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The Harvester Podcast is brought to you by the Florida School of Preaching. Listen weekly to take a dive into biblical topics and thoughtful studies on things that matter to our eternal souls.
Well, good afternoon or morning, as the case may be, wherever you're hearing this.
My name is George Beals.
Welcome to the Harvester Podcast.
Hosted by the Florida School of Preaching here in Lakeland, Florida.
What I'd like for us to do today is to go into somewhat of a deep dive on a matter.
And I'll take this slowly and try to make it as clear as I can.
It has to do with a topic that and a teaching.
As a matter of fact, that uh is often found in uh some denominational uh fellowships.
And it's called Perseverance of the Saints.
It goes by different names.
I'll talk about that in just a moment.
And I'd like to set it forth and give a little history of it, and we'll go into some
detail there, and then uh take a look at the scriptures and see what the Bible has to say
about this particular doctrine.
So over the years, uh
Up to the present, different overlapping terms are used to refer to the doctrine that I am
reviewing at this time.
Perseverance of the saints, perseverance of the saved, once saved, always saved, once in
grace, always in grace, the impossibility of apostasy.
Eternal, unconditional, unconditional notice, eternal, unconditional security, and other
terms that one might find.
Now I'll abbreviate the doctrine from time to time as OSOS, or maybe just spell that out,
once saved, always saved.
My understanding of the thinking is that once a person becomes a true believer in Christ.
Which some once saved, always saved adherents say is itself a direct gift of God, that is
the believing part, that person can never lose their salvation.
Not even faith in Christ is something that a human being does, some of them say.
From the fifth chapter of his book Justification by Faith Alone, the relation of faith to
justification.
And that is online, by the way.
A gentleman by the name of Joel Beake, B-E-E-K-E, explains that, quote, it is fatal to
regard faith as a prerequisite which a sinner can fulfill by an act of his own will in
order to be saved.
In such a case, man really becomes his own savior.
Worse yet, everything then
depends on the purity and strength or perfection of the sinner's faith.
Unquote, that page found on page four.
Now you might hear, one saved, always saved, interconnected with the several other days uh
ideas as well.
One is a doctrine of predestination.
Since God predestined who would be saved, as this continues, that is, who would be elected
for salvation and who would not be,
Then mere humans, including the ones elected and those not, cannot successfully overcome
God's determination, his sovereignty.
It is going to happen.
There are more connected thoughts to this doctrine of once saved, always saved.
Some also tie in what is called total depravity.
That is, non-Christians by themselves cannot do anything good.
Though an action they might see they do might seem to be good, according to this idea
there always is some evil ulterior motive behind it.
Consequently, still another idea that arises in the mix is that it is the Holy Spirit that
causes the salvation, not the human being.
That the human being has absolutely nothing to do with procuring his salvation.
Nothing.
Furthermore, if anyone claims that the human does anything, performs any work toward his
own salvation, then, as this continues, it follows that the human would merit the
salvation.
It would not be a gift from God in that case.
And so then the salvation would not be based on divine grace, but human merit, as this
continues.
The person would be earning the salvation, it is claimed.
God would owe salvation to the person.
Still further, in this case, salvation would be conditioned upon human will rather than
being unconditional.
And at least some would add, since Christ did all that is needed at the cross to bring
about salvation, there is nothing the human being does toward his own salvation.
And if you teach that a person does have to do anything to be saved, you are teaching
error opposing the gospel.
Now, much of the preceding thinking has to do with becoming saved, but some would apply
the essence of this thinking to remaining saved as well.
Once saved, God, not human will, keeps you saved.
Those who hold to one or more of these interconnected doctrines refer to several Bible
passages that they say support them.
In this brief presentation, we will look at uh some of these uh in this series, I should
say.
I do want us to look at part two, in which we'll concentrate on those.
Also, we'll look at passages that persuade me to deny once saved, always saved.
But before we get to these, I think you might find it helpful, as I have, to be aware of a
brief history of the controversies surrounding Once Saved, Always Saved.
