Once Saved Always Saved is a fallacy. If Once Saved Always Saved was true, then there would be no need for us to walk the Narrow path. There would be no need to follow the Scriptures either because we would have already received our Salvation simply by accepting Christ into our hearts just one time. If I was “Saved” last week and murdered a person this week it would be of no consequence because I am exempt having been “Saved” the week before and there would be no need to repent for that vile sin.
The truth is that Christ died on the cross to balance the scales because we were born into Secondary sin. This is different from Willful Sin. Being born into Secondary sin is what makes us all sinners. It’s Secondary sin because Adam and Eve committed original sin and we are all of Adam and Eve’s line. It is always possible for us to willfully sin because we are all given Free Will. That’s why it takes endurance to walk the narrow path. To follow the Commandments and Christ’s teachings to the best of our ability and to repent when we know we have failed. The Narrow Path is just what it says, Narrow. And it’s hard to stay on it. By the Word becoming Jesus Christ and his unselfish willingness to take on Mankind’s sin as a relief from spiritual death from being born into secondary sin was a turning of Yahweh’s wrath from those that put faith in the Sacrifice. It was the undeserved kindness that Yahweh was presenting to all of Mankind. All that was necessary was to accept the truth of the living Word – Christ Jesus into their hearts because it was he that balanced the scales of righteousness and absolved us of secondary sin.
But accepting Christ is only the beginning of the catalyst of his Holy Spirit’s positive energy to help bring people to salvation. Accepting Christ into our hearts is only part of what is required. Because meanwhile Satan has been permitted to test us and he aims to get us to willfully sin in order to determine if we are worthy of Salvation and that is why it takes constant work and effort and endurance on our part to walk that Narrow Path. If Once Saved Always Saved is true, then why allow us to be tested if we cannot fail? This is WHY it says at Matthew 19:24 “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." That is WHY that in addition to an acceptance of Christ into our hearts, it also requires cultivating a good heart condition in order to obtain Salvation. That is also why it says at Proverbs 4:23 Above all else guard your heart, because it is the source of life. It’s both an acceptance of Christ AND a good heart that will enable us to obtain salvation and ETERNAL LIFE. It’s through both of these things that we are deemed righteous in the Father’s eyes.
Now, let’s look at some Scriptures to back this up:
Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.
So what happens to those who believe Once Saved Always Saved if they don't endure to the end? Are they delivered anyway? “Delivered” in Matthew 24:13 is literal. Those who endure will be delivered into Christ’s Kingdom
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God's good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt.
This explains how it’s possible to be enlightened, to accept Christ into our hearts, to become companions with the Holy Spirit and have tasted God’s good word and STILL fall away through willful sin.
Hebrews 10:36-39 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will, you may receive what was promised. For in yet a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.
This says it all in the first four words of the verse. We need endurance in order to be saved. The righteous will live by faith but if they “draw back”, in other words, if they fall away through willful sin, or draw away willfully they are deemed lost and will be destroyed. It’s those who endure and have faith will obtain eternal life and Salvation.
1 Corinthians 9:27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Discipline is part of endurance. Endurance takes discipline. Paul was aware that because he had free will, he could fall away at anytime and that he could be disqualified and lose his salvation should he fall away via willful sin.
Philippians 2:12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
If Once saved Always Saved, there’s no need for “fear and trembling”. It’s because our salvation CAN be lost that we “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.”
This, my friends, is why Once Saved Always Saved is a fallacy. Yes, we were Saved from spiritual death of being born into Secondary sin by Christ’s willingness to sacrifice his perfect life for us so that we may live; but in addition to accepting Christ, it takes endurance and the cultivation of a good heart by which we will be judged in order to obtain salvation.