CAN YOU LOSE YOUR SALVATION?
Can you lose your salvation or be bloted out of the book of life? Today we’ll explore the scriptures to see if it’s true that once you’re saved, you cannot lose that salvation, or if that’s just “ear tickling” doctrine that we must be very careful of. (2 TIMOTHY 4:3) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (4) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. Today we've been taught an unsound doctrine that tickles our ears. It's a teaching that says "it's OK to live the way you want, God forgives you and accepts you, just try harder. You asked Jesus into your heart and He will never leave you or forsake you because you can never lose your salvation". Let’s explore the truth together.
Our first stop will be the Old Testament, and as we look for the truth of whether we can or cannot lose our salvation we must first understand God and His personality. We must also try and understand if the God of the Old Testament is somehow different than the God we serve today. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines” (Hebrews 13:8,9). Our Lord and Savior doesn't change, that way we don't get carried away with strange doctrines like having unconditional eternal security. “For I the LORD do not change” (Malachi 3:6). The fact is that our God does not change and we still serve the same God as we read about in the Old Testament. Because we serve an unchanging God, we should be able to look in the Old Testament and find a pattern of what the truth really is for today. Remember the Bible says that the stories we read in the Old Testament were for our learning and our instruction. (Romans 15:4) For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Not only for instruction and encouragement but also for our warning too. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted ….Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come (1 Cor 10:6&11). This is the foundation we'll work from as we discover the truth. Again, that foundation is that God does not change and secondly what happened to those in the Old Testament can happen to us today.
Let's start with the example of the "born again" experience in the Old Testament. (Exodus 24:3,7,8) Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do." (7) Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." (8) And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words". Here the covenant is made with God's children as the blood was shed and sprinkled on the people. Scripture even says that they had a type of baptism. (1 Cor 10:1-4) I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, (2) and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (3) and all ate the same spiritual food, (4) and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. These were covenant people just like "born again" believers are covenant people today. No other peoples on the face of the earth had this covenant with the Father except for the Israelite children. (Deut 7:6) “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. (7) The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples. Salvation was now for God's people and them alone, but was it a guaranteed covenant? (Deut 31:16) And the LORD said to Moses: “Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. (17) Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ (18) And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods. From the very beginning God's people were warned about breaking their covenant with God and what would happen, "I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them". This sure doesn't sound like God had an unconditional "once saved always saved" eternal security teaching does it? (1 Kings 9:6) But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, (7) then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. What does it mean to be cut off and cast out of God's sight? If this is to be an event that happened in the Old Testament for our teaching and a warning for us today, does this show us that we can just "accept Jesus into our hearts" and never have to worry about being rejected by God because we have broken His New Testament covenant? “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!’ (Matt 7:21-23)
We serve the same God today who said, "The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you (2 Chron 15:2). The Word of God is consistent and it does not lie, if you forsake the Father He will forsake you! 'The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys…The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness…but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done (Ezekiel 33:12,13). If in the Old Testament, your former righteousness was not accounted when you turned and did evil, why would we think today we can make a trip to the alter or say the "sinner's prayer" and never have to worry about our salvation again? What makes us so special that the Word of God in Ezekiel 33 doesn't apply to us today? Those who still believe you can never loose your salvation; the Lord has this to say to you. "Yet your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not just,' when it is their own way that is not just. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it… Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways." (Ezekiel 33:17,18,20) If you translate this into our New Testament Covenant, it's very clear that if you as "born again" Christian turn from your righteousness and do evil, you will spiritually die! Over and over we see this example of God's children having the opportunity to lose what was freely given to them by God. (Numbers 15:29-31) But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. (31) Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him". If God's covenant children intentionally sinned, they were cast out from among the rest of their people. They were no longer in covenant with Him, they were banished and were not forgiven by the Lord! Could this be a lesson for us today?
God even talked about blotting names out of the Book of Life. (Exodus 32:32) But now, if you will forgive their sin--but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written." (33) But the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book". In the Old Testament, whether you were cut off, cast out or away from God, or hidden from God's sight, you were essentially blotted out of the book of life, it's the same thing; they had lost their salvation. (Psalm 69:27,28) Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you. (28) Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. Many don't believe we can be in the book of life one time and later be erased but scripture just doesn't agree with that. (Deut 9:13) "Furthermore, the LORD said to me, 'I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people. (14) Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' Indeed you can be blotted out of the Book of Life and that's why Jesus reassured some that if they obeyed Him then He would never do this. (Revelation 3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life.
