Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John 3:36

This is a question that plays on the minds of many Christian people. Once we make a profession of faith and are truly convicted in our heart and mind of the Gospel does this mean that we are saved forever no matter what we do in life? Is a mere belief in God and the Gospel message enough to save us from eternal hell? It is good for us to have questions about our salvation as that is proof that we are genuine about our faith and relationship with God. The Bible is very clear on this topic. A mere belief or profession of faith is not enough to save us, for even the devil believes in God and has knowledge of the Gospel. Over the course of human history, many people have claimed they are followers of Christ, but believe in a false Gospel and hold on to false religion. For example, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholics, and many other religions teach a fundamental belief in God. However, they don’t believe in the truth of the Holy Scriptures, they teach a false hope in a false god.

The Bible is clear that once our heart has been changed by the Gospel and we repent and believe in Christ we are eternally secure in him who died for our salvation. However, this does not mean that we can then return to a life of sin and live as if there is no God. People who have this view do not understand the Gospel message and are not saved. The true heart desire of the Christian is to live a life that is pleasing to God and in keeping with Scripture. We will not live a perfect life and we will mess up from time to time, but as a general rule, our life reflects the life of Christ. The life of a Christian is one of lifelong faith and repentance.

So, if faith and repentance somehow keep or maintain our salvation then is it down to us or based on our good effort. The Bible teaches that our salvation is a gift from God, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit within us that keeps us faithful. It is the work of God that keeps a Christian on the path of holiness. If God was to save us and then leave the rest up to us we would be lost and return to our old ways. Yes, there is some human responsibility, and we are told to pray and seek God daily, but our faithfulness to God is not completely a work of man. It is man and God working together.

So, what about those people that serve God for many years and then fall away or recant their belief in God. The Bible is clear on this as well. For all of those who are truly saved, they will continue in the faith until God calls them to Heaven. They may backslide at times and lose their joy in Christ due to personal sin, but they will never fall away completely. The Bible teaches that those who fall away and recant their belief were never truly saved to start off with. Yes, they may have seen some blessings and God may have used them in the salvation of others, but none of this is due to that person themselves it is another example of God’s grace. Salvation is more than saying a prayer or “making a decision” for Christ. Salvation is a sovereign act of God whereby a sinner is washed, renewed, and born again by the Holy Spirit.

Let us look at some Scriptures that set out the teaching on this subject from a Biblical point of view.

Romans 8:30 says, “and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” The Bible says that the sinner who is called by God is justified and glorified. Further in this passage of Scripture in verses 33-34 the Bible says, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” The Bible teaches that God has called his Church, and no one can lay a claim against them. The people of God (the Church) are saved for his purpose and are called by His grace. God who called his people will protect his precious bride. They are born again unto a new life who are saved by grace (John 3:3). There is no evidence from Scripture that the new birth can be taken away.

In John 14:17 the Bible says, “that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.” In Romans 8:9 the Scriptures say, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in believers, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit that keeps us and teaches us.

In James 2:26 the Bible says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” It is clear that works are part of our Christian life and without works our faith is dead. The Christian will bear works as evidence of faith. Man is not justified by faith alone, that is, by a bare and empty knowledge of God; he is justified by saving faith, that is, Christ’s righteousness is known and proven in the life of a believer. In Philippians 2:12-13 the Bible says, “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” The Christian life is an active one. It is a divine mystery of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. Although God is in control, we have some responsibility to act. The Christian does not only trust Christ for everything, but lives for Christ. We are to live as an example and be worthy of our calling. Salvation is not a license to sin.

There is one final portion of Holy Writ that I would like to draw your attention to. The portion of Scripture that demands our attention is Hebrews 6 because so many people bring up this chapter when talking about eternal security vs falling away. One of the most heated debates over any New Testament passage is this one. The question remains, are these people who have tasted the heavenly gifts and spiritual experiences in fact Christians? Are these people part of the church or not. This has been a matter of debate for theologians and preachers over the centuries. My view is that Hebrews 6 is not talking about saved Christians. It is talking about people who have tasted the Gospel and have had an experienced of church life. Hebrews 6:4-6 says, “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.” The Bible teaches that if it be possible to for those who have fallen away from the Church to come back then we ought to encourage them to do so. Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.” The truly saved soul will endure to the end and the Holy Spirit will make sure that happens.

Charles C. Ryrie has this note in his study Bible on this passage in Hebrews 6. “This much-debated passage has been understood in several ways. (1) Arminians hold that the people described in these verses are Christians who actually lose their salvation. If this be so, notice that the passage also teaches that it is impossible to be saved a second time. (2) Some hold that the passage refers not to genuine believers but to those who only profess to be believers. Thus the phrases in verses 4–5 are understood to refer to experiences short of salvation (cf. v. 9). The “falling away” is from the knowledge of the truth, not personal possession of it. (3) Others understand the passage to be a warning to genuine believers to urge them on in Christian growth and maturity. To “fall away” is impossible (since, according to this view, true believers are eternally secure), but the phrase is placed in the sentence to strengthen the warning. It is similar to saying something like this to a class of students: “It is impossible for a student, once enrolled in this course, if he turns the clock back which cannot be done, to start the course over. Therefore, let all students go on to deeper knowledge.” In this view the phrases in verses 4–5 are understood to refer to the conversion experience. Notice how the words “enlightened” (10:32), “taste” (2:9), and “partakers” (“share,” 12:10) are used elsewhere in Hebrews of genuine experiences.”

These passages have sparked significant discussion among scholars because they initially appear to suggest that a genuinely converted individual can fall away—an assertion that Christ explicitly refuted (see, for instance, John 10:27–30). The simplest interpretation is to consider the individual described here as someone who never truly believed, despite having engaged with the church community and, to some extent, experienced its associated advantages, much like Judas Iscariot. Regardless of how we may seem to others, only we and God understand whether we are authentically relying on Christ for our salvation.

Some other Scriptures that support this point of view are John 5:24, 6:39-40, 6:47, 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39, 11:29, Ephesians 1:12-14, 1 John 5:1 & 5:13.