‍The “Once Saved, Always Saved” Quiz

‍A tongue-in-cheek response to a quiz I received from a Protestant

  Gary Hoge  ·  October 13, 2026

‍Someone once sent me a quiz that was supposed to show how unbiblical Catholicism is. So, turnabout being fair play, I thought it would be fun to compose my own quiz aimed at one of this person's favorite doctrines, “once saved, always saved”—the belief that once a person has been saved, he can never lose his salvation, no matter what he subsequently believes or does.

‍I hope you enjoy it.

‍Ezekiel 18:21–22, 24

‍“If a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. … But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.”

‍Question:

‍If a wicked man turns away from his sins and becomes righteous, but later returns to his wickedness, will he still live?

‍A. Yes

‍B. No

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see those verses

‍1 Corinthians 11:32

‍“When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”

‍Question:

‍Is it possible for a Christian to be condemned with the world?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍Extra credit:

‍According to the Bible, why does God discipline us?

‍(HINT: “To prevent us from being ___________ with the world”)

‍2 Timothy 2:12

‍“If we disown him, he will also disown us.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian repudiates Christ, will he himself be repudiated?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍Revelation 22:14, 19

‍“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. … If anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian takes words away from the book of Revelation, will he lose his share in the tree of life and be excluded from the holy city?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍2 Peter 2:20–21

‍“For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

‍Bonus essay question:

‍If a Christian cannot lose his salvation, even if he becomes entangled again in the defilements of the world, how can his final condition be described as worse than his original (unsaved) condition? And how can Peter say that it would have been better for him never to have known the way of righteousness?

‍Galatians 5:19–21

‍“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian lives in the manner described by Paul, will he inherit the kingdom of God?

‍A. Yes

‍B. No

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍Romans 11:22

‍“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God; sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian does not continue in God’s kindness, will he be cut off?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍1 Corinthians 15:2

‍“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian does not hold firmly to the gospel and falls away, will it be said of him that he believed for nothing?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍Hebrews 4:1, 11

‍“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. … Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian follows the Israelites’ example of disobedience, will he enter God’s rest?

‍A. Yes

‍B. No

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍Hebrews 10:26–29

‍“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

‍Question:

‍If a Christian tramples the Son of God underfoot and treats as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, will he face the raging fire that will consume the enemies of God?

‍A. No

‍B. Yes

‍C. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse

‍How did you do?

‍If you answered “B” to most of the questions, you might want to reconsider the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.”

‍And if you answered “C,” I don’t blame you.