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ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
(Third Part)
BY ADOLFO RICARDO YBARRA
(This work uses the King James Version and
relies on the Textus Receptus Greek text)
(English is not the author’s native tongue, so there may be
some non English expressions. It is available also the Spanish version of this
text)
Copyright 2005 A.R.Y. and J.J.Y.
This text is registered (©) and it cannot be stored on BBS or Internet sites or sold or placed by themselves or with other material in any electronic format or printed on paper for the sale, but may be distributed for free by e-mail or by print. It must be left intact and nothing removed or changed, including these headers. Alimento Espiritual: http://alimento.tripod.com.
Once Predestinated
Always
Predestinated:
To
conclude and to complete the picture that we are building starting from the
Scriptures, it is necessary that we arrive to the biblical doctrine of the
Predestination or Divine Election of the Believers in Christ.
This is the biblical
teaching that God, before the foundation of the world
(Ephesians 1:4), to those who would believe in Christ, He chose them for
eternal salvation and predestinated them unconditionally to complete this
destination without failing, as it is written:
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the
word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed.
Here, the true believers are
presented as such by their initial true
faith ("believed" is in the Greek in Aorist Tense), they are
presented as ordained to eternal life immutably
by God, because it is used for "ordained" a Perfect Tense, Passive
Voice, then indicating that the God’s act of ordaining them was a past one and
a past concluded one and a past concluded with the effect of the act assured by
the concluded past fact not by a future thing. That is to
say that the believer in Christ has been predestinated forever, Once
Predestinated Always Predestinated. His final destiny will be fulfilled and it
is not conditioned by any condition to fulfill during the believer's life.
But as the final
salvation it is not more than the consequence of the initial salvation by the
beginning of the believer's faith, and as all that the believer now possesses
is proper of those that reach final salvation, it is not strange that were said
that we were also predestinated to the things that now, before having arrived
to our final salvation, we have as believers in Christ. Now, let us see all the
things that the Bible says that the believers in Christ have been predestinated
before the foundation of the world.
Why were
chosen and predestinated we the believers?:
Romans
8:29-30
29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Figure
13: Relationship between Predestination and Justification:
Figure
14: Relationship between Predestination and Glorification:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Figure
14: Relationship between Predestination and the Perfect Sanctification of the
Glorification:
4) We
were predestinated to be for the eternity a reason of praise of the glory of
his grace by having been predestinated to be adopted his children:
Ephesians 1:5-7
5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will,
6
To the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;
“accepted in the beloved” it is the consequence of our
definitive and permanent justification, so here we have another proof that the
justification is permanent and definitive, since those “accepted in the beloved” (because for his grace He made us
at one past time accepted) they will be eternally reason of praise of
his grace.
5) We
were predestinated to be for the eternity a reason of praise of his glory:
11 In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in
Christ.
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
The
sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth are not presented here
as that to what we were predestinated, but rather the sanctification of the
Spirit and the faith of the truth are the cause that God has predestinated us to be
saved. God doesn't say that He predestinated us to have faith to be saved, but
rather He predestinated us to be saved by faith.
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
We were chosen this way to have a
wellpleasing Christian life to God, to obey and to be sprinkled with the blood
of Jesus Christ, that is to say, for a life of obedience and cleansing in his
blood. We were not predestinated in exchange for our obedience, or by complete
conditions, we were predestinated FOR to be obedient and to be
continually cleansed in Christ's blood, as it is written:
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he
is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from
all sin.
God revealed us through Peter that we were predestinated to obey and to
be sprinkled with the precious blood, so we were predestinated to walk in the
light and to be continuous confessors of our sin and to be continuous receivers
of cleansing in his blood.
The
sanctification of the Spirit is not presented here in 1 Peter 1:2 as that to
what we were predestinated, but rather the sanctification of the Spirit is a
cause that God has predestinated us to be saved. Peter omits here the fact that
the sanctification of the Spirit by itself is not enough and must go
accompanied by the faith, because he implies it, because the initial faith is
the one that introduces us to the obedience mentioned by Peter to which God
predestinated us. But in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 God reveals us through Paul that
the sanctification of the Spirit must go accompanied by the belief of the
truth, and that both are causes that God has predestinated us; the
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth are not presented in 2
Thessalonians 2:13 as that to what we were predestinated, that is in that verse
the salvation, but rather the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth are presented there as the cause that God has predestinated us to be saved. God
doesn't say that He predestinated us to have faith to be saved, but rather He
predestinated us to be saved by faith.