So I will start there.
There are several sources that have done this homework for us, the history of One Saved,
Always Saved.
Systematic theologian John Jefferson Davis did so back in nineteen ninety-one.
In a publication titled The Perseverance of the Saved: A History of the Doctrine.
Since Davis provides useful documentation, writes clearly and concisely, and his article
is easily available to you on the internet, I will give a summary of it, and this summary
then draws largely from that article.
So I'll call this a condensed history of the once saved, always saved doctrine.
The church figure Pelagius is dated about three hundred fifty four to four hundred
eighteen AD.
From the writings of those who opposed him, we gather that Pelagius denied that Adam's sin
tainted us such that we cannot do good acts on our own.
He denied that.
Again, he denied this, holding that there is no need for God to intervene directly in the
into a human's nature in order for that person to exercise his free will to do righteous
deeds.
Our nature is such that we are able to choose to follow God's teachings or not on our own.
It appears that Pelagius held that we were made this way and that Adam's sin did not alter
human will such that we cannot so choose.
A later
Theologian, or somewhat contemporary, again Pelagius is dated three hundred and fifty four
to four hundred eighteen.
Another uh individual named Augustine disagreed with Pelagius.
He's dated about three hundred and fifty four to four hundred thirty AD.
Notice the following quotation from Augustus carefully.
He wrote of God's grace, quit a quote, which both begins a man's faith
And which enables it to persevere unto the end.
However, Augustine also said, quote, it is uncertain whether anyone has received this gift
as long as he is still alive.
And so then, according to this, humans do not choose to follow God for salvation, but God
makes this choice, both for becoming saved and remaining saved.
And those who are so chosen cannot be sure in this life that they are the ones God has
chosen.
Now that's Augustine on this.
From here, one can notice agreements or disagreements with Augustine about once saved,
always saved, found in different figures and groups down to the present day.
So let us jump to John Calvin, dated 1509 to 1564.
Davis remarks, quote, according to Calvin, once the Spirit brings a person to
regeneration, that is, once the Spirit operates on the person so that the person becomes
saved, this reality cannot be lost.
Davis continues, This view is apparent in Calvin's comment on first John chapter three,
verse nine.
Calvin argues that the apostle John
plainly declares that the Spirit continues his grace in us to the last.
So this accords with Augustine.
Now what about true believers knowing they are saved, according to Calvin?
Well, Calvin rebukes Gregory the Great for teaching that believers are unsure of our
election, saying he is, quote, badly and dangerously in error, unquote.
This last point seems to indicate that Calvin was stronger than Augustine about the saved
knowing they are saved.
On the other hand, as he continues his summary of Calvin with quotation, Davis writes this
persevering in God's grace requires on the human side severe and arduous effort.
From our human perspective, the Christian circumstances are very uncertain, and the
believer at times can feel that his life hangs only by a thread and is encouraged by a
thousand deaths.
The believer needs to continually feed his soul on the preaching of the word and to grow
in faith throughout the whole course of life, since it is easy for the believer to fall
away for a time and
From the grace of God, there is constant need for striving and vigilance if he would
persevere in the grace of God.
End of quote.
Calvin thus balances his theological certitudes with pastoral warnings.
Comments Davis on page two hundred and eighteen.
These words indicate that Calvin did not hold that saved people could be certain.
about their salvation.
Next, we look at the Roman Catholic Council of Trent dated 1545 to 1563 AD.
Davis references an article by J.
F.
Seller in the publication The Catholic Encyclopedia, having to do with final perseverance
for a later summary of Trent on the subject.
Davis writes this quote,
Trent presupposes that final perseverance rests neither in the human will alone, nor in
God's grace alone, but in a in the combination of both, that is, divine grace aiding human
will and human will cooperating with divine grace.
As to whether or not the saved can know they are saved, Davis quotes this from Trent
itself No one who
So long as he lives in this mortal life, ought to be presumptuous about the deep mystery
of divine predestination as to decide with certainty that he is definitely among this
number of the predestined.
