The Security of Salvation

J.C. Thibodaux


  One of the most discussed (probably the most discussed) issue among evangelical Christians is the issue of the security of salvation. The doctrine known as 'once saved always saved' or 'eternal security' is held to be a Biblical truth by many churches and denominations; and the Bible does indeed teach about a believer's security in Christ, but what it means is often misunderstood.


Eternal Security Defined

  Different people often ascribe very different meaning to the same words. To some, eternal security means that once you are saved, you will always be saved regardless of what you do or don't do afterwards (this can be accurately called 'unconditional security'). To others, it means that a Christian will never fall away from Christ, and will live a life that is pleasing to God (this belief is often called 'lordship salvation' or 'perseverance of the saints' by those who hold the doctrine of John Calvin). There are also many Christians who hold the concept of 'once saved, always saved' to be unbiblical, but still still acknowledge that believers are secure as long as they remain in Christ. This is called 'conditional security.' To break the beliefs of each system down simply:

Would falling away* from Christ send a Christian to hell?

Is it possible for a Christian to fall away?

Unconditional Security

No

Yes

Lordship Salvation

Irrelevant**

No

Conditional Security

Yes

Yes

* Note: 'Falling away', or 'apostasy' is a term denoting a departure from Christ and from the Christian faith.
** Note: This would be a moot point if you believed that such an event as falling away could never occur.




What does the Bible say? It speaks of security...

The Bible does indicate that those who believe in Christ are secure in God's love, and are kept by the power of God through faith:

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature [created thing], shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39



"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."

John 10:28-29



[Peter writing to believers] "...who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

1 Peter 1:5




...but it also gives us warnings

All who believe in Christ and love Him are secure in Him, and no one can tear them away from God. Nevertheless, the Bible also warns against believers departing from the faith, and falling from God's grace.

"Therfore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation...?"

Hebrews 2:1-4



"Now all these things [occurances of disobedience from the Old Testament] happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

1 Corinthians 10:11-12



Probably the most compelling warning in the Bible is the 'final warning' of Revelation 22:19

"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life [most versions say 'tree of life'], and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Revelation 22:19



This is significant because of what happens to those whose names do not appear in the book of life:

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Revelation 20:15



Even if 'tree of life' is the correct translation, the idea of what happens to those who have no part in it and the city of God is the same:

"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and idolaters, and whoever loveth and maketh a lie."

Revelations 22:14-15




Abiding in the Vine

No one can earn God's grace or merit His salvation, but He does require that we remain in Christ if we are to inherit eternal life. So while the Bible does indicate that believers are secure in Christ, it is also apparent from reading scripture that there is the possibilty of one falling away from Christ, in which case one would no longer be secure. Jesus said it best in John chapter 15:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman [vinedresser]. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love."

John 15:1-10



When we remain in Christ, we will grow and bear much fruit, but if we do not abide, we will be severed from Him entirely by God. The same thought is echoed in Romans 11:

"...and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and the fatness of the olive tree; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou will say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well [said], because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Romans 11:16-22



That being grafted in the vine is referring to salvation is made quite evident by the context of this passage, for by the fall of many of the Jews (their being cut off), salvation is come unto the Gentiles (their being grafted in - verses 11 and 25-26 of the same chapter). Notice the clear warning that the Lord gave repeated here as well, "or you will also be cut off."


Okay wait, if no one can pluck us out of God's hand, then how can a person be lost after they are saved?

Notice again the words of Jesus in John 15:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away..."

John 15:1-2



When a believer begins to harden his heart against God's word and does not listen to Christ and abide in His teachings, he is no longer abiding in Christ and will consequently not bear good fruit. Truly, as the scripture says, "no creature [created thing] can separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8:39). An apostate is not plucked out of God's hand, he is cut off from Christ by God the Father because he does not remain in Christ's love.


Does the Bible record anyone actually falling away?

  Yes. For starters, it records people in the process of falling away in the book of Galatians. To give an idea of the context to the scripture below, the church in Galatia was turning from the gospel of Christ unto another gospel, which required circumcision and keeping of the law of Moses to be saved. Paul recognized the falsehood of such a gospel immediately, and made it known to those who were saved what would happen if they turned aside to such foolishness:

"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? ...Stand fast therefor in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect to you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

Galatians 4:9, 5:1-4



The writer of Hebrews also alludes to others who already have fallen away in chapter 6:

"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, if they shall fall away,* to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessings from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned."

Hebrews 6:4-8



* Note that the KJV is incorrectly translated here, as the Greek text does not read "if they fall away," (the word for 'if' does not even appear in this passage) but reads as "and have fallen away" -- making this an actual case, not just a warning.

Paul gives another example to Timothy, actually naming the culprits this time:

"Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme."

1 Timothy 1:19-20



These two men had obviously cast off their faith in Christ, and were now reprobates. This is tragic, but not unexpected, for Paul writes in the same book:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron..."

1 Timothy 4:1-4



Jesus also made a similar prediction when speaking of the last days:

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

Matthew 24:11-12



Such a statement is particularly damning when one recalls,

"...every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love."

1 John 4:7-8



And yes, before you grab your concordances, the word for 'love' in both passages is 'agape.'

Judging from these statements, it is no surprise that people who were washed in the blood of Christ can and do foolishly reject Him afterwards as their Savior.


So how does one keep from falling away?

  Though it is called 'falling away,' apostasy is not just a slip and fall all at once; it starts by a Christian being neglectful of God and growing obstinate against Him. Peter gives a fool-proof vaccine against such a dire occurrence in his epistle:

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to your virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 1:5-11



If you cease to heed His word and your heart grows hard, you will be cut off and your latter end will be worse than before you knew the truth (2 Peter 2:20); but if you are diligent to follow God and abide in Christ, you will remain grafted to Him, and grow to be more like Him, able to endure any trial or temptation that presents itself, and kept safely by His divine power through faith in His Son. That is true eternal security.


For further study into the scriptures:

The Final Warning: Revelation 22:18-19
Calvinism's Claims About John 6
Challenge to Reformed Theology by Scriptural Fact


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