Once saved, always saved?

Those of you who read here often know that I like to blog about all kinds of things, but the stance of different Christian denominations and their interpretation of the Word of God is one thing that I really like to explore. Before I get started, let me say one thing; I am not a Bible scholar by any means. I haven't read the original Greek and Hebrew; I haven't poured through the Latin Vulgate, and I haven't even read every English version of scripture. That said, I have a limited window through which to peer. However, I trust the Word in the form it's been handed down to me and I believe that, in essence, it is the true Word of God.

Certain denominations offer scriptural evidence of the idea that, once a person receives Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, that person can never lose his/her salvation. This concept, in and of itself, is contrary to the very idea of free will; you know, the thing that got us in trouble in the first place! Free will dictates that, until death, we always have the right to choose what our eternal destination will be. The very people who tell us that "death bed" salvation is valid would have us believe that "life bed" rejection of Jesus at any time is an impossibility. I have a hard time swallowing that.

Not only that, but the very concept is not scriptural. Those who tout "OSAS" quote John 6:

35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Read the words carefully! Jesus said "Whoever comes to me I will never drive away;" He did NOT say "whoever comes to me, I will never let go." This is an important concept! It is possible for the believer to willfully reject his/her salvation, but Jesus will never turn his back on those who believe! Keep reading. Jesus then said "this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me..." What does THAT mean? Well, the way I read it, Jesus is saying that those who have been called by God, known beforehand to have received Christ in eternity, will never be taken from Him. Now, God exists in all times and all places simultaneously. He KNOWS who will be raised before we, in our finite understanding and knowledge, have even made our decision! Therfore, what Jesus says is correct (Duh!); any who have been given Him by the Father will not be lost! So, how would we, once saved, be capable of losing that great gift that we've been given?

Free will! Hebrews 10 offers us the answer:

26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

I think this is pretty clear, but let me interpret. After one has received Jesus as Savior, it is still possible to return to the former ways, leaving no sacrifice available to that person! If you choose to "trample the Son of God under foot," there is no way to rectify that behavior again!

So, why would a truly blood-bought, born-again believer choose to "trample the Son of God under foot" anyway? Well, I think this is the question that our Christian brothers truly ask when the claim "once saved, always saved." They claim that, if a person is truly saved, that person would NEVER be ABLE to reject Jesus and return to his/her former life. This is the concept that troubles me. It does not allow for free will, and THAT is what got us into trouble in the first place!

Lord, I pray that any who have accepted Jesus, truly becoming new creations in Christ, would never choose to reject Him and trample Him underfoot! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! - Dan