Meditations

Once Saved, Always Saved?

Back in the days of my indestructibility and youthfulness, I conjured up a smart saying, which put down all my critics, so I thought.

As a young man, I imagined myself as a great car driver. I was sure that, however fast that I would go, that it was within my ability to handle it safely. When my wife, or father, or some other well-meaning friend would try to caution me, I would blithely quip, "Do you know the difference between a 'good driver' and a 'bad driver'? The answer is that a good driver knows when he can't make it!” Upon reflection, there is an incontrovertible axiom. Assuming that the good driver was truly wise enough and perceptive enough that he would never take a risk which he couldn't take successfully, he would never get hurt by being wrong --because, conversely, if he were wrong and he could have made it, it would not have been detrimental or harmful even if he were actually wrong. It would only be harmful if he thought he could make it, and he couldn't. Then the price of his error could have been costly or even death!

I see this as very helpful in trying to look at the theological/spiritual problem of a certain Protestant position of "Once saved--Always saved", and the Catholic position that once being "Born from above" into the family of God, now sets us on a faith journey which requires our willingness to "Run a good race" and "Persevere to the end".

If a Catholic is "Born Again" by the standards of the most literal of Evangelical and/or Protestant understanding, which is certainly no more clearly stated or believed than the accurate Catholic understanding, would any "Born Again", Spirit-filled, discerning Protestant fail to recognize or acknowledge a Brother in the Lord?

Just so the rest of this 'thesis' stays on track, the following would seem to be the right attitude, commitment, and pronouncement to 'become Born Again'.

"By faith nurtured by the Holy Spirit, I accept that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, who at the direction and will of His Father, emptied Himself of the glory of being God Himself, and became man on this earth by being born as a man 'in the fullness of time' of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and He has who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Jesus subsequently gave Himself up to death by being crucified on a cross. By His death, He made reparation for the sin of mankind from the beginning of the world to the end of time. On the third day, He arose from the dead. He Ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God, The Father Almighty.

I believe and accept that I did, nor can do anything, to merit or earn this free gift of grace, this gift of becoming 'Born Again', being 'Born from Above', or 'becoming an adopted Son into the family of God. And beyond this faith and belief, I proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, and Lord of my life. I believe that there are three divine persons in one true living God, which we commonly express as 'the Trinity', the 'Triune God'.

Assuming that this 'faith statement' qualifies me in God's eyes as 'Born Again', even by Evangelical/Protestant's own standards and understanding, I am 'Born Again unto eternal life', regardless of what additional theological beliefs I may have at any one time, even if they are errant by the Evangelical/Protestant understanding or developed beliefs.

For the sake of this discussion, let's accept the premise that these 'errant' beliefs are not anti-God or God-rejecting, but matters of interpretation of God's Word and/or the teaching of Godly ordained teachers, and that their tenets are believed to be an expression of faith and reverence and greater communion with God.

What if one of the 'errant' beliefs were that -- If I should willfully break this relationship with an almighty, pure love God, and that the sin was so serious in the sight of God, that, in effect, I believed that I emptied myself of all 'salvation grace'. Then I further believed that Jesus' death on the cross was sufficient to cover the price of that sin before an Almighty God, and that the Holy Spirit was quick to supply the grace of acceptance again.

NOW, for the sake of Protestant/Evangelical's acceptance of Catholic brothers and sisters in the Lord, let's apply the 'driving lesson' that opened this discourse. What if some of us, who are in fact by virtue of their true 'Faith Statement', Born Again, believe that God requires us to restore a broken relationship with Him, which has been caused by our personal serious sin, and this, through 'Confession' and acceptance of His forgiveness -- regardless of the format used -- in order to re-establish our status of an 'adopted son' in the family of God? Would this belief invalidate our 'Born Again, Once Saved, Always Saved' status, even if we were totally wrong in interpreting His Word AFTER we have become born again?

According to the 'truth' of the driving lesson, even if we are wrong, it should not/could not affect the overall status and gift of life resulting from a valid Born Again relationship.

But, and still in the analogy, if a person says, "I am so good and so sure that I know when I can make it through this risky driving situation,” he may well join the graveyards full of that kind of driver who, when he was wrong, he was really wrong!

So, is it valid to say of those who sincerely believe that once having made an act of faith and acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the efficacy of His atoning death have guaranteed their eternal salvation? Are there any conditions by which this ‘guaranteed salvation’ could be forfeited? Could a pure, just and absolutely correct God coexist in heaven with a 'believer' who has cut himself off from a valid relationship by unrepentant or unconfessed serious sin? If the pureness of Heaven and justice of God could not co-exist with this fallen 'believer' even though presumably "Once saved, always saved", could the believer claim that he truly believed that which he had be taught and given assurances. Could God be forced to honor a debt placed upon Him by an erroneous human understanding?

The truth of the analogy would seem to apply. If the sure "Once saved, always saved", happens to be wrong in his interpretation, can he actually afford to stand on what might be an erroneous understanding and trust to his own understanding?

And finally, as a brother-in-the-Lord, albeit, a Catholic who may be wrongly interpreting, but at no eternal price for being wrong, would I be a Godly brother if I did not try to convey my belief about an error which could cost so much, the same as I would now try to counsel the driver who says, "I know for sure when I can make it!" but might be wrong!

Reflection: "Is it a sin to believe a lie?"