OSAS vs the BIBLE #2 – Are there Additional Requirements for Salvation?

This is the second in a series of posts that compares modern “Once Saved Always Saved” church doctrines with what the BIBLE actually teaches. I was challenged to list any BIBLE verses that add requirements for salvation (beyond just believing) so this post focuses there.

Sorry this is so long – but one of the problems in modern society is that so many things get reduced to oversimplified, propagandistic sound-bites that discourage thinking. So, this is not a quick, easy read; it calls for contemplating the linked BIBLE verses. Is it worth it? You have to ask yourself whether it is worth your time to read what the BIBLE really says or if you will just leave your eternal fate in the hands of a preacher who is being paid to (rightly or wrongly) quote his denomination's official doctrine.

The conditional verses listed below add responsibilities to the believer's initial decision for CHRIST - i.e., the believer is responsible for holding onto salvation, after accepting it. The conditional verses do not teach a supposed “works gospel” where people try to earn salvation; they warn the “saved” believer against maintaining a worldly sinful attitude and then still expecting JESUS to accept them. Again, please see Bob Utley’s teaching about BIBLE paradoxes (seeming contradictions) regarding perseverance and assurance (see definitions below).

Utley: “Christianity is an initial response of repentance and faith followed by a continuing response of repentance and faith. Salvation is not a product (a ticket to heaven or a fire insurance policy), but a relationship. It is a decision and discipleship.” Paraphrase: “… a believer’s salvation is described in the New Testament in all of the following ways: as having been completed, as an ongoing process, and as something to be realized in the future.” 

The Unconditional Salvation Doctrine

First, let’s look at a verse commonly used to teach OSAS and an accompanying denominational argument for unconditional salvation.

Joh 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

This seems entirely straight forward – believe in JESUS and be saved. A typical related denominational argument for “salvation by faith alone” is given at (Calvinistic) gotquestions.org: 

“Any (Bible) verse that ascribes salvation to faith/belief, with no other requirement mentioned, is a declaration that salvation is by faith alone.”

I would contend that this very confident sounding statement is not borne out by the New Testament. In worldly terms, it might even be called a logical fallacy, i.e., an argument from silence. They are saying that because some “believe and be saved” BIBLE verses do not contain any qualifying statements in the same verse, then there must not be any.

None of the BIBLE authors who told us to believe and be saved, specifically indicated that only belief was necessary. On the contrary, the very same people who revealed the WORD that gives us assurance in salvation also warned us to “stand firm, repent, hold on, remain, be obedient, enter the narrow gate, be holy, overcome, and strive for Christlikeness.” Why give all these cautionary statements if salvation is truly instant and permanent at the moment the believer asks for it?

Conditions for Salvation Stated in the BIBLE

BIBLE commentators affirm that there are many more verses which present conditions for salvation than there are verses used to teach unconditional salvation. There are so many verses outlining conditions for salvation that it can be useful to break them out into separate categories:

• Verses calling for the believer to “stand firm” and continue living with JESUS to the end.
• Verses that warned the original saved Christians that they could lose their salvation.
• Verses warning people that if they are not Christlike, that if they maintain a worldly attitude, they won’t be allowed in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I. Stand Firm / Abide in ME / Keep on Believing / Persevere – to be saved

JESUS and the disciples never said that we only need one moment of faith at the beginning of our Christian walk; they repeatedly warned us to remain faithful to the end of our lives in order to gain the final victory (salvation). Why would it be necessary to emphasize the requirement to abide, if salvation is instantaneous and permanent at the time of conversion?

But what does it mean to abide / stand firm? It means to stay, endure, to remain in a certain place, condition, or state of mind. IOW, you must live with JESUS and continue to do HIS will, which is to love GOD and love your neighbor as yourself, until the last day of your life. I Joh 5:2-3 says that we prove our love for GOD by obeying HIS WORD. The BIBLE, in its entirety, shows us that although GOD is love, HE is also Judgement – negatively judging those who refuse to obey in good faith.

