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ONE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED? The term "Once Saved Always Saved" is probably not the best word choice as it tends to challenge one's common sense and logic, thus creating a mental stumbling block before a scriptural explanation can even be given. The term Eternal Security is more appropriate, since salvation is a matter of one possessing eternal life as a gift from God (John 10:28-29).A man will never understand eternal security, if he doesn't have a good understanding of salvation itself. Salvation is not earned; therefore, salvation cannot be UN-earned. Salvation is a gift that one receives, thus becoming a "son of God" (John 1:12; I John 3:2). As sons, we are sometimes disobedient and must be chastened, or disciplined, but we do not lose our sonship. Hebrews 12:6-7 says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" Verse 8 even says, "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."In God's eyes, there are two kinds of people: bastards and sons. Bastards are those who have not received Jesus Christ, and sons are the Christians who have received Christ. When God's sons are disobedient, they are disciplined in various ways, but they never lose their relationship to God, their salvation. Paul addresses this in I Corinthians 11:31-32, by saying, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." That's eternal security. We are chastened, but we are not condemned with the world. God doesn't ignore the sins of the believer, but he doesn't treat his own children like the devil's bastards either. Once a man is in Christ, he stays in Christ forever: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)Just remember: Salvation is neither earned nor un-earned, because salvation is a gift that one receives.