Once saved always saved
I know a Christian who once had a beautiful, living faith — he would play gospel music on the piano and sing with heartfelt devotion. Today, however, he no longer practices that faith; he has turned away from it, living as a non-believer.
The most straightforward way to describe him is that he was a Christian, but isn’t anymore.
Some Protestants, however, might frame it differently:
- Some would argue that he remains a Christian in spite of himself, even if he fails to live out his faith.
- Others might say that he was never truly a Christian, since he no longer shows evidence of genuine belief.
When we look at Scripture, the tension becomes clear:
- Unbreakable salvation: There are verses suggesting that some believers can remain saved, such as John 10:28–29: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” This supports the idea of practical, lasting security for believers.
- Possibility of falling away: Other passages, like Hebrews 6:4–6 and 2 Peter 2:20–22, indicate that it is possible for someone to turn away from God, which suggests that salvation is not guaranteed if free will is exercised to reject it.
From a logical and practical perspective, we can reconcile these ideas:
- For practical purposes, some people appear securely saved and continue in faith.
- Theoretically, because God has given humans free will, it is possible to fall away from faith.
Thus, it is reasonable to say: some believers are saved and remain so in practice, yet Scripture and common sense remind us that salvation can be lost through deliberate turning away, highlighting the tension between assurance and free will.
Assurance of salvation
This ‘practical’ versus ‘theoretical’ model works for assurance of salvation too.
Some Protestants teach that a person can know they are saved, and a few even claim that a Christian must know they are saved in order to be saved. While the Apostle Paul wrote to his churches so that they could have assurance of their salvation—for example, in 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life”—this assurance is for practical purposes, not a universal requirement for salvation.
Jesus Himself emphasized that salvation is available even to those who are humble, persistent, and aware of their need, without certainty of their status. Consider His teaching about the widow pleading for justice in Luke 18:1–8, or the woman seeking mercy in Luke 7:36–50. Both demonstrate that those who consistently rely on God’s mercy and persistently seek salvation may very well not know with certainty that they are saved, yet they still receive it.
Ultimately, the only real requirement for salvation, as a matter of faith, is relying on Jesus Christ for salvation, not necessarily knowing that one is saved, nor affirming a long list of doctrinal beliefs. Faith is a trust in Christ, not always a full grasp of theological knowledge and certainty.
Conclusion
It seems the bible has conflicting verses on ‘once saved always saved’ and ‘assurance of salvation’. but if we are to assume the bible is consistent, the best (only?) way to reconcile them is to make the ‘practical’ versus ‘theoretical’ distinction. for practical purposes, some people are saved, and know they are saved, but given free will and the words of Jesus, we should assume for theoretical purposes that anything is possible.
The Law of Love 
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