A typical verse relating the commandment to stand firm:

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Mat 24:12-13 

Comparable verses that call on the believer to be faithful to the end, abide, remain, hold firm, continue, etc. (Note that the shortened references and commentary statements are given for the convenience of the reader and are not meant to be “proof texts.” The links are provided so you can review the full chapter and verse where these statements occur):

• Matt. 10:22, Mark 13:13 - You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 
• John 8:31-32 - To the Jews who believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, (then) you really are my disciples. I.E., If you live according to the word (commandment to love each other, etc.) then you are the actual followers of JESUS.
• John 15:4-10 - "...I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Joh 15:6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned (lost).
• Hebrews 3:11-13 “…Help each other to stand firm…” “…beware that none of you becomes deaf and blind to God through the delusive glamour of sin. For we continue to share in all that Christ has for us so long as we steadily maintain until the end the trust with which we began.”
• 2 Ti 2:11-13 – “…if we endure, we will also reign with him.”
• 1 Cor. 15:2 – “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
• Col. 1:23 – “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.”
• Rev 3:21 - "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

II. The Danger of Losing Salvation

Does the BIBLE actually say that Christians can lose their connection to CHRIST and in some cases, lose their salvation? Those who teach unconditional salvation say no, but the BIBLE gives a multitude of warnings. A typical verse:

Joh 15:1-6  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit… …If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” This was/is a warning by JESUS to saved Christians that, like the Jews who refused to accept HIM, they too were subject to being cut off and cast into the fire (eternal damnation).

Similar verses warning those who had entered into salvation that they could lose it:

• Matt. 18:21 – The parable of the unmerciful servant – he was forgiven an impossible debt – but because he did not forgive others, his forgiveness was revoked and he was sent to the “prison” (metaphorically hell)! 
• Matt. 13:1-23 – The Parable of the Sower (a farmer planting seeds) – JESUS tells us that three out of the four hearers of the Gospel accepted the WORD. According to OSAS this has to mean that they were “saved” at the moment they believed. In the parable JESUS tells us something different - that only one of the three hearers who initially accepted the Gospel went on to actually be saved because they had produced fruit in their lives – i.e., Christlike obedience.
• Matthew 3:10 – “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Judgement was prophesied for Israel because they would not accept JESUS.
• Matthew 24:4–14; Mark 13:5-13; Luke 21:8-19 – End time deception … Jesus: “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray…. But the one who endures to the end (maintains belief in the real JESUS) will be saved.”
• Luke 21:34–36 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.” Those who are in sin when their own individual judgement day comes are cast out with the hypocrites (not saved). Mat 24:48-51
• Phil. 3:18-20 - Paul, speaking to believers, told them that worldly believers are enemies of the cross of CHRIST.
• Heb 6: 4-8 - Indicates that believers who leave JESUS and do not produce fruit will be burned.
• Jas. 5:19 - James says that if believers would "wander from the truth" that they would be in danger of spiritual "death."
• Gal 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
• 1Timothy 4:1 - Deception in the end times: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons…”
• Rev. 2:7, 17 , 26 ; 3:5, 12, 21 – JESUS gave repeated warnings to the already saved believers in the Revelation churches that they needed to repent. He says that the ones who overcome, conquer, win the victory (over worldliness) will be saved. Doesn’t this infer that those who are not victorious over worldliness could be lost?

III. Christlikeness and Holiness

Two well-known BIBLE passages present a list of sins that make people ineligible for heaven if they do not truly repent of such sins - Gal 5:19-21 and Rev 21:7-8, 27. These warning verses were sent to saved Christians that had been evangelized by the original disciples. Note that they do not mention any exceptions for those who had previously made a decision for CHRIST. The OSAS concept, that continuing willful sin after being saved can’t cause you to lose salvation, directly contradicts these verses and many more. Review Galatians 5 and consider how many of these disqualifying sins could be said to characterize the general attitude in America's right-wing political churches.

