once saved always saved?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Sep 4, 2012
14,424
689
113
There is no such thing as stopping to believe. Our spirit cannot sin and therefore not depart from the faith. Only our flesh can.
This doctrine comes from Gnosticism.
From Against Heresies by Irenaeus, circa 2nd century AD

[the gnostics] hold that they shall be entirely and undoubtedly saved, not by means of conduct, but because they are spiritual by nature. For, just as it is impossible that material substance [e.g., flesh] should partake of salvation (since, indeed, they maintain that it is incapable of receiving it), so again it is impossible that spiritual substance (by which they mean themselves) should ever come under the power of corruption, whatever the sort of actions in which they indulged. For even as gold, when submersed in filth, loses not on that account its beauty, but retains its own native qualities, the filth having no power to injure the gold, so they affirm that they cannot in any measure suffer hurt, or lose their spiritual substance, whatever the material actions [i.e., conduct] in which they may be involved.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,759
13,123
113
rejecting the good news
According to Scripture, it is attributing the Holy Spirit's miracles to Satan. That is what Christ's enemies had been doing. That is what is called "the unpardonable sin".
 

Deror

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2018
303
147
43
Just popping in to say Hi to Monnkai as I'll not be able to post until late tomorrow :)
Hope you're alright. Take good care, gently does it. God bless
 

Lewiz

Senior Member
Mar 11, 2018
346
22
18
Having the knowledge of Jesus Christ does not save a person if there is no heart submission to that knowledge. The latter end is worse than the beginning for these men because rejecting this knowledge (Like Judas Iscariot) will make them more accountable at the judgment.

Those who are truly born of God have received a new nature, a divine nature, and they have new and different appetites and desires. They have been transformed from pigs and dogs into sheep. The change is more than just cosmetic, as in 2 Peter 2:20. *These cleaned up on the outside dogs and pigs were never sheep.

Compare 2 Peter 1:4 - "partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption - Strongs #5356 that is in the world through lust with 2 Peter 2:20 - with they escaped the pollutions - Strongs #3356 (different Greek word) of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yet they are again entangled therein, and overcome. *Notice that 2 Peter 2:20 did not mention them being "partakers of the divine nature.

Corruption (Strongs #5356) (to shrivel or wither, spoil , ruin , deprave, corrupt , defile, to destroy by means of corrupting, to spoil as does milk). Corruption - describes decomposition or rotting of an organism and the accompanying stench. The utter depravity of the fallen flesh and the resultant moral decomposition of the world opposed to God is driven by it sinful lusts or evil desires. Internal corruption.

Pollutions/Defilements (Strongs #3393) ("pollutions", "filthy things", "contaminations", "world's filth") describes the state of being tainted or stained by evil and refers to impurity, impure, tainted, defilement, foulness or pollution. Pollutions/Defilement refers to what is on the outside (2 Peter 2:20). But genuine believers have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4).

*Corruption is deeper than pollutions/defilements on the outside: it is decay on the inside.
ESV
20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

NASB
20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Hard Sayings of the Bible
When we read this verse in context, we recognize that the people being discussed are the false teachers whom Peter opposes. They were once orthodox Christians who were "cleansed from [their] past sins" (2 Peter 1:9), or "washed" (2 Peter 2:22). They had come to know Jesus Christ, and this was a personal knowledge that released them from "the corruption of the world," or, in Pauline language, the power of sin over them had been broken. And they had come to know "the way of righteousness" (meaning a righteous lifestyle; 2 Peter 2:21). It is not that in some way they had been taught poorly or had not experienced the power of God freeing them from the world and its desires. They had experienced all of this. They were in every way righteous and orthodox.But now they have done exactly what they are enticing others to do (2 Peter 2:18-19). They have claimed freedom, but their freedom is a freedom to live according to their desires. These desires have mastered them. They have rejected "the way of righteousness" or "the sacred command" (perhaps the teaching of Jesus or even the Old Testament standard of righteousness). They are back doing what they did before they were converted, but now they are claiming Christian justification for it.

