WHY ‘ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED’ [OSAS] IS NOT TRUE By Tom Trinko

Why Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) is not true

1) The narrow gate problem: Jesus says to enter by the narrow gate but what could be wider than being saved simply by believing in Jesus at one point in one’s life? No matter what sins you commit and don’t feel sorry for you will be saved. It really can’t get any easier than that.

Now OSAS fans will say that if you really accept Jesus you won’t sin but aside from the fact that we all know that OSAS folks do sin–in minor ways at least– there are many public examples of esteemed OSAS ministers who were found out to be sinners.

But more importantly OSAS folk are always talking about how they are saved. But if we can’t know who is saved, like those televangelists who are caught sinning, then how can OSAS folk say they know they are saved? If they’re saying I know I will never sin then they are anti-Biblical. Matthew writes:

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matt 26:41

Clearly we are all subject to temptation and that doesn’t end when we “accept Jesus”.

Hence if an OSAS person says we can’t tell for sure until a person dies that they are saved how can they have certainty in being saved? On the other hand if they say we can tell before a persons life is over if they are saved then they can’t explain how people who were thought to be saved turned out to be sinners.

2) Bible rejects OSAS 1:

1 Corinthians 15:1-2: Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast—unless you believed in vain.

So if you don’t hold fast you won’t be saved. Directly contradicts OSAS.

3) Bible rejects OSAS 2:

Colossians 1:21-23: And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard

Note the “provided you continue” clearly OSAS is rejected by this verse

4) Bible rejects OSAS 3:

2 Peter 2:20-22: For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first . . . It has happened to them according to the true proverb, the dog turns back to his own vomit, and the sow is washed only to wallow in the mire.

So Peter is saying that those who have been born again can revert to sin; which clearly rejects OSAS

5) The Our Father rejects OSAS: This prayer is in the Bible:

and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. Matt 6:12

But accepting Jesus as our savior and forgiving those who sin against us are two different things. Hence if refuse to forgive then we can’t be saved even if we accept Jesus hence no OSAS

7) OSAS is giving to man what is God’s:

I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. 1 Cor 4:3-5

Paul is making the very clear point that we are judged by God; we do not judge ourselves. But if OSAS believers are judging themselves now and declaring themselves to be saved. That’s the sin of presumption. The OSAS folks on this page are likely good people who love God but it is not up to us to decide if we have lived up to God’s demands; only He can do that and He does not do that until we die. By saying we are saved now we’re basically telling God what to do.

8) Paul talks of a race:

No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. 1 Cor 9:27

If OSAS is true then this makes no sense. Paul clearly accepted Jesus yet Paul is saying that if he doesn’t continue to serve God he could be condemned.

9) Bible rejects OSAS 4:

You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. Mark 13:13

Clearly if one doesn’t persevere to the end one isn’t saved. Hence no OSAS.

10) Names can be blotted out from the book of Life:

“He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” Rev 3:5

The clear implication is that names can be blotted out otherwise the sentence is meaningless.

Revelation 22:19 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 these things that are written in this book.

Clear statement that God will take names out of the book of life

May they be blotted from the book of life;
not registered among the just! Psalm 69: 29

11) No one believed in this until 1500 years after Christ Rose: None of the Church fathers professed anything like this doctrine.

But if you think about it OSAS is a great way for satan to lure good people away from Christ. After all we all know God loves us so much that He died for us so it’s easy to believe that He essentially makes it trivial to be saved. But of course that’s not what He taught.