Mat 7:21-23 warns saved Christians that they must maintain Christlikeness or be in danger of damnation:

JESUS: Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

This verse was clearly written to warn Christians, who are entirely confident in their salvation, that they will be rejected by JESUS for hypocrisy and continuing sin – they were not living with HIM or in HIM, so HE says HE doesn’t know them. 

The scripture repeatedly calls on believers to be holy. 2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Peter 1:15-16,  Hebrews 10:26-29 Willful sinners (like some emboldened by OSAS) are warned that they will receive severe punishment because they have "insulted the Spirit of grace" – the very grace that they are counting on to excuse their continuing sinfulness. Heb 10:29

Related verses that demand holiness:

• Rom 6:1 – “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” Answered at: Rom 6:15  “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death (Thanatos/hell), or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” This plainly says that disobedience and continued willful sin after accepting JESUS leads to physical/spiritual death.
• Mat 5:48 – “Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him.” 
• Mat 7:15-20 – “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” This verse leads right into Mat 7:21-23 above. 
• Mat 5:21 – Hatred shows that people do not know GOD and are not saved according to 1 Joh 3:15. It Is shocking how many people in modern right wing political churches (who are counting on OSAS) are filled with hate and prejudice when JESUS demands that you love your enemy!
• James 2:14 – “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” This doesn’t mean works of ritual religion done in an attempt to purchase salvation, but loving actions done for others which show that JESUS is living in you.
• James 5:19–20 – “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” IOW, if someone in the church starts to live in sin, they are headed towards spiritual death, unless someone warns them and they repent.
• 2 Cor. 13:5 – “Test your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate.” Reprobate means lost forever.
• Gal 5:16-26 – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. …The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
• Gal. 6:8-9 – “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” “Sows” means to plant, i.e., one's actions in life.
• 2 Ti 2:17-19 – “The Lord knows those who are His, and Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
• 1 John 2:3-6 - It is only when we obey God’s laws that we can be quite sure that we really know him. The man who claims to know God but does not obey his laws is not only a liar but lives in self-delusion. In practice, the more a man learns to obey God’s laws the more truly and fully does he express his love for him. Obedience is the test of whether we really live “in God” or not. The life of a man who professes to be living in God must bear the stamp of Christ.
• 2 John 1:5-6 - “… I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
• Rev. 21:7-8 - “….He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Outro

If you have gotten this far, you will recognize that all I have done is quote the BIBLE – and these are far from being all the verses that illustrate the point that your salvation isn’t necessarily secure until the day you find yourself in the presence of GOD. It is up to you to read and study the individual verses in their entirety – how can you know what JESUS actually commands and desires if you don’t read HIS WORD? (Note: If a verse is hard to understand, choose a plain English Bible from the dropdown list at the link.)

DEFINITIONS

Argument from silence - Assuming that a claim is true based on the absence of textual or spoken evidence from an authoritative source. (In this case, the supposed "silence" is related to the fact that many "assurance" BIBLE verses don't include conditions in the same sentence. OSAS teachers act as though the moderating statements made elsewhere in the BIBLE don't exist. Nevertheless, verses offering assurance of salvation and verses demanding obedience are made often by the same author on the same page.)

Assurance – Also known as “assurance of salvation.” The desire to know that you are saved. Paul told his disciples in the churches he founded that he was confident in their salvation. Php 1:3-6 The verses listed in this study show how to remain confident. In my opinion, OSAS is a very broad assumption.

Justification - Judged and accepted as righteous (holy – separated from the world) in the sight of GOD.

Perseverance - A continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition: the action or condition or an instance of persevering: steadfastness. (The fact that the BIBLE continually calls for perseverance shows that salvation is not necessarily instantaneous.)

Proof Texting – Taking single sentences or phrases out of their proper BIBLE context and quoting those few words to pretend to prove something that the BIBLE does not actually teach, e.g., "twisting" the scripture by only presenting the verses that teach assurance while ignoring the verses that demand holiness.

Repent / Repentance – To repent doesn’t just mean to regret your sinful actions, it means to actually do something about them. Repent means to change your (sinful) ways and also change the way you think (your internal attitude – your desire to / acceptance of sin). IOW, to turn away from worldliness and towards Christlikeness. 

