CHAPTER TWO
THE MAJOR ARGUMENT

When I wrote the first book in 1974, I reported many scriptures that had a bearing on the subject, including Galatians 3:2-3. Since that time, the argument of this verse has strongly impressed on my mind that this one thought alone is enough to convince me that we cannot lose our salvation. Take a look:

“Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” Galatians 3:2-3.

To lose one’s salvation, you would have to change the rules. Having been saved by grace through faith, you would have to keep your salvation by your own efforts - by doing good works and abstaining from sin. I don’t think so. In fact, I know this is NOT so. If we were unable to save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8-10), neither are we able to keep ourselves by our works. We are saved by grace, and we are kept by grace.

Remember, I am talking about those genuinely saved by grace through faith. We were not worthy of our salvation in the first place, and we are not worthy to keep our salvation. Let me emphasize that more strongly. The best of us Christians (whatever that may mean) is not worthy to keep our salvation. We are saved by grace, and we are kept by grace.

If we must retain our redemption by our own efforts, what would this say about the nature of God? Doesn’t it picture a somewhat maniacal deity who chuckles sinisterly, cackling, “Aha! I’ve saved all those people just for the heck of it. Now let’s see how many of them can be good enough to keep their salvation.” God is not like that, and the scripture repeatedly says He is not like that. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
If the Father loved us enough to send Jesus to die for us, He certainly loves us enough to keep us.

I sincerely believe, whether consciously or unconsciously, many churches have kept to possibility of losing salvation in order to keep its members in line. If you don’t come to church, behave yourself, tithe, etc., you may go to hell. Well that has nothing to do with whether you go to hell or not. Hopefully, genuinely converted Christians will do most of those things and more. But those things are not done to retain salvation.

Consider the thief on the cross. He did nothing to receive salvation except ask for it. He was probably a violent man, a revolutionary, terrorist or highway robber. His past was horrible by his own admition. He had no future. He was dying. All he could do was ask Jesus, and he did. And Jesus assured him they would be together that day in Paradise. In fact, for those who believe Jesus, we are more certain of this man’s redemption than of anyone else, ever. To no one did Jesus say they would be with him that day in Paradise.

Summarizing this brief discussion: we are kept by the grace of God just as we were saved by the grace of God. Again, I emphasize we are talking about those genuinely converted as discussed in my last post.

CHAPTER ONE
SALVATION

People usually think of “once-saved, always-saved” something like this:

If I accept Christ and walk down the aisle and am baptized, will I go to heaven regardless of what happens between then and my death?

The short answer is yes, but there is a lot more to it. Salvation is far more than a one-payment insurance policy. “Accepting Christ” is like getting married. If you stand before a minister and say, “I do,” you are married. But then comes the “happily ever after,” or at least the “ever after.” I once heard a pastor say he had to decide every morning whether to be married or not. That makes a fellow think.

Sure I’m married. But what kind of husband am I? Regardless of yesterday, what kind of husband am I today? Marriage is a lifetime commitment.

And salvation is a lifetime commitment. We use the expression “giving your life to Christ.” And that is exactly what you do when you “accept Christ.” To be saved means to become a disciple, a follower. Genuine salvation transforms one’s life.

Consider the man once named Saul. He was filled with anger and hatred against the church of Jesus. On the road to Damascus, the risen Christ stopped him, and radically remade him. He was so different now that he needed a new name - Paul. He had become an ambassador for Christ.

And if you’ve been saved and become a follower of Jesus, you have been equally changed. People often say. “I didn’t have a Damascus Road experience.” But they did. Every Christian does. No, they don’t see a vision and hear voices, but the living Christ does enter their lives and radically change them.

The New Testament expects salvation and discipleship to make a difference.
The change is so radical it’s like being born again (John 3:3). A follower of Christ is a new creation. Old things are passed away all things have become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)


When I speak of salvation in this blog, I am speaking of those who have been genuinely converted. those who are saved, have met Jesus Christ, heard or felt his claim on their lives, and surrendered to that claim, becoming his follower. In turn, God has forgiven their sins, and his Spirit has entered them as a Guide and Encourager (Philippians 1:6).

Salvation in one sense is complete in the initial transaction. One can say, “I am saved,” pointing to a historical event in the past. But they can also say, “I am being saved,” meaning that the process began when they received Christ and is still continuing. Finally, there is a future sense of the word, pointing to the future culmination as one comes finally into the Heavenly Kingdom of God.

I would first argue that one cannot separate those three stages. One cannot be saved only in the past. Conversion is a beginning. As we often hear at commencement exercises, “you have not ended anything, you are just beginning.” A graduate is just beginning to live and learn. I don’t know how many teachers, preachers, and nurses have told me that it’s only after you get into your first job that you begin to learn your trade. (A pharmacist did just yesterday, in fact.) Even then you continue to learn when you change jobs. When a nurse leaves the surgery ward for the emergency room, she soon learns it’s a whole different job.

Being a Christian is like that. You begin at your conversion, walk away from your baptism to your home. Then you begin to discover what it means to be a Christian at home. How can I live as a Christian at work or school. What claim does Christ have on my recreational life?

Some people learn faster than others. Some seem to be better Christians than others. Some drift away or rebel violently. But the Spirit of Christ entered them when they were saved and never leaves.

So when I am discussing the perseverance of the saints, here, I am speaking only of genuinely converted believers, not “camp followers,” That’s the first point, and nothing else I say makes sense without it.

Thanks for reading. Soon I plan to post a second blog giving the #1 reason I believe if you once belong to God, you will always belong to God. Meanwhile, please comment or ask questions. Let’s make this a conversation.