Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?
nce saved, always saved? Can a Christian lose their salvation after they have truly accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior?
There is major divided opinion in the Body of Christ right now on this question. Many believe that you cannot lose your salvation, no matter how many bad things you may end up doing in this life. The Bible says that we are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation with the Lord and that nothing can break this seal, no matter how many bad and evil sins a person may commit after getting saved.
Others believe that God will not be mocked, and that you can lose your salvation if you get into some of the heavier and more evil types of sins.
I believe there are several verses in Scripture that really do answer this question, with one verse in particular. After studying these verses very carefully, it is my own personal opinion that a Christian can lose their salvation after having already been saved. However, I do believe that you really have to get into some of the heavier type sins before this will actually happen.
I believe the seal we have with the Holy Spirit is a very strong and powerful seal, but that this seal can be broken if this person with their own free will has chosen to live this life on the darker side. I will go ahead and give you the main verses from Scripture that deal with this possibility.
You will each have to judge and discern for yourself as to whether or not you feel these verses are implying that a Christian can lose their salvation.
For those of you who are really wanting an answer on this issue, I would highly recommend that you study these verses very carefully, and then ask God the Father, through the Holy Spirit, to give you His direct answer on this issue due to the extreme importance of it.
What follows is just our own personal opinion on this issue. You will each have to get your own answer from the Lord on this issue since there is such divided opinion in the Body right now on this question.
1. A Falling Away
In my opinion, this first verse hits the nail right on the head. Here is the verse, and then I will point out several key phrases showing that it might be possible for a Christian to lose their salvation with the Lord.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
For the earth which brings in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.” (Hebrews 6:4-8)
First, notice the specific wording being used to describe what I believe is a saved and born again Christian:
- Those who were once enlightened
- Have tasted the heavenly gift
- Become partakers of the Holy Spirit
- Have tasted the good Word of God
You cannot be a “partaker of the Holy Spirit” unless you are saved and born again. Only Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation with the Lord. Nonbelievers do not have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them. You can only be a partaker of the Holy Spirit if you already have Him living on the inside of you.
Only a Christian can truly “taste the good Word of God.” Unless you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside you, you can never fully understand the Bible because all of the Bible was really written by God the Father through the Holy Spirit. Much of the Bible has to be spiritually discerned and this is done by and through the Holy Spirit. It is the job of Holy Spirit to teach us all things and to guide us into all truth.
As a result of the Holy Spirit helping you to understand the Bible when you are reading it, you then start to become “enlightened” as the above verse states. You cannot become truly “enlightened” unless you already have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you, and He is working with you to help you understand the spiritual truths that are in the Bible.
Put it all together – you cannot be truly enlightened, be a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and have the ability to “taste” the Word of God and the powers of the age to come unless you are a born-again Christian. I believe these specific words being used are showing that this verse is specifically talking about Christians.
And then watch what it says next: “For it is impossible … if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance …”
I think the key words in these phrases are “if they fall away.” What is considered a “falling away?” Obviously God the Father will be the final judge on what is considered a falling away from Him.
A good example might be someone who turns completely to the dark side and decides he wants to worship Satan direct as a result of the wealth and power that Satan may be able to give him while he is still living down here on this earth. There have been documented cases of priests and ministers who have literally “sold out” to the devil in exchange for more of the material and lustful pleasures of this life. They have literally become true Satan worshipers. I personally think something like this would qualify as a “falling away” – a deliberate turning away from God to serve His adversary, the Devil.
Other extreme examples would be Christians who have decided to join and live in some type of organized crime, who get into killing and murdering others for their own gain and profit, men who become rapists or serial killers, etc. As you will see in some of the other verses listed below, God will not be mocked. I believe that some of these heavier types of sins can cause a Christian to lose their salvation if they do not get these heavier types of sins confessed and forgiven with the Lord before they die and cross over.
Notice the above verse also says that: “For it is impossible … to renew them again to repentance” if they fall away into the more heavier types of sins. The key word is “impossible” – meaning that God is not going to allow them to come back in after they have probably passed what may be considered some kind of “point of no return” with Him. The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God will not strive with a man forever.
Put all of the above together – and I think that the above verse is telling us that it is definitely possible for a Christian to lose their salvation if the “falling away” is considered to be serious enough and extreme enough in the eyes of God.
2. Sinning Willfully After Receiving the Knowledge of the Truth
This next verse is another real scary verse. The above verse talks about a “falling away” that could cause you to lose your salvation. This next verse goes another step further and specifically talks about “sinning willfully” after we have already received the knowledge of the truth from God. Here it is:
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:26-31)
Notice the first part of this verse says that if we “sin willfully” after having already received the knowledge of the truth. Again, I believe this wording could be implying that we are talking about Christians.
The second part of this verse seems to confirm that possibility when it talks about trampling Jesus underfoot and insulting the Spirit of grace, which is the Holy Spirit Himself. Then notice it says that “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” in direct reference to the statement about sinning willfully after having already received the knowledge of the truth.
I believe the words “no longer remains a sacrifice for sins” is implying a definite loss of salvation if someone has pushed the envelope too far with God the Father.
3. Becoming Entangled Again in the Pollutions of the World
Here is another verse that matches up with the verse mentioned above. It talks about, after having already received the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the dangers of returning back again to the “pollutions of the world” from which we have just come out of. Here it is:
“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20)
Again, I believe this verse is specifically talking about Christians when it talks about escaping the pollutions of this world “through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” You cannot have true knowledge about Jesus unless you have become saved and born again by accepting Him as your personal Lord and Savior.
Notice this verse specifically states that it would be much worse for you to have become saved and then turn back to your old sinful ways into the pollutions of this world than to never have become saved in the first place.
The key phrase in this verse is “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.” The word “beginning” is referring back to when we were not saved. If you are not saved, you cannot make it into heaven. What could be worse than never being saved in the first place. However, this verse is going one step further and it is literally telling us that it would be worse for us, after initially getting saved, if we once more return back to the sins that we were operating in before we got saved.
If that is worse than never getting saved in the first place, then I believe this verse is another one telling us that it is possible to lose your salvation after initially getting saved.
4. 22 Specific Sins That Could Keep You Out of Heaven
If some of the above verses are possibly implying that you can lose your salvation – then what are some of the specific sins that could cause you to lose your salvation? These next two verses will give you some of those specific sins.
Are these next two verses talking about Christians or nonbelievers? If you match these two verses up with the ones listed above, then I believe that some of these sins, if being committed by Christians on a regular and frequent basis, could get them into major trouble with the Lord and possibly be endangering their salvation with Him. Here they are:
- “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9)
- “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19)
Notice the sin of adultery is specifically mentioned in both verses. Does this mean any Christian who regularly cheats on their spouse may be in danger of losing their salvation? Maybe God is thinking that if you cannot stay faithful and loyal to your spouse, then maybe you will not be able to stay faithful and loyal to Him for all of eternity once you enter into heaven.
Look at what happened to Satan and one third of all the angels. They could not stay faithful and loyal to the Lord for the long run, and as a result, they tried to rebel against Him and were eventually thrown right out of heaven!
The word “sodomite” refers to a man having sexual relations with another man, which is another word for describing the sin of homosexuality. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word “licentiousness” refers to one who “disregards accepted rules and standards, one who is morally unrestrained, especially in sexual matters.”
There is no doubt that the above two verses are talking about nonbelievers. But is it also talking about Christians? I guess we will all find out once we cross over into heaven and we see who has made it and who has not. But I would not want to be taking any chances with the Lord by wallowing in any of the above sins on any type of regular and frequent basis.
5. Not Everyone Who Calls Jesus “Lord, Lord” Will Make it Into Heaven
This next powerful verse is coming direct from Jesus Himself. He specifically states that not everyone who calls Him “Lord, Lord” is going to make it into heaven, but only those who do the will of God the Father.
The key word in this verse is the word “will” – the will of God the Father. What is the will of God the Father? One of His definite “wills” is that we stay out of serious sin, especially some of the specific sins mentioned in the above two verses.
When Jesus is using the words of those calling Him “Lord, Lord” – is He referring to Christians or nonbelievers? I personally believe that He may be referring to Christians. How can you truly call Jesus “Lord, Lord” unless you have become saved and born again by accepting Him as your “Lord” and Savior.
If Jesus is specifically referring to Christians with this phrase, then this is another verse that is showing that a Christian could possibly lose their salvation. Once you have become saved, and then you go back and start to enter into some of these heavier sin areas – which would be going against the “will” of God the Father – then I believe you could be in danger of losing your own personal salvation with the Lord.
I believe this verse is also telling us that God will not be mocked! You cannot accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and then turn around and start to enter into some of these heavier sin areas – and then think you can get away with it and that God will just look the other way.
The sins of adultery and homosexuality are two very scary sins for any Christian to want to engage in with the way some of the above verses are worded. I would not want to be tempting my eternal fate with God the Father by engaging in these two sins, or any of the other sins mentioned in the above two verses.
Here is the verse:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21)
Notice that Jesus is specifically talking about people who have prophesied and cast out demons in His name. Is Jesus referring direct to Christians? I believe that He is, especially on the second act that these people had been doing – casting demons out of people in His name.
An unbeliever cannot cast demons out of someone because they do not have the legal authority to be able to do so. Demons are cast out of people by the power of the Holy Spirit.