Is Salvation Really Unconditional?

The next several blog entries will re-examine the "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) doctrine (and its variations), as taught in many modern American churches. The BIBLE verses typically used by proponents of OSAS to teach "unconditional eternal security" will be contrasted with the BIBLE verses that almost always accompany them; verses which add Christlikeness and obedience as requirements for final salvation. Note that I am not promoting a ‘works gospel’ – the idea that you must add works of ritual religion to the grace offered by JESUS to be saved. An upcoming article will address the grace vs works argument. (Please review the definitions below.)

It is extremely important that Christians begin to understand that the verses used for and against the unconditional security doctrine do not contradict each other. These verses reinforce each other in a way that presents a greater truth to the teachable reader. See Bob Utley’s teaching about how the ancient Hebrews presented spiritual “truths in seemingly contradictory pairs (paradox)” in order to encourage the hearer to contemplate GOD’s character. 

Once Saved Always Saved vs What the BIBLE Actually Says 

Many modern Christians have been taught that once they accept JESUS, they are saved and on their way to heaven. They are often told that there are no other conditions, and that no sins committed after their initial decision for CHRIST can cause them to lose their salvation.

This doctrine (teaching) is generally referred to as “unconditional eternal security." The popular variations of this teaching were derived from the Calvinist (Reformed) doctrine known as “Preservation of the Saints.” Various denominations teach unconditional security as “Preservation of the Saints,” “Once Saved Always Saved” (OSAS), and “Hyper-Grace / Free-Grace.” 

Even though none of the early disciples believed in or promoted the unconditional eternal security doctrine, many modern people have adopted it and are determined to hold onto it - especially those who only listen to the BIBLE verses that seem to support it. That said, there are many other BIBLE verses that present additional requirements for salvation - requirements beyond just believing. Some of these verses give stern warnings to believers about the possibility of losing their salvation. The modern church takes the fear of GOD out of the salvation equation when such verses are ignored or explained away by unconditional security teachers - even the Sermon on the Mount is scorned by some OSAS believers. 

But what if OSAS does not present everything the BIBLE teaches about the salvation process? 

It is my contention that much of the vicious hypocrisy and general un-Christlikeness in the American Right-Wing Political church can be attributed to OSAS. Their teaching and belief is that there is no reason to fear eternal punishment for willful sin because, according to OSAS, their salvation cannot be lost in any case.

The question I seek to address is whether believers who willfully and unrepentantly hold on to hateful worldly attitudes will be allowed in the kingdom of heaven? There are many BIBLE verses, plainly aimed at the original followers of CHRIST, that warned them (after they had been saved) to repent or be lost. Are people putting their eternal salvation at risk when they pick and choose which commandments they will obey?

In coming posts, I will provide biblegateway links to all of the popular BIBLE verses used to teach unconditional security, as well as to those verses which show that the promise of salvation has conditions beyond just believing. At the biblegateway links, you can (and should) click on “Read full chapter” to see the full context of each verse. You can also read and compare the verses using any of the BIBLE translations available from the dropdown list. Remember, you are responsible to work out your own salvation. Phi 2:12

Definitions:

Calvinism – One of the original protestant denominations, named after its founder John Calvin (d. 1564). It stresses a belief in GOD’s sovereignty / total control over everything, including predetermining people’s actions – both good and evil. According to Calvinism, although man does not have a free will, he is still held responsible for his sin. This is not consistent with GOD’s justice as taught in the BIBLE or the teachings of the original disciples.

Calvinism was influenced by ancient pagan philosophies and teaches an “unchangeable fate”, i.e., that some people are destined to be saved and some are born to be damned, regardless of what they do in life. This is referred to as double predestination.  

