The concept of «Once Saved, Always Saved» is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, but proponents often cite several passages to support this belief. Key verses include:
- John 10:28-29: Jesus speaks of giving eternal life to His sheep, and that no one can snatch them out of His hand.
- Romans 8:38-39: Paul expresses confidence that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 1:13-14: Believers are described as sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is considered a guarantee of their inheritance until they acquire possession of it.
John 10:28-29
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 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 10:28-29
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Ephesians 1:13-14
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, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
How is the phrase «once saved, always saved» interpreted according to the Bible?
The phrase «once saved, always saved» refers to the belief that once a person is truly saved by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, their salvation is secure forever. This belief stems from the assurance that God’s grace and power are so profound that they can preserve a believer unto eternity. It’s a comforting thought for many believers, emphasizing the enduring strength of God’s promise.
John 10:28-29 offers a strong foundation for this belief. Here, Jesus says, «I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.» This passage suggests that Jesus, by His own declaration, grants eternal life to those who belong to Him. The key point here is eternal life, which by its very nature, cannot be lost. The assurance is doubled by the fact that no one can snatch the believers from Jesus’ hand, indicating a permanent safety under His protection.
Moving to Romans 8:38-39, the Apostle Paul expresses a powerful conviction that nothing in the entire universe can separate believers from the love of God, which is manifest in Christ Jesus our Lord. This includes every conceivable force, whether in life or in death, illustrating the vast scope of God’s unbreakable bond with those He has called and saved. The list of forces—death, life, angels, principalities, powers, present or future things, height, depth, or any creature—covers all dimensions of existence, affirming that God’s love and, by extension, the believer’s salvation, are unassailable.
Lastly, Ephesians 1:13-14 describes believers as being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest—or guarantee—of our inheritance. The imagery of being sealed suggests a form of ownership and protection. Once sealed, this mark of the Holy Spirit is God’s pledge of a believer’s complete redemption and the eternal inheritance awaiting them. This sealing acts as God’s promise, securing the believer’s salvation as something that will reach its full completion.
In these scriptures, the message is clear: Salvation, once granted, is depicted as a lasting act of God, unthreatened by external forces or future events. The confidence in the permanence of salvation is meant to bring peace and security to your faith journey, knowing that it rests in the hands of an almighty God who promises to keep you until the end.