Does Eternal Salvation Equal a License to Sin?

Hebrews 5:9 – “Eternal Salvation”

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Hebrews 5:9

The proponent of “once truly saved always saved” surmises that “eternal salvation” means that the salvation God grants the recipient an eternally fixed state of justification. But this violates other known truths and so cannot be concluded by the honest student of Scripture. There is no argument that salvation is eternal, but is it a possession that can be forfeited? What condition does God put upon men to receive and keep His “so great salvation”? (Heb. 2:3) Did you notice in Hebrews 5:9 that it is “unto all them that obey him” that He grants “eternal salvation?” Salvation is eternal, yet not an un-forfeitable possession. “Eternal salvation” is only promised to “them that obey him.” This would include faith and obedience to the end of one’s life (Matt. 7:21, 10:22; Heb. 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39).

Some believe that because Jesus died once for man, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice, that this automatically cements the saved person into a state of irrevocable grace and salvation. Paul destroys this argument in Romans 11:19-23 when he tells us that the Jews who were chosen and made God’s covenant people, were “cut off” from Him. The LORD told us in Jeremiah 3:8 that God divorced His own people for their sin.

The inspired writer of Hebrews said more about the finished and completely sufficient work of Christ to redeem men than any other Bible writer, yet this same book contains numerous warnings concerning slipping, falling away and losing out on eternity in Heaven with Christ for departing from the LORD (Heb. 2:2-3; 3:6, 12-15; 6:4-6; 10:26-39; 12:14-15). So, Christ’s finished, perfect work of salvation for mankind does not automatically mean that one who initially partakes of this gift of salvation is forced to remain in it nor that God is forced to keep the person who sins and does not return to Him in repentance (1 John 1:9). In the face of volumes of scriptural truth, the “once saved always saved” proponent and Calvinist ardently seek to force man’s will out of the picture, yet in God’s economy men have the ongoing choice to love and serve Him, or not to. The personal decision of the individual is pivotal and will determine his eternal home (Rom. 6:16).

Sin separates man from God and must be repented of for fellowship to be restored, otherwise that person who sinned remains separated from God (Rom. 6:23; 1 Jn. 1:6-10). This is the most basic fact of Scripture. To ignore such is to deny the mission and need for Jesus Christ to come to the earth (Matt. 1:21; Jn. 1:29).

The finished work of Christ is a foundational truth of Christianity, but His accomplishment does not arbitrarily guarantee the final salvation of the individual believer. Christ’s perfect and completed work to save mankind does not change the God-given free will of each human being, nor does it alter the divine conditions to receive final salvation and to be with Him eternally.

From the book Lie of the Ages.

Lie of the Ages is a 740 page must-read volume that dismantles and demolishes the doctrines of calvinism and establishes biblical doctrinal truth so true believers can grow in the true grace of God (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18; Jude3-4).

Lie of the Ages exhaustively addresses calvinism contrasted with the message of Holy Scripture and much more, including instilling in us the holy fear of the LORD.

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