It seems the God of the Old Testament (the same God we serve today) is a holy God who has many wonderful promises of salvation, all of which are conditional. (Lev 26:3) ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, (4) then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. (6) I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. (12) I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. (14) ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, (15) and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, (16) I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. Even though they had a covenant of salvation in all things with the Lord, it was conditional on their obedience to God's Word. (21) ‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. (22) I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. Was God a "once saved always saved" God in this passage? (27) ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, (28) then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. (29) You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. Our forefathers served a conditional God and that's the same God we are supposed to be serving today.
Do you remember how God miraculously saved His children out of the Land of Egypt? Yet even though He saved them, God later destroyed them because of their lack of obedience. (Numbers 14:11,12,27-33,35)Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? (12) I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they...” (27) “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. (28) Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: (29) The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. (30) Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. (31) But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. (32) But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. (33) And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. (35) I the LORD have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die’”. Even though 600,000 men plus their wives and children were SAVED out of Egypt and came as far as the edge of the Promised Land, only two adults made it into God's promise of salvation. There was no guaranteed ticket that got them into that land in which God had promised. Just because they were saved at one time out of the land of Egypt gave them no guarantee that they could enter the Promised Land. Just because we were saved at one time from our sinful past, does not guarantee that we will enter our “promised land” if we too disobey the Word of the Lord. Again, doesn't Scripture say this happened for our example and our teaching (Rom 15:4, 1 Cor 10:6-11)?
Let's look at more scriptural evidence to find the truth of the "once saved always saved" teaching. (2 Kings 17:17) And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. (18) Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only. (19) Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. (20) And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight. Eleven out of the twelve tribes were destroyed and removed from the sight of the Lord. Almost all of God's "covenant people" were rejected and cast from God's sight; they were given a bill of divorcement! Who are God's covenant people today? They are the "born again" believers in Christ Jesus. If covenant people back then lost their salvation, is it possible that we can too? Isn't this what God is trying to teach us throughout the Old Testament? (Romans 11:20) They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (22) Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. Paul is giving us a definite warning that the same thing can still happen to us. Next we see the final divorcement of God's people. (2 Kings 24:19) And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. (20) For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. Doesn't this sound a lot like the story which Jesus told us? (Luke 13:23) Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, (24) “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (25) When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ (26) then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ (27) But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ (28) There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...
Can we find any scripture at all in the Old Testament that allows us to live righteously in the beginning, only later to live sinfully and still receive the salvation of the Lord? (Jeremiah 9:13,16) And the LORD says: "Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it... (16) I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them". Our God holds us accountable not to what we've done in the past, but what we are doing now. And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts-- (Jeremiah 34:18). In case you didn't know the calf was literally cut in two and the Lord passed between the two parts when He made the covenant with Abraham. That is what the Lord promised to do to His people who didn't keep the terms of that covenant, which next we see they didn't. (Jer 11:9) And the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (10) They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” (11) Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. Just as they they could break God's covenant and be rejected by God, we can break our covenant with God and be rejected also.
The Lord calls and calls and then finally it's too late. (Hosea 11:1,2,7) When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (2) The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. (7) My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. If it was to late for God's chosen people wouldn't be to late for us today? (Amos 8:2) And he said, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass by them. When will it be too late for us? "tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity".
As we conclude our foundation for truth in the Old Testament, we've seen a mountain of evidence that with God there is no such thing as unconditional eternal security. God's pattern is to repeat history over and over so that we learn from it. (Ecc 1:9) That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. If there was no "once saved always saved" before the coming of Jesus Christ, there is no "once saved always saved" after Jesus either.
So let's explore the New Testament scriptures to see if they tell the same story as the Old Testament. I'm going to randomly list and comment on many of the Scriptures which support our God today as being the same God of the Old Testament, a God that doesn’t believe in “once you’re saved you’re always saved” but believes that there are conditions to His salvation; so let's begin.