You have to have the Holy Spirit living and operating on the inside of you before you can cast demons out of someone. Only born-again Christians have the Holy Spirit living and operating on the inside of them – unbelievers do not! As a result, unbelievers do not have the power of the Holy Spirit or the legal authority from God the Father to cast demons out of anyone, including themselves if they have been caught in their death grip.
Two Scripture verses will back this up. In Acts 19:13-16, several Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call on the name of Jesus to try and cast demons out of several people. When they tried to cast these demons out in the name of Jesus, one of the evil spirits replied back to him stating that they knew who Jesus and Paul were, but they did not know who he was.
Then the man who had the demon in him jumped on the Jewish exorcists, overpowered them and literally “prevailed” against them. The men then ran out of the house “naked and wounded.” In other words, the Jewish exorcists had no divine power and authority to be trying to take these demons on. And not only were they not able to cast the demons out, but the demons were allowed to physically attack them and were able to drive them right out of the house without a stitch of clothing left on them! And these men were Jewish men, not total unbelievers.
Here is the verse giving us this specific information:
“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches … And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” (Acts 19:13-16)
Notice in the first verse listed above that Jesus is not contesting that these people really were casting demons out of people in His name. I believe Jesus is directly acknowledging that these people really were casting demons out in His name. And if Jesus is acknowledging this fact – then these people have to be born-again Christians, because only born-again Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit operating on the inside of them to be able to cast demons out of anyone.
I have heard some scholars argue that the people Jesus is referring to in this verse were unbelievers, not saved Christians. These unbelievers were then casting demons out of people and prophesying in His name as a direct result of operating under some kind of demonic influence or possession. In other words, they were all doing this operating under the power of a demonic spirit rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. However, the second verse stated above is telling us that unbelievers cannot cast demons out of people, even if they are operating under some kind of demonic influence and power.
Another very powerful verse to help back up the revelation that demons are not going to be casting out other demons in a person is found in Mark 3:20-30. In this verse, the Scribes are accusing Jesus of casting demons out of people by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons.
Jesus then responds back stating that Satan is not going to be casting out himself, and that a kingdom will not be be able to stand if it becomes divided against itself. In other words, not even Satan or one of his demons are going to try and cast out other demons in a person, as they would just be defeating their own purposes in trying to do so.
If Satan or one of demons are not going to be casting demons out of anyone, and if unbelievers do not have the power and authority to be able to cast out demons – then the people Jesus is referring to in this first verse have to be born-again Christians, not unbelievers.
And then notice what Jesus says next – that He will tell them to depart from Him and that He never knew them because they “practice lawlessness.” The keys words as to why they may lose their salvation in Him is due to the fact that they were “practicing” lawlessness.
The word “practice” means someone who is deliberately, intentionally, and willfully breaking some of God’s basic laws and commandments on some kind of a regular basis. It is someone who is doing this on a regular and consistent basis, not someone who is just occasionally slipping up.
Again, I believe Jesus is giving us a major clue in this verse in that He is really talking about Christians, not unbelievers. And if He is, then this verse is more proof that a Christian can lose their salvation if they push the envelope too far and too long with the Lord, with no intentions of ever pulling out of their sinful behaviors, and no remorse for doing it in the first place.
6. A Sin Leading to Death
This next verse is very interesting. It talks about a sin that could lead to death and a sin that will not lead to death. I believe the word “death” could be referring to the deaths of our souls once we die and cross cover, which would mean going straight to hell when we die. Again, is this verse referring to Christians?
If it is, then it is definitely delineating between certain types of sins. It is implying that some sins are obviously worse than others. Some of these sins could cause us to lose our salvation and other types of sins will not. Here is the verse:
“There is a sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.” (1 John 5:16-17)
God will obviously be the final judge on what sins could lead to death and which ones will not. But again, as a Christian, I would not want to be tempting my eternal fate with God the Father by engaging in some of the heavier sins mentioned in the above verses, thinking that He will look the other way just because we got saved earlier on in our lives.
7. Fallen From Grace
The Bible specifically tells us that we are “saved by grace.” However, this next verse specifically says that we can “fall from grace.” If you put both of these phrases right next to one another, then I believe they could be telling us that a Christian could lose their salvation.
I believe the words “fallen from grace” means exactly what it is saying. If we have been “saved by grace” – then we can also “fall from that same saving grace.” This might be another powerful verse from the Lord showing us that we can lose our salvation with Him.
Notice also in the first part of this verse where it talks about becoming “estranged from Christ.” If you put these three words right next to the words “fallen from grace” – and they are all in the same verse – then once again I believe the implication may really be there that you can lose your salvation, and that another phrase to describe losing your salvation with the Lord is “falling from grace” – falling from the saving grace which you initially got saved in the first place!
Here is the verse:
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
Put this verse together with all of the other ones mentioned above – and the Scriptural evidence may really be there that a Christian could possibly lose their salvation if they try and push the envelope to far with God the Father by falling into and engaging in some of the heavier type sins as described above.
8. Having Your Name “Blotted Out” From the Book of Life
I will leave with you with one very scary intense verse from the Bible. This verse is coming direct from Jesus Himself from the Book of Revelation.
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not BLOT OUT his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3:5)
The Book of Life is a Book that has every single saved and born-again believer recorded in it. Once you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, your name is then written and recorded in this Book.
But notice what Jesus says in reference to this specific Book. He specifically says that he who “overcomes” will not have his name “blotted out” from this Book. The word “blot” means “to rub or wipe out, to erase or get rid of.”
The fact that Jesus is telling us that our names can literally be blotted out from this Book is just more proof that we can possibly lose our salvation with Him. If your name could not be blotted out from this Book, then Jesus would have never made this specific statement in the first place. But since He did, I believe this is another powerful Scripture verse that is showing us that we can lose our salvation in Him.
Also notice the specific word that Jesus is using to tie in this possibility – the word “overcomes.” What is it that Jesus wants us to overcome? One of the things that He definitely wants us to overcome is the temptation to fall and enter into some of these heavier sin areas. The Bible tells us that we must “endure” temptation.
To endure a temptation means you do not give into it, you do not cross the line – but if by chance you do fall into a specific temptation, to immediately pull out of it as soon as you can. If you do not, and you do not overcome and pull out of this temptation within the time span that God is giving you to pull out of it, then your name could be blotted out from His Book of Life for all of eternity!
The other thing to pick up with the specific wording that Jesus is using in this verse is that once He blots out your name from His Book of Life – it will be for all of eternity. There will be no second chance to get back in once you have been officially erased from His Book, just like the first verse I listed at the beginning of this article is telling us.
There is no other indication in this verse, or any other verses in the Bible, that this blotting out of your name can be reversed or rescinded. The tone and straight forward way this verse is being worded is all showing us that not only can a person’s name be actually blotted out from this Book, but that once it is, it will be for all of eternity.
Again, if this was not an actual possibility, then Jesus would have never worded this verse the way He did. But the fact that He is specifically using the words of having your own personal name blotted out from His Book of Life is all showing us that this is a definite possibility if we have gone too far and wallowed too long in a heavier sin area.
Conclusion
You will each have to come to your own conclusions as to whether or not you feel a Christian can lose their salvation with the way all of the above verses are worded. I personally believe that all of the above verses mean exactly what they are saying.
If you put all of the above verses together and right next to one another like you would pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, then I believe God the Father is giving us major insight and revelation that a Christian can lose their salvation if he “falls away,” if he “falls from grace,” if he becomes “estranged from Christ,” if he gets involved in a “sin that leads to death,” if he goes against the “will” of God the Father, if he returns once again to the “pollutions of the world,” and if he “sins willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth” that is contained in both God and Jesus.
I personally believe that all of the above verses, and specifically some of the key phrases mentioned in these verses, are simply way too much Scriptural evidence all showing that it is possible for a Christian to lose their salvation with the Lord.
God and His Word will not be mocked. He will not put up with some of His own falling into some of these heavier sin areas, and then think that He will turn a blind eye to their sins, while all the while condoning their sinful activities thinking that the Blood of Jesus will keep them covered till the day they die.
I am afraid some Christians, who are living in some of these heavier sin areas on a regular and frequent basis with no intentions of trying to pull out of them, are going to be in for a very big surprise once they die and cross over and have to meet the Lord for their own personal final judgment.
Again, it would be our strong recommendation that you go direct to God the Father in prayer and ask Him to show you what the real truth is on this matter. All of the above are just our thoughts and opinions on this very controversial issue. For the record, I hope that I am really wrong on my assessment on the above Scripture verses, as I would never want anyone to lose their salvation in the Lord.
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Michael Bradley
Bible Teaching and Bible Commentary,
Over 150 Free Bible LessonsScripture taken from New King James Version.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2005-2011 by Michael Bradley.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
People always are looking for compromise. Whenever, the enemy brings confusion in your mind, just ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in you. look at the normal life, you can never compare God with some degree obtained in school. That once you have a bachelor’s degree, you have it, and it is can never be taken away from you. Even in natural lawyers can lose their license if they use it in wrong way. By grace we are saved, thru, Jesus Blood wiped away all sins past and present only. We are sealed by the Blood of Jesus. However, whenever you sin willingly, you break that seal and as the wage of sin is death, therefore you will lose your salvation, if you do not repent you will unfortunately end up in hell. Remember, before sin comes, there is temptation, once you obey to temptation, you birth sin and sin birth death and death takes you to the driest place with fire and tournaments. There is no temptation greater than our strength, whenever, you sin, you chose to sin because the grace is there to keep you from sinning. In summary, yes of course you can lose your salvation, otherwise, there will be no need for churches,no need for preaching on perseverance in prayer, no need for spiritual warfare. Beware, the devil is multiplying his territories to make sure he can take as many as children of God to hell with him. May God bless us all and open up our intelligence in Mighty Name of Jesus Christ.
