03/24/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

What is Eternal Security?

 

Eternal Security, also sometimes called Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS), is the doctrine that states once a sinner has been regenerated (saved/justified) by God they cannot lose their salvation. If they have been justified, they cannot become unjustified. Believers cannot be lost and cannot forfeit their salvation. This doctrine is highly controversial and isn’t held by Catholics, Orthodox, and some Protestant denominations. More articles will follow on more scriptural foundations for eternal security. However, the main purpose of this article is simply to give an introduction to the doctrine with a few verses and questions to answer.

 

Can Salvation Be Lost?

 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

John 10:27-29 NASB1995

 

In this passage in John, Jesus called believers “sheep.” Passages in the Old Testament speak of God's relationship to Israel in the same manner (Psalms 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:10-16). Jesus keeps this analogy in John 10 and extends it to the Gentile elect as well (John 10:16). In John 10:27 Jesus states that believers (sheep) know Him (Shepherd) and Jesus knows the believers. They are known (loved) by God (Genesis 4:11; Amos 3:6). This shows eternal security on its own as when one is loved by God they can’t be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39). 

 

Furthermore, Jesus gives believers eternal life so that they will never perish and “no one will snatch them [believers] out of My [Jesus] hand.” The security of the sheep rests with the Shepherd. No thief (10:10), robber (10:8), or wolf (John 10:12) can pluck believers from Jesus’ hand. The Greek phrase “they shall never perish” employs a emphatic double negative (ou mē apolōntai eis ton aiōna), a construction that forcefully underscores the utter impossibility of their perishing (cf. John 3:16). Jesus then reinforces this by reminding His audience that He came to do the Father’s will and that the Father would also keep them secure. 

 

From this passage we know the doctrine of Eternal Security is true. If no one is able to pluck believers out of Jesus’ and the Fathers hands then how can one be lost? Some may object, “no one can pluck us out of His hand but we can leave and forfeit our salvation.” This argument, however, provides an irregular reading of the passage. God is actively keeping believers in His hand according to this passage. Are we to believe we are stronger than God?

 

Being Sealed

 

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,”

Ephesians 1:13 NASB1995

 

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Ephesians 4:30 NASB1995

 

These passages in Ephesians provide some remarkable insight into the doctrine of Eternal Security. Ephesians 1:13 states that when unbelievers listened to the Gospel and became believers, they were saved and “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” In Paul’s day, a seal conveyed several related ideas: security (Matthew 27:66; Ephesians 4:30), authentication and divine approval (John 6:27), the confirmation of genuineness (John 3:33), and the mark of ownership (2 Corinthians 1:22; Revelation 7:2; 9:4). God seals believers with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They are sealed for “the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit is the pledge of God’s final redemption of us which will happen at our resurrection (Philippians 3:20-21). If believers do not have eternal security, then the sealing cannot be unto the day of redemption. 

 

Therefore, the book of Ephesians teaches that when one believes they are indwelled by the Holy Spirit who seals them unto the day of redemption when we are resurrected. How could this not be the doctrine of Eternal Security?

 

Does This Doctrine Encourage Sin?

 

Some object to this doctrine because they argue it gives believers a license to sin and that in doing so it encourages believers to sin. However, Eternal Security is not the same as Antinomianism. Antinomianism teaches that Christians are free to sin as much as they want because they are eternally secure. Eternal Security teaches that if Christians do sin they don’t lose salvation, however, they may lose rewards (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), they may be chastised (Hebrews 12:5-11), and they may even be punished physically to the extent of death (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). In other words, believers should not sin as there are still consequences for sin even if it is not loss of salvation.