(2 PETER 2:20) If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. (21) It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. If you know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you are obviously saved and if you would die at the moment you received the Lord into your heart, just like the thief of the cross you'd be saved and go to heaven, but on the other hand if you wouldn't die right away and you would later fall away like in the above scripture, then you're worse off than before you ever knew the Lord! Verses 20, 21 says that “if you are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” Does this sound like just because they once knew the Lord or "accepted Jesus" that they are still going to be saved?
(ROMANS 11:17) If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, (18) do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. (19) You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." (20) Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. (22) Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. Why does Paul say, “do not be arrogant, but be afraid” “he will not spare you either.” Continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” If once you're saved you have nothing to worry about, what is Paul talking about? Do you remember how God had rejected the Jews and now opened salvation to the gentiles? Paul says that we “gentiles” (I.e. Christians) shouldn't be arrogant but afraid that we will be cut off if we don't continue in the Lord. Are those who teach we can NEVER lose our salvation being "arrogant" because they think we can never fall?
(LUKE 12:35) "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, (36) like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. (37) It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. (38) It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. (39) But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. (40) You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (41) Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" (42)The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? (43) It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. (44) I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. (45) But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. (46) The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. (47)"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. (48) But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Notice this parable is not talking about the heathen or the unbeliever; He is talking to His servants, His believers! Jesus says "be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning” why? “so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.” We are to be watching for Him. What happens if we’re not watching for him, and are not ready? “The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers." Why was the Master so upset? "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.” Not only did that “believer” not make it into Heaven but he was punished even more than the unbelievers! This should be very upsetting to any believer because we will all be held more accountable because we knew better. I ask you again, does this sound to you like once you’ve asked Jesus into your heart or become saved that you have no worries about your salvation? Sounds to me like we now have more responsibility.
(1 CORINTHIANS 15:2) By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. There seems to be a condition to salvation here. Paul says “You are saved if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you”. Doesn't this mean the opposite is also true; that if you don't hold firmly to the Word that you will not be saved and that you’ve believed in vain?
(HEBREWS 3: 6) But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end...(12) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God...(14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.
(COLOSSIANS 1:22) But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- (23) if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. What are all these conditional “IF's” and in Hebrews 3:12 it talks about “departing from the living God.” How can you depart from Him if you were never with him or saved in the first place? (1 THESSALONIANS 3:8) For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
(1 CORINTHIANS 10:12) So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! If you are not standing (saved) how can you fall? This is certainly speaking about believers falling from their salvation.
(JOHN 8:31) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. These Jews believed in Jesus, but He said to them “if you continue in my word, then you are my disciples” Notice the word “IF” & “continue” If you do not continue to keep Gods word then you are not His disciple. What happens to those that that don’t continue in Jesus’ word?
(LUKE 8:5) "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. (6) Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. (7) Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. (8) Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (9) His disciples asked him what this parable meant. (10) He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' (11) "This is the meaning of the parable, the seed is the word of God. (12)Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. (13)Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. (14) The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.(15) But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. Jesus is talking about the kingdom of God in this parable. If you can never lose your salvation then why does He say, “They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” Fall away from what? You cannot fall away unless you're a Christian. The second example here are the ones who hear and understand the Word but later are “choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” These too are believers who were saved but did not produce fruit; they did not make it to heaven. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt 7:19). Notice the seed in good soil are those who hear the Word, retain it, and only by persevering do they produce a crop. These are the believers who were saved at one time and continued to produce fruit and did go to heaven. This is our goal.
(GALATIONS 5:4) You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. . .(7) You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Obviously those who have fallen from grace were running well (the race of faith, 2 Tim.4:7) and obeying the truth at some earlier time, but then they fell from grace by thinking they could earn their way to heaven by their works.
(JAMES 5:19) My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, (20) remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James identifies them as his brethren (Christians) and then says that if they stray from the truth and are turned back that their soul will be saved from death. How can you wander or stray from truth if you’re not a believer, you've never had truth in the first place? James is definitely talking about believing Christians falling out of grace and in danger of spiritual death!
(HEBREWS 10:26) If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, (27) but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. (28) Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (29) How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? Does this sound like once you're saved you have nothing to worry about? Sounds more like once we have the knowledge of the truth in Christ we're held to a much higher standard and if we deliberately sin, we are no longer covered under God's grace and the sacrifice which Jesus made. How many sins can you go to heaven with? If you're a "born again" believer and your sin is not covered, how is the saved person going to make it to heaven? Can you see the unconditional eternal security doctrine is false?
