Dr. John Oakes taught a class on the commonly-held doctrine known as “Once Saved, Always Saved”, also known as Perseverance of the Saints. The class was taught in San Diego Nov. 6, 2014 at the Mission Center of Hope. The outline of the class was: I. Where did this doctrine come from? II. What proof-texts will the believer in this doctrine use? and III. What does the Bible teach on perseverance/falling away?

1. John Oakes
San Diego 11/14

2. I. Where did this doctrine come from?
II. What proof-texts will the believer in this
doctrine use?
III. What does the Bible teach on
perseverance/falling away?

3. Augustine 354-430 AD
Predestination.
Total depravity and Original Sin.
Luther and Zwingli.
John Calvin and Reformed theology.

4. TULIP
T Total depravity
U Unconditional election
L Limited atonement
I Irresistible grace
P Perseverance of the saints (ie. once
saved, always saved)

5. Total Depravity: The belief that human beings are born so
depraved that we are completely unable to do anything good.
We cannot respond to God’s love and repent.
Unconditional Election: If God predestines you for salvation,
then you will be saved, despite any inclination on our part for or
against this election
Limited Atonement: Jesus died only for those who were
unconditionally elected.
Irresistible Grace: If God chooses to give you his grace, then
you will accept that grace, whether you like it or not.
Persistence of the Saints: If God saves you, you cannot lose
your salvation. In other words, “once saved, always saved.”

6. Answer:
By focusing on God’s sovereignty more than
his other qualities.
By focusing on one pet doctrine (salvation
by faith) to the exclusion of others.
By focusing on one book of the Bible
(Romans) to the exclusion of others.

7. 1. John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish; no one can snatch
them out of my hand.
2. Romans 8:37-39 “…neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the
present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.”

8. Hebrews:
Hebrews 3:12-14
Hebrews 6:4-8
Hebrews 10:26-31
Hebrews12:14-17
Hebrews 12:25

9. Peter: 1 Peter 2:20-22
Paul: Gal 5:19-21 Phil 2:12 Romans 11:19-22
Jesus: Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of the Ten
Virgins Matthew 24:10-13
Old Testament: Ezekiel 18:21-24

10. The false doctrine “once saved, always saved
resulted from a false presupposition that we are
born totally depraved because of Original Sin—that
we can do nothing good. It is certainly true that
we cannot save ourselves, but in order to be saved
we must decide to put our faith in the blood of
Jesus. And we must stay faithful to him until
death. If we do so, we will be with God in heaven
for eternity.