Question:
Many Christians believe that “once saved, always saved”.
Your articles also seem to promote that.
What if someone did get saved but then lost their love for Jesus (or
maybe never really had it), and gradually returned to their old way of life as
if they never even knew Jesus? Is it
possible that a person like that never experienced a genuine and sincere
conversion? I know that God’s
grace is free and unconditional, but what is the point if all you have to do is
say a little prayer, get saved, go to church a few times and then decide it’s
not for you and you would rather live a sinful life?
It would seem to be very discouraging and unfair to those who are truly
struggling to live a godly life. I
know feeling this way may be childish and petty and we should not compare
ourselves to others or to judge, but when I see people like that and then I’m
told that they’re still saved no matter what, I can’t help but feel
resentful. Then I feel like—why am
I trying so hard? I’m ashamed to
feel this way, but please help me with an answer.
Marie
Answer: Dear Marie,
You
have a commonly asked question, and you ask it transparently.
Thank you. There are two
potential positions. Virtually no
one debates that we are saved by what we do—most Christians accept that God
saved us because we could not. The
question about whether we are saved by grace is accepted by most Christians.
But,
having been saved, how we “remain” saved--how we “maintain” our
salvation—is the question. Some
say that we are saved initially by grace, but we need to do the right things
often enough in order to stay saved. They
believe that salvation is a combination of what God does and what we do.
Others
say that we are saved initially by grace and that we remain saved by grace.
All of our salvation is by grace, all of it is about Jesus and what he
has done, is doing and will do—none of it is about us.
This is the position PTM believes and teaches.
We
are given eternal life when we are saved—not conditional life based upon how
we conduct ourselves.
So,
what’s the point if all we have to do is say a little prayer, as you say, go
to church a few times, and no matter what you do you are saved?
Well, that is the point. The
point is that salvation is not at all about what we do.
If it were, says Ephesians 2:8-10, we would boast.
We would tell God that we made contributions to our salvation and we
would compare ourselves with others, thinking that the things we did, the
frequency, amount, and the effort we exerted was more than others, therefore we
are entitled to more.
But
God’s grace is not about human perceptions of entitlement, superiority, or
perception of how well we are doing. It
is perfectly natural to feel resentful about those who appear to be “getting
away” with something. Our sense of
human justice cries out for them to “get theirs”.
We start this behavior early on, as we point out to parents and teachers
the shortcomings of others, hoping that they will be penalized or punished.
There is, of course, one person whose shortcomings we do not point out to
the authorities—our own.
You
might want to study the parable in Matthew 20:1-16 with this question in mind.
Some who worked in the vineyard did not work as long or as hard, but they
received the same grace (wage). Those
who worked harder and longer were offended, and God made sure they were aware of
the fact that those who didn’t work as hard or as long received the same pay
because the workers were paid beginning with the last, and then finally the
first. The first, who did labor
longer and harder than all others, had to stand in line and watch others receive
the same gift. God could have
avoided it all by paying the people who were tired, who worked all day in the
hot sun, etc. and then letting them go home.
But they had to stand at the end of the line and watch everyone else get
the same pay.
When
they protested (verse 12) God says, “I want to give to the man who was hired
last the same as I gave you. Don’t
I have the right to do what I want with my own money?
Or are you envious because I am so generous?” (verses 14-15).
Finally,
is it possible that some will be saved and then become as sinful or even more
sinful than they were before they were saved?
The Bible says no. The Bible
says that when we are saved we are still in the flesh and we will still sin (1
John 1:8), but we have now crossed from death to life (John
Those
who are alive in Christ are his workmanship, created unto good works (Ephesians
It
is possible for people to be told that they are saved, to think that they are
saved, and for others to think that they are saved, but they are not.
1 John
We
do not have the capacity of judging who is a true Christian and who is not—and
thank God we do not, for is we did some might just feel justified in doing
anything to get people to repent (somewhat like the Inquisitions).
God alone is our judge.
Salvation
is by faith alone, grace alone and Christ alone.
Not much external to go by is there?
May
God bless you Marie, and thank you for being honest about how you feel.
We all feel that way, but our feelings are not an accurate gauge of
God’s grace.
In
Christ,