(HEBREWS 6:4) It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, (5) who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, (6) if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Only those who called on the name of the Lord and were saved have shared in the Holy Spirit. No one tastes of the heavenly gift apart from partaking of it through Jesus Christ. So Paul is most certainly talking about saved believers, yet if we can never lose our salvation, what does it mean to “fall away” and crucify the Son of God all over again?
(1 JOHN 3 :14) We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.(15) Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. So if a murder has no eternal life, and yet you are a “saved” Christian and you hate or dislike someone, what happens to that person when you die with this still in your heart?
(2 PETER 3:14) So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him... (17) Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. (18) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Why does Peter say to “be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position”? How can we fall from our “secure position” if once we are saved we can never lose that salvation? Could it be the “error of lawless men” who have taught us that we can never lose our salvation? Is this what we are to be on guard for this false doctrine? The word fall from is the Greek word Ekpipto which also means to drop away, to perish, to fall, to lose. What is that secure position Peter is talking about? None other than your eternal salvation.
(PHILLIPPPIANS 2:12) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. What is Paul talking about here, if it's so easy and we never have to worry about losing our salvation, why is he telling his fellow Christian brethren to “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. This just doesn’t make sense why Paul would write this if once saved always saved.
(JOHN 15:1) "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (4) Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (5) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (6) If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. What if you are saved and do not remain in Christ? Answer: Jesus says “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” Does this sound like eternal security to you? Does this fall within the guidelines of “once save always saved”?
(COLOSSIANS 1:21) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- (23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. Paul makes it clear that if you continue, established, and firm, you will receive the hope held out in the gospel. Notice the emphasis is on the word if... whether we look in the Gospels, or the Epistles, or Revelations, we see a clear and consistent theme; those who overcome and continue in the Lord receive the promise of eternal life. For the rest who don't continue in the Lord there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(1 THESSALONIANS 3:5) For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. The word for tempter and tempted is the Greek word “Peirazo” which means: to try or test ones faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin. God is not playing games with us by putting this in His word if it can never really happen and that we cannot be drawn away from the Lord. Think about it, if we could never lose our salvation, why would the devil even bother with Christians? Wouldn’t you think the devil would concentrate on only those who were not saved... otherwise he'd be just wasting his time.
(MATTHEW 12:31) And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (32) Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. If once saved always saved, how would you explain someone who was saved at one time and now has fallen away and blasphemed the Holy Spirit? Would this "saved" person be forgiven just because he was once a believer? Not according to Matthew 12:31. If he is never forgiven for this sin of blasphemy, then how can his salvation be secure?
(2 TIMOTHY 2:11) Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him;(12) if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;(13) if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. This sounds a lot like what we read about in the Old Testament doesn't it, "but if you forsake him, he will forsake you" (2 Chron 15:2).
(EPHESIANS 4:31-32 & 5:1-5 :31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children (2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (3) But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. (4) Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (5) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. If we have no chance of ever losing our salvation, why does Paul warn the believers not to be immoral, impure or greedy and that anyone who is, will not enter the kingdom of God? It really makes no sense why Paul would even mention this if believers can't be in danger of losing their salvation.
(GALATIONS 5:19) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(1 CORINTHIANS 6:9) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders (10) nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. If you can never lose your salvation, how do you explain EPHESIANS 4:31-32 & 5:1-5. 1 JOHN 3:14-15, GALATIONS 5:19-21, and 1 CONINTIANS 6:9-10? How do you explain a saved person who has fallen away and is a drunkard, or slanderer, or greedy, or hates someone? If they are still going to Heaven then these 4 verses in the Bible are wrong. But is the Bible is 100% truth it can only mean that if I'm a born again Christian and for some reason I fall back into sin, and I'm committing these sins, I will no longer inherit the Kingdom of God, just like we read in the Old Testament.
(1 CORINTHIANS 9:24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (26) Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. (27) No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. If once you're saved you are guaranteed eternal life, never to worry again, then what in the world is Paul talking about? He says “No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” As good and as holy as Paul was, why would he talk about himself being disqualified from the prize? (Eternal life) Do you think that Paul understood that salvation means a continual walk with the Lord and not just a one time thing?
