Reformed Readers discussion

Once Saved, Always Saved. Do you agree or disagree? What is your most concise, biblically-based argument for or against?

I was navigating on a road trip this weekend, and surprisingly stumbled into this debate again with the car's driver. While I was busy looking up pro and con biblical support...we missed our turn and had to backtrack a good 30min. I then switched from searching for Biblical proofs to searching for road signs. I'm looking for a more concise argument, so that next time I might be successful in my multi-tasking.

What about John 10:28-29? I think the logic behind someone who believes that we can be saved and then lose salvation is flawed. Unless this person believes it is by works that we are saved.. then they just have horrible theology and need to read scripture such as Ephesians 2. Now I know most people who believe that once saved always saved do believe it is by faith and not by works. So I will work with that view in mind.. If someone claims there is nothing we can do in order to receive salvation because we deserve hell.. and only by the blood of Jesus would we ever be made anew.. This act of course is the payment for our ransom.. We are bought by the blood of Jesus in which he makes justification happen.. ALL of our sins are paid and forgiven and we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Quite frankly if you believe the nonsense of losing salvation you would have to say a lot of scripture is lying..

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV) 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[a] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[b] to the praise of his glory.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.[a]

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The last verse I quoted "Ephesians 4:30" I have heard misused MANY times. People often point to this and say this proves that unbelievers can reject the Holy Spirit and they fail to read this in the context of the book.. Paul is speaking to Christians.. New Christians in the faith.. NOT unbelievers. Honestly this is what causes hypocrisy in a lot of peoples minds.. not knowing Gods word fully..

And the parable of the sower and the seed is probably one that this person will point to to "prove" his position.. Which is quite sad cause they are missing the point of the parable.. We spread the seed not choosing who to hear based on what we believe "they are too gone to be saved" which this view is TRUE of all of us.. we are DEAD in our sins.. we need God to save us from our spiritual deadness once he gives life we have it!

God gives the growth! not us.. not even the person receiving the good news of the Gospel but only God! The different types of souls is NOT different types of Christians.. these are different types of LOST people needing to hear God's word. And when God takes out our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh we are the good soul.. not because we were good enough but because of the Grace of God poured out onto us.

Here is some logic.. if us gaining and losing salvation is dependent on anything from us than Grace is pointless..

If we can lose our salvation because of sins that we fall into even after salvation.. then we are ALL going to hell. So might as well give up..

but Thankfully God seals us into adoption with his Holy Spirit and he is the one who keeps us and maintains us..

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
(Jude 1:24-25 ESV)

Zachary wrote: "The parable of the sower and the seed is probably one that this person will use to support his position..."

Actually, he seems to struggle most with the letters to the churches in revelation. The scoldings for loss of faith and consequences. Thanks for the great references - I personally treasure Epesians chap 1 as a foundational bulwark of faith. I always love to see it in print!