Many religious minded people around us believe that a saved person can never be lost. In fact, some have gone so far as to claim that a Christian can denounce their faith, commit heinous sins, and beg to go to Hell, but they will still be saved forever by God’s grace. This false doctrine goes by different designations, but most identify it as “Once Saved, Always Saved.”

When studying this error with people, I have repeatedly heard the affirmation, “If a Christian ever loses his salvation and ends up in Hell he was never saved to begin with.” That is a desperate claim with no support from Scripture. In fact, the conversion and fall of Simon the Sorcerer shows this claim to be false.

In Acts chapter 8, Philip traveled to Samaria and preached Christ. The multitudes believed his preaching and were baptized. Among them was a notorious sorcerer named Simon who had fooled the people of that area into believing he was the great power of God. He was converted and was numbered among the believers (vs. 5-13).

The apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the gospel. Peter and John were sent to give them the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw the apostles performing this great act, he offered them money to be able to perform this deed as well. Peter rebuked Simon and told him to repent and pray for the forgiveness of his sins (vs. 14-24).

According to Peter, Simon was in a lost condition. Read verses 20-23 very carefully. Simon was destined to perish (saved people don’t perish – John 3:16), his heart was not right in the sight of God, he was involved in wickedness, he was poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. He needed to repent and pray for forgiveness.

Now, our “Once Saved, Always Saved” friends would agree that Simon was lost, but they would insist that he never was saved to begin with. However, a careful reading of the text shows otherwise. Luke records Simon’s conversion with the following words: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (vs. 12-13).

Please notice that Simon did the same exact things as the rest of the Samaritans – “Simon himself also believed… he was baptized.” If Simon was not saved, neither were any of the rest of the Samaritans.

The New Testament is filled with teachings that contradict the false doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved.” The clearest passage is when Paul told the Galatians, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). You can’t be estranged from someone to whom you weren’t first joined, and you can’t fall from something you don’t have.

The only safe course to follow is to allow the Bible to mean what it says. Eternal security is available to every Christian – on the grounds that we remain faithful until death (Heb. 10:36; Rev. 2:10).