Peter says that such people are worse off than before they were converted. He takes his words from the story in Matthew 12:45 and Luke 11:26 about the person cleansed from a demon who 730ends up in a worse state because the demon returns with seven others. The implication is that the person is in more bondage than before. Yet although verbally 2 Peter is closer to the statement about the demonized person, we are reminded even more of Luke 12:47-48, in which Jesus says that the person who does not know his master's will is beaten with few blows, while the one knowing it and still disobeying is beaten with many blows. Applied to the people in 2 Peter this indicates that the knowingly disobedient people he refers to will get a worse punishment than they would have received had they never been converted. They had been introduced to Jesus and experienced the power and freedom of his lordship, but now they have turned their backs on his teaching and are walking in willful disobedience.
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
Believing is not a work of the works gospel. And it certainly is not a work that can not justify! Paul says it is the very thing that you do that can and will justify you.

The mistake is saying that if we do the work of believing/trusting, that makes it a work of the works gospel Wrong! Paul does not define the works gospel as anything you do to be justified. He defines it as any WORK OF THE LAW that you do to be justified. Obviously, he is not saying anything you do to be justified, including your believing, is you trying to justify yourself.
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

so then this would not be a work of the law then ??

 
D

Depleted

Guest
Just popping in to say Hi to Monnkai as I'll not be able to post until late tomorrow :)
Hope you're alright. Take good care, gently does it. God bless
10-12 hours surgery. I suspect he's sore and groggy now, and won't be back until some of the sore goes away.

But, yeah, I came back to say I was praying and properly worrying today too. lol
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

so then this would not be a work of the law then ??

Are you justified by circumcision of the heart, or are you circumcised in heart because you are justified through faith in Christ?
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,727
3,661
113
Once saved (at Calvary),
Always saved (throughout eternity).

How can it be otherwise?
 

carl11

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2017
277
31
28
Are you justified by circumcision of the heart, or are you circumcised in heart because you are justified through faith in Christ?
Justified by circumcision of the heart because through faith in Christ would be a righteous work according to Titus 3:5 so it would have to be faith of Christ.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
No, God does not do your trusting for you. That's not what Jesus is saying. YOU do the trusting. God gives the faith for you to do your believing, but YOU do the trusting/believing part. And no where in scripture will you find that believing/trusting is a work of the works gospel. You will find the exact opposite.
I never said god did my trusting. So try again, can you read anything wihout trying to put your little twist on it? ypu did not even respond to the scripture i posted, can you once go back and tell me what i was trying to say with sincerity and try to get it right? Or is that asking to much?

Wait...........you just got done saying believing is his work. How can you now say we don't stop believing because there is no reason given by God for us to stop believing?

You take away the saved person's believing/trusting and say it's God's work, not ours. Then you turn right around and give the work of believing back to the person by saying they won't stop believing because God never gives them a reason to stop. That's inconsistent.

You need to think your doctrine through a little more.
lol again, when you understand what i meant in the first part, you will understand the second, continue to missaply and understand what i said first, and you will never understand the second.


Let me try this, did your parents earn your faith by THEIR work, or by YOUR work? What would it take for you to lose faith in them? Their failutre correct? Wouod you lose faith in your parents if they never failed you? Of course not.

 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
Please post the passage or verse that says the Galatians after being saved were now trying to perfect themselves by continuing to believe/trust in Christ.
I did,

What do you think paul meant when he said “begun in the spirit” what do you think he meant when he said ye who to be justified by law.

Do your homework
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
10-12 hours surgery. I suspect he's sore and groggy now, and won't be back until some of the sore goes away.

But, yeah, I came back to say I was praying and properly worrying today too. lol
Yeah just wanted to see if he posted..tell him we are lifting him up in prayer.

bbl
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
Justified by circumcision of the heart because through faith in Christ would be a righteous work according to Titus 3:5 so it would have to be faith of Christ.
You aren't justified by being circumcised in heart. You are circumcised in heart because you are justified.
 
R

Ralph-

Guest

the one who has to maintain salvation earns it by doing the work required to maintain it.

