Introduction
I am not a troll, looking to incite strife and confusion. The purpose of this post is to hopefully bring some clarity and understanding to the huge “Grace / Faith / Works” slugfest I see going on YouTube.
Doubtless you will not agree with everything I write. Should the Lord tarry, in a few months I won’t agree with everything I wrote either. I am continually growing and learning more. But I have intense personal reasons for my current understanding, which I’ll discuss later. “Grace / Faith / Works” is the narrowest section on the straight-and-narrow I have yet encountered. It is like a tightrope with eternal disaster a single misstep to the left or right. Together, let us find out what the Bible teaches.
The KJV
Some of the people engaged in the YouTube “debate” believe the King James Version is the only English-language one should use. I understand how they feel. I used to be a KJV-Only person, but I am not anymore. I have been freed to use the KJV and many other versions, as well as the Hebrew and the Greek, to gain as much understanding as possible from the Scriptures. I firmly believe all translations have shortcomings. But to avoid a potential source of strife I’ll use the KJV in this post.
If you don’t know, BibleHub has a wonderful KJV Bible study tool. Called the “KJV + Strongs,” the text of the KJV is hyperlinked to the underlying Strong’s Hebrew and Greek entries. You can pause your mouse over a word to see a brief popup, or click the word to bring up the Strong’s entry. It is very useful! Link: BibleHub KJV + Strong’s. Two other translations also have this feature, which you can select from the “Version” box at the top of the page.
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
The Bible is crystal-clear. We are saved by grace through faith, not by any of our works.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
Our righteous acts are all filthy rags.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 KJV
Jesus did it all!
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Revelation 1:5 KJV
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 KJV
Can Salvation Be Lost?
If Jesus did it all, and we are not saved by our works, can our salvation be lost? I believe the Bible teaches yes, salvation can be lost. I don’t believe it is easy to lose salvation – Jesus will do everything He can do to prevent it – but it is possible.
Please keep reading.
What About “Sealed”?
People who believe that salvation cannot be lost believe in what is known as “Eternal Security” or “Once Saved, Always Saved.” I will use the abbreviation OSAS for this belief.
OSAS people often cite these scriptures as proof salvation cannot be lost.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30 KJV
Consider this verse which has the word seals.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Revelation 6:1 KJV
In Revelation 6:1 the Greek word for seals is Strongs G4973, āa seal, a signet.ā In Ephesians 1:13 Greek and Ephesian 4:30 Greek the word for sealed is Strongs G4972, āto seal.ā It is directly related to seals in Revelation 6:1, being the verb form of the noun.
4972 sphragĆzÅ (from 4973 /sphragĆs, āa sealā) ā properly, to seal (affix) with a signet ring or other instrument to stamp (a roller or seal), i.e. to attest ownership, authorizing (validating) what is sealed.
I am not a Greek expert by any means, but I do not see how one could make case that the “sealed” in Ephesians creates something that cannot be broken. In Revelation 6 the noun-form of the Greek word is opened.
I agree this argument is not conclusive, but it is something to consider.
What About “Snatched Out of the Hand”?
OSAS people often use this passage as proof of eternal security.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29 KJV
I have two arguments, based on intense personal experience, that suggest this passage has nothing to do with OSAS. First, please note that the Scripture DOES NOT say this:
And my Father’s and my hands are tightly clenched around them so that they cannot escape.
No, I believe the hands are open and people can use their free will, make bad decisions, and eventually walk out of Jesus and the Father’s hands.
Second, I see the promise as contingent on obedience.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29 KJV
Again, these arguments are not conclusive, but they are definitely food for thought.
Just “For the Church” Scriptures
I have found many Scriptures throughout the Bible that teach salvation can be lost. But many OSAS people discount them. They say they are “old covenant,” “written for the Jews,” or similar. So I will use Scripture just from books that obviously apply to the church: Revelation and Paul’s letters.
On Overcoming
Since the letters to the churches in Revelation speak much about overcoming, I say for the record that we overcome only by grace through faith, and not by our filthy-rags righteous works.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 KJV
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:4-5 KJV
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 12:11 KJV
Revelation Scriptures
I assume Jesus and the Spirit were not speaking idly. That is, in these two passages there is the real possibility of not overcoming!
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Revelation 2:11 KJV
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:5 KJV
So failure to overcome, failure to trust completely in grace through faith, results in the 2nd death!
Revelation also states some prohibited behaviors.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21:7-8 KJV
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Revelation 22:14-15 KJV
If the Bible had a signature at the end, this serious warning is the 3rd to the last verse above it!
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:19 KJV
Romans
It appears to me Paul is writing to believers.
