Once Saved Always Saved?

Martin Luther wrote: “No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day. Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins?”[i]

            There is a specific result in our Christian community into which are children are raise by certain philosophical consequences to false theologies:

“The 2009 Collier Township shooting, also referred to as the 2009 Bridgeville LA Fitness shooting, was a murder-suicide that took place on August 4, 2009 in an LA Fitness health club in Collier Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The attack resulted in four deaths, including that of the perpetrator who took his own life. Nine other people were injured. The fitness center is approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Pittsburgh, in The Great Southern Shopping Center, a strip mall located near Bridgeville.”[ii]

            The murderer from the above story was a “Christian” man by the name of George Sodini. George was a 48 year old man who was trained in the “Right Attitude” Workshop whose teachings include the concept that “nice guys must die.”[iii]

            George was also a practicing Once saved always saved “Christian”. He wrote on his blog:

 “Soon I will see God and Jesus. At least that is what I was told. Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid. People judge but that does not matter. I was reading the Bible and The Integrity of God beginning yesterday, because soon I will see them.”[iv]

            Dr. Robert Morey attempts to describe this doctrine in his book

While the Scriptures repeatedly warn us that it is possible for someone who professes to be saved to fall away from the faith (Heb. 6:4-6), this is in contrast to someone who actually possesses true salvation. The Apostle John tells us that a true believer cannot fall away.

[He goes on to cite 1 John 2:19, as his proof text for this doctrine]

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19 NIV)[v]

            There are philosophical consequences to the “Once Saved always saved” doctrine that have have led to the perversion of cultures throught the ages. This is not the belief of the early church either. In fact, much of the understanding of salvational doctrine has become distorted since the times of the Apostles. Consider a few quotes from the early church Fathers:

“For he who keeps these shall be glorified in the kingdom of God; but he who chooses other things shall be destroyed with his works. On this account there will be a resurrection, on this account a retribution.” -- Barnabas circa 70 -- 130

“Take heed, beloved, lest his many kindnesses lead to the condemnation of us all. For thus it must be unless we walk worthy of him, and with one mind do those things which are good and well pleasing in his sight.” -- Clement of Rome, the first epistle of Clement, circa 96

“Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for him, in order that we may share in his promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed by faith towards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to him; if we do the things which are in harmony with his blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleasure in them that do them.” - Clement of Rome, the first epistle of Clement, circa 96

“The tree is made manifest by its fruit. So those who profess themselves to be Christians will be recognized by their conduct.... It is better for a man to be silent and be a Christian, then to talk and not be one.” - Ignatius circa 105, page 55

“This, then, is our reward if we will confess him by whom we have been saved. But in what way will we confess him? We confess him by doing what he says, not transgressing his commandments, and by honoring him not only with our lips, but with all our heart and all our mind... Let us, then, not only call him Lord, for that will not save us. For he says, "not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he that works righteousness." For that reason, brethren, let us confess him by our works, by loving one another.” - Second Clement circa 150 volume 7 page 518

“When we hear, "your faith is saved you," we do not understand him to say absolutely that those who have believed in any way whatever will be saved. For works must also follow. But it was to the Jews alone that he spoke this utterance. Those persons were Jews who kept the law and lived blamelessly. All they lacked was faith in the Lord. No one, then, can be a believer and at the same time be licentious.”  -- Clement of Alexandria, circa 195, volume 2, page 505.

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[i] Letter From Luther to Melanchthon, Letter 99, 1 August 1521. Cited in :Bercot, David (2009-10-15). Will the Theologians Please Sit Down (p. 176). Scroll Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.

[ii] Murderpedia, http://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/sodini-george.htm Accessed 03/28/2014

[iii] Video, George Sodini at The Right Attitude Workshop Intro Part 1,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VDvZYcrq0o, Accessed: 03/28/2015

[iv] Blog of George Sodini. http://raincoaster.com/2009/08/05/ george-sodinis-blog-the-plan, 3 Sept 2009.Cited in: Bercot, David (2009-10-15). Will the Theologians Please Sit Down (p. 177). Scroll Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.

[v] Ph. D. Dr Robert a. Morey, A Christian Student's Survival Guide,Xulon Press, 2010, pg 6