Once Saved Always Saved- Part 1

Can you lose your salvation?

This message is key in understanding the full picture of salvation. Many view the entire salvation process as the point at which a person receives Christ as their Saviour, and that view then affects everything else that they believe about salvation.

The Scriptures in this puzzle piece show that view to be incomplete. When a person receives Christ as his or her Saviour, that is the first step in the salvation process, not the final step. What has brought confusion to this subject is that the Bible uses the terms “saved” and “salvation” to refer to when a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Being saved and receiving our full salvation are then viewed as synonymous, and systems of theology are built on the misunderstanding.

Salvation is a two-part process.

1. Conversion – when we repent of our sin, accept Jesus as our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart. The Bible states that at this point a person is saved. No amount of good works or keeping the Old Testament Law, can convert a person. It is only available by grace through faith in Jesus alone.
2. Our full Salvation and redemption – We receive our full Salvation on Judgment Day when the sheep are separated from the goats, and Jesus says that we may enter into Heaven. We are saved from eternal punishment in Hell for our sins.

Passages of Scripture that tell us that our full salvation is still in the future:

Matthew 10:22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

• Our full salvation comes at the end – Judgment Day
• Our commitment to Christ will be tested, and if we endure to the end of life, we will be saved.

Luke 21:28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

• The redemption of the Christian is yet to come.

Romans 5:8-11 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation (the atonement).

• Notice the tenses – “now justified” “shall be saved”. Saved is in the future tense not present tense. “Were reconciled” is past tense, and “we shall be saved” is future tense.
• Now we are justified, reconciled to God, and received the atonement. In the future we will be saved from Hell, from wrath.

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

• Believing on Jesus and our salvation are two separate events.
• Salvation is a future event and each day brings us nearer to that day.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused (betrothed) you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

• Once a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour they are espoused to Christ. They are engaged.
• The marriage of Christ and the Church is in the future. It has not yet occurred.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

• Salvation is yet to come. The believer has not yet received it.
• Each believer is personally responsible to live in obedience to Christ’s commands.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

• Salvation is in the future. It is something that the Christian has not yet received but is hoping for.

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

• This was written to Timothy, who was already a believer. Salvation for the Christian is in the future.

Titus 1:1-2 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; (2) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

• Hope is for something that we have not yet received. Eternal life is something that we have not yet received

Titus 3:1-14 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Works of righteousness do not save a person. However, both oars, faith and works, are necessary in living the Christian life (v.1, v.8, v.14)

• Eternal life is in the future – “the hope of eternal life” v.7
• Eternal life is not eternal life if we can lose it. But we have not yet received eternal life.

Hebrews 1:13-14 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? (14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

• “Who shall be heirs of salvation” is future tense.

Hebrews 4:8-11 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. The Word Discovers Our Condition. Let us therefore be diligent (labour) to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Our salvation is yet to come, and it is still possible for a believer to lose their future salvation.

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

• Salvation is when Jesus comes the second time.

1 John 2:24-25 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

• Eternal life is promised. We have not yet received eternal life.

1 Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

We have a lively hope of salvation. v.3

• Our inheritance is reserved in heaven for us, but we have not yet received it. V.4
• Salvation is to be revealed in the last time. V.5
• The salvation of our souls is in the future. v.9

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

• This is when our final salvation occurs.

The Holy Spirit is a deposit of our Future salvation.

Romans 8:23-25 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. We have received the first fruits of the Spirit.

• Verse 23 states that we have been saved, we have received the Holy Spirit, but we are waiting for the redemption of our body, the final part of salvation.
• Verses 24, 25 Our full salvation is something that we have not yet received. If we had already received it we would not still hope for it.

2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

• Earnest (guarantee) — apledge, that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: – earnest. Strong’s Greek Dictionary
• The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge, security deposit of our future salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:1-7 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee (earnest). So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

• The Holy Spirit is God’s seal, His pledge, the reminder of His promise of our inheritance in Heaven.

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

• A Christian is at the present sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer is God’s conformation that the believer will receive redemption.
• Redemption is in the future.

The two step process of salvation can be illustrated by the following drawing that was first printed in the Sword and Trumpet magazine in April 1930. Conversion is the point at which we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and we get into the boat to go to heaven. Salvation is when we have rowed to the other side with both oars faith and works (obedience to Christ’s commands), and reach the end of life, and enter Heaven.