(2 THESSALONIANS 2:3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first… Remember this is talking about the coming of Christ and He cannot come back until the great falling away comes first. The word for falling away also means to forsake, defection, apostasy. This is about apostate Christians who rebel, defect, and fall away from God. When the great tribulation comes and more severe persecution comes, many believers will grow cold and abandon their faith and fall away!
(1 TIMOTHY 1:5) The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (6) Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.
(1 TIMOTHY 3:6) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. If you can never lose your salvation how is it that a recent convert (this would be a born again believer) can get conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil? Is the devil going to Heaven or could it be that the new babe in Christ even though they he is saved, could just have the same fate as the devil if he’s not careful to continue in the Lord?
(1 TIMOTHY 4:1) The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Paul sounds like he's really trying to get the point across by stating "the Spirit clearly says." So how much attention do we give to people who tell you that you can not lose your salvation? People who are devoted to teaching this “Once Saved Always Saved” doctrine have they been given over to deceiving spirits. The once saved always saved doctrine, is this the same message that Jesus and His apostles taught or is this a doctrine that is taught by demons? Only the Scriptures will give us the answers we're looking for and so far it's clearly showing this is a demonic teaching that lulls us to sleep!
(1 TIMOTHY 5:12) Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.(13) And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy bodies, speaking things which they ought not...(15) For some are already turned aside after Satan. Again, Paul is talking to his fellow Christian brothers and sisters and it's them that have “cast off their first faith” and “turned aside after Satan”. Notice that both comments talk about one straying from the faith.
(1 TIMOTHY 6:10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s.
(1 TIMOTHY 6:20) Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, (21) which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Once again, you cannot wander or drift away from the faith unless you are a Christian. These are believers; saved people who have wandered from that saving truth of what's in the Bible.
(2 TIMOTHY 2:15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (16) Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. (17) Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, (18) who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
(HEBREWS 2:1) We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (2) For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, (3) how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
(HEBREWS 3:18-19 & 4:1,11) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (19) So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Heb 4:1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it (11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Just like the Israelite children who were saved out of Egypt only to wander in the desert and die, never entering the "Promised Land" because of their unbelief in what God had promised; our Promised Land is heaven and clearly this shows the possibility of not making it our promised land, heaven.
(HEBREWS 12:15) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (16) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (17) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. You can be saved and have that right to be a partaker of God’s Grace and spend eternity in heaven. You can also decide to sell your birthright just as Esau did! This is an example for us to learn from and If you walk contrary to what scripture says, or we have that “root of bitterness” or unforgiveness in your heart, you to will stand before the Lord and be rejected.
(2 PETER 1:10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: The word fall in the Greek means to err, to trip, to sin, to fall, fail of salvation. So be firm in the faith, and make sure that you are born again and set free from the bondage of sin and do not stray from the narrow road. Then you will never fall or have to worry about losing your salvation.
(1 JOHN 2:24) Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. (25) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. God's love in giving us eternal life is conditional. The word "if" proves this; we must let the truth keep abiding in us. You see, getting saved is not a one time occurrence and it's all over with, you must continue in Him in order to receive eternal life.
(1 JOHN 2:28) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. John is telling Christians to abide in Christ. What if they didn't abide in Christ? They wouldn't have confidence at the Lord's coming and go to heaven with Him. Why wouldn't they have confidence if they were "Once Saved, Always Saved"? It just doesn't make sense because if truly I could never lose my salvation then I would be very confident when He comes. The word confidence also means free and fearless, confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance. You see, if you do the abiding in Christ, you can have assurance of your salvation. But this is not eternal security, there's a condition of continuing to abide in Christ. Please realize that this is our personal responsibility, and just because you abide in Christ today doesn't mean that you will definitely stay that way. Scripture proves that, because some have already turned aside after Satan (1 Tim. 5:15).
(REVELATION 2:5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Surely, this is a threat from Christ to His church with the words "or else". The word fallen also means to lose it, to perish, be without the effect of the divine promise of salvation... That means they lost their salvation.
(REVELATION 3:16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: Christ wants to vomit these believers out of His mouth. Then they would not be in Christ anymore, spued out of the body of Christ. In very vivid terms, the Lord rejects the half-hearted efforts of these self-satisfied Christians. If someone thinks they have become spiritually wealthy and in need of nothing (Rev.3:17), they just might get vomited out.