Next we noticed the Westminster Assembly.
It produced a publication called the Westminster Confession in sixteen forty six and
Still referenced by several today.
Regarding the Per perseverance doctrine, the once saved, always saved doctrine, it says
They whom God hath hath accepted can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state
of grace.
Quoted by Davis, Davis, page two hundred twenty-three.
Regarding the saving saved
Knowing that they are saved, it looks like we have a stronger position than we have seen
with Augustine and Calvin.
They the related so called larger catechism document a document refers to uh believers who
may be, as quoted by Davis, infallibly assured that they are in a state of grace and shall
persevere therein unto salvation, unquote.
Now, before leaving this history of the once saved, always saved doctrine and moving on to
the next subtopic, we notice what some current defenders of once saved, always saved say
from a website.
In answer to the question, quote, what will be the state of someone who has accepted
Christ as his personal savior, for example, a Christian, but still fornicating when he
dies and
So far as salvation is concerned, unquote.
Well, in this website, this particular website, are these words in answer to that We are
saved by God's grace, not our own will or works.
In addition, our salvation is not contingent, that is not dependent, on what we do even
after we have been saved, because we are counted righteous by what Jesus did.
Finally, all of our sins have been forgiven by Christ's death and resurrection.
In this sense we have already been perfected, Hebrews ten fourteen is referenced, in that
God has already punished our sin in Christ on the cross, and we are made perfect by
Christ's obedience, with his righteousness credited, that is imputed to the believer.
End of quote.
So let me raise some overlapping questions for students of the once saved, always saved
doctrine to pose and pursue.
Question number one, is it biblical to say that once saved, our salvation is not
contingent, that is not conditioned on what we do?
Or number two, if remaining saved is irreversible because God sets it in stone, then the
Does God from the moment saved infiltrate the person's soul so as to keep the saved person
from falling back into a life of sin?
Question number three.
Does God not so assist allowing the saved to remain saved regardless of how he lives, even
if he continually commits willful atrocities?
So let's look at some passages that teach what I believe clearly.
Taught as what we can call conditional security, not an unconditional security in Christ,
but a conditional security.
To establish that the Bible teaches a conditional security and not an unconditional
security for remaining saved, and not the once saved, always saved view, then of a con
unconditional security, let us look at a few of these passages, perhaps the one that I
cite.
The most in my own teaching and study along these lines has been Colossians chapter one,
verses twenty one to twenty three.
This reads and you now that would be a reference back to Christians.
If you look at the book of Colossians, chapter one, look back, and then look after this
chapter, you'll see that the you is referring to the whole congregation, the Christians.
Verse twenty one of Colossians one and you
Who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has
reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and
above reproach in his sight.
So again, this is talking to people who have become saved.
And and Jesus is uh to present them holy, blameless, and even above reproach.
in his sight.
Now note verse twenty three.
If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the
hope of the gospel which you heard, which has was preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, became a minister.
I want to read that again.
Colossians one, twenty one through twenty three.
Notice the word if this is talking about the question of
How does one remain saved?
Does one remain saved?
Is there anything that the person behavior would affect the Christian who has become
saved?
How do you remain saved as a as a Christian?
Is it once saved, always saved?
That is, is it an un is it an unconditional security?
Or is remaining saved conditioned upon remaining faithful?
Well, let's look very carefully once again at Colossians one, twenty-one through
twenty-three.
Quote Verse twenty one beginning, and you who once were alienated and haunt and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through
death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight twenty three, if
indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast in your
And not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard.
Clearly, this is a conditional security in Christ.
Notice the U in verse 23, once again.
If this refers to people who are saved, then this passage is exactly on point.
It tells us how the saved remain saved.
To see this, first let us determine who this you is.
Trace it back.
Through the chapter.
Verses one and two of chapter one, this chapter, include these words, quote, Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and
faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colossae.