Maintaining salvation is called begining in the spirit, yet perfecting in the flesh, this is what paul has to say about it.



Gal 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun [d]by the Spirit, are you now [e]being perfected by the flesh?4
The argument is that a person stays saved by continuing to believe and trust in Christ, not stay saved by working to maintain it.

So how does the Galatians verse you posted show Paul saying continuing to believe to continue to be saved is you beginning in the Spirit, but then you trying to be perfected in the flesh?


"Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"-Galatians 3:3


The perfecting of the flesh he is speaking of is trying to be perfected by doing works of the law after believing, not by continuing to trust and believe in Christ after you believe.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
The argument is that a person stays saved by continuing to believe and trust in Christ, not stay saved by working to maintain it.
if you have to work to conti ue to believe, you have to work to maintain it, you see it as different, reality says otherwise.


So how does the Galatians verse you posted show Paul saying continuing to believe to continue to be saved is you beginning in the Spirit, but then you trying to be perfected in the flesh?


"Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"-Galatians 3:3


are you so foolish, having begun (the process if salvation or justification) in the spirit, are you now trying to perfect it (make complete) it in the flesh (by works)

its not rocket science.


The perfecting of the flesh he is speaking of is trying to be perfected by doing works of the law after believing, not by continuing to trust and believe in Christ after you believe.
no he is talking about completed that which they started in the spirit, they were not in the process of tryi g to be perfect, far from it, 5ey were trying to add works to the gospel of christ. the context is the gospel, the context is justification. It is not being sinless.

 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,286
1,418
113
Once saved (at Calvary),
Always saved (throughout eternity).

How can it be otherwise?
Once lost (when we were born)
Always lost (throughout eternity)

How can it be otherwise?



Preposterous you say? How did I come up with that?
My question: How did you come up with your idea? Mine makes as much sense as yours does! :D
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
For me, it is not "work" to continue to believe - it is a JOY!
i have joy at my work, i still am working to earn a wage.

He bible says not by works. Period.
 
N

NoNameMcgee

Guest
I have read verses in the bible that's giving me mixed feelings (which is why I don't read the bible often) But I want to read the bible but my brain is so full of double I'm scared can someone give me bible verses and explain them in context supporting once saved always saved?
brother

you have shown you become broken over your own failures and weakness

you seek Him for truth and not the world

you come here knowing you arent perfect and can misunderstand things...

but you want the truth
not some garbage from man

well the absolute truth no believer can deny

is that we are saved by grace
through faith

and not of works

you no longer live as you used to but now seek Gods will in your life instead of just a constant self serving desire to feed the lusts of the flesh

you dont seek to use His grace for your pleasure
you seek to further your walk with Him

but like EVERYONE HERE
you arent perfect


i do not know everything

and my ability to see your heart is limited


but it sounds to me like you have been made new

all these brothers,sisters,neighbors and wolves here can choose to argue until their dying breath


but at the end of the day

i believe you are a born again child of God

your fruits show it

and this transformation happens in all of His children


do you believe you can stop having faith in Christ?
if you believe you can

then maybe pray for a genuine faith in Him

if you know you cannot walk away from the faith because your quickened spirit will testify of the truth

you are already sealed
and kept by the power of God

1 peter 1
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
if you have to work to conti ue to believe, you have to work to maintain it, you see it as different, reality says otherwise.




are you so foolish, having begun (the process if salvation or justification) in the spirit, are you now trying to perfect it (make complete) it in the flesh (by works)

its not rocket science.




no he is talking about completed that which they started in the spirit, they were not in the process of tryi g to be perfect, far from it, 5ey were trying to add works to the gospel of christ. the context is the gospel, the context is justification. It is not being sinless.

Paul said the Galatians were turning back to works of the law to be justified. He did not say they were continuing to believe and trust in Christ and were therefor accursed for that reason. Believing and trusting in Christ does not constitute works of the law that can not justify. What scripture are you referencing that says continuing to believe in Christ is the equivalent of trying to be justified by works of the law? Where is faith in Christ included in the works of the law? Show us.