Once Saved, Always Saved Essay, Research Paper
email: rnaylor@swbell.nettitle: Once Saved, Always Saved”You are saved until you sin again,” thepreacher tells the new convert. Suchwords can cause a new Christian to havea fear of failing and can cause him orher to feel like quitting the Christianwalk. Jesus Christ has promised thatonce people ask Him to live in theirhearts, they will receive eternal life. Jesus died on the cross for Christian’ssins one time because once a personreceives Jesus as Savior he or she iseternally saved. God’s character andactions have repeatedly proven that Heis a God of consistency. Once Jesusmakes a decision or gives a promise,He is faithful to His promise. ThroughGod’s grace, promises, and chastisement,Christians can be assured that once theyhave received Jesus as their Savior,they are eternally saved. Throughout time God has shown His graceto many people. When King Davidcommitted adultery with Bathsheba, Godextended His grace and still allowedDavid to conquer his enemies. When thefilthy, sinful prostitute was broughtbefore Jesus’ feet by Pharisees, Godagain gave grace by looking past hersins and forgiving the prostitute. Finally, God’s grace worked through afather who allowed his son to returnhome after the son had disowned andruined his family’s name. The God whogave grace to King David, the prostitute,and the rebellious son is the same GodChristians serve today. Many Christiansthink that if they sin without askingforgiveness they will face eternaldamnation. Because ofHis grace, God hasallowed Jesus to be in His presenceinterceding for Christians so thatChristians’ unconfessed sins do not causethem to lose their salvation. “Whereforehe is able also to save them to the uttermostthat come unto god by him, seeing he everliveth to make intercession for them,” saysHebrews 7:25. Jesus has graciously becomeChristians’ High Priest, sitting at the righthand of God, so not one of His childrenwill be lost. Christians can livepeacefully knowing they are in God’s gripof grace. Not only did God give Christians grace,but He also gave them promises. God’sWord is filled with promises that proveChristians’ eternal security. I John 2:25says, “And this is the promise that hehath promised us, even eternal life.”Jesus plainly says he promises Christianseternal life. John 5:24 states, “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that hearethmy words, and believeth on him that sent me, hatheverlasting life, and shall not come intocondemnation; but is passed from deathunto life.” Scripture clearly states God’spromises that can mean nothing else thenthat all who have been saved are saved forall eternity and can never be lost. One of the strongest proofs of being a child of God’sis God’s chastisement. Some people haveinterpreted eternal security to be a licenseto live as they please; however, eternalsecurity is not a license to sin. Eternal securitydoes not teach that God condones or lookslightly upon the Christian’s sin. Goddeals with the Christian’s sin in a verydefenite and serious manner. Every personwho is a child of God will be disciplinedby God when he or she disobeys Him. TheBible says that God chastises His childrenwhen they are disobedient. Hebrews 12:5-8says, “And have you quite forgotten theencouraging words God spoke to you, Hischild? He said, ‘My son, don’t be angrywhen the Lord punishes you. Don’t bediscouraged when he has to show you whereyou are wrong. For when he punishes you,it proves that he loves you. When he whipsyou it proves you are really his child.’Let god train you, for he is doing whatany loving father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was nevercorrected? If God doesn’t punish you whenyou need it, as other fathers punish theirsons, then it means that you aren’t reallyGod’s son at all–that you don’t reallybelong in His family.” The fact that Goddoes chastise Christians is proof that theyare His children; He is using His meansfor helping Christians correct theirwrongs, rather than allowing Christiansto continue to disobey Him. Just as a fatherwhips his children because he loves them,so God disciplines those who belong toHim; furthermore, as Hebrews says, “Whoeverheard of a son who was never corrected?”Eternal life is God’s reward to Christians;it should be a blessing of peace and joyfrom God. Along with eternal life comeseternal security. Believing in eternalsecurity is based on God’s Word. Beforethe one who has been saved can be lost again,the Bible must become void. God’s graceallows Christians to fail and then be forgivenwithout being separated from God. Godhas promised eternal life to all who believein Him. if satan could cause the Christianto believe that he or she is not eternallysaved, the Christian faith would be destroyedby confusion and doubt. Thankfully, God’sgrace, promises, and chastisement assureChristians that once they are saved, theycan never be lost.