• Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About
Sunny Slope Church of Christ
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About

Does Salvation By Grace Mean Once Saved Always Saved?

2/25/2018

 
by: Gary L. Hutchens
​   Once saved, always saved!  A whole lot of people in the denominational world believe that.  Their belief is connected to a flawed understanding of God’s grace.  Without question, we’re saved “…by grace…through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9).  We cannot save ourselves by ourselves.  We cannot earn our salvation.  We are totally dependent upon God’s grace.
   At the same time, God requires some things on our part in response to His offer of grace.  He requires that we believe in Him (Heb. 11:6) and in His Son as our Savior (Jn. 8:24).  He requires that we repent of our sins (Lk. 13:3; Acts 3:19).  He requires our obedience (Heb. 5:8-9; Jn. 14:21, 23-24), including being “baptized into Christ” (Gal. 3:27) for “the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38; 22:16) in order to be saved (Mk. 16:15-16).  He requires our ongoing faithfulness for the rest of our lives (Rev. 2:10).
   The flawed denominational teaching states that God saves a person without that person doing anything.  But those teachers backtrack some, agreeing that a person must believe and repent.  They also agree, to some extent, that a person should live faithfully.  I say to some extent, because they also teach that a person can never be lost, once he is saved, no matter what.  They believe that once a person is in God’s grace, he can never fall from God’s grace.  To them salvation by grace means once saved, always saved.  But is that what the Bible teaches?
   God only has to say something once for it to be true.  The apostle Paul warned the Galatian Christians (already saved) against following false teachers who were telling them they needed to keep the Law Of Moses, particularly that they needed to be circumcised.  Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, stated, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Gal. 5:4).  If they followed the false doctrine they were being taught, they would be cut off from Christ, they would fall from grace.  So, scripture clearly teaches that a person can fall from grace and be lost after having been saved.
   Ananias and Sapphira were saved Christians who were struck dead by God for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11).  Would anyone suggest that they went to Heaven?  Simon, formerly a sorcerer, became a saved Christian.  But when he tried to buy the power to pass on the Holy Spirit to others, Peter rebuked him sharply and warned him to repent of his wickedness and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:14-23).  If Simon did not do that, would he be in Heaven?
   A young man in the congregation in Corinth (saved) was guilty of a sexual immorality with his father’s wife.  Paul instructed the congregation to “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Cor. 5:1-6).  If the young man did not repent, would he be in Heaven?  Paul warned that a saved Christian who partakes of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner “eats and drinks damnation to himself…” (1 Cor. 11:27-29 KJV).  Can a person who stands condemned still be, at the same time, saved?
   Salvation by grace?  Absolutely!  Once saved, always saved?  Absolutely not!…
​

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Gary L. Hutchens

    Categories

    All
    Dennis Stackhouse
    Gary Hutchens

    Archive

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    January 2007

Member Login
SUBMIT PRAYER REQUEST
© 2019 Sunny Slope Church of Christ | All Rights Reserved
3606 N. 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164 | (402) 498-8397 | Contact Us
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About