The internecine Christian battle rages concerning the tenet of ‘once saved, always saved.’ Calvinists and Arminians argue about both Jesus’ and Paul’s words involving ‘the elect’ and who is the target for the Great Commission. But just as much, the idea that salvation is a one-time event and that the elect cannot be deceived or fall away flies in the face of Biblical teaching.

Even Jesus addresses that this is fully possible. “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24) This is a warning to believers, especially considering Jesus said this while speaking with the disciples — not a gathering somewhere during His ministry. The writer of Hebrews also suggests the same, addressing Jewish believers that they hold fast to the truth and not to fall into unbelief.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 

“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ 

“For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” (Heb. 3:12-19)

In 1 Corinthians, Paul likens his ministry to that of a race, at which in the end there is a prize for the winner. He exhorts the church in Corinth to finish the race and run to win. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (1 Cor. 9:24) This isn’t the only place he uses such imagery. Likewise, the writer of Hebrews speaks of endurance (Heb. 10:36), and Jesus is quite clear: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) 

False teaching and deception

So, if once saved, always saved, what must we endure? Yes, apprentices of Christ will endure mockery, persecution, hardship, or some combination thereof, but as the writer of Hebrews notes, unbelief is at the heart of the issue. Jesus offers several warnings of false shepherds and wolves in sheep’s clothing leading the flock astray. This also concerns the believer, not the seeker. There is more teaching in the New Testament about deception of the believer than there is of God’s love. This isn’t to say understanding God’s love isn’t of crucial importance—it is—but if the way is narrow and few find the gate, then we should note these frequent dire warnings. What’s more, the most important commandments are to love God (through obedience) and to love our neighbor (sacrifice). Amid that, we are promised suffering, which Paul notes, “…suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:3-5) But that love of God and hope we have is not a feeling as our modern world tells us, it is an action — one of faith. To diminish love or the work of the Holy Spirit as a feeling is to build a foundation out of sand, one that will not withstand said suffering.

That brings us to ‘once saved, always saved.’ Calvinists would assert that apostates and deconstructioners were never part of the elect, and thus, they were never saved. That may be true in our self-serving church culture, one more concerned with feelings of belonging and love, or the right hand of God (healings, prosperity) than the work of the cross. But we even have Old Testament references to show that the most ardent believer who doesn’t hold fast to obedience is at risk. King Solomon is considered a titan, given his wisdom and works (building the temple), and he spoke directly with the living God. And yet: “So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.” (1 Kings 11:6) The ‘hall of faith’ in Hebrews 11 features a litany of luminaries who were admittedly sinful, but did not fall away as Solomon eventually had. Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness while David’s transgressions were overlooked as he was a man after God’s own heart. But David’s son knew God but was disobedient to Him by consorting with women who worshipped idols, and he thus fell into idol worship himself. The Israelites of Exodus saw the manifestation of God and witnessed many miracles and experienced His provision and even while receiving the law and worshiping Him thusly, did not inherit the Promised Land. Paul cautions, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.” (1 Cor. 10:6)

What’s the heart behind ‘once saved, always saved?’

What then is the purpose of ‘once saved, always saved’ other than to excuse apostasy or a lack of obedience? If we are to come to Christ and He abides in us, there is no need to do anything other than to hold fast to that which we were taught (the Word), to love Him (obey the Word), and to love others (imitate the Word). If we do this, we have assurance of our salvation. John fully encapsulates this in his first epistle.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:10-17)

The ‘once saved, always saved’ debate is a boondoggle, at best. We must always keep our eyes focused on Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. That is our redemption, and we accept that gift, then through faith we are saved, not by works, but for good works. (Eph. 2:8-9) And those works will not save us, but any good tree bears good fruit. And one that doesn’t? Well, Jesus said you shall know them by their fruit.

So, yes — you can lose your salvation. Your faith will be tested through the refining fire, cast into the fiery furnace. The many warnings about being prepared and knowing the heart of the Father (Matt. 25), enduring until the end, and finishing the race contra the warnings of false teachers deceiving and Satan masquerading as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14) while prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) make it clear that we must remain steadfast and hopeful in our faith. Because we are owed nothing, but we must always be thankful, humble, and gracious for the price that Jesus paid to ransom us from certain (eternal) death.