Figure 15: Relationship between Predestination and the Christian Life:
The figure illustrates us that we were predestinated to be Always
Believers.
All
his elect ones will experience the final salvation:
The above-mentioned
leads us to an important consequence that destroys the diabolical idea that
some predestinated or elect ones can get lost; and it is that ALL the elect
will experience the final salvation; the proofs of this are many, let us see
them one by one:
1) All
his elect will experience the final salvation because all the elect experience
the justification that, as we have demonstrated, is forever, Once Justified
Always Justified, which assures the final salvation:
Romans
8:29-30
29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he
also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified,
them he also glorified.
Romans 8:33
Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
2) All
his elect will experience the final salvation because they were ordained to
eternal life, that, as we have already demonstrated, is maintained
unconditionally for God, Once Vivified Always Vivified:
3) All
his elect will experience the final salvation because they were predestinated
to be adopted children of God, that, as we have already demonstrated, remain
children of God forever and therefore heirs of the final salvation or
redemption of the body, Once Son Always Son.
Romans
8:29-30
29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ephesians 1:5
Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,
4) All his elect will
experience the final salvation because it is affirmed directly that they were
chosen to reach the final salvation when they are showed as being conformed to
the image of his Son image in the final glorification and as reaching the
perfect final sanctification of the glorification, and as being chosen as
permanent objects of praise of his glory and of the glory of his grace, which
is a permanent glory:
Romans
8:29-30
29 For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
11 In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in
Christ.
Ephesians 1:5-7
5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will,
6
To the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace
5) All their elect will
experience the final salvation because it is affirmed directly that they were
chosen for the final salvation when contrasting the elect from the Jews with
the unconverted Jewish that get lost and when contrasting all the elect with
those that finally get lost to follow the antichrist:
4 But what saith the answer
of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not
bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the
election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is
it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works,
then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election
hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
6) All his elect will
experience the final salvation because it is affirmed directly that they were
chosen for the final salvation, characterizing the Lord to the elect as those
that enter in his Kingdom, and to the non-elect as those that don't enter in
his Kingdom:
the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Why were
predestinated the predestinated ones?:
1) They were predestinated or chosen by pure grace of God and not for
good works that they would do:
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according
to election might stand, not of works, but of
him that calleth;)
Romans 11:5-6
5 Even
so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works:
otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more
grace: otherwise work is no more work.
2) They were predestinated or chosen by the initial faith that they
would have:
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
They were predestinated or chosen by the believer's initial faith, that,
as we have already demonstrated, assures all that comes after it, including the
final salvation or redemption of the body or glorification, then the believer
could not be predestinated by none of those things that come after the initial
faith, things that, as we have seen, are things FOR which we have been
predestinated.
Now then, the previous sanctification of the Spirit is the necessary
condition (the necessary but not enough condition for the salvation) to be able
to reach the saving initial faith (that is the necessary and enough condition
for the salvation). And there will be sinners that will reject the faith after
having been sanctified initially by the Spirit and they won't end up being
believers, and when not ending up being believers, for its own fatal decision,
they don't arrive to be predestinated. It can be also settled down the
difference between the previous
sanctification and the faith with Matthew 20: 16 and Matthew 22:14"... for
many be called, but few chosen". In Hebrews we find the case of he that in
spite of having received the illumination of the Spirit so that they can
believe, they choose to reject the faith and they don't end up believing in
Christ:
Hebrews 10:29
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall
he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath
counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
John 15:2
Every branch in me that
beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he
purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
We can also know clearly that God predestinated those that would be of
the faith, by the initial faith, because the predestination is by pure grace
(point 1), and the grace is by the initial faith, so the predestination is by
the initial faith. Next, Let us see the passage that reveals us on behalf of
God that is by the initial faith that the believer could enter into the grace
of God:
Romans 5:1-2
1
Therefore being justified {Greek
in Aorist Time, Passive Voice, Participle Mood, refers to the definitive
justification of God in the past, then at the beginning of the believer's faith} by faith {specifically the principle of the
believer's faith, for the aforesaid in the precedent note about the Aorist Time
for “justified”}, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By
whom also we have {Greek
of the verb “to have” in Perfect Time, Active Voice, Indicative Mood,
indicating that we have already had the entrance at the past and now we remain
inside, not as a finished process, but as a result of having entered
definitively in the past} access by faith {specifically the principle of the believer's faith,
for the aforesaid in the precedent note about the Perfect Time for “we have”} into this grace {cannot exist access to the grace without the initial
faith, having been favoured for God depends on the initial faith, and as the
predestination depends on the grace (Romans 11:5), then the predestination
depends on the initial faith} wherein we stand, and rejoice in
hope of the glory of God {as the
predestination assures the final salvation, and the initial faith assures the
predestination, we found again that the initial faith assures the final
salvation}.