(REVELATION 22:19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Which words are you taking away from the Bible by not believing them? Clearly this is saying that God will take away the eternal life that someone thinks they have, and also their part in heaven will be taken away, they all mean the same thing: You can lose your salvation.
(2 JOHN 1:7) Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. (8) Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. (9) Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue In the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. This doesn’t sound like a one time walk up to the alter or "give your heart to Jesus" and your done kind of thing? We are warned to “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for” and to "continue in the teachings of Christ", if not you don’t, you don’t have God! If you’ve been saved in the past and stand before the judgment throne without having God, will He let you in?
(JUDE1:5) Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (6) And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. What do Angels, Israelites and Christians all have in common? Those who fall away are eternally condemned. Why would Jude, one of the Twelve Apostles, bother to make this point to a Christian audience if it were not possible for them to come under the same judgment as the Angels and the unbelieving Israelites? The Lord has given us clear historical and Scriptural evidence of the nature of His character. He has given us clear examples of the nature of His relationship with His chosen people. When the angels sinned against Him, He did not hesitate to cast them down from their places of authority. The Lord did not spare Lucifer, even though he ranked among the greatest of God's creations, but removed him from his lofty position and assigned him a new name, Satan. When the angels sinned against God, He did not spare them, but bound them in everlasting chains of darkness, reserving them for ultimate and eternal punishment. When the Israelites, His covenant, chosen, and redeemed people, sinned against Him, He did not fail to bring swift and terrible punishment on them. Those who survived His immediate outburst of wrath were left to fall in the desert where the children who would possess the promise buried their bones. If God did not spare the angels, if He did not spare His covenant people, then why do you think He would spare you, if you like they, rebel against Him? Jude makes it clear that He will not have mercy on you.
(MATTHEW 6:14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. What happens to that saved person who believes he is going to heaven, yet harbors resentment and unforgiveness in his heart? Are his sins washed by the blood of Jesus? How many sins can you enter heaven with? Is he going to heaven just because he accepted Christ into his heart at one time long ago? If the Bible truly is 100% truth, this scripture says NO, that this once saved person will not make it to heaven because his sins are not forgiven. I’m essentially saying the same thing over and over so I’ll list the next few scriptures without explanation as they speak the same truth if your heart is willing to yield to that truth.
(Matthew 24:9) "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. (10) At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, (11) and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. (12) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, (13) but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
(LUKE 12:8) "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. (9) But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. (10) And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
(LUKE 14:34) "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? (35) It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
(1 TIMMOTHY 5:8) If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
(2 PETER 2:4) For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; (5) if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; (6) if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
(GENESIS 19:24) Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from the LORD out of the heavens. (25 )Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities and also the vegetation in the land. (26) But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Here we see that the same pattern in our God. Lot's wife had escaped the judgment in Sodom and Gomorra and looked back, not only with her eyes, but also with her heart. Did God spare her? No, He did not spare her and our God is still the same today.
CONCLUSIONS: Many think that once you are saved you’re always saved no matter what you do. It seems if that were true, the Lord would not have said it plainly in scripture rather then talking about being blotted out of the book of life. After all didn’t Lucifer have eternal life with God and lost it? How about the Angels who were cast down? How about Adam and Eve, didn’t they lose something they originally had? Were not all the Israelites saved out of Egypt and yet because of unbelief they died in the desert? The Lord does not change; He is the same yesterday and today and forever. The Lord overcame and He requires us to overcome. He is the first fruit of many brothers. Those who follow him must do what He did. Those who do not do as He did do not know Him and are not of Him and they will not inherit Life. The devil is now in the churches deceiving God's people just like in the beginning. (Genesis 3:1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (I.e. did God really say we could lose our salvation?) (2) The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, (3) but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " (4) "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. (5) "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Just like in the garden of Eden, Satan is telling us the same lie, "You will not surely die” today it's Satan in our churches saying “go on… one little sin won’t hurt you… after all you’re saved by GRACE and once you’re saved you’re always saved!” You see it's the same lie Satan told Eve and we’re falling for it all over again. At least those who do not love the truth and holiness are falling for it.
God bless,
Mark, a servant of the Lord, www.HeavensHelpers.org
Questions/Feedback - email me: mark@heavenshelpers.org