Though there has been much debate on the subject over the years, I believe that the Bible is very explicit on this point. In fact, the book of 1 John was written to this point: “These things I have written to you who believe in the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.(1 John 5:13).” Notice that the Apostle says you now have eternal life. We don’t get eternal life after we die… we have it right now, when we believe.
Now, let’s follow this idea to its logical conclusion. If we know we have eternal life when we believe in Jesus, how long does eternal life last? Can you have eternal life for a year? A week? A day? If words mean anything at all, then eternal life must be eternal. It must last forever! Eternal life by definition cannot be lost.
Let’s look at it another way. What sin is so big that Jesus’ death could not atone for it? There is none that I know of (we’ll exclude for the moment the passage of Mark 3:28-30, as it really doesn’t apply here). Every sin that man can commit against God and man, even the most heinous was dealt with at the cross of Calvary. If this is so, then what sin can be so bad that it would cause God to “unforgive” that which He has already paid for? Romans 8:38-39 explicitly states this, saying “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I am a created thing. The verse above states that created things cannot separate us from the love of God, therefore I cannot separate myself from the love of God, either!
Also, in John 10:29, Jesus tells us “And I give eternal life to them; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” No one includes me! Notice the picture here. You are being held in Jesus’ hand, and in the Father’s hand. Cup one of your hands over the other, as you would hold a frightened bird. That is the way God holds onto you.
We believe as Christians that we are in a better position than before we were saved. Remember, there is nothing we can do to merit salvation, it’s all a work of God. Also remember, God predestined us to our salvation (Eph. 1:4). Would God make a mistake? No, I think the evidence clearly supports the view that your salvation is secure. That thought should be comforting in times of doubt.
I read your above writings on losing your salvation and yes I agree with you. You can lose your salvation once you have been born again. Yes we are saved by the Blood of Jesus at the Cross and yes He has forgiven our past present and future sins, but God will not be mocked! In Rom 8v38-39 the only thing that can separate believers from God is God. He can do anything, He is Sovereign, you cannot put God in a box, He is limitless. Continuing to sin willfully and not repenting is an abomination to God. But if we repent He will continue to forgive us (1John1v9). If you are truly born again and have the Holy Spirit residing in you, you should be convicted of the sin and WANT to repent, this sin will be abhorrent to you and shame will cover you. Proverbs says the FEAR of God is the beginning of wisdom. If you have the fear of losing your salvation then you will become wise and live by God’s laws and the ways of Jesus, then your salvation will be secure.
If someone is truly repented and truly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in the first he is forever save! For every work we did would be guided by the Holy Spirit that dwells in us once we do the acceptance of Jesus. A Christian that thinks salvation can be lose is not truly repented and accepted Jesus Christ in his life at all.
There is a lot of scripture and thought here; so lets try to put it all together. If a person is truly saved, they should have a new heart (new desires) and eternal life. What if something tragic happens in their life such as the loss of someone close – maybe a 6 year old child is murdered by a drive by shooter. Jesus said it all with the parable of the seed in Luke 8:4-21. You can have real eternal life and lose it if you are deep rooted in your faith and trust. As strong as the disciples were, when Jesus went away to pray in the garden He told them to pray (Mt 26:41)or Satan would creep in. We are also told to pray always. Some go to church and never open their Bible or say a prayer at home. I believe the whole exercise here is two fold – you can be saved and have eternal life if you want it; or you can be saved and lose it. Like Adam we are given a choice and it is up to us to exercise it; God is waiting for our “final” decision.
The key here is allowing the Holy Spirit to show you the truth of the matter. For many years I was swayed from the truth of God’s word toward false doctrine because I was guilty of sitting in a pew and letting another man tell me what to think. When I truly surrendered to God, the Holy Spirit showed me with clarity the truth of whether or not a person can lose their salvation. Maybe their are some preachers out their who are correct in their doctrine, however, do not put your eternal destiny in their hands. Seek out a 1 on 1 relationship with the Son of God today! Study the Word and pray.
In the bible there are fallen angels, Satan being by far the most notorious and powerful, and people such as Saul and Judas who later turned away from God. Based on this, I think that there are believers who walk away from God and become so turned around in their heads, that they never again have the desire to be close to God. This is different from back sliding, or just losing one’s faith by sinning agregiously. I believe that I have witnessed someone knowingly, decisively walking away from God. This person stated very clearly that he once knew God, but now did not believe in Him as a God who wants to personally be involved in our lives. His personality changed and he has become increasingly further away from having anything to do with believers or God’s Word. I think it is possible that what is happened is that his heart has gotten harder and harder and harder, though he once knew the Truth of Jesus Christ. And so he has made the very conscious decision to let go of His salvation, since he wants to be his own god. And I think he is now so twisted in his thinking that it is not possible for him to ever have the desire to want to come back to Christ. So I think it is possible for a person to knowingly throw their salvation away. It has not really been lost, it has been thrown away. This is a terrfying thing to witness.
Not everyone is “looking for compromise”.. as some of us are indeed conscientious and careful to make sure we have the Scriptures properly and accurately interpreted via the Holy Spirit, in so not to steer anyone wrongly or in any way mislead others when sharing our Faith and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I agree wholeheartedly per lots of things presented here.. but, it went from “falling away” into the “22 Specific Sins That Could Keep You Out Of Heaven” in which, is totally and utterly taken out of context.. and also suggests “works” salvation.
When we look at the scripture in 1 Corinthians 6:9.. if we know exactly what determines our righteousness and how we become righteous, we know it has nothing with any of the sins listed or any other sins.. with the exception of only one : Blaspheming the Holy Spirit aka refusing to accepting Gods Gift of Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ, as Savior.. and also, speaking ill of the Holy Spirit.
It says “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?”.. and our question should be : How does one become righteous.. by stop doing or not doing any of the sins listed? Answer : NOPE!
When we repent (have a change of mind) and turn to Jesus Christ in belief, trust and faith in Him.. saves us therefore, He makes us righteous, Just, Regenerated, etc…. we just believe on Him. God does all the saving.. we just receive it. We are then, RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST. His righteousness in imputed to us.. and He is a veil over us.. so, when God, the Father looks at us, He is looking through Jesus Christ.. and sees the righteousness of Christ in us.
Also, what about John 10:28-29? 28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
Not to mention Ephesians 1:13-14 “13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
The SEAL of the Holy Spirit isn’t so easily broken. Firstly, “ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”…… the key term would be ‘PROMISE”.. So, is God a liar?
Think about this : “Is there some sort of sin that the devil has come up with that TRUMPS WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID @ CALVARY? There is something the devil has in the way of sin that over-rides everything that God did in us INSTANTANEOUSLY, the moment we believed on Christ? For Him to take away our ETERNAL (no less) SALVATION, He would have to reverse everything He did in us when we were saved. He would have to make us no longer Righteous.. no longer Justified.. no longer Regenerated (through the process of “unregeneration??).. take back our PROMISED (no less) INHERITANCE.. totally UN-ADOPTING US AND KICKING US OUT OF THE FAMILY. GOODNESS! God’s a liar and an Indian-Giver, too? Bummer deluxxx!
In all actuality, nobody “loses” their Eternal Salvation (whoooops! Where’d my salvation go?).. but, people can renounce God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.. washing their hands of the whole thing.. and perhaps, be removed per their own conscious request, from the family of God.
The “Lord Lord!” bunch were never saved. Laying on of hands.. healing of the sick and casting out demons can indeed be done by the lost/unsaved. It happens all the time. satan can heal his own… being that he’s the one of whom made them sick in the first place.
God says “depart from me, I NEVER knew you”….. not, ‘I once knew you but, I don’t know you now.’ “Never” means never!
Perhaps, the Lambs Book of Life started off with everyones name in it.. being that Christ died for everyone? And as people rejected Christ into death, their names were blotted out?
There is no “assurance” of our eternal salvation, if God is always playing “carrot and stick” with us.. as how are we ever to know that we know that we now we have eternal salvation if our “works” depend on our somehow “maintaining” what God has offered FREELY in the first place? And whats so “eternal” about that? Is God using words He doesn’t know the definitions of?
I think not!
No no no… we can and do have the BLESSED ASSURANCE of our own ETERNAL SALVATION.. if we are unwaveringly believing on, trusting in.. having faith in HIM ONLY (not Him and us) for our PROMISED ETERNAL SALVATION. We need not do anything to ‘maintain’ our salvation.. for fear of losing it.
Reading Gods Word and getting it EXACTLY how God intends is paramount. He intends it ONLY ONE WAY.. not several ways and we may pick and choose which one suits us best. Too much misinterpretation and non-contextual reading and study have caused many to never become saved at all.
In which, make the devil dance a Jig!
Blessings!
Thank you very much Margo! I have really wrestled with this. There seems to be no evidence scripturally that you can lose your faith by committing a certain sin other than blasphemy, which entails consciously walking away from God. And if I understand God’s mercy and grace correctly, God has been there along the way when someone knowingly rejects Him, but that person has decided against God. So then this would mean there is free will?
