Posted on 05/31/2017 1:41:09 PM PDT by ealgeone
Question: "Can a Christian lose salvation?"
Answer: First, the term Christian must be defined. A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer or walked down an aisle or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and therefore possesses the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9).
So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? It’s a crucially important question. Perhaps the best way to answer it is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation and to study what losing salvation would entail:
A Christian is a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian is not simply an “improved” version of a person; a Christian is an entirely new creature. He is “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be destroyed.
A Christian is redeemed. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19). The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. We were purchased at the cost of Christ’s death. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase of the individual for whom He paid with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To justify is to declare righteous. All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared. Those absolved of guilt would have to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to reverse the sentence handed down from the divine bench.
A Christian is promised eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live forever. Does eternal not mean “eternal”?
A Christian is marked by God and sealed by the Spirit. “You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14). At the moment of faith, the new Christian is marked and sealed with the Spirit, who was promised to act as a deposit to guarantee the heavenly inheritance. The end result is that God’s glory is praised. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to erase the mark, withdraw the Spirit, cancel the deposit, break His promise, revoke the guarantee, keep the inheritance, forego the praise, and lessen His glory.
A Christian is guaranteed glorification. “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). According to Romans 5:1, justification is ours at the moment of faith. According to Romans 8:30, glorification comes with justification. All those whom God justifies are promised to be glorified. This promise will be fulfilled when Christians receive their perfect resurrection bodies in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.
A Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says happens to us when we receive Christ would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. Salvation is the gift of God, and God’s gifts are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). A Christian cannot be un-newly created. The redeemed cannot be unpurchased. Eternal life cannot be temporary. God cannot renege on His Word. Scripture says that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
Two common objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation concern these experiential issues: 1) What about Christians who live in a sinful, unrepentant lifestyle? 2) What about Christians who reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these objections is the assumption that everyone who calls himself a “Christian” has actually been born again. The Bible declares that a true Christian will not live a state of continual, unrepentant sin (1 John 3:6). The Bible also says that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he was never truly a Christian (1 John 2:19). He may have been religious, he may have put on a good show, but he was never born again by the power of God. “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). The redeemed of God belong “to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4).
Nothing can separate a child of God from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38–39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand (John 10:28–29). God guarantees eternal life and maintains the salvation He has given us. The Good Shepherd searches for the lost sheep, and, “when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5–6). The lamb is found, and the Shepherd gladly bears the burden; our Lord takes full responsibility for bringing the lost one safely home.
Jude 24–25 further emphasizes the goodness and faithfulness of our Savior: “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Have you had a face-to-face with Peter?
And he “breathed on them and said to them, ‘receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:22–23).
“But a person born from above will not remain ‘backsliden’ for the Spirit deposit from GOD into their human spirit will hound them to repentence.”
That’s certainly something we should strive for but it doesn’t come automatic, as a new creation in Christ we make a choice through free will to walk in the spirit. As we’re instructed in this passage:
Colossians 2:6 -
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
And he “breathed on them and said to them, ‘receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained’” (John 20:22–23).
Keep posting the sentence, you might actually learn something about it. or not.
No. If you define “Christian” as someone who has experienced the new birth in Christ, then that person can never be unborn again.
“A person who DIES in the state of mortal sin goes to Hell.”
Unscriptural distinction of sin.
The unbeliever has a sin nature and is unredeemed. He will go to hell.
The believer is redeemed and every sin has already been paid for. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him.
He sins because he still has the life of Adam until he leaves this globe.
He cannot go to hell.
We may leave God but God will never leave us...He'll be right there waiting with open arms waiting for us to come home...
One may stand there naked, ashamed and embarrassed...But you'll be standing there nonetheless...
You will note the forgiveness of sins below.
Peter did not say, I forgive you and tell them to go say 10 rosaries. Nor did he do so in Acts 2.
When a person is forgiven....they're forgiven.
17“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away,
in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Acts 3:17-21 NASB
AMEN!
