him and forsake his mercy by turning away from him or blaspheming the Holy Ghost. Blaspheming the Holy Ghost is saying in our hearts: “I have seen the works of God and tasted them and I do not like them.” Knowing God and not approving or liking him is forsaking God. And in His great mercy, He has left us with the things we must not do, as well. Again, how could one twist and pervert the Scriptures by saying that just by having accepted Jesus as Saviour and walking in it to some small degree, we are saved for all eternity, no matter how we live this life on earth? (Example: Invention of Purgatory) That oft used excuse for sin and shortcoming, “I’m only human”, won’t cut it when we stand in the presence of the Son of God. He has laid out certain things that won’t be overlooked. We must want to be with Him and truly love him. No pretext or excuses can be made for anything other than this. It behooves us all to never forsake God, for in effect we will have left him, then what can he do? That is one of the main reasons I became compelled to write about this. In these past 24 years I have seen this shallow and erroneous doctrine spread and I felt a need to show the reality of its absurdity, by the Word of God, to those who have ears to hear.

In the verse from Chronicles in the Old Testament, referred to earlier, we see that God does, in fact, forsake his people when they forsake Him. Not only do we have other examples in the Old Testament of the truth about this, but He has warned us by His servants through His Word. Through Paul, Peter, John and Jesus, Himself, we are shown if we do not meet God’s requirements there is a high price to pay. These things are boldly laid out in Scripture. Even though we have accepted Jesus as our Saviour and walked with Him for some time and in some measure of faith, there are some things God will not tolerate! Let’s go back to Hebrews 6:4-6 once more. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.” This is such a frightening thing, I can’t even comment on it, except to say if it weren’t possible it wouldn’t be in God’s Word. The sobering horrors continue: “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31 Verse 38 of chapter 10 also gives a sobering message. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Peter also shows us that we would have been better off not to have known the Lord at all than to have first known Him, forsaken Him, and gone astray. If that wasn’t a possible reality, would Peter have made an issue of it? “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb. The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22 And the argument that there is only one lonely verse to support this truth cannot be made by any stretch for there are many statements in both the New and Old Testaments supporting the matter that once saved always saved is a dangerous fallacy flirting with idolatry even; far too numerous are they to even mention.

Through John we are told there is a certain segment that Jesus will spew out of His mouth. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Rev 3:15-16 Again, in Revelation, the Lord reveals to John that some will have their names removed from the Book of Life for tampering with the Book of Revelation. “And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Rev. 22:19

The clearest instructions of all in this matter are given us by Jesus, himself, in Matthew. “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come!” Matt 12:31-32 God forbid that anyone reading these words will ever do this!! Perhaps these are the most sobering and frightening words of all from Jesus Christ Himself. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matt 7:20-23 (Dear Lord please never let that happen to me. Search me and chastise me, that I may never hear those words” in that day”!!!) Praise God though, He has shown us through His Word, how to avoid ever hearing those words!!

Not only will He not leave us nor forsake us, if we are obedient to His will, but He also has rewards for us besides. Starting with Revelation 2:11 we find; “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” ” … To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Rev 2:17 In Rev 2:26 – 27 we read this “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron…” We have this wonderful time to look forward to written in Rev 22:14; “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” But remember what we are told in Rev 22:19

These promises are only the tip of the iceberg concerning the things God hath prepared for those that love Him. I will close with Rev 1:3 a favorite of Elisha’s Outcast Eagles: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy (Book of Revelation) and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.”

Just to know and believe in Him is not enough, we must keep His Word as well.