I have a question? so if I accept Jesus as my savior and go back to all this. (Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) I still will inherit the kingdom of God
Beth, I am not suggesting going out and living like the devil, by no means. And I know you didn’t take it that way.. but, some (many) try to suggest that when we are truly sealed in our Eternal Salvation, that somehow gives us ‘Carte` Blanc’ to sin aka a license to sin in which, its the very opposite. With our freedoms and liberties in Christ, comes great responsibility. If we understand exactly what the Lord has done for us, we ‘should’ be grateful enough to try and be obedient every chance we may get. You see, when we are obedient to God, He is then able to Bless us.. in which, reflects in this life and in the next. Its the “storing up treasures in Heaven” thingy.. but, it also draws us nigh to God even more in this life on Earth. Theres much to be said.. and all good.. all positive.. what getting more and more close to God can do for us. He will show us things in His Word that He deems us ready for.. that we may not have known during the relationship. When we are disobedient, we tie Gods Hands.. and He is unable to Bless us. When He says He will do ‘this and this and this’… if we do ‘this and this and that’.. being that He is not a liar, He will do what He says He will do. But, if we don’t do our part, being that He is not a liar, He cannot do what He said. I hope that makes sense.
I wrestle with die-hard Calvinists (and Arminians, too.. just not as much) about God’s Sovereignty and Free-Will to make informed choices. Firstly, our thoughts and ways are not Gods thoughts and ways. We need not think we can somehow “get into Gods mind” ..because, it simply is not going to happen. Frankly, I couldn’t handle it if I could.. lol! Just as it is in His Word, what may seem as a “contradiction” when using our own human intellect, is indeed NOT.. if we treat the Bible like the ‘equation of words’ that it is and we simply, via the Holy Spirit.. work the equation by cross-referencing scripture with scripture. Gods Sovereignty and giving us Free-Will / Choice.. seems in our minds, an oxymoron. Kinda like “nice/devil” totally antonymous.. hehe. But, its not if God says its not.. end of story! And in so many words, He tells us via the scriptures, that we do indeed have free-will to make informed choices. Heres something wonderful, also : God doesn’t just love.. God IS love. Now, heres a truth per ‘love’ : ‘Love does not force.. love does not insist on its own way’… and you’re certainly welcome to use that, my dear friend. Thats a beautiful and wonderful thing. Calvinists refuse to accept it. They say that Christ died only for His Elect. It doesn’t take a Bible-Scholar to know thats vastly inaccurate. I remind them of John 3:16-18.. then, in their desperation.. they start telling me what the Greek words are for “Whosoever”.. and “Everlasting” are.. and I simply shake my head in conundrum-esque wonder. But, that passage of scripture as well as, many others.. tell us God has given us Free-Will to choose… and that Christ dies for ALL human-kind. They say.. “But, God predestined His Elect to be saved and go to Heaven since before the foundation of the world was lay”.. but, its all about contextual reading/study.. and understand things via the Holy Spirit.. in lieu of using what Calvin says as our standard guide-line.
Heres what I believe the Holy Spirit has given me just real recently.. and I have become so excited in the Lord so much, I almost feel that I’ve been born-again, AGAIN.. haha! Praise GOD! Here we go : Before the ‘foundation of the world’ was set, God had a marvelously perfect plan.. a great plan in both size and mysterious wonder. He did indeed ‘predestine’ ALL of His creation (human-kind) to go to Heaven. Hey! If He says to us in His Word that His Will that NONE should perish, we know He had a plan that included ALL of human-kind.. not just a mere “elect” few. All are chosen.. all are elected. Hey! If God tells us the He has no respect of person, yes? Hello??? Rocket-science, its not! Amen??? Enter Adam & Eve : They were made perfect.. in His, Christ’s.. and the Holy Spirit’s image. “Image” is not just about aesthetics.. but, also demeanor. But, man is man and God is God. He said “let us make man in our image”.. not ‘totally and exactly just like us’.. lol!
We all know the story.. so, when Adam & Eve disobeyed, they died spiritually on the spot.. and of course, they died physically eventually. Had they obeyed God, there would be no such thing as death.. in any form. In a way, I’m kinda glad it worked out as it did.. don’t think I’d care to live over 100 years, if that long. A walking scare-crow indeed!.. Eeeeeeks! hahaha!
OK, Adam & Eve did what they did and God did what He did. And that left us stained with the original sin of Adam (Eve was the one tempted.. as satan knows our dispositions, as women.. we look for the good in others and are basically pretty naive at times.. even though, I’m learning.. hehe).. but, Adam joined her, as he wanted to please His wife (which brings us to why the Apostle Paul tells us that we should not get married.. because its way too distracting and while we are concentrating on keeping our spouse happy, we tend to drop the ball per God.. and God hates playing second-fiddle. But, Paul tells us that if we simply cannot control our sexual desires, by all means get married).. anyway, Adam wanted to please his wife and he partook of the Tree and so, we say “the sin of Adam”.. as he is the head of the household and he is the one held ultimately responsible.
NOW, instead of all of us being predestined to Heaven, we are all predestined to Hell. When we are born, we are children of the devil. Don’t let anyone tell you in passing.. “we are all Gods children”.. because that vastly and grossly inaccurate. One BECOMES a child of God. Of course, when little babies and children up until they’ve reached the ‘age of accountability’ should pass away, they go to Heaven. There is no set age.. God works with us on our own level.. so, for some it may be as young as 5.. while others may be as old as 9-10.
The Calvinists make it seem as though God has created a bunch of mindless drone-puppets whom are gonna be saved dog-gone-it whether you like it or not! LOL! He chose them and saves them no matter what. But, the Gift of Grace is indeed just that.. ‘a GIFT’ and it is offered to us.. and we may choose to accept it therefore, have it… or choose to reject it and not have it
Thanks for your lovely question, Beth. May the Lord richly Bless you and yours in this new year!
Tee, define “go back to all of this.” What, you fall into every category listed?
Or are you just a Homosexual in question if or not being gay/lesbian will send you to Hell?
Firstly, no one is born a liar.. a thief.. a reviler.. a fornicator.. an adulterer.. or any of the other items listed in this passage.. with the exception of Homosexuality.. in which, I believe that while many may be “made” homosexual via their own personal environment which, makes them not really Homosexual.. but, they ‘feel’ that way………. many are indeed born gay. Only the homosexual him/herself can come to that conclusion. One must be perfectly honest with oneself for optimal revelation and performance related, thereof.
If a person is gay/lesbian by birth.. and they fall in love with someone and live together as a couple… and they’re totally monogamous, maybe God.. under those circumstances.. along with other circumstances, ie. Gays aren’t allowed to marry… which, if they have sexual relations anyway, makes them fornicators… just like it would any other unmarried couple… but, alas… Homosexuals are burdened with the constant reminder (thanks to the self-righteous “Christian-Right”… and all the other plastic-fingered judgmental and most condemning “preachers” whom seem to hone in on a very low percentage of the population, because they must think God need their illustrious help in judging and condemning people.. therefore, putting the attention of the general public on the gays.. and taking the attention off of themselves.. whilst they’re hopping from one bed to the other, in their own search for something to fill the vast void within themselves, no matter how temporary the ‘fix’ ) Gay people are burdened with the constant reminder that they are indeed gay… and how God-forsakenly terrible it is.. ha! Also, that leads us to one of the huge reasons our country (USA) is falling apart. Its not the gays.. nor their “agenda” (wooooooooo evil gay agenda!! hehe) being that their true agenda is all about educating people about homosexuality.. and to also be treated as first-class citizens, in which they indeed are. I’ve yet to notice any sort of tax-break for gays, being that they’re disallowed the very same rights as all other American citizens have. Takes a really “special kind of person” to vote down the basic rights of another human-being. Yes, heathens are very special, indeed! As were the Pharisees! Nazis were pretty special, too! ha!
So, losing ones Eternal Salvation because one is gay/lesbian in a monogamous relationship.. and continues to constantly seek God and His Will via His Word.. consecrating themselves to the Lord and drawing nigh in their walk? My guess is that that those of whom do these things that are vastly pleasing to God is not going to hamper their Eternal Salvation. But, it’s only a guess.. no matter how ‘educatedly’ so. God always wants our affections to weigh much more on His side of the scales.. than that of our husbands, wives, partners.
Hence, Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with FEAR AND TREMBLING.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Hope this helps!
God Bless you, dear-one!
I think that eternal security is just a way to comfort people who want to sin. If we’ll never lose salvation, why bother about sin at all? This is a thorn that has sent many people to hell! If eternal security is true, why there wete so many advices regarding apostasy? Why would Jesus tell us not to sin if sin would not lead us to hell? What about that churches in Revelations who had gone away from the “Fist Love”? Why try to be perfect as Jesus is?
“Wherefore (as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” Hebrews 3:7-8
“For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;” Hebreus 3:14
There’s an “IF”, and it is directed to US, not to GOD. His job is to GIVE us salvation, and our job is to KEEP our salvation by keeping our faith alive. Of course He will help us in this task, bit it is OUR task!
“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man sayeth he hath faith, and hath not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister is naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you sayeth to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Also a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Ye see then that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
James 2:14-26
People say “Oh, but I belive, and the bible says that is I believe..”
James answered to this kind of people. I can even see that sarcasm in his faith when he said:
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and tremble. ” James 2:19
If someone believe in who Jesus is, he/she is not doing any remarkable stuff. Even satan does that, and he’s not earning any eternal life for that.
