Once saved always saved

I could not sleep almost the whole night on Saturday night; I reflect back on our (Myanmar Students Rawna, Oliver, Peter and Kok at STM) talk on “Once saved always saved”.

In fact it has been unending debate between scholars. Calvin and Augustine taught “eternal security of saints” meaning “once saved always saved”. On the contrary, Armenian taught that “salvation could be lost”. I know I can not solve it here everything, but I would like to present my very brief view from the angle of my thesis “The Roles of Spirit-Paraclete in Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in John 14-17” and also draw some Scriptures.

One of the main roles of the Spirit-Paraclete is to indwell/to abide the disciples for forever, which means the indwelling is for permanent. Jesus says “….rivers of living water will flow from within them … which he meant the Spirit” (John 7:37-39) and promised the indwelling of Paraclete (John 14: 14-17, 23). This is the new mission of the Spirit. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit indwelt some selected leaders of Israel and it was for specific missions. It was only for temporary. But the Old Testament prophets prophesied on the coming permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1Kings 8:27; Ezekiel 37: 26-27; Zach 2:10). This is also promised by Jesus to his disciples. The prophecies of OT and the promise of Jesus is fulfilled when the Paraclete come into the lives of the disciples. And the very well known verse in John 3:16 confirms that salvation is for eternity “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.

The apostle Paul who wrote more than 40% of the New Testament says that when one believes in the gospel of salvation the Holy Spirit marks with a seal (Eph. 1:13-14). And the apostle asked rhetorical questions to Galatians addressing them “O Foolish Galatians” on how they received the Holy Spirit. And again Paul assures Corinthians who committed sins such as sexual immorality and divisions among themselves saying “Don’t you know that you yourself are the temple of God” (1Cor.3:16; 6:19). Being the temple of God where God Spirit indwells, you ought not to commit such sins. In 1Cor. 12:12-13, 26 Paul says that we believers are Christ’s body by being baptized by the Spirit.

Therefore I am opted to think that we believers in Christ are permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit and we are Christ’s body. And, I am inclined to say that parts of Jesus’ body will not go to Hell, and the Spirit is not given to us as long as we obey and walk in the will of God but for permanently.