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The doctrine that has been described as "once saved, always saved" or "once in grace, always in grace" is one of the basic tenets of Calvinism, which is found with variations among the Reformed churches, Baptists, and Presbyterians, and others. It is interwoven with a particular belief in predestination (basically God superimposing his will upon certain predetermined persons, regardless of what choices they might make for themselves), a belief that mankind is totally fallen and incapable of even responding to God's call (total depravity, as indicated in the NIV by the term "sinful nature" when Paul used the Greek word for "flesh"), and a few other central ideas about the nature of God, man, sin, and salvation. The link below gives an overview of the five points that summarize this viewpoint. The doctrine of "perseverance of the saints" (not what we usually mean by perseverance, but in this case inevitable preservation) relies on some curious twists to justify and rationalize backsliding behavior and ship-wrecked faith. A Calvinist who sees a professing believer who falls away might presume that either the profession of belief was not genuine (God didn't truly predestine that person for salvation, and they only had seemed to be saved) or else that sin is not not counted as sin for the one who has been truly saved. Neither position, nor any similar rationalization of "irresistable grace" conforms to the scriptural teaching that we each have a part in our own salvation (Phil. 2:12) and that children of God can fall into sin (as Adam, the "son of God" did -- Luke 3:38). Frankly the whole business of having a Bible and apostolic commands becomes rather absurd in the context of irrevocable grace, if God has preordained who would be his quite aside from any personal choices and actions humans might undertake. Since Peter affirms that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), the Calvinist view of predestination should preclude the possibility of any outcome other than salvation, and yet we have constant warnings from Jesus and the New Testament writers to choose life and godliness lest we be sent into eternal condemnation.
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