When people first accept Calvinism, they tend to believe that they must be part of the “elect,” i.e., those chosen to be saved. However, as Calvinists continue to learn the fine points of their doctrine, some begin to have a faith crisis revolving around the doctrine of predestination. They wonder if they actually are among the saved. One of the lesser-known Calvinist doctrines is called Lordship Salvation, where in keeping with perseverance, GOD supposedly forces the “elect” to maintain their salvation through some sort of automatic, ingrained obedience. This idea causes many Calvinists to feel the need to prove their elect status by actually being sinless, which of course, is impossible. Hence, when supposedly elect Calvinists do sin, they begin to question whether they are really saved. Even Charles Spurgeon (d. 1892), the most famous Calvinist preacher, other than Calvin himself and his successor Beza, wrote about periodically doubting his salvation. 

Perseverance of the Saints / Unconditional Election – Two of the five main points of the Calvinist belief system; i.e., GOD chooses certain people at random to be saved who can’t lose their salvation for any reason (a form of predestination). Note that not every person who regards themselves as a “Calvinist” agrees with all five points of the system.

OSAS / Once Saved Always Saved - A modern simplified version of the Calvinist doctrines of unconditional election, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. The non-Calvinist forms of unconditional election are generally thought to have been derived from the doctrine of “Perseverance of the Saints.”

OSAS is typically taught in Baptist churches which are not affiliated with one of the mainline reformed (openly Calvinist) denominations. OSAS generally means making a one-time confession of Christian belief after which, the person is permanently saved and any sins committed after confession can’t cause them to lose their salvation. Essentially it is like signing a contract where one party has to fulfill their promise (GOD has to bring you to heaven) but the second party doesn’t have to fulfill theirs (you never “really” have to repent or change who you are and stop sinning willfully). This sort of “easy believism” is often referred to as “fire insurance”, i.e., an easy, convenient, self-justifying way to try to avoid hell.

Grace – Undeserved favorable treatment from GOD – a gift. In the context of salvation, the BIBLE says we are saved by Grace through faith (in JESUS). Meaning that GOD offers us salvation for free, not because we have done anything to deserve it, but because HE wants us to be with HIM for eternity, if we agree to respect and obey the work of JESUS. In an upcoming post in this series, we will see how some OSAS teachers falsely claim that holiness and obedience are “works” that somehow oppose the free grace (forgiveness) offered by JESUS.

Hyper-grace - A recent, even more heretical version of OSAS where “believers” apparently only have to privately accept JESUS in their minds, for all “past, present, and even future” sins to be cancelled. Ongoing confession, repentance, and obedience are not considered to be requirements for salvation!

In a way, hyper-grace is not an unexpected development. Like other modern objections to Christianity, it is just a shiny new version of an ancient heresy that was refuted long ago. That heresy became known as antinominianism during the reformation (1500’s). Anti-nominian-ism literally means “anti-law or no law” and was/is related to Gnosticism. Both of these pagan philosophies encouraged early believers to disobey the commandments of JESUS; offering false, unbiblical methods of salvation.

Modern hyper-grace is similar, implying that since Christians are no longer under the Old Testament law, and because all sin is covered by New Testament grace, there is really no need to follow any of the commandments in the BIBLE. As such, hyper-grace is a ridiculous contradiction of all Scripture. Rom 6

Even so, it is unusual to see a church openly practicing a “anything goes” doctrine, but many will admit, if pressed, that this is the bottom line of their (false) doctrine: “that although people should try not to sin, since they can’t or won’t stop, they shouldn’t worry about it – they will be saved anyway.”

Justification – Judged by GOD as being free of guilt and therefore acceptable to HIM. (See the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee, Luk 18:9-14. The sinful tax collector humbled himself before GOD and was justified.)

Sanctification – The ongoing process of sanctification (becoming a saint) is the process of becoming Christlike and is for all Christians. Col 3:5 You come to JESUS as you are - but then the sincere repentant believer is supposed to begin a life-long process of separating themselves from worldly things and dedicating themselves to GOD. John the Baptist challenged the Pharisees to show fruit worthy of repentance (behavior showing that they had actually changed). OSAS teaching infers that seeking holiness is not necessary for salvation, with some even teaching that obedience is an attempt at salvation by works, that rejects the grace of JESUS.