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Salvation is an act of God’s grace received by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). We are not able to earn God’s forgiveness for our sins through our works (Ephesians 2:9). It is God’s gift to everyone who believes. Once received, God expects us to continue in that salvation through obedience (Ephesians 2:10). Over and over the Scriptures warn us of the real possibility of falling away.[1] We dare not ignore or trivialize these statements. Nor should we fear that a little mistake will cause us to lose our salvation. God fully intends for those once saved, to remain saved. Nevertheless, he will not force us to remain saved if we reject him.

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The scriptures talk about salvation in three tenses: past, present, and future. We were saved, are being saved, and will be saved. But what are we saved from? Join Sean Finnegan as he explains.

This content is also available as audio on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

One Must Continue in Salvation

• Can You Lose Your Salvation? (58m audio) Dan Gallagher believed in the permanence of salvation for 46 years. He shares why he changed his mind. This is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
• Myth: Salvation Cannot Be Lost (48m video) Vince Finnegan challenges the myth of eternal security with a thoroughly biblical presentation.
• The Grace Trap (43m audio) Vince Finnegan debunks the myth of unconditional salvation, showing instead that salvation by grace through faith expresses itself in obedience.
• Saved through Faith (46m audio) Vince Finnegan shows through many scriptures that salvation requires continuance and perseverance.
• Conditional Salvation (28m audio) Bob Mathieson challenges dispensational theology, laying in its place a holistic view of scripture and salvation.
• Amazing Grace (47m video) Sean Finnegan works through Isaiah 1:1-20 to present the seriousness of sin and God’s righteous anger that he has towards sinners. Only by understanding that you don’t deserve salvation will you appreciate God’s amazing grace. Audio is also available.
• Warnings in Mathew 7 (24m video) John Truitt works verse by verse through Matthew 7:13-27 to explore the warning Jesus gave his disciples in his famous Sermon on the Mount. See also part two here.

Salvation Is God’s Gift Not Earned

• Come as You Are (42m video) Jerry Wierwille teaches that God acted first to love us and save us. He welcomes all who come to him.
• Redemption: Whom Am I? (37m video) Vince Finnegan share from Paul’s epistles about human nature and are innate rebelliousness. Although we can’t save ourselves, God has decisively acted through his son to bring salvation.
• Easy Believism (28m audio) Jason Benedict shares how God’s love saved him from burnout and despair, leaving him with a balanced view of grace and responsibility.

Misunderstood Verses

• Challenging Conditional Salvation (38m audio) Sean Finnegan covers verses that eternal-security advocates use to prove that Christians are once-saved always-saved. This is available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Debate

• Eternal Security Debate (93m audio) Steve Gregg debates Tom Morris on the permanence of salvation. The tone is cordial, and the conversation nicely shows how the two opposing views line up. This is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Recommended Resources

• Life in the Son (380-page book) Robert Shank’s study on the doctrine of perseverance challenges argues that apostasy is an actual peril for every Christian. He engages with arguments from those who espouse eternal security (once saved always saved) to show that the Bible teaches perseverance.
• Kept by the Power of God (281-page book) I. Howard Marshall systematically works through the entire Bible, section by section, to lay out what the whole counsel of God says about perseverance and the possibility of falling away.

[1] John 15:1-8; Romans 11:16-24; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 9:27; 15:1-2; Galatians 5:19-21; 6:8-9; Ephesians 5:3-12; Philippians 3:11-14; Colossians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 4:16; 5:8; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Hebrews 3:12-14; 6:4-8; 10:26-29; James 2:18-20; 2 Peter 2:20-22; Revelation 3.1-5.