Once Saved Always Saved?
"Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him...for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition," 2 Thes 2:1-3 " I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Tim 4:1-3 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." Rev 3:5
Dr. John Barnett
Pastor David Pawson
Pastor Francis Chan
Pastor Joe Sweet
"Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them." Luke 8:18
It is a dangerous thing to cherry-pick scripture. We need the full counsel of God (consider all scripture as a whole). We should also consider scripture in light of its context to truly understand the meaning. Otherwise, we're in danger of being deceived as the Bible warns that His Word will be twisted by people who are deceived and deceive others. We should not have our minds already made up and close our ears to God's Word if it contradicts our beliefs. God can speak clearly, but if we are not listening carefully, we can miss His message. When you stand before the throne of God it will not matter what anyone else told you (including your pastor) if it's contrary to the Word of God. Jesus said "—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day." John 12:48 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned." John 15:6
"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ...Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things... Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:3-7,15
In the book of Jude he speaks of those who are apostate from the faith and he said this:
“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water [**HAVING APPEARANCE BUT WITHOUT SUBSTANCE], carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead [**DEAD PRIOR TO SALVATION AND DEAD AGAIN AFTER LOSING IT], pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude 12-13
** Words in parentheses are not part of scripture but used for an explanation of scripture.
Helpful Books to Consider:
