Once Saved, Always Saved?

@B.Jones, Becoming "unsaved" is the wrong way of viewing it. The term salvation is a bit of misnomer. True, eternal life is a benefit of receiving the holy spirit (the new birth) in the "here and now", however, "salvation" is actually achieved posthumously (after death) or at the time of being taken in the rapture. In other words one, has to "make it." Our eternal security is contingent upon our choice to CONTINUE with God. Jesus said in

John 15:1-6

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch "in me" that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. "Remain" in me, "as" I also "remain" in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must "remain" in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit "unless"you"remain" in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. "If" you "remain" in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. "If" you do not "remain" in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned

Ideally, our perspective on the subject should be guided by what “the bible" says regarding the subject. Hebrews 6:4-6 makes it clear that is simply not the case.

Hebrews 6:4-6

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have "tasted"of the heavenly gift, and were "made "partakers" of the Holy Ghost", And have "tasted" the good word of God, and the "powers of the world to come", If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Salvation, like everything step we take in this life, is a deliberate "choice" (1 Timothy 4:16) we can "continue" to walk with God or we can stop in our tracks". Salvation doesn’t place a "spell" on an individual to become God's robot. We "choose" to follow God and to allow the holy spirit to guide us along the path of his will, but it is OUR CHOICE. The singular factor in "stopping in our tracks" is "sin"; it brought down Adam, Eve, David, Israel the list goes on and on and on. Salivation DOES NOT remove the human proclivity to sin. IT’S ALWAYS THERE (Romans 7:23). It is the sole entity in separating us from God; pre-salvation and post-salvation, and while we DO have the capacity to "repent"; turn from sin (1 John 2:1-2), the "need" to repent of sin is testimony that salvation does not stop us from "rejecting" God and his ways; which is the definition of sin.

Consider this, Adam and Eve were created NEVER knowing sin; they were created COMPLETELY holy, yet they managed to corrupt their holy nature; NOT through a "sinful nature", because they didn’t have one, but through "CHOICE". Their holy state DID NOT override their ability to rebel. Since the fall of Adam, the propensity to sin or to "choose" our own path, is in YOU, ME and everyone born of a man and woman. The spirit of God does not "remove" that. Judas walked with Jesus, how did Satan enter into him; are we to assume that Judas had no choice in betraying Jesus?

Judas was "motivated" by greed (inspired by Satan of course). Despite all the miracles and wisdom Judas experienced through God in flesh, HE STILL "chose" to conspire against Jesus. He "chose" his fate. Even though Judas later expressed sorrow for what he did (which proves he knew right from wrong); he still is lost. Sin is responsible for the downfall of all men: it was then; and it is now. If you can sin, AND YOU CAN, you can be lost. No repentance for sin, no entrance into the Kingdom of God. Once saved "always saved" is simply not true.