UNDERSTANDING THE ERROR IN THE ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ DOCTRINE (Part 4)

>>> Part 1 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved.html

>>> Part 2 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_16.html

>>>Part 3 here - http://csplalumni.blogspot.com.ng/2015/12/understanding-error-in-once-saved_73.html

The doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ has a very broad spectrum of varying interpretation. But there is a COMMON THREAD that runs through the core belief system of our brothers and sisters that hold the doctrine. And this is the common thread – ‘Man has no personal responsibility in the matter of salvation, the grace of God is the all-in-all of our salvation experience. And ALL those that have received this grace will DEFINITELY end up in the Kingdom of Heaven’. (Most interpretations of the doctrine add that entering the Kingdom of heaven is irrespective of whatever the believer does, or does not do, on earth.)

There is, of course, an element of truth in this claim – the grace of God, brought to us by the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel, is indeed an awesome, jaw-dropping phenomenon in our salvation. HOWEVER, the other side of this truth (for truth is a two-edged sword) is that God holds all of mankind responsible for how we (1) respond to the Gospel of grace, and (2) how we engage with the Gospel. First, those that respond negatively to the Gospel, by rejecting the Lordship of Jesus Christ, are condemned already (John 3:18).

Second, for those that respond positively, the level of their engagement with the Gospel of grace is extremely important. Those that are unserious with it, or receive it half-heartedly, will lose it sooner or later. But those that hold on firmly TILL THE END, utilising the grace of God for the purpose for which it was given, will be saved and rewarded. In conclusion, receiving the grace of God is DEFINITELY NOT an automatic or everlasting ticket to heaven. For sure, some will receive it and lose it – in this life, or in the world to come.

Once the Lord grants us a clear UNDERSTANDING of the meaning of grace, and HOW IT FUNCTIONS, it will be impossible to fall for the error of the ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ doctrine.

As we explore the meaning and function of grace in this article, and for ease of reference, please let us view grace as a PACKAGE from God. In this GRACE PACKAGE is contained the totality of God’s unmerited love and favour in the salvation of mankind. As we said earlier, the content of this package is both jaw-dropping and overwhelming in its richness. For included in this package are: forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary; a ‘deposit’ of the Holy Spirit as a confirmation of our status as purchased possession; justification; sonship by adoption; a New Man that is renewed after the image of God; a seat in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, far above all principalities and powers; sanctification; spiritual gifts; angelic ministration; divine provision; and lots more. All these, and much more, are included in this GRACE PACKAGE.

It is this fabulous package, as a single unit, that the Lord gives us as believers at salvation. According to Ephesians 2:8-9, we are saved by this grace package THROUGH FAITH. At salvation, we did not get the package as a result of any good work we had done, it is a FREE GIFT of God – so that none of us can ever boast of deserving the package. It is ALL entirely by God’s mercy.

It is important to note that it is through the comprehensiveness of the GRACE PACKAGE that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8), are being saved (2 Corinthians 2:15), and will be saved (Acts 15:11). HOWEVER, it is important to know that this grace package has A PRACTICAL APPLICATION in the life of the recipient. So, grace is NOT an end in itself – it is a means to an end. Very helpfully, someone has defined GRACE as the empowering presence of God that enables us to be (1) who He created us to be, and (2) to do what He has called us to do.

In this respect, we need to understand a crucial aspect of the practicality of the grace package. As complete as the GRACE PACKAGE is, God gives it to us in salvation as a POTENTIAL. Grace is an excellent PACKAGE that may, or may not, be developed by the recipient. Furthermore, the PACKAGE is an INVESTMENT that has the in-built capacity to yield huge dividends for God. In this sense, we can call the package a SEED. We will return to this shortly.

But first, let us look at several Scriptures that highlight the grace package as a POTENTIAL. First, Acts 20:32 tells us: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, WHICH IS ABLE TO build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” We can see that the ‘word of his grace’ did NOT build us up instantly as we received it at salvation. Rather, IT IS ABLE TO BUILD US UP. This means it has the POTENTIAL capacity TO BUILD US UP. This is how grace operates. Like a SEED.

Let’s look at eight more Scriptures that confirm this point, and prove that, at salvation, the grace in us (though completely whole and finished) is a POTENTIAL. 2 Corinthians 6:1 tells us that grace can be received in vain (that is, potential unrealised). Galatians 2:21 shows us that grace can be frustrated (potential hindered). Jude 1:4 tells us that grace can be perverted (perversion of potential). Hebrews 10:29 warns us that in working out the potentials, the Spirit of grace can be insulted or outraged. (Other passages also warn us that He can be grieved and quenched in a life). And Hebrews 12:15 makes it CRYSTAL CLEAR that we can FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD (potential that is quashed and quenched).

On the positive side, we have these Scriptures. 2 Timothy 2:1 encourages us to be strong in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (that is, maximise the potential). Similarly, 2 Peter 3:18 urges us to grow in grace (upscaling the potential). Finally, we see all these in a practical perspective from the testimony of Apostle Paul: “But by the grace of God I AM WHAT I AM: and his grace which was bestowed upon me WAS NOT IN VAIN; BUT I LABOURED more abundantly than they all (I MAXIMISED THE GRACE): yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

All these show us very clearly that the grace of God is NOT an end in itself – it is a means to an end. And the end is this: that we may do THE WILL OF GOD (as we expounded in more details in Part 3 of this series of articles). Contrary to what the false doctrine of ‘ONCE-SAVED-FOREVER-SAVED’ teaches, the grace of God is NOT an automatic ticket to heaven for all believers. It is a FINISHED WORK that is given to us FREELY to appropriate BY FAITH to achieve the divine will. It is BY FAITH that we lay hold on the package and run with GOD’S PURPOSE FOR SAVING US. This is what it means to BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST as stated in John 3:16. This is what it means for grace not to be bestowed upon a man IN VAIN.

So, the next question is this: “How do we MAXIMISE the POTENTIAL in this grace package so that we can MAKE OUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE according to 2 Peter 1:10?” This will be our focus in Part 5 of this series.

Thanks for reading, God bless.