Once-Saved-Always-Saved (OSAS) - Eternal Life Can Never Be Lost

Preservation of the Saints - OSAS Arminian 

"When our assurance of salvation is based at all on our works, we can never have absolute assurance...! But does Scripture discourage giving objective assurance of salvation? Hardly! On the contrary, the Lord Jesus (John 5.24), Paul (Romans 8.38-39), and John (1 John 5.11-13) have no qualms about offering absolute, objective assurance of salvation. Furthermore, works are never included as a requirement of assurance."

Christ guarantees, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6.37). I came to Him by faith in His Word so I can never be lost. My assurance is in His promise and keeping power, not in my efforts or performance. He said, "I give unto them [my sheep] eternal life; and they shall never perish" (John 10.28).

We now can experience in a deeper way that word which declares that “it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2.20) Christ has presently become the source of life to us. He lives in us today as He once lived in the flesh. We can thus apprehend more fully the implication of His pronouncement: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10.10). This life is not possible unless it is eternal life now for those who are born-again. This more abundant life suffices additionally for every requirement of our spirit, soul and body. Paul exhorts Timothy to “take hold of the eternal life” (1 Tim. 6. 12); surely Timothy is not here in need of eternal life that he may be saved. Is not this life that which Paul subsequently describes in the same chapter as “the life which is life indeed” (v.19) ? Is he not urging Timothy to experience eternal life today in overcoming every phenomenon of death?

"For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (Rom. 11.29).

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand" (John 10.27-29).

If you are saved, then you can never not be saved, because God will never let anyone pluck us out of His hand. The sheep become the sheep of God when they are born-again.
 

"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" (Heb. 6.4-6).

If you have been saved, it says here you cannot be saved again. Therefore, this person has not lost salvation, but will be greatly disciplined.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name" (John 1.12).

A son of God is a son for forever. Just as if you have children, they are your children for forever. Otherwise, they are not really your children.

In the Bible God’s life is often labeled "eternal life." "Life here is zoe in Greek, denoting the higher life or spirit life. This is what every Christian receives at his regeneration. What is the function of that life? "This is eternal life," prayed Jesus to His Father, "that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (John 17.3).

Eternal life means more than mere future blessing to be enjoyed by believers; it is equally a kind of spiritual ability. Without it no one can know God nor the Lord Jesus. Such intuitive knowledge of the Lord comes solely upon receiving God’s life. With the germ of God’s nature within him, an individual can ultimately grow into a spiritual man.

If you don't have eternal life now in this life you certainly won't have it when you die. An ideational salvation does not have the power to save.

Matt. 19.29 Mark’s Gospel has "now in this time" and "in the world to come" (10.30). Matthew makes no such distinction in his account.

"Eternal life" here points to eternal life in the kingdom.

For eternal life is seen in three stages: (1) in this age—"hath eternal life" (see John 5.24); (2) in the millennial kingdom—that is, in the age to come (see Mark 10.30 and Luke 18.30); and (3) in eternity (see Rom. 2.5-7).

What then is the exact proof that eternal life is eternal and can never be lost?

"For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay" (1 Peter 1.4).

What is beyond the reach of change? The priceless inheritance that is reserved for those who are born-again: "that God has given us the privilege of being born again" (v.3).

All you need do is consider who in all of creation revealed He is God. By comparison I trust you will find Jesus stands alone as the greatest when He said He is God and proved it, but have you actually given yourself to Him? Very few are actually saved even though a very large percentage of the population call themselves Christians. Not all those who call themselves Christians are Christians. He has stretched His Word to the four corners of the earth, so there is no excuse.

We have established when a person is born-again they receive eternal life. The question then becomes whether they keep that eternal life forever. Since the Bible never once says that eternal life is lost in this life, in the kingdom-to-come or in eternity, we must be humble enough to conclude that such a matter of supreme importance would have been mentioned.

Therefore, we can be certain, eternal life at new birth is eternal and can never be lost. Believe it and you shall have it.

Troy