CAN A CHRISTIAN LOSE HIS SALVATION?
This is also taken from my quiet time notes. I hope the ideas are clear.
Q. Can a Christian lose his salvation?
A. A Christian cannot lose his salvation. First, because he is kept by the power of God. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand." (John 10:27- 29). Believers in Christ are in God's hands and they are being protected by the Almighty One. Salvation is irrevocable on account of God's ability to keep a believer safe in His hands.
Secondly, salvation is secured forever because believers are children of God. When a person believes in Christ, he is given the privilege to be called a child of God. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe in His Name." (John 1:12). A child is always a child whatever happens. On the basis of this relationship, the Father cannot allow His children to be taken away from Him. When a child sins, the fellowship is broken, but the relationship remains the same. He remains a child. The Father's love for the prodigal son and the obedient son is the same. This love is shown when He reserved the best of heaven and earth for all of His children. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:17). So salvation is secured on account of relationship with God.
Thirdly, salvation is secured on account of God's sovereignty. "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out... And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." (John 6:37,39). He will lose none of His people.
Q. Does it mean that a Christian cannot lose his salvation even if he sins?
A. A Christian remains a Christian even if he commits sin. But God did not give Christians a license to sin. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (Romans 6:12-15).
A true Christian cannot live happily in sin all his life. However, Christians are not yet perfect. The truth is, believers also commit sin. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (I John 1:8-10). But when Christians sin, salvation is not lost. They remain as children of God. They can ask forgiveness from the merciful Father and be assured of genuine forgiveness.
There are those who call themselves Christians but they enjoy the pleasures of sin. They cheat in business. They deceive. They take advantage of other people. They love erotic movies, sensual literature, and live worldly lives. Probably, their Christianity is a farce. Though they attend church meetings, fellowships, and Christian activities regularly, we are not sure whether they are true believers. Maybe they are the ones described by Jude: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withered, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 4,12,13).
True christians, though they sometimes commit sin, do not rejoice in sin but strive to live in holiness: "But now being made free from sin, and became servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Romans 6:22).
Q. What then is the importance of knowing our eternal security?
A. It gives us hope and encourages us to trust God. John said, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (I John 5:13). The assurance that we have eternal life also reminds us that God is faithful in keeping His promise. "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12). The apostle Paul also said, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39). Jesus Himself assured us, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand." (John 10:27-29). Eternal security displays God's power to keep His promises and shows His faithfulness. In such God we place our hope and trust.
Q. Can a Christian lose his salvation?
A. A Christian cannot lose his salvation. First, because he is kept by the power of God. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand." (John 10:27- 29). Believers in Christ are in God's hands and they are being protected by the Almighty One. Salvation is irrevocable on account of God's ability to keep a believer safe in His hands.
Secondly, salvation is secured forever because believers are children of God. When a person believes in Christ, he is given the privilege to be called a child of God. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe in His Name." (John 1:12). A child is always a child whatever happens. On the basis of this relationship, the Father cannot allow His children to be taken away from Him. When a child sins, the fellowship is broken, but the relationship remains the same. He remains a child. The Father's love for the prodigal son and the obedient son is the same. This love is shown when He reserved the best of heaven and earth for all of His children. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:17). So salvation is secured on account of relationship with God.
Thirdly, salvation is secured on account of God's sovereignty. "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out... And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." (John 6:37,39). He will lose none of His people.
Q. Does it mean that a Christian cannot lose his salvation even if he sins?
A. A Christian remains a Christian even if he commits sin. But God did not give Christians a license to sin. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. But yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (Romans 6:12-15).
A true Christian cannot live happily in sin all his life. However, Christians are not yet perfect. The truth is, believers also commit sin. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (I John 1:8-10). But when Christians sin, salvation is not lost. They remain as children of God. They can ask forgiveness from the merciful Father and be assured of genuine forgiveness.
There are those who call themselves Christians but they enjoy the pleasures of sin. They cheat in business. They deceive. They take advantage of other people. They love erotic movies, sensual literature, and live worldly lives. Probably, their Christianity is a farce. Though they attend church meetings, fellowships, and Christian activities regularly, we are not sure whether they are true believers. Maybe they are the ones described by Jude: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withered, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (Jude 4,12,13).
True christians, though they sometimes commit sin, do not rejoice in sin but strive to live in holiness: "But now being made free from sin, and became servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Romans 6:22).
Q. What then is the importance of knowing our eternal security?
A. It gives us hope and encourages us to trust God. John said, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (I John 5:13). The assurance that we have eternal life also reminds us that God is faithful in keeping His promise. "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12). The apostle Paul also said, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39). Jesus Himself assured us, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand." (John 10:27-29). Eternal security displays God's power to keep His promises and shows His faithfulness. In such God we place our hope and trust.
posted by Pids Nogales | 8:49 AM
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