The solution to this is the last verse: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” James 2:26
We’re saved by faith only, works cannot buy such a gift as our salvation. Nevertheless, our faith has to be kept alive by good deeds.
j Calado : I really does not matter what one “thinks”.. as the Gospel is what it is.. and says what it says. And it doesn’t always “say” what it reads.
Gods promise of Eternal Salvation is just that… a promise. It is one that He makes to us. We don’t make any promises.. and regardless if or not we do, man tends to be apt to sometimes and for whatever reason(s) ‘break’ promises.. whereas, God sticks to His Word regardless.
We don’t save ourselves. God does the saving and all of the saving. We simply believe on Him and trust solely in Him.. not Him and ourselves.
What kind of assurance of salvation is it if we must in anyway depend on ourselves? Its not. We trust in Christ to do it all. He’s already done it at the Cross and beyond.. and we receive it. Anything from that point, on… He does it.
I would invite you to read the Word and pray for guidance in so you will know exactly what God has done and is doing in us.. and disallow any ‘thoughts’ that sway you toward something other than Gods Word.
Those of whom die and go the Hell, were never saved in the first place.
At what point was I name written in the book of life, and where in the scripture?
Mike B..
Great question.. complex answer. As I understand it, there is the ‘Book of Life’ and the ‘Lambs Book of Life’.. and there is a book that records our deeds, good and bad.
The Book of Life, everybody’s name is recorded into from the foundation of the world was lay. If an individual dies unsaved, their name is blotted out.
(Ps. 69:28.. Rev.3:5)
The Lamb’s Book of Life holds only the names of those whom believed on Jesus Christ and are born-again aka saved. When an individual turns to Christ, believing on Him for his/her Eternal Salvation and forgiveness of sin, that persons name is written in the Lambs Book of Life, at that very moment. Their names can never be blotted out of this book.
I cannot find any scripture to back up exactly what I am conveying to here per the Lambs Book of Life. But, we do know whom the “Lamb” is, yes? So, just as I remind some, the Word of God is an ‘equation of words’.. and we must firstly become saved and therefore, possess the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for His leadership and guidance throughout the scriptures, in so to have proper and accurate interpretation, thereof… hence, Biblical knowledge and understanding the way God intends for His Own to have.
Then, there is a couple of other books that will be opened, one per each of the two Resurrection judgments.. one for the deeds, good and bad.. for the saved, which determines their reward. This transpires at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
The books opened at the second Resurrection contains the deeds, good and bad of the unsaved.. and the other is the Book of Life in which those peoples names were blotted from since they died without Christ. This is at the Great White Throne of Judgment.. in which, all will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
(Rev.20:12-15)
God Bless!
The soul who wrote the lose of salvation article needs to humble himself before God. Lord help.
Eternal Security
You CANNOT lose your salvation!
Eternal Security is the Biblical doctrine that a believer CANNOT lose salvation in Christ Jesus. I recently spoke with a Church of Christ minister who believed that a Christian could LOSE their salvation by failing to maintain a “relationship” with God. Of course, that is a lie of the Devil. The Charismatic are also plagued with this false belief that a person can lose their salvation. The Bible teaches, If Saved, Always Saved.
Salvation is By Faith Alone in Jesus; and Not Works
If mankind has nothing to do with saving himself, then why would God require men to do something to maintain it? Salvation is of God; not men. Paul said to “work out your own salvation” in Philippians 2:12; the Bible doesn’t say to work out GOD’S SALVATION. God saves a person, pulling them out of the fires of Hell; but now that person needs to be recycled. It is up to us whether we yield to the Holy Spirit or not in our daily life, to search and obey the Scriptures. However, salvation and discipleship are two separate things entirely. Whether or not a believer lives a holy life has nothing to do with the “free gift” (Romans 5:15) of salvation. Those who say otherwise are adding works to grace, which the Bible condemns (Romans 11:6). Salvation cannot be by God’s grace AND man’s self-righteous works. Revelation 22:17 states: “…And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
We are clearly taught from God’s Word that works are NOT essential to our salvation. Titus 3:5 states… “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…” And again in Ephesians 2:8,9 we are told, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” We are all Hell-deserving sinners! We do NOT have anything to do with salvation except to receive God’s free gift by FAITH. Salvation is receiving; NOT giving. Romans 4:5 reads, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” This is how Abraham was saved in the Old Testament, i.e., his faith was COUNTED for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Acts 10:43 teaches that Old Testament sinners were saved exactly as they are today… “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
If I cannot do good works to get saved, then how can I do bad works to be unsaved?
Eternal life is a gift, paid for by Jesus precious, redeeming, literal, physical blood (1st Peter 1:18,19; Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 1:5). Shame on those heretics who corrupt the simplicity that is in Christ.
There is a perverted theology today that mixes faith in Christ with surrendering one’s life to God in obedience. This false doctrine is called “Lordship Salvation” and it is evil. The very idea that one’s lifestyle is a part of saving faith is damnable heresy. Opponents of Eternal Security all follow Lordship Salvation, and they all use the corrupted New International Version.
Perhaps you ask, what if a believer loses faith? A believer certainly may become discouraged, or falter in their faith for a time. John the Baptist became discouraged and wavered in his faith, even questioning if Jesus were the Christ (Matthew 11:3); yet, Jesus called John the greatest born amongst women (Matthew 11:3,11). Peter denied that he knew Christ, curding the name of Jesus; but the Holy Spirit convicted him and Peter later repented. However, none of these believers LOST their salvation and there’s not one shred of Biblical evidence to show otherwise.
If you are a parent, your child didn’t make a commitment to become your child; but rather, they were born to become your child. Likewise, we are born-again to become God’s child. Just as a child has absolutely NOTHING to do with his or her own birth, neither does the Christian have anything to do with their spiritual birth. It is completely of God. Our part is done the moment we believe, receiving Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
If you don’t believe the Bible, you can either get right or die wrong.
False Christians Never Saved to Begin With
A born-again believer does NOT convert to the Mormon faith or become an atheist. When a man claims that he “used to be a Christian,” but now has become a Jehovah’s Witness, he’s a liar. He never was a Christian to begin with. He may have once had the philosophy of Christianity, or the organization of Christianity; but he never had genuine Christianity, which is found by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
You don’t trust Christ one day and then forsake him the next, it doesn’t work that way. A child of God will always be a child of God. If you don’t have Jesus Christ today, it is ONLY because you never really trusted Him at all. In contrast to the other Apostles, Judas was a known unrepentant thief (John 12:6). We have no Scriptural reason to believe that Judas was ever a believer. This is why the Bible warns us to make sure we are saved—”Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith…” (2nd Corinthians 13:5). Most of America’s churchgoers are still lost and on their way to Hell.
They have religion; but not Jesus Christ. They have been lied to by false prophets like Dan Corner, Ray Comfort and John MacArthur to think that they must live lives of obedience, holiness and faithfulness to be saved. They are self-righteous.
Are you really a Christian ? Churches today are filled with people who are not saved. Most people today have churchianity without Christianity. Please make certain you have been born again. You need His Righteousness! The road to Hell is paved with good intentions (Proverb 14:12; 2nd Corinthians 11:13,14). Please don’t miss the gift of God.
Genuine Believers Cannot Lose God’s Salvation
John 5:24 states: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
If you’re a believer on Jesus Christ, then you can NEVER lose your salvation. Jesus said in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Did you read that? We shall NEVER perish, and NO MAN can affect our salvation. Someone may pray to God for you to “burn in Hell” (a popular saying in society today); but that simply cannot happen to a believer. You choose your own destiny based upon your acceptance (or denial) of Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Did you know that God CANNOT lie? According to Titus 1:2 God cannot lie! Well, God promised in Romans 10:13 to save anyone who trusts on Jesus’ name… “For whosoever shall call [rely] upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
We are wonderfully reassured in 1st John 5:13 that we can KNOW that we are eternally secure:
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
—1st John 5:13
I love this verse!… that we may “KNOW,” not think, but KNOW that we have eternal life. How could anyone be so foolish as to think that a person could lose “eternal life?” If you can lose it, then is it eternal? No! When God promises us eternal life, that is exactly what He means. Jesus didn’t say, “I give unto them temporal life”; no rather, He said, “I give unto them eternal life (John 10:28).” I am eternally secure in Jesus’ arms…
“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” —Deuteronomy 33:27
Don’t tell me I can lose my salvation! There is NO such teaching in the Bible!
What about “falling fron grace”?
You cannot lose your salvation, period. You can lose fellowship with God and the joy of one’s salvation, but you cannot lose your salvation. Can a son no longer be a son? Of course not! You can disown Him (which I think is horrible and unscriptural), but he’s still your son. No matter what your son does, he’s still your son. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. Jesus never forsakes us…
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” —Hebrews 13:5
God cannot lie! (Titus 1:2). As a matter of fact, the Bible is speaking of Eternal Security when It tells us that God cannot lie… “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2). What a loving God! You can speak to people from many different religions and you’ll discover a pervading sense of fear and uncertainty. They don’t have the precious promises which the Bible offers to the Christian believer.
