The phrase “once saved always saved” comes from the doctrine of eternal security. Once a person trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior, salvation is his forever. Heaven is his destination, and no person and circumstance can take away his salvation.
Some Christians believe that sinning can take away salvation. They think God would evoke our salvation because of our actions or inactions. However, a careful look at the Scriptures tells otherwise.
Eternal security or “once saved always saved” is a Bible doctrine. Therefore, no church or denomination can claim eternal security as their doctrine. This means that if you scrutinize the Bible, you will always come up with “once saved always saved.”
A myriad of Bible verses shows us eternal security is biblical. The Bible must be our final authority in our doctrine and practices. Don’t let the opinions of men influence and dictate Bible doctrine.
The Apostle Paul taught nothing can separate us from the love of God.
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
The Apostle Paul’s persuasion toward eternal security did not come from his feelings or opinions. It comes from the fact that God justified us through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, there’s no more condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:33-34.)
He even enumerates the different things we think might take away our salvation:
| Death | You can’t lose your salvation when you die. |
| Life | You can’t lose your salvation while you’re alive. |
| Angels | Angels or spiritual beings cannot take away your salvation. |
| Principalities | People in authority cannot take away your salvation. |
| Powers | Even the devil has no power to take away your salvation. |
| Things present | Nothing happening right now can ever take away your salvation. |
| Things to come | Nothing that will happen in the future can take away your salvation. |
| Height | Nothing from above can take away your salvation. |
| Depth | Nothing from beneath can take away your salvation. |
| Nor any other creature | Nothing can take away your salvation. |
Our eternal life is proof of once saved always saved.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
John 6:47
God gave you eternal life when you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior. Let me emphasize that you’re eternal life does not start when you get to Heaven. It begins when you repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior.
Suppose you die and go to Hell even though you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, then the life you received could not have been eternal. If God took back your eternal life after five, ten, or twenty years, then that life wasn’t eternal in the first place.
God promised that once you’re saved, you’re always saved.
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Titus 1:2
God promised us eternal life, and we know God will fulfill His promises because He cannot lie. Therefore, the character of God is the basis of our eternal security. God fulfills His promises, including eternal security for those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior.
Once you’re saved, you’re now a member of God’s family.
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
God gave you eternal life when you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior. In addition, He also adopted you into His family (Galatians 4:5-7.) God is now your Heavenly Father, and you are His child.
You can’t change who your biological father is. You can change your name, appearance, or address. But your biological father remains the same.
Your relationship with God is the same with your biological father. Now that you’re born again into God’s family (John 3:3,) your relationship with your Heavenly Father remains the same no matter the circumstances.
The Trinity secures our salvation.
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My 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
Christ promised that those who believe in Him could never be plucked out from His hand. Moreover, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are also in the hands of the Father. Lastly, the Holy Spirit dwells within the believers as a seal that they belong to God (Ephesians 4:30, Romans 8:16.)
