I think by holding "firmly to the word" Paul means more than holding in the mind a theological position. In many verses Paul told us to do certain things, and "holding firmly to the word" would certainly include obeying what he said to the churches.

For example:

Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. (I Corinthians 15:34—NIV)

I really appreciate this verse because it cuts through all the unscriptural advice we hear about how we have to wait until Christ lives the life through us, or we are saved by identification with Christ, or Jesus did it all, or whatever other errors are heaped on errors until the mind staggers under the misinformation and confusion.

"Come back to your senses as you ought," Paul would say to us today. "Stop your sinning! Some people are ignorant of God because of your sinful behavior. Shame on you!"

"Paul did say this," the Evangelical of today will exclaim, "but this doesn't mean the Corinthian believers weren't saved. They ought to do what Paul says, but even if they don't they still are saved by grace."

Oh yes?

Compare this passage with his opening comments.

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (I Corinthians 15:1,2—NIV)

I don't think it is stretching a point to interpret Paul as saying, "If you don't stop sinning you are not obeying the Gospel. You are not holding firmly to the word I preached to you. You are not saved. You have believed in vain."

Is it actually possible to believe in vain? To believe in vain?

Are the Christian scholars of our day claiming it is impossible to believe in Christ in vain? Who are we to believe, today's theologians or the Apostle Paul?

Jude does not come to the rescue of those who teach "once saved always saved."

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 1:5—NIV)

Why would the Holy Spirit through Jude warn the Church that it was possible to be brought out of Egypt under the sovereign hand of God, beyond doubt a type of salvation, and then be destroyed by the Lord, if it were not possible to be saved and then be lost to the purposes of God?

Someone will object, "At first they believed and then they didn't believe any longer."

This is true. Even so, the position held today is that once you make a profession of belief you will go to Heaven whether you disbelieve after that or not, so deeply entrenched is this deception in the Evangelical mind. There is nothing you can do to penetrate the impervious "state of grace."

To be continued.