No wonder Jesus said:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28
False religion enslaves people, placing souls into chains of bondage which are not easily broken. Oh don’t be so foolish to believe their lies! You can KNOW that you are saved certain. You must realize that salvation is completely of God; NOT man in any way. Our faith is merely a key which unlocks God’s saving grace. Salvation is a supernatural act of God in response to our faith. I did not save myself—Jesus saved me. If I did nothing to earn salvation, then how can I do something bad to lose it? Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay. Eternal life is the free gift of God, available ONLY through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10-12; John 14:6).
The Bible clearly teaches that eternal life is a gift. As a matter of FACT, the Bible even calls our salvation a FREE GIFT.
“…the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life”
—Romans 5:18
Serious Flaws in Teaching that Salvation Can Be Lost
Let me ask you a question. What would you say if I were to give you a Christmas present, but then tell you that I’m going to be watching you over the next year to see if your good enough to keep it? If you’re not good enough I’m going to take away your GIFT. Would that make any sense to you? Of course not, you’d say I’d been laying out in the sun too long. You’d say I was crazy! A “gift” is NOT a gift if there are ANY strings attached to it. A genuine gift is UNCONDITIONAL. God is not a con-artist. God doesn’t promise eternal life to those who believe, and then take it away from them because they commit further sins. I mean, that’s the entire reason Jesus died for our sins, so we wouldn’t have to.
Some people have the wrong idea that one’s salvation is CONDITIONAL upon the way they live. Nothing could be further from the truth of God’s Word. I am not advocating living in sin, nor taking the Christian life lightly (Romans 3:31; 6:15). I am simply saying that one’s salvation is a gift from God, rooted in God’s unconditional love (Romans 5:8) and the precious blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18,19). Salvation does not depend upon one’s desire to forsake sin, nor live a holy life; for that would be Works Salvation.
The concept of losing one’s salvation is flawed in so many ways. I mean, at what point would a person lose it? How much sin is too much? Where would you cross the saved/unsaved line? The whole idea of losing one’s Eternal Security is preposterous. How can a person have Eternal Security if no one can be eternally secure? It just doesn’t add up. Let the Scriptures be your guide. In John 5:39 Jesus commanded His disciples to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!!
Sealed with the Holy Spirit
I want you to show me one person in the Bible who lost their salvation. King David lost the “joy” of salvation, but he didn’t lose his salvation. Jesus never spoke of anyone losing their Eternal Security. The Bible has much to say about the assurance of our salvation. As a matter of fact, God gave us the Holy Spirit as an “earnest” of our inheritance in Heaven. The Greek word for “earnest” literally means “down payment.” God gave me the Holy Spirit as PROOF that I am a “purchased possession.” If you are a believer, then you belong to God and He has made His claim on you.
“…ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” —Ephesians 1:13,14
Don’t tell me I can lose my salvation… my sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus! I am a “purchased possession.” The Holy Spirit is God’s claim upon me as His own, which means the Devil cannot claim my soul to Hell. You cannot affect my salvation. I cannot change my eternal security. God has placed His down payment within my body—the Holy Spirit of God.
A License to Sin?
I am going to Heaven, regardless of how I live. But you say, that’s crazy! No! That’s Bible! So do Christians have a license to sin? Yes, if you want to view it that way. Of course, no believer has God’s permission to sin, which is why He has set apart a judgment, i.e., the JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, just for believers (2nd Corinthians 5:10; 1st Thessalonians 4:6; Romans 12:19; 14:12). God expects every believer to fulfill the Law. The Apostle Paul makes this very clear…
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” —Romans 3:31
“What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” —Romans 6:15
Carefully notice that a believer is NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW. There is no condemnation for the believer. However, a believer who sins must give account to God at the Judgement Seat of Christ someday (2nd Corinthians 5:10). Please read , No one is going to get away with anything friend. It is this misunderstanding that often prompts people to create false doctrines about losing one’s salvation. They are tired of phony Christians, and so am I. However, we are all phonies to some degree if we’ll be honest with ourselves, because even the best of Christians still sin.
Fallen from Grace?
No believer can fall from grace. Paul was addressing the unbelievers in the church, who had heard the Gospel, but were still not saved. Galatians 5:4 states: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” This Scripture clearly reveals an unsaved person, for no one can be justified by the works of the Law (Romans 3:20). Anyone who rejects the Gospel has “fallen from grace,” i.e., they have passed up their only ticket to Heaven.
Fig-Leaf Religion
Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. They went out and sewed fig leaves together. They knew something was wrong and they tried to hide it. Adam and Eve were happy with their fig-leave religion until God came. When God came they were embarrassed with their fig-leave religion and they ran and hid themselves.
God killed an innocent animal, which is a picture of the substitutionary death of Jesus. God skinned that animal to make coats for Adam and Eve. God didn’t let them keep one fig-leaf of their own making.
You may be satisfied to stand before men with your fig-leaf religion, as were Adam and Eve; but how will you feel on Judgment Day when you stand before God, and He casts you into the Lake of Fire? Religion is a paved road to Hell.
There are many false prophets today who pervert the gospel, teaching that a sinner must amend his ways, forsake the world, and make a total surrender to Christ’s Lordship in order to be saved. Salvation is the free gift of God (Romans 5:15,6:23), paid for by the precious literal blood of His dear Son, Jesus Christ (1st Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5).
No More Sacrifice for Sins?
Hebrews 10:26 states: “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.” A simple look at Hebrews 10:29 quickly reveals that this Scripture again speaks of the unsaved… “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Again, one who hears the Gospel, but rejects Jesus Christ or makes light of the literal redeeming blood of Christ, is unsaved. These verses do not speak of the believer who has backslidden into sin.
If Saved, Always Saved
There is nothing wrong with the term “Once Saved, Always Saved,” but I prefer the statement, “If Saved, Always Saved” better. If a person is genuinely saved, then there is no possible way that person could ever be unsaved. Christianity is not a philosophy that can be renounced. It is not an organization that can be resigned. It is not a business that can be dissolved. Christianity is a new birth, a supernatural act of God Almighty in response to one’s faith in Jesus as the Christ. Once a sinner has been born-again into the family of God, all the hordes of Hell cannot change that. God NEVER disowns His children.
The enemies of Eternal Security fail to address Hebrews 12:6-8 where God says He chastens His children… “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.” The Bible doesn’t say that God disowns His children; but rather, He chastises them. The idea that God kicks children out of His family when they sin and then requires them to forsake their sins in order to be accepted back into the family is an insult to the blood of Jesus Christ.
Eternal Life is the Free Gift of God
God is not a liar. God has promised salvation to all those who trust upon the name of Jesus Christ… “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” God gave us the rainbow as a token that He is an honest God Who keep His promises. Yet, those who deny Eternal Security call God a liar.
The Scriptures expose Dan Corner as a big liar. The Bible teaches that salvation is a “free gift” (Romans 5:15; 6:23). Ephesians 2:8,9 read… “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” A gift means a gift, with no strings attached.
The very idea that salvation is CONDITIONAL (as Daniel Corner teaches) upon the life we live negates the gift of God. In John 6:29 Jesus tells us the only “work” we need to do to be saved… “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” That’s it, to BELIEVE (i.e., trust) upon Jesus to forgive one’s sins. We are sinners and Jesus is the Savior. That is the simplicity of salvation.
Dan Corner is a false prophet! The Word of God exposes Mr. Corner as a false teacher because he requires self-righteous works for salvation.
Adding anything to faith alone in Christ is a guaranteed road to Hell. If we are not saved by good works, then how can we be lost by bad works? Salvation is of the Lord. We are NOT saved by our own self-righteous efforts; but rather, by the righteousness of Christ Jesus. Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay. Thank God for the gift of His only begotten Son.
Dan Corner places a heavy burden upon sinners, teaching that their salvation is CONDITIONAL upon holy living, denying the flesh and avoiding certain sins. If this were true, then how could salvation ever be a free gift? It couldn’t. By every definition of the word “gift,” it must be offered free of ANY OBLIGATION OR COMPENSATION.
Carefully notice in Romans 12:1 that the Apostle Paul pleads with the believers at Rome to live for the Lord… “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Notice that Paul said it was their “reasonable service”; not their required service. 1st Corinthians 6:20 tells us that we are bought with a price, i.e., the blood of Jesus Christ. God gave the ultimate sacrifice to pay for our sins. Thus, eternal life is a free gift that does not require any compensation, obligation or prerequisites to receive it. God does remind us that He paid a great price and we ought to live for Him; but this is NOT mandatory to have the gift of eternal life.
In 1st Corinthians 5:1-5 we read about a Christian man, a member of the Church of Corinth, who was living in open fornication in the church. He was carnal and the church was also carnal (1st Corinthians 3:1). 1st Corinthians 5:5 reads, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” This Christian man was living in unrepentant sin and Paul said to give him over to Satan for “the destruction of the flesh,” but notice that Paul also said the man’s spirit would “be saved in the day of the Lord.” He was saved and DIDN’T lose his salvation.
I recently saw a commercial on TV offering a “gift” to anyone who opens a new account at their bank. That is false advertising. If I am required to open an account to get the “gift,” then it’s NOT really a gift, it is a reward. There is a big difference between a gift and a reward.
Critics of Eternal Security Guilty of Self-righteousness
Eternal life cannot be lost, because it is not ours to give. Salvation is of God alone. Our only part in salvation is to BELIEVE… “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29). The greatest argument against those who teach that salvation can be lost is this… If salvation can be lost by our own sinful words, attitudes, or actions, then self-righteousness is part of salvation. Romans 10:3-4 condemns such thinking… “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Those who claim that salvation can be lost are guilty of teaching salvation by self-righteousness. If I have to maintain a certain degree of faithfulness to God, a holy lifestyle, and a certain amount of faith to remain saved, then I am earning my own salvation. Ephesians 2:8,9 clearly refute such thinking… “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” No one deserves to go to Heaven. We all deserve Hellfire. We need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS to be saved (2nd Corinthians 5:21); and not our own.
