Accepted Christ as my savior 1966 when James Robison visited as a then young evangelical pastor
A firebrand to be sure....a slew of us kids went down that night
And we're taught yes you can lose your salvation ...
Here's one way
Many believers have held that yes, true Christians can lose their salvation because there are several New Testament texts that seem to indicate that this can happen. I’m thinking, for example, of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1:18–20:
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Serious denial of Christ or abject rejection of Gods teachings even if baptized and the big one....blasphemous scorn of Christ without ever repenting will doom you even if baptized earlier
It takes effort to lose salvation once it's in your heart per what I was taught but yes it's possible
Baptism or christening is not absolute to us....behavior and acceptance are the indicators
Those who reference Paul's writings on this topic never seem to recall that he, after being saved and actually having personal contact with the risen Jesus, lamented how he kept doing things he knew were wrong and not doing things he knew were right - hence "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" coming from Matthew - those who have been saved, and who lament/agonize over their inability to live as they know they should will be in Heaven.
Christians who smugly claim they no longer sin since being saved are deluding themselves and not giving God His credit for sticking to His Word about not recognizing these sins any more - hence, the reprimand for those who kept trying to follow the Old Law for their attempts to "Fall from Grace" by trying to prove they could be worthy w/o the cleansing by the Blood of Jesus. If we could even remotely be worthy by our thoughts and deeds, He would not have had to die on the cross. Our nature remains the same but He sees us as worthy and justified saints despite our continuing human frailties.
Praise God!
“Losing one’s salvation” is just another way of saying they were never saved in the first place. Why would God regenerate someone if he knew he was going to have to “unsave” them a few years down the road? And if he knows they are going to lose their “salvation” in a few years, how can you say they were ever saved in the first place? They weren’t.
Whomever wrote Hebrews seemed to think so:
Hebrews 6:4-6It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.
Jesus seemed to think so...
Matthew 24:8-13
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
2 Peter 2:20-22 ESV
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;
James 5:19-20 ESV
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Galatians 4:9 ESV
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Revelation 2:4 ESV
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
If the bible had not had verses on BOTH sides of this issue; this question would have never arisen.
Another case of ‘sola scriptura’ folks being selective with their scriptures?
I’ve noticed many like to quote what they want to out of Romans, avoiding sizable portions of chapters, such as in chapter 6, which revisits the rebirth process of those in Rome, “called to be saints”...whose faith was..” spoken of throughout the whole world”. Rom. 1:7,8.
Also the passage in chapter 11; particularly verses 20-22, where Paul reminds them to “continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off”.
It appears that Paul knows that people do make a choice to forsake God’s goodness, because they love this present world. Paul’s fellow minister and assistant, Demas, did just that. Do folks think that Demas just simply never was a Christian? Do the same folks think Paul was unaware that Demas was ‘faking’ his conversion and walk with God? I think that, even with poor eyesight, the apostle Paul could have spotted a fake a mile away.
Why is this important at this time? It has been discussed and debated and commented on for years.
placemarker
Matthew 24:13
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
And you didn't lose it if you threw it away:
Hebrews 6:
[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
[5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
[6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 10:
[26] For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
2Peter 2:
9] The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
[10] But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
[11] Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
[12] But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
[13] And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
[14] Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
[15] Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
[16] But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
[17] These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
[18] For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
[19] While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
So the real question is can you stay on the narrow path until the end?
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