Religions that make the endgame based upon what man is able to strive for in order to perfect himself and make him worthy of his goal - and I'm not talking about only religions that identify as "Christian" - can never truly provide any kind of confidence or assurance that the end will be achieved. The best they can offer is maybe, might, ought to, hope to - but no surety. When you have no real assurance, the purpose for your life becomes making yourself worthy enough or, if the going gets too hard, as some have done, sadly, they chuck it all and cling to agnosticism or even atheism misunderstanding who God even is. But when you KNOW you have eternal life because of the promises of God Almighty given in His word and confirmed in your heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit, then you learn how Jesus' burdens are light and His yoke is easy. Life becomes joy and death as a blessing to look forward to when God takes us home. He said He came to bring us abundant joy. He is truth.
If he could go to hell, then he would be taking the Holy Spirit with him since Scripture says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13)
No, I do not believe any of those positions.
“If he could go to hell, then he would be taking the Holy Spirit with him since Scripture says we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13)”
100% correct - and impossible to do.
That sure was the lesson from Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son. The son never stopped being the son and the father never stopped waiting for his return ready to forgive and rejoice.
Their WORKS.
Yes, they did. Pseudo Christians. Probably people who were in works based religions. I used to be in one of those religions, but I gave it up. 😀 I think you know which one I was in. 😁
“This view is easily disproved by reading Paul... Christians [may live] a carnal life.”
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians did not make being “carnal” a normative condition. There is no such category as “carnal Christian.”
Paul described professing believers who were behaving like unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
Why? Because they were divisive and envious. These are things that God will reprove and correct in the life of a believer.
Hebrews 12:7-8
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
Do you think God will allow His true children to live in sin? to live a “carnal” life? to go on sinning, without correcting it?
The Corinthians were reproved and corrected by Paul. And they repented, showing that they were genuine believers.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
And even in the case of more egregious sin Paul was addressing in Corinth, it was unthinkable that this could continue to go on.
1 Corinthians 5:5
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
So, yes, even Christians can commit very serious sins. But true, born-again believers can not continue in sin. Real believers are not going to be comfortable living in sin. And even if this were possible, God would intervene to discipline the the disobedient believer. This could even result in death.
The Bible encourages believers with the confidence and assurance we can have in knowing that we have eternal life now. Assurance is based in the evidences of being a true believer. It is never based merely on having said a prayer to receive Christ. The test is having fruit, transformation, obedience, continuing in the faith, and an awareness of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
This last verse underscores the importance of testing out our own personal belief that we have eternal life. Because it is possible for people to be convinced they are “Christian,” but actually be on their way to hell.
So I return to my original point. A Christian is not someone who has merely, at some time or another, made some sort of decision for Christ. That criteria may be fine for a brand new believer. But it is not acceptable for someone who professes to have been a follower of Christ for some time and is not demonstrating the outworking of this salvation in his or her life. Those who are elect of God are chosen not just to make one initial response of faith, but to also walk in faith and bear fruit that is consistent with someone who has the eternal life of Jesus Christ inside of him or her.
People who profess faith in Christ but remain in sin, bear no fruit to God, demonstrate no grief over sin, but stubborn persistence in sin, are headed for hell. They may have confessed with their mouth, but their works deny Him. And those who preach a Gospel that allows this lack of repentance and absence of the transforming work of the Spirit of God, are preaching a false Gospel, which is a wicked offense that God will punish.
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
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. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 5:5-6
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Galatians 1:8
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
A true believer will “hold fast” and go on believing the Gospel. The anguish over sin that leads a sinner to flee to the cross will continue to work within the believer to cause him or her to continue to seek God, confess and get rid of sin, and grow in righteousness. Those who preach otherwise are spreading “vain words” that lead men to destruction.
The New Testament does not use the term “Christian” as the main word to describe followers of Christ. It uses words like brother, sister, disciple, and mostly believer.
A person who does not follow Christ is not a follower. A person who does not continue in the faith is not a believer. There are those who receive the word of God with joy and fall away. There are those who show initial signs of faith but turn away due to cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches. These WILL NOT inherit the kingdom of God. These need to hear that they are hell-bound and need to go back to the message of repentance and faith in the cross of Christ.
Those who think they are just “carnal Christians” who will just miss out on some rewards but will escape hell because of the fire at the bema judgement need to realize they are LOST and still need to repent and believe the Gospel.
Romans 8:9
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Salvation is not determined until one’s final personal judgement before Jesus Christ at one’s death.
And it is a sin to presume that one already knows the results of that judgement.
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