Once Saved, Always Saved?

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Ezekiel 18:24 (KJV)

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness – Concepts like predestination and once saved, always saved provide complacency and a false sense of comfort in life. When we read from Ezekiel who spoke the words of God, the words he uses make us so uncomfortable. Maybe this is why very few read the Old Testament anymore.

The Bible is riddled with examples of people who were called by God and turned away. They were saved and then lost. They were righteous and then found unrighteous. How do we continue to propogate theology that ignores all this?

Because it’s not comfortable. We’d rather not be responsible for our actions. Being born a sinner is much easier than admitting that I chose sin. Predestination becomes a crap shoot. Well, I’m either saved or I’m not, it’s out of my hands, so I might as well live as I desire. Right?

But imagine if the righteous can walk away from salvation by choosing iniquity. Imagine if an iniquitous person can change and choose righteousness. This is God’s message. The righteous can fall from grace. The righteous can choose sin. This message becomes a warning, a serious taste of reality. Just because I chose righteousness today doesn’t mean I’ll choose it tomorrow. I begin to understand what Paul meant when he wrote that we must “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.”

I am left with free will. An uncomfortable feeling that my actions do matter. And God calls those who might listen, and instructs us.

³¹ Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
³² For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Ezekiel 18:31-32

Seek out the new heart and new spirit that Ezekiel mentions and commit to His instructions. We must turn ourselves! Turn to God in repentance and we will truly live!