Brethren, it shouldn’t be controversial to declare “truths”, but there seem to be a lot of ‘unspeakables’ and ‘undiscussables’ in some realms when it comes to obvious truths about our salvation.

If you are reading it for the first time, chances are you might be blessed or offended by my seemingly audacious claim of a fundamental truth that, I believe, every Christian must know. But it’s my prayer that you receive a revelation to transform your life for good. Can a Christian lose his/her salvation?

I would submit that YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION, but you must be sure whether you are saved in the first place. I think the misconceptions about this simple truth stem from our preoccupation with questions about whether or not one can lose God’s irrecoverable gift when, in fact, we ought to be actually concerned about whether, or not, we have genuinely repented and received this salvation.

How could I be so certain about that? Well, not only is it logically inconsistent with scriptures for anyone to argue otherwise, but also Christ’s death would be worthless in the event that salvation once gained could be lost. Why then is there so much disagreement about this issue? I’m not sure I’ve got an answer to that. I’m not a theologian and have no formal degree in Biblical studies, but I’ve a few scriptures to substantiate my claim. John 3:16: God gave His only Son to the world, so that anyone who believes in Him shouldn’t perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 11:29 (NIV): Paul wrote that the gifts (eternal life/salvation) of God are irrecoverable. John 10:28-29: Jesus said He gives eternal life to all who believe in Him, and they shall not perish; because no one can snatch them out of His hand… Lastly, Malachi 2:16: "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel. If God hates divorce, then we could infer that He can't abandon His "true" children. There are other scriptures but these should suffice for now.

Let's consider the parable in Luke 15:11-32. So often we evoke this parable in evangelistic missions but fail to realize why Jesus told the story. I think two important truths could be gleaned from the story of the prodigal son. First, anyone born of God is not a pig. I mean a Christian who has experienced the salvation of God can't dwell (or willfully continue living) in sin as pigs enjoy living in muck; he/she will repent and return home because God’s Spirit (DNA) was imparted during salvation (1 John 3:9 -NIV). Second, God, the everlasting father, cares about His children, even those who are obstinate and go astray (1 John 2:1-2). In sum a Christian might go out of "fellowship" because of un-repented sins, but God values the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, and is committed to the "relationship". While many children of God are living out of “fellowship", like the prodigal son, God deeply cares about them (the father-child relationship hasn’t severed) as He yearns for their return (1 John 1:5-10). Now, if we accept the fact that a child of God can't continue living in sin (1 John 3:9 -NIV), as the parable illustrates, then the conclusion is not farfetched that nothing can separate us from the love of God wrought for us in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38).

Why is this important? While most people grapple with this question, three important truths could be divulged from scripture. First, if you truly have been "born again" then you have "eternal life" (John 1:12) - the two are not mutually exclusive - and you must make efforts to remain in "earthly fellowship" with God through Christ while you live in time. Second, whenever you disobey God because of sin you lose "temporary earthly fellowship" with Him and must repent in order to enjoy the father’s love and covering (1 John 1:5-10). And third, it's also possible that you actually haven't experienced salvation in the first place (Matthew 7:21-23). I think those living under the second and third categories are prone to apprehensions about their eternal security in God. Thus it bears on us all to take this fundamental precaution of being sure of our salvation. If you are a prodigal son, God is calling you to repent (1 John 1:5-10 & 2:1-6). And if you aren’t sure at all that you have received eternal life, it’s not too late. Find a Bible believing church near your home and let the pastor know you are ready to receive God’s precious gift of salvation (John 1:12). They will pray with you and provide guidance to help in your faith journey.

Final Note

It must be emphasized, however, that the issue discussed here shouldn't be construed narrowly, in anyway, as I haven't attempted to deal with all the complexities associated with the question. In answering questions of this nature, it's important to guard one's heart against