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Romans 1:6-8 KJV
Yet chapter 2 begins with very serious warnings!
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Romans 2:3-11 KJV
This passage is also a warning.
8 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Romans 11:18-22 KJV
1 Corinthians
Paul is writing to the church.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their’s and our’s:
1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV
Paul writes that behavior matters. Don’t be deceived!
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 KJV
If Paul wrote, “Be not deceived,” then clearly being deceived is a possibility, with eternal damnation the outcome.
Galatians
Paul writes another warning that seems very clear to me.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 KJV
Ephesians
Paul writes another warning about behavior.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Ephesians 5:3-6 KJV
I believe verse 6 is speaking directly about the deception of OSAS.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Ephesians 5:3-6 KJV
Related Posts
For space and time reasons I will stop posting Paul’s warnings. If you want to read about the 6 warnings in 1 Timothy see this post. If you want to see all my posts on the topic see my OSAS tag.
My Story
As briefly as possible, as a teen I was a fan of pornographic magazines. I got saved at age 20, and my viewing of porn mostly went away, but not completely. Eventually I was habitually doing things that Paul in his letters and John in Revelation wrote bar entry into heaven. For the full story of how I let my love grow cold see my post Lemming Theology.
Then one day God acted very sternly on my inside. He let me know He was completely fed up with my compromised lifestyle, that I was just about to change my eternal home from heaven to hell, and if I didn’t change He would break my neck. I knew what He meant.
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Proverbs 29:1 KJV
And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 6:3 KJV
Had I not repented then and there, I believe they would have found me dead of a heart attack or similar, and I would have been in hell, waiting to go into the lake of fire for all eternity. I believe hell is full of such people who believed OSAS and didn’t live obediently.
I could almost feel the flames. No one will ever convince me OSAS is true. I believe it is a lie from the pit of hell. And I believe the Bible also teaches OSAS is a lie.
There is clearly a difference between “accidental” sin and a long-term habit of sin. God will put up with “praying for forgiveness in advance” only so long. This sowing and reaping passage is true, saved or not. Don’t be deceived! Behavior matters!
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
Notice that “corruption” is contrasted with “life everlasting”!
Fruit Equals Works
For the rest of this post I’m going to assume that when the Bible speaks of “fruit” it is more or less speaking of “works.” I can’t say 100% this is the case as I haven’t completely studied fruit and works.
The Grace – Faith – Works Scripture
Let’s go back to our fundamental Scripture. Many times I have heard people shout verses 8 and 9.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
May I point out that verse 10 begins with the conjunction “For”? Verse 10 is connected to verses 8 and 9, and in my opinion is JUST AS IMPORTANT!
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
Speak the passage out loud, saying verses 8 and 9 normally, and shouting verse 10 just as loud as you ever said the others.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV
Do it 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times. Do it until you “get it.” All three verses are interlocked and equally important. (An insight I received meditating on verse 10 is an answer to, “Why are we here?”)
Warning! Warning! Warning!
Though good works are just as important as grace through faith, not by works, DO NOT concentrate on the works. That is the pathway to hell.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:21-23 KJV
Deathbed / Thief on the Cross Conversions
When someone wants to become a believer just before they die, this is the only work required of them.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 6:28-29 KJV
Doing the Ordained Good Works
I struggled with the questions “How do I know I’m saved?” and “How do I know I am doing the right good works and not the deceptive evil works?” a long time. It turns out the answer is astonishingly simple. It may not be easy, but is is simple: Abide in Jesus!
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:4-5 KJV
Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing. Nothing. But if I abide in Jesus, and He in me, the fruit / good works just happen! I hear His voice and follow His instructions and He handles the good works! And I can tell it is working, because I can see the fruit in my life.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:20 KJV
One wonderful fruit / good work is my increasing peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 KJV
The other fruit of the Spirit is increasing too.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV
I have gone from a self-deceiving hearer-only to a doer of the Word.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 1:22-25 KJV
I’m building my life on solid ground.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:24-27 KJV
I am far from perfect, but fortunately there is provision for that.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 1:8-10 KJV
Conclusion
I believe the Bible teaches “Once Saved, Always Saved” is a lie. One cannot live like the devil and expect to enter heaven.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 KJV
Don’t deceive yourself!
Has the rapture happened?
You can still be saved and go to heaven!
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Are you following God's plan for your life?
You should.
Your plan is not going to work.
It is a really, really bad plan.
Please come to Jesus to escape your plan!
Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
Jesus is coming.
Are you ready to meet Him?
Give your life to Jesus Christ.
Time is running out.
Lift Up Your Eyes! 