Once Saved Always Saved?

Following our discussion yesterday, I went home and looked up a few Bible references pertaining to the debate of "Once Saved Always Saved." I came up with some great verses: (Links have been privded to prove I didn't make them up! Just as further credit, you see)


Hebrews 6: 4-6 NLT
"For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened--those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come-- and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame."


Romans 8: 38-39 ESV
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1 John 2:19 MSG
"They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong."

John 10:29 AMP
"My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."

Hebrews 13:5b NIV
"...God has said, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.' "

John 6:37 NASB
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will certainly not cast out."

--This verse seems to be on the affirmative for predestination

Hebrews 10:10 NASB
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all."

Jude 1: 22; 24-25 NIV
"Be merciful to those who doubt...To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

Hebrews 7:25 NLT
"Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf."

Ephesians 4:30 NLT
"And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption."

In conclusion:

1) We are saved BY GOD

Titus 3:5a KJV
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.

2) We are supposed to produce fruit

John 13:35 NIV
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

3) So you fall away. Is the backslider still saved?

And here's the whammy!

1 Corinthians 3:13-15
"But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames."