“Once saved, always saved” – Really?

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A widespread claim is that once saved, one can never again fall away from the faith or be lost. This is not only a fallacy, but also a dangerous one.

Human Free Choice

“Once saved, always saved” is a motto among many evangelicals, especially overseas. “OSAS” is the prominent abbreviation for “Once Saved, Always Saved” in English-speaking countries. The idea is that once saved, one can never be lost again. Just in case, it is also emphasized that if one were to be lost, then one was not saved after all.

The claim of “once saved, always saved” fails due to the fact that God never restricts His humankind’s free choice. Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed His blood so that He could take upon Himself our sins, which we had committed of our own free will. Jesus Christ paid the only price for this: His life (Romans 6:23). Thus, Jesus Christ indirectly died for the preservation of our free will. After all, what would be the problem for the Creator in simply flipping the “virtual switch” on His creatures so that they would never sin again? Here, God’s justice plays a particularly important role. (Info).

“Of all things” not the case

Just as a person can choose for Jesus Christ, God has also left it up to them to choose against Jesus Christ. Human free will remains, even after they have once surrendered themselves to the Savior. For those filled with the Holy Spirit, whose hearts are already purified, and whose trust in God is unconditional, it is indeed difficult to abandon it. Yet freedom of choice remains. As Revelation 12:17 clearly explains, the attacks of the great adversary are not directed at those who pay no attention to God’s commandments anyway, whether out of conscious rejection or the belief that the laws are obsolete, but rather at those who explicitly keep God’s commandments and also have the testimony of Jesus.

For this reason, it is primarily those who have remained faithful to God who must reckon with the adversary’s constant attacks, not those who, because of their lawlessness, may think they are safe but will nevertheless crash into the wall. Therefore, those who obey God must resist temptations and attacks. Each time, it is a matter of personal choice whether to give in to temptation or remain faithful to God.

The Gospel is clear here:

Humans can turn away from their sinful lives (unrighteousness) and turn to God. This is the so-called “golden path” that, as is widely known, can lead to salvation. This was already explained by the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 18:21-22:
“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.“

The only difference from the time of the New Testament onwards is the observance of the statutes that were introduced because of the sins committed (Info). These were nailed to the cross with Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the ceremonial laws. However, the Ten Commandments remain unchanged, which define sin and thus also walking in righteousness or not. The transgression of one of the commandments IS sin (1 John 3:4).

Conversely, apostasy from former righteousness is also open to man. It remains his choice. But this is not without consequences (Ezekiel 18:24):
“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.“

Apostasy with dramatic consequences

It gets even worse. If a person once chose Jesus Christ, truly knew Him, and walked in righteousness, then falls away again into a sin-laden life, he or she falls even further than he or she once was. Hebrews 6:4-5:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,“

How could one even speak of “apostasy” if there were such a thing as “once saved, always saved”? According to this motto, an apostasy would be completely impossible. Yet apostasy is (is) even announced on a large scale, 2 Thessalonians 2:3:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;“

Anyone who could no longer fall away from the faith would also not be subjected to any effort to ensure that this could never happen, but Revelation 14:12:
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.“

The Invincible Remain

There is, however, a point in time when true believers can no longer abandon their faith. This is not due to manipulative intervention by God, but rather to the now invincible steadfastness of the believers. Those who, after adversity, persecution, reprisals, and even imprisonment, still hold on to their faith, who do not accept the mark of the beast (Info), nor worship its image, thereby demonstrate their iron steadfastness.

This steadfast person will ultimately receive God’s seal, better known as “one of the 144,000” (Revelation 7). A seal of quality, if you will, that distinguishes God-faithful people and represents a mark of special protection from the seven final plagues that follow. One of the firstfruits redeemed from mankind for God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:4).

Dangerous Thesis

The claim that once saved, one is saved forever is not only false, but also dangerous. It gives people a false sense of security, and this is especially true in today’s age of faith based on feelings and experience rather than on reason.

This is also clearly illustrated by one of the final appeals in the entire Bible:

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)