Scripture quotes taken from the Greek-English Interlinear Bible, Apostolic Polyglot Bible, and, NKJV
Matthew 24:13
"But the one enduring to the end, this one will be saved." (GEIB)
"But the one remaining unto the end, this one shall be delivered." (APB)
For me these words of Jesus are all that's needed to refute the false teaching of 'once saved always saved', but I'll use a few more scriptures to explain how we must continue in our faith and obedience to God until we die, or until the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:12-13
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Now we can clearly see in these scriptures that if a believer didn't have to do anything else after they were converted to Christ then Paul would not have written what he did in this letter!
Paul admonished the Ephesian saints to continue to obey the gospel of God not only while he was with them, but after he left they were to work out their salvation with fear and trembling!
Hebrews 10:26-31
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
If a truly born of God saint willfully sins after they have received the knowledge of the truth, there will be no more sacrifice for sins for that person, but they can expect certain judgment from the Lord.
Hebrews 10:36-39
"For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul."
The writer of Hebrews tells us that we are in need of endurance so that AFTER we have done the will of God we may receive the promise.
Look at what Paul said about himself in 1st Corinthians 9:26-27
"So I run accordingly, not as uncertainly; so I fight, as not beating air; but I buffet my body and lead it captive, that proclaiming to others I myself might not be rejected" (GEIB)
Paul is telling us that he was running the race of salvation to win an imperishable crown, and he controlled his body and disciplined it so that after he preached to others he himself wouldn't be rejected.
Paul also told Timothy before he died that he had finished his course, he kept the faith and he knew that he had endured until the end of his life and there was a crown that Jesus would give him. Paul never thought that once he was converted to Christ he didn't have to 'do' anything or that he didn't have to 'obey' the commands of Jesus, he knew for a truth that if he didn't he would not inherit eternal life.
2nd Timothy 4:6-8
"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."
For those who quote Ephesians 2:8-9 as proof text of faith alone and grace alone and you think you don't have to do anything else because Christ did all the work on the cross, I pray that you will repent and understand that if you continue to believe this you are rejecting what Jesus Himself said and what the rest of the apostles wrote and taught the believers in the first century church.
There are two things we need to understand about Ephesians 2:8-9, and I will quote three translations of it.
1) The KJV translation and many others contradicts the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:13
2) Paul wrote his epistle to the Ephesian saints in the first century who had already been born of water and Spirit. (See Acts 19:1-7)
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (KJV)
"For by grace you are being saved, through faith, and this not of you; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast." (GEIB)
"For by favor you are being preserved through the belief; and this is not of you of God gift; not of works, lest any should boast." (APB)
The last two translations from the original Greek give us a better understanding of what Paul really said to the Ephesians and that one word 'being' changes the whole meaning of the scripture! When we understand that it's by the daily grace or favor of God that our souls are being saved through faith in Jesus Christ, we press on for the prize of the high calling of God! We go on to work out our salvation with fear and trembling!
The Greek translations are in agreement with the words of Jesus and the apostles.
If we didn't have to do anything after we are converted to Christ then we would NOT have scriptures like these.
Revelation 20:11-12
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."
Revelation 22:10
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."
Once saved always saved is in direct opposition to the written words of Jesus and the apostles, and it's leading many away from the true grace of God and the life of Jesus Christ. I pray that this message has enlightened you and convicted your heart to study out the scriptures for yourself and to believe what they say.
In Jesus Name,
Tyrone
