ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED... DOCTRINE OF GOD OR MAN?


  1. Origin: John Calvin, theologian of the early 16th century, and protégé of Martin Luther.
    1. Taught we are saved by a miraculous and direct intervention of the Holy Spirit.
    2. When thus saved by God's grace, man's works cannot "undo" the grace of God.
    3. Directly & inseparably linked to the doctrine of Unconditional Election (Predestination).


  2. "Proofs" of Predestination examined
    1. Ephesians 1:4-7; Romans 8:29-31
    2. Explanation: the PLAN was predestined
      1. Examine the texts
        1. Eph. 1:4 "chosen in him"
        2. Eph. 1:5 "adoption of children by Jesus Christ"
        3. Eph. 1:6 "made us accepted in the beloved"
        4. Eph. 1:7; Romans 8:28-9
          1. "redemtion through his blood"
          2. "the forgiveness of sins"
          3. called, predestined, justified, glorified
          4. "according to the riches of his grace"
      2. Redemption in Christ was the plan before the beginning of man, for Christ was:
        1. the 1st-born of creation- Colossians 1:15
        2. the 1st-born of many brethren- Romans 8:29
        3. Isaiah 43:10-11; Acts 4:12
        4. Isaiah 43:12-13a; John 8:58
        5. Colossians 1:15-17; John 1:1-3, 14
    3. God does not predestine men...
      1. for he is no respecter of persons, Acts 10:34-35
      2. one whom God had predestined cannot be accountable for doing what God had foreordained him to do, thus, he could not be guilty of sin! Romans 3:23


  3. Is man saved directly by the Holy Spirit?
    1. Ephesians 1:13; 4:30 "Sealed by the Spirit"
      1. "Sealed"- Thayer- to mark, as God did with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
        1. Mark 16:16-20
        2. Acts 2:43
        3. Acts 8:15-17
        4. conspicuously absent in Acts 18:24-19:6
      2. "To make secure, an assurance of promises made" as Christ promised the Spirit to the apostles to:
        1. teach and bring all things he taught to their remembrance- John 14:26
        2. testify of him- John 15:26 and
        3. guide them into all truth- John 16:13
      3. We are "sealed" through the word, inspired by God through the Holy Spirit- 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:21


    1. Through what agency is man saved?
      1. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16
      2. 1 Corinthians 1:17-24; Romans 1:16-17


  1. Impossibility of Apostasy
    1. John 10:28
      1. John 10:27-29
        1. "My sheep hear my voice"
        2. "and they follow me"
    2. Romans 8:38-39
    3. Romans 8:28-30, 35-39
    4. As free moral agents, we may allow ourselves to be plucked from his hand if we:
      1. are drawn away by our own lusts- James 1:14-15
      2. err from the truth unto death- James 5:19-20
      3. become entangled in sin again- 2 Peter 2:20-22
      4. depart from the faith- 1 Timothy 4:1
      5. turn from the truth to fables- 2 Timothy 4:3-4
      6. fail to overcome- Revelation 2:11

ALL THESE WARNINGS WERE/ARE WRITTEN TO CHRISTIANS!!!


    1. Entire congregations may fall away- Revelation 1:20-3:22
      1. the church at Ephesus- 2:5
      2. the church at Pergamos- 2:14-16
      3. the church at Thyatira- 2:20-24
      4. the church at Sardis- 3:3-5
      5. the church at Laodicea- 3:15-16


  1. Do we imply this false doctrine within the church?
    1. You need to be in the right group, the church, BUT!
    2. 1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that think he standeth take heed lest he fall."