This lesson addresses an argument sometimes presented in favor of the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine. This doctrine says that salvation is unconditional and once granted cannot be revoked. In simple language, once you are saved you can never be lost even though you turn your back on your Saviour. Once in grace, you cannot fall from it, regardless of what you do. One argument for this doctrine is drawn from the fact that Jesus prays for our salvation. If Jesus prays for something, his Father will grant it. So if Jesus prays for our salvation, then saved we will be, and it is impossible for us to fall.
It has been the prayer of Jesus that the saved remain saved.
Jesus prayed for Peter, that his faith might not fail (Lke 22:31-32).
Jesus prayed for all Christians that they might enter heaven (Jhn 17:9-24).
Jesus ever lives to make intercession for the saints (Heb 7:25).
The argument is that if any of the saved become lost, then the Father has refused to grant the prayer of his Son. His prayer has failed. Since it is inconceivable that the Father would reject his Son's prayer, the saved cannot be lost. That is the argument. Now let's see the false basis on which this argument rests.
The False Basis
The argument rests on the assumption that God would never refuse to grant a prayer of his Son. However that assumption is not correct.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that he would not have to endure the crucifixion. "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me..." But it was not the Father's will (Mtt 26:39).
Jesus prayed for what he wished could be so, however he kept himself in submission to God's will. If God is bound to grant everything that Jesus asks, then the Father is subject to the Son. But he is not. It is the other way round —the Son is subject to the Father (1Co 11:3, 15:27-28).
The basis for the argument is false because it assumes that the prayers of Jesus are unconditional, and God grants his requests unconditionally. That is not so. There are certain conditions under which God will or will not grant Christ's prayer for the saved. Let's now show what these conditions are.
The Conditions
Fortunately, the scripture is very clear about the conditions which must be met by us, if our Saviour's prayer for us is to avail rather than fail.
If we are sinning wilfully in rebellion against God, if we disobey the gospel and don't continue in the faith, then the Saviour's prayer does not avail for us —not even his sacrifice on the cross avails for us (Heb 10:26-31, Col 1:21-23).
When we walk in the light, confessing our sins to God, and when we rebel against sin and refuse to let it reign over us, then God certainly grants our Saviour's prayer for us (1Jn 1:5-10, 2:1-2, Rom 6:11-14,17-18).
While ever we subject ourselves to God, he actively assists us, thereby answering his Son's prayer for us (1Co 10:12-13).
If we set our hearts upon what Christ prays for, then God actively works in us and for us. Under those conditions, he will not let anyone snatch us away from Jesus our Saviour (1Co 10:12-13, Jhn 10:27-30).