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.”
Well and succinctly stated!
Don’t know if it’s wisdom or extreme hopefulness - I know my faults and if others are right, and I should be living a truly “sinless” life, I’m in real trouble. The manifestation of sin throughout the world as an example by Him that we are hopelessly imperfect, and His Grace are the only hope any of us have. I believe He sees me as a pure and justified saint, through the Blood of Jesus, even though I often have trouble comprehending it as I delve into my sinful nature.
Well, notice that IN HEAVEN there were angels with the freedom to reject God’s sovereignty and were then fallen with satan ... also, during the millennial reign of Christ, with satan bound in the pit, some of the ‘elect’ use their free will to turn in the wrong direction, running on their pride of self ...
I don’t believe in unfettered free will. We are free to choose as our nature allows.
The unsaved man will follow his carnal nature. Oh, he may act like a Christian, but on the inside there is no change of heart.
The believer, who’s nature is now changed by the Holy Spirit, fights against the two natures (see Romans 7), but is not condemned. At times, he may act sinfully, but is grieved by his sin.
When entering in to Glory, the old nature will be finally put to death, and then the believer can fully worship God without struggle.
I don't know why really, but I found that explanation to be of greatest comfort in my daily walk. [ see tagline ] Those who believe GOD's Promises are living in the Age of Grace. But that will not continue much longer.
The angels falling looks to be a one-time event prior to the beginning, and there is no redemption for those that fell. We do not see an ongoing struggle in Heaven, just worship.
As for the ‘elect’ in the millennium, you would have to point me to the passage, so I can understand your point.
HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.
The Bible indicates that satan is still accusing ‘the brethren’ ...
And that will come to an end. So once that happens, and the millennium is over, then what?
Rev 20
The Great White Throne, then GOD rolls up the Heavens like a scroll and makes a brand new Universe!
No possibility of sin, then. Which means no unfettered free will.
“’He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:22-32).
“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand; and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?” (12:25-26).
One should understand the whole Bible and not assume that one or several passages save you.
Apostasy, contrary to some interpretations, is not the unforgivable sin. Like the parallel sins against faith—infidelity, schism, and heresy—it only becomes an unforgivable sin if one dies in it. Until death it is always possible, God willing, for an infidel to convert, for a schismatic to return from his schism, for a heretic to renounce his heresy, and for an apostate to re-embrace the faith of Christ.
Rev 19
Interesting because I don’t believe in free will.
A few thoughts:
1) Free will defines man for many people. Right back to the Garden of Eden, where we get to decide to decide what is right or wrong. We grow up with the concepts of personal rights.
2) The idea of a kingdom is a very foreign concept for many if not all. The idea that a king can say “off with is head” brings the blood pressure up and is the image for many of a king ship. A kingdom is a good thing, if you have a good king, but not many good earthly examples.
3) Assurance of salvation is a big problem for ISLAM. There is nothing in that religion that provides rest. Same with RC. The church is incharge of salvation, not God. Very evident with mortal sins, purgatory, merit of the saints, indulgences. But many P have their own version of it.
3) I think you mean we have limited free will? We have some free will but it is subject to God’s will. Don’t know if that is better terminology .
4) There is nothing in our human nature that would ever choose God. I repeat, of our own ability none would chose God. But many “chose” God to manipulate the situation to their own personal end.
5) So if choosing God is done in our free will, it also means you can UNCHOOSE GOD. The is no assurance of salvation if we do the choosing. Salvation depends on how you feel that day.
So I would encourage everyone to go sit in a quiet corner and ask your self, “DID I CHOOSE GOD OR DID GOD CHOOSE ME?”
Now for myself, for many many years, I thought I chose God, but thankfully God bumped me up in maturity to the right understanding. Now I can rest.
Selah!
By the way, Get your Bibles out and test for the Truth. Don’t rely on the comments here................
No. God brings us to a point where we need to make a choice, but there is always outside influences on us. It is never really free.
So we have a will and are given the opportunity to make choices, but it's not FREE will.
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