I was recently reading an excellent book, 508 Answers to Bible Questions, by M.R. DeHaan M.D.(1889-1965). Now Dr. DeHaan was a great man of God, and I respect him dearly; BUT, I disagree with something he said in his book concerning the Eternal Security of the believer. Dr. DeHaan DOES believe in eternal security; however, he said that those who don’t are still saved, just so long as they are trusting the Saviour. Now, I have a big problem with that type of thinking. Why? Because the very idea that someone can lose their salvation, places salvation in men’s hands, instead of 100% in God’s. As born-again believers, why would anything we do affect whether or not we’re still saved? Did we have to do any good works to get saved? No!, we simply rested upon the Saviour, because He paid the price for our sins with His blood. We did NOTHING to merit or deserve salvation. Salvation is of God, not man. Our part is to believe on Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31), and God’s part is to save (Isaiah 43:11).
The Hypocrisy of Those Who Don’t Believe in Eternal Security
The biggest flaw in the thinking of the enemies of Eternal Security is that they fail to realize just how sinful they are themselves. They hypocritically condemn other believers who live in unrepentant sin, failing to realize that they’re just as sinful in God’s eyes. If salvation can be lost, then who is righteous enough to keep their own salvation? Only a self-righteous hypocrite would claim to be self-righteous enough to please God. Isaiah 64:6 puts Dan Corner to shame… “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
I thank God that my salvation is solely in the hands of my righteous Savior Jesus Christ; and not dependent upon my own sorry, frail, insufficient, rotten and sinful self-righteousness. Critics of Eternal Security are hypocrites. They are no less sinful than the adulterous believers they condemn. They condemn other believers, whom they consider more sinful than themselves, accusing others of losing their salvation, but they’re just as much dirty, rotten, hell-deserving sinners, who fail to see the sinful beam in their own eye.
A correctly understood gospel—salvation by grace alone through faith alone on the basis of Christ’s finished work alone—mandates eternal security. On the other hand, if one is trusting in one’s works or a “commitment” to perform works or to live a certain way to be saved, then salvation cannot be assured, and the doctrine of eternal security is either negotiable or is denied.
AC,
You’re a David J. Stewart fan also, yes?
Thank you for you inseight; As I was reading I thought, I a person chose
to believe that salvation could be lost; where then is HOPE,if we do not
have hope, where then is FAITH, if we do not have JOY, How then can we
endure LONG SUFFERING, and without these blessings as well as others written
in the Scriptures how could we know and experience God’s LOVE. The love
of God passeth all understanding. For those who choose this way it is hard
to believe that they are truly saved in the first place. Please understand
that I am not being crytical of my brothers and sisters in the Lord for we
do not always kinow who the elect ones of God are. We must spend time in
prayer seeking to uphold Him at evey opportunity so that others can experience the ETERNAL SALVATION which is freely given, nothing to God I
bring, simply to the Cross I cling.
God is blessing you, thank you; Nathan
Seven Reasons From The Bible Why A Born-Again Christian Cannot Lose His Salvation.
Following are seven reasons from the Bible why a born-again Christian cannot lose his salvation. Over 200 Scriptures are referenced, which are given at the end for ease of readability. Anyone reading this who doubts the truth of this doctrine, sometimes called “once saved, always saved”, is encouraged to look up and read the Scriptures for himself.
1. Eternal Life – The Bible says that ETERNAL life is a present possession [1]. If we could lose that life from God [2] then we never had ETERNAL life. Our life is Christ’s life when we are saved [3] (see #4) and Christ cannot die again [4]. I John 5:13 says we can KNOW that we have ETERNAL life. God promised eternal life and God cannot lie [5].
2. Born Again as Sons of God – When we accept Christ we are born again of God [6], are passed from death unto life [7], and become a new creature [8], or creation [9], with all things new. We would have to become unborn to lose our salvation and born a third time to get saved again, which is not mentioned in the Bible. We also become a son of God [10] with a new nature, Christ’s nature [11], and Christ cannot deny himself [11]. We get an incorruptible nature [12] and our will is changed [13]. John 10:27 says the believer WILL follow Christ.
After we are saved, God no longer deals with us as sinners but as sons [14]. He chastises but his chastisement is not payment for sin, it is child-training. God may chastise but the payment for ALL sins was made 2000 years ago on Calvary (see #3). Sometimes God may even chastise with death [15]. The fellowship with God may change but not the Father-son relationship. For example, a father tells his boy not to play with the father’s delicate tools or they will break. The boy disobeys and breaks the tools. As chastisement the father smacks the boy but the smack does not pay for the tools; the father still must pay for the new tools and the boy is still his father’s son. All of our sins were paid for on Calvary and ALL of them are forgiven when we are saved (see #3).
3. What Happens to a Believer’s Sins – In God’s eyes when we get saved we are perfect forever [16], justified (made as if we had never sinned [17]), and sanctified [18], as far as our salvation is concerned. We still live in a sinful body and still sin but these only affect our fellowship with the Father once we are saved (see #2). The Bible says that God WILL NOT impute (charge up) sin to a believer [19] and that includes ANY sin. If a justified person could go to hell he was never truly justified. If after being saved a sin or sins could cause one to lose his salvation then all of his sins were not paid for at Calvary and forgiven (washed away) when he trusted Christ and his blood [20], as the Bible says [21]. God forgives and forgets [22] every sin, including future sins (all our sins were future when Christ died for them), when we get saved.
4. What We Have “In” Jesus Christ – When we get saved we are placed into the body of Christ [23]. We become “flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone” [24]. Our soul is “circumcised” from our flesh with a circumcision “made without hands” [25]. The Bible says that the body (church) will be presented without spot or blemish [26]. It cannot be without blemish if pieces have to be removed. Our position is settled: we are mystically seated in heaven already [27], a joint-heir with Christ (a joint heir cannot be disinherited [28]), and safe in Jesus’ and God’s hand [29] where we cannot be plucked out. The Holy Spirit places us IN Christ [23] just as we were IN Adam [30] before we were saved. IN Christ we are safe from condemnation [31], accepted [32], preserved forever [33], sanctified [34], alive forever [35], a new creature [36], perfect [37], righteous [38]; and we have liberty [39], all spiritual blessings [40], and an inheritance [41]. Our inheritance is reserved for us in heaven [42] (see #6), will not fade away [42], is incorruptible [42], and cannot be defiled [42].
Colossians 3:3 says our life is HID with Christ IN God; Satan has to get through God and then Christ to get to us, to cause us to be lost again. If Satan can overcome God and Christ to get one Christian, then he can get all of us because we are all sinners alike [43]. If Satan knew there was a way to make a Christian lose his salvation he is subtle enough that he could cause every Christian to lose his salvation [43.1]. For a believer to go to Hell, Christ and God [44] would have to go to Hell, because we have everything in standing and position that the Lord Jesus Christ has and we are “in” Him [45]. Our security is in a perfect person: Jesus Christ [45.1].
5. “God” Keeps Our Salvation – Throughout the Bible Jesus is called the Saviour [45.2]. Hebrews 7:25 says he saves to the uttermost, or he COMPLETELY saves. Eternal security is not a separate doctrine from salvation; if we are not saved forever then we were never saved at all because Christ saves us from ALL of our sins when we get saved (see #3); and gives us ETERNAL, EVERLASTING life (see #1). Christ came to save [46]. Once we are saved it is God’s responsibility, not ours, to keep our salvation, because we never could. Just as a believer can never save himself, he can never keep himself. We are kept “by the power of God” [47], not our power, and “HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against THAT DAY” [48]. When we are born again God begins a work in us that He will perform until the day of Jesus Christ [49]. Jude 24 says that Christ, not us, will KEEP us from falling and present us faultless to God. We are confirmed unto the end [50]. Christ is the “author and finisher of our faith” [51]. “Whatever God does, it will be forever and nothing can be put to it or taken from it” [52]; and that includes our salvation, AMEN!
The security of our soul depends on Christ’s righteousness, not our own [53] (see #4). If sinning in any way could cause one to lose his salvation, then Paul would have lost his, because AFTER he was saved he said he was the chief of sinners [54]. We get saved by God’s grace [55], not by what we do [56], and our salvation remains by God’s grace, not according to what WE do; we will be saved from wrath THROUGH him [57].
If we can do something to lose our salvation then God failed and our salvation was not only dependent upon God’s grace, but also upon our behaviour – which is works! (Doing works in the Lord’s name is not definite evidence of salvation, we must KNOW him as our personal saviour [58], see #8.) Salvation is a gift, not a wage [59]; it is obtained, not attained [60]. It never was deserved and never will be. If our safety is dependent upon our works then we are really saved by our works and must earn our salvation, which is a direct violation of Scripture and the truth of salvation by God’s grace ONLY [61].
A person who believes that he must work to keep his salvation, instead of work because he HAS salvation, needs to make sure he is ONLY trusting the Saviour Jesus Christ to take him to heaven and not Jesus Christ plus his good works; he needs to understand how to be saved and what salvation really is [62].