Figure 16: Relationship between Predestination and Beginning of the
Faith:
Let us notice that it is alone the initial faith which causes the
predestination, while the continuation of the faith, as was seen, is caused by
the predestination.
Why the elect were NOT predestinated or chosen by good
works that they would do in the future but only by pure grace?
Because it was the only form in that a Holy and Just God could save
sinners lacking justice and worthy of condemnation; it was the only form in
that God could maintain his purpose of saving the believers, and therefore the
only form of making possible that somebody Once Saved were maintained by God
Always Saved:
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither
having done any good or evil, that the purpose
of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
How were
predestinated the predestinated ones?:
1) They were chosen before the foundation of the world:
According as he hath chosen us in
him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love:
2) They were chosen by means of to the foreknowledge of God or capacity
of God of knowing all the future:
Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren
1 Peter 1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied.
3) They were chosen according to the capacity of God through his omnipotence
to accomplish his will that were accomplished the final destination for which
predestinated his believers as part of his purpose of gathering all things in
Christ:
Ephesians 1:3-14
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his
will,
6 To
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved.
7 In
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace;
8
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9
Having made known unto us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:
12 That
we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In
whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise,
14
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Does the
predestination annul the man's possibility to choose his eternal destination?
The answer is the following one:
In Adam, the man, in full possession of a will not coerced by the sin,
free to choose the good, he chose a destination of shame and condemnation. As
it is written:
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive.
But God, for his great love by which he loved all, desiring that all were saved, made
propitiation for our sins with the sacrifice of his Son Jesus, that whosoever
believe
in him should not perish, but have eternal life. As it is written:
John 3:16
For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 Timothy 2:4
Who will have all men to
be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
De manera que Dios
no ha anulado por la predestinación la posibilidad del hombre de elegir su
destino eterno. El que creyere será salvo.
So that God has not annulled by the predestination the man's possibility
to choose his eternal destination. He that believe shall be saved.
How to know if we
are his chosen ones?
Because we have received the true gospel and experienced the
transforming power of the Spirit or true conversion and to be experiencing the
joy of the Spirit and his testimony that we are children of God, therefore
predestinated:
1 Thessalonians 1:4-7
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5 For
our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you
for your sake.
6 And
ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much
affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
7 So
that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
Romans 8:16
What I can say more? Only to urge the reader to believe in him whose
precious blood is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and this way
to be saved. To be a chosen of God is within your reach BY JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.
The complete picture:
As the predestination (the powerful divine ordinance that assures that
the design of God of saving the believers is unalterable and unconditional) was
made by the believer's initial faith. Our picture Once Saved Always Saved will
be complete in the following way:
Figure 17: Complete picture that relates all the elements of Once Saved
Always Saved:
This means that nothing will be able to change the Believer's destination,
God has fixed before the foundation of the world that those that have had the
initial faith in Christ be justified forever of his sins and be adopted
children forever, being vivified forever by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
that is forever, and be forever believers, finally to be glorified forever.
Such it is the destination of who believes in Jesus with all his heart.
How not to choose such a destination?
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
END
Copyright 2005 A.R.Y. y J.J.Y.
e-mail: alesp@mail.com