The church we attend has a variety of beliefs. These differences are often discussed in small groups where we use steel in sharpening steel. While not the subject, the belief of once saved always saved came up. There were people on one side, people on the other, and people in the middle.
One thing we need to understand from the enemy is that they'll keep us fighting one extreme to another in order for us to avoid seeing the truth, usually that thing that lies in the middle. Not a compromise but the truth, that thing that is not extreme and which is usually Biblical.
On the spectrum, I've always fell on the side of being able to back-slide. As I explain at the beginning of this website, I'm not short of understanding that I could have a wrong view. If a Biblical view can be presented that holds true to the character of God and the Word then I'm willing to change towards that Biblical view. I believe I had something revealed during this discussion that I wanted to share with you. It does not lie on the extreme of either side, but I believe we have a truth found Biblically.
Could a child of God fall away from salvation? Absolutely. We see this fact all through scripture. Under the sacrifice of a lamb, the children of God would mess up and have to sacrifice another animal. While they had to sacrifice another animal they were still children of God. But, we do see where they would turn and He would destroy those who turned. We see this when the idol was built under Mt Sinai.
We are not under animal sacrifices today, Christ was our sacrifice. If we stumble, He is there for us. Paul was not perfect. He wrote to the Romans
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:15-20
It's the most schizophrenic portion of Scripture but he's telling us he struggles with sinful things. It's ok to struggle, we're all human, but it's not ok to live within sin without repentance.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31
I've always referred to Hebrews 10 to support back-sliding along with Hebrews 6 and the church of Ephesus in Revelation. Hebrews 10 appears to be talking about back-sliding but honestly I see more of non-repentance. The key phrase is "go on sinning deliberately". This is not a turn back to sin but rather a continuing in sin. This can look different in peoples lives. We have the person who says a prayer and continues in their old life. We also have people who may have cleaned up some things but refuse to see or make excuses for other issues in their lives which they refuse to repent from. The fact is, the author of Hebrews is making clear that failure to repent is eternally dangerous.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent. Revelation 2:5
In Revelation we see a threatening statement from Christ to a church. Repent or I'll remove your lamp stand. In Revelation 1:20 we see the lamp stand is the church status. If that's the church status then Christ is threatening to remove church status from people who refuse to repent. Understanding the church is the bride, this is not a good thing to happen. It's like the parable of the bridesmaids. They were wall bridesmaids but they didn't all make it. This passage leans more to falling away (back-sliding) than failure to repent. After all, Christ said "repent, and do the works you did at the first". The fact that they once did these works and now don't say they falling away or backslid.
Now let's move to Hebrews 6 as there's a statement in Hebrews 6 that has always troubled me.
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6
You may already know the part that troubles me as it likely troubles you as well. The author of Hebrews is saying "It's IMPOSSIBLE" to be restored back to repentance and salvation once they fell away"
Before we get there we need to break this down.
The author of Hebrews went to great lengths to paint us a picture of who this person is. This person is enlightened in the ways of Christ, tasted the heavenly gift of salvation, shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted in the goodness of the word of God. It's very plain that this person is "saved" by all definitions of the word today. The next statement is "then have fallen away". This makes it very clear that the author of Hebrews knows one can be "saved" and yet fall away, or backslide.
One of the gentlemen we were discussing this topic with made a statement that he just doesn't see how anyone can turn from God once you tasted God. I fully understand what he's saying here. Fact is, beside from the point, satan himself had tasted God but turned away - therefore; it is possible.
The mans statement still didn't fail to resonate with me. He was not wrong. It's hard to believe anyone who would have tasted the Father to be able to just walk away. And yet, Scripture is not saying that's not impossible.
While discussing this subject and the passage of Hebrews 10, I believe I finally understood what the author of Hebrews is trying to tell us. Why would it be impossible for a person to backslide and yet be restored?
If a person has been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted the goodness of the word of God and yet turn away from God then there is an evil and rebellion within that person that makes it practically impossible for that person to return. Have you ever heard the phrase, "that person is too far gone"? Hebrews 6:4-6 is the first century version of that. It's not that God would not forgive that person but if they could taste all that and walk away then that person is too far gone and likely would not return.
This does not mean that once saved always saved is a sound doctrine. I agree with the consensus on that side that most people who walk away never really walked to; they never really were saved. But, Hebrews 6 is telling us it is possible to be saved and walk away; and the people who do are some pretty "sick individuals".
It's my belief that the doctrine of once saved always saved and that of backsliding have both made it into the extreme category. It seems more Biblically sound that we understand that when we are walking with Christ, God has grace for our failures. In this, we are still saved even though we stumble. That's a good thing as stumbling is a daily activity. It would be a horrible nuisance to have to ask for salvation each time we fell.
That being said, we have the ability to walk away. This can look different in each persons lives as it looked different through Scripture. We have a choice. We're not locked into this thing. I agree with the OSAS people, how can we taste this goodness and walk away. While we can't understand how, we must understand that's different than can. How and can are two different things and they both exist at the same time.