6. Jesus is Faithful – Not only are we kept by God’s power but we CANNOT come into condemnation [63]; we are NOT condemned [64]. Our intercessor is Jesus Christ [65] and he pleads our case when we are saved; that is why we can never be condemned again with the penalty of our already forgiven sins, or else Christ’s intercession is not sufficient. If we lose our salvation we are condemned again and the Scriptures [66] are not true! Once we are saved and given to Christ [67] we cannot be lost again because John 6:39 says that of all that God gives Christ, Christ will lose nothing (and we are something).
We will NEVER die [68] but will live forever [69] (see #1). Christ will IN NO WISE (under ANY circumstances) cast out any that come to him [70]. All that get saved will NEVER perish [71] (never means NEVER). Christ will NEVER leave us or forsake us [72]. NOTHING (including ourselves) can separate us from the love of God IN Christ [73], and all believers are IN Christ (see #4).
7. The Holy Spirit, Our Seal – God gives the Holy Spirit to every believer when we get saved [75] as the earnest (down payment [76]) of his promise to take us to heaven and give us our inheritance [77] (see #4). We can only be unsaved if we do not have the Holy Spirit [78], which means we would have to lose the Holy Spirit to get lost again; but the Bible says we are SEALED by and with the Holy Spirit UNTIL the day of redemption [79]. The Holy Spirit can be quenched [80] or grieved [81] but not lost.
8. The Sinful Believer and the False Christian – We will not be perfect until we get to heaven, and we may be disobedient, but we cannot lose our salvation. We can still fall, but not so as to be eternally lost, for the Lord upholds us [82]. We are still tempted and tried [83], as Jesus was [84], but only for the purpose of strengthening us and making us more of what the Lord wants us to be. Our works may not stand the fiery test of the judgement [85] but our salvation will [86].
Not all who claim to be saved are. Not all church members are saved. If they are saved, they will eventually show a change and false professors of Christ eventually fall away [87]. Just make sure you are trusting ONLY Jesus [88] and HIS righteousness [89] to get you to heaven, not YOUR faith or a prayer or work(s), and you believe (trust [90]) to the “saving of the soul” [91].
9. Misapplication of Scripture / Rightly Dividing the Word – One should not twist Scripture [92] talking about the Old Testament saints, Tribulation saints, or the losing of a ministry, testimony, nation, or life and try to make it prove a sinner forgiven by the grace of God through Christ’s blood can lose his salvation. The Word of God must be “rightly divided” [93] or it can be “wrested unto your own destruction” [94].
Scripture References
1. John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47,51; 10:28
2. I John 5:11-12; Romans 6:23
3. Colossians 3:4
4. Romans 6:9-10; I John 1:2
5. I John 2:25; Tit 1:2; Numbers 23:19; John 3:14-18; Romans 6:23
6. John 1:13; 3:3-7; I Peter 1:23
7. John 5:24; 11:25
8. II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15
9. Ephesians 2:10; 4:24
10. John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:26; I John 3:1-2
11. II Timothy 2:13; II Peter 1:4
12. I Peter 1:23; I John 3:9
13. Philippians 2:12-13
14. Hebrews 12:5-8
15. I Corinthians 5:5; 11:30
16. Hebrews 10:14
17. Romans 3:24-28; 5:1,9; Acts 13:39
18. I Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; II Thessalonians 2:13
19. Romans 4:8; 8:33; II Corinthians 5:19
20. Ephesians 1:7
21. John 1:29; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:13; I John 1:7,9; 2:12; 3:5; Revelation 1:5
22. Psalms 32:1; 103:12; Isaiah 1:18; 38:17; 43:25; Micah 7:18-19; Acts 13:38-39; 26:18; Colossians 2:13; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17; I John 1:7; 2:12
23. Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:21-22
24. Ephesians 5:30
25. Colossians 2:8-14
26. Ephesians 5:27
27. Ephesians 2:6
28. Romans 8:16-17
29. John 10:27-30
30. Romans 5:12
31. Romans 8:1-2
32. Ephesians 1:6
33. Jude 1; Psalms 37:28; II Timothy 4:18
34. I Corinthians 1:2
35. I Corinthians 15:22
36. II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10
37. Colossians 1:28
38. II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9
39. Romans 8:2; Galatians 2:4
40. Ephesians 1:3
41. Ephesians 1:11
42. I Peter 1:3-5; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 26:18
43. Romans 3:10-12,23; 14:23; James 4:17; I John 1:8-10
43.1. Isaiah 53:9, 11; 59:17; John 8:46; 18:38; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 1:9; 4:15; 7:26-28; 9:14; I Peter 1:19; 2:22; I John 3:5.
44. I Thessalonians 1:1
45. Romans 6:3; 8:1-2,11; 12:5; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 1:21; 5:17; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:6,10; Colossians 1:28; 2:7,10; I John 4:13; 5:20
45.1. I Peter 5:10
45.2. Acts 5:31; 13:23; Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 3:20; II Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:3-4; 2:13; 3:6; II Peter 1:1; I John 4:14
46. Luke 19:10; John 3:17; Acts 4:12; Titus 2:13-14
47. I Peter 1:3-5
48. II Timothy 1:12
49. Philippians 1:6
50. I Corinthians 1:8
51. Hebrews 12:2
52. Ecclesiastes 3:14
53. Romans 3:24-27; II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9
54. I Timothy 1:15; Romans 7:21-25
55. Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:6
56. Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5
57. Romans 5:9
58. Matthew 7:22-23
59. Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:18; 6:23
60. Hebrews 9:12
61. Romans 11:6; Galatians 2:21
62. John 3:3,18,36; 5:24; 6:28-29,47; 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:1; 10:9-10,13;
Galatians 3:22,26; Ephesians 2:8-9; I John 5:11-13; Revelation 22:17
63. John 5:24; Romans 8:1
64. John 3:18
65. Romans 8:33-34; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15-16
66. John 3:18; 5:24
67. John 6:37
68. John 11:26
69. John 6:51
70. John 6:37
71. John 3:16; 10:27-30
72. Hebrews 13:5
73. Romans 8:35-39
75. John 7:38-39; Ephesians 1:12-13; I John 4:13
76. II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5
77. Ephesians 1:13-14
78. Romans 8:9
79. II Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:12-13; 4:30
80. I Thessalonians 5:19
81. Ephesians 4:30
82. Proverbs 24:16; Psalms 37:24-25; 145:14
83. I Corinthians 10:13; James 1:2-4; I Peter 1:6-7; 5:10; II Peter 2:9
84. Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 4:15
85. II Thessalonians 1:7-10; I Peter 4:12-13; II Peter 3:9-13
86. I Corinthians 3:13-15; 5:5
87. I John 2:19
88. John 14:6
89. I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 5:21
90. Ephesians 1:12-14
91. Hebrews 10:38-39
92. Matthew 5:19,22; 7:13,21-23; 8:11-12; 12:32; 13:21; 24:13,48-51; 25:1-13,25-29,34,40-41,45-46; Mark 3:29-30; Acts 1:25; 2:38; I Corinthians 15:1-2; II Corinthians 13:5; Romans 11:16-24; Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 3:6,14; 6:1-6; 9:28; 10:26-27; 12:14; James 5:20; Revelation 2:10; 3:5, 7; 12:17; 14:6-7,12; 22:14
93. II Timothy 2:15
94. II Peter 3:16
AC, A wonderful presentation! Thank you!
I’m curious about what you mean by “The Sinful Believer and the False Christian”.. as I think I understand ‘Sinful Christian’ perhaps, you mean carnal-Christian? But, what about ‘False-Christian?’ I would assume those are the ones that are spoken of in Matthew 7:22-23?
I always thought those type of “Christians” were never saved, at all.. since God is saying “And then will I profess unto them, I *never* knew you: DEPART from me, ye that work iniquity.”
The Will of God
Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
The Bible tells us that the only way to Heaven is by doing God’s will. Contrary to what most people errantly think, God’s will is not doing good deeds nor joining a religion.
Fortunately, Jesus told us the will of God the Father concerning salvation. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” There it is. God’s will is for us to BELIEVE ON THE SON.
No amount of religious devotion, good deeds, sorrow over past mistakes, nor keeping of rituals, can save a person. The big issue is sin. We are all sinners. Consequently, there is a penalty for sin, death (Romans 6:23). This includes a second death in Hell (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8). The good news, i.e., Gospel, is that God sent His only begotten Son into the world to pay our debt of sin. Thus, eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15). Salvation is freely given (Romans 5:15), freely offered (Romans 10:13), and freely received (Revelation 22:17).
Salvation happens when a person acknowledges their guilt of sin, coming to God on the basis of being a hell-deserving sinner; believing on Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, to forgive their sins. This is the will of God.
John 8:32,36, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free … If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
AC, what if someone rejects their gift of eternal life and decides that they want to worship the devil? Can a person “get saved” for a year or two then spend the rest of their life sacrificing innocent babies, then die and go to heaven?
AC, your statement *The Bible tells us that the only way to Heaven is by doing God’s will* seems to lead the unknowing, uneducated … the unsaved to think that there is something we must ‘DO’ to get to Heaven. You’re saying that we must do something, ie. *believe on Jesus Christ (only).. having Faith and Trust in Him for Salvation*, yes? Because thats what I get from the Word of God.
I think you should be verily and utmost articulate when conveying the meaning of Scripture… making yourself as clear as possible… in so to not leave anyone guessing.
Blessings!
Margo