And then that's qu unquote, and then verses three to five read, We give thanks to to the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ and of your love for all the
saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before
in the word of the truth of the gospel.
So the you in Colossians one twenty one through twenty three, as tracing it back from that
is
Passage back to the toward the beginning of the book, and as a matter of fact, you trace
it after chapter 1, 21 and 23 to see this as well.
The you are the faithful brethren in Christ.
Such description continues in the chapter.
For example, verse 21 of our passage describes them as once alienated, yet now reconciled.
Verse 22 tells the purpose of such reconciliation.
Quote.
To present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight, unquote.
So these are people who have become saved.
Now, how do people who have become saved remain saved?
Paul, notice verse 23 of Colossians 1.
If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from
the hope of the gospel which you have heard, or which you heard.
Which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
The word if expresses condition.
The words after if in the verse specify what this condition is.
Indeed, you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the
hope of the gospel which you heard.
So Colossians one twenty-one through twenty-three teaches that saved people.
Remain saved by remaining faithful.
Remaining saved then is indeed conditional, according to the spirit-born Paul, not
unconditional.
And notice that it is the you who is to do this.
It's not the Holy Spirit, something external to them, but rather it is they themselves
that are said to be uh in need of remaining faithful.
Next, 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 9 to 11.
This passage reads, Quote, Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,
nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners
will inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you, but you were washed.
But you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the
Spirit of our God.
Unquote.
Verse nine makes an unqualified statement.
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It teaches that one is deceived if one denies this.
Again, it says, Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Now surely if a person is
In Christ and is behaving unrighteously, he is within the purview of the meaning of this
term unrighteous.
Verse nine makes an unqualified statement the right unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
It teaches that one is deceived if one denies this.
There is no qualifier limiting verse nine to non Christians.
The so anyone who lives in unrighteousness will not inherit God's kingdom.
Verse nine uh is nine and uh ten give examples of such unrighteousness.
Verse eleven shows that some of the sage and Corinth engaged in such sins before they
became saved.
Now quote, now the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God unqualifiedly before
and after you become saved, living in
That lifestyle, no matter when in your life, is spiritually deadly.
Another verse to look at, Galatians chapter five, verse four.
This reads, quote, You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified
by by law, you have fallen from grace, unquote.
The you here traces back to the churches of Galatia.
Look at chapters 1, 1 to 2 of the book of Galatians.
The church is the saved, according to Ephesians 5, verse 23, saved by grace of God, Romans
5, 1 to 2.
The passage is teaching then that saved people can fall from the state.
Galatians chapter 5, verse 4.
Once again, you, Christians, have become estranged from Christ.
You who attempt to be justified by law, you have fallen from grace, unquote.
Another passage along these lines, and this will be the last one that we'll look at in
this particular session.
We'll continue this next week.
in the next session, I should say.
James chapter 5, verses 19 to 20.
This reads, Brethren, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,
Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from
death and cover a multitude of sins.
Unquote.
Is James written to save people?
Yes, because they hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Look at James chapter 2, verse 1.
I oh are to look for his coming, James chapter 5, verse 7.
And are instructed to call for all the elders of the church for the elders of the church.
James chapter 5 verse 14.
So James 5, 19 to 20 tells saved people that they can wander from the truth, that they can
wander from the truth and be saved from death.
Isaiah 59, 1 to 2 shows that this is spiritual death, separation from God.
Further, James chapter 5, verses 19 to 20 teaches that anyone who succeeds in turning him
back.
From this last condition covers a multitude of sins.
And so the ends then our first of two sessions on the doctrine that is called by various
names the perseverance of the saints, so once saved, always saved, the impossibility of
apostasy, the idea of a uh of an unconditional security in Christ and so forth.
These passages uh I believe address these
ideas and clarify from the scriptures what we ought to hold to and teach on the matter of
remaining saved.
I do not see that once saved, always saved is consistent with the scriptures, with the
scriptures that I've just given you.
Next time then we'll continue this and look at some passages used that allegedly support
once saved, always saved.
Again, God be with you.