TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letters to Timothy VS Once Saved Always Saved
In his letters to Timothy, the apostle Paul has a lot of exhortations. These exhortations to hold faith and to continue in the doctrine have a clear warning that one can indeed fall from the faith and lose salvation. I hope we agree that Timothy was a born-again Christian.
In this post, I will display passages from both letters to Timothy with some additional comments for clarity. Please feel free to comment if you have some good points to add, this will add insight to the article and help others seek the truth.
Hold Faith Timothy
1 Timothy 1:18-20 (KJV)
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding Faith (Why hold faith if he is already saved?), and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck (because others have made shipwreck of their faith):
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
If “Once Saved Always Saved” believers want to argue against this, they have to say Paul is just giving some advice to Timothy. They would have to say that Hymenaeus and Alexander were never really saved. If that were true, why would Paul say they are part of those who have shipwrecked their faith? Why would he say that he has delivered them unto Satan?
Brothers who want to argue that way are just looking for a way out to make the passage fit with their preconceived taught doctrine.
Departing From the Faith
1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith (logic says that if we can depart from the faith, that means we were IN the faith), giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Of course, OSAS brothers have to say either these people were never saved or that “departing from the faith” doesn’t mean one lost his salvation.
Continue in the Doctrine Timothy
1 Timothy 4:14-16 (KJV)
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; Continue in them: for in doing this (this what? Taking heed unto himself, continuing in the doctrine, etc..) thou shalt both save thyself (Timothy shall save himself by taking heed and continuing!? I thought he was already saved), and them that hear thee.
This passage is very strong and “Once Saved Always Saved” brothers have to twist these verses beyond recognition. We see clearly this fits with all other verses which exhort to continue to the end to be saved including the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we Deny Him, He also will Deny us
2 Timothy 2:10-12 (KJV)
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we (Paul is talking to Timothy about the elect including themselves, which means they are saved) be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him (exhortating to suffer until the end to get to reign with Him): IF we deny him, he also will deny us (if they deny Christ, He will also deny them, which means losing salvation)
Conclusion
Dear brothers, sometimes I feel sad to have to interject on the Word of God as if my comments really add anything. The scriptures are very precious to me and I hate to do this back and forth arguing against this doctrine. I just don’t know what to do sometimes to help our brothers from “Once Saved Always Saved”. The issue is I just want them to know that to get to be with Christ, we cannot go back to sin living in it deliberately. Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil and therefore Jesus Christ FREES us from deliberate sin. We won’t want to sin dear brothers if we are really born again. We would HATE sin!
Don’t let anyone deceive you my brothers! Let us be like Timothy and receive the warnings from Paul, let us hold faith with a good conscience, let us take heed unto ourselves and continue in the doctrine of Christ, let us suffer with Him so that we reign with Him when He appears, let us not deny Him by turning our backs to Him and going back to deliberate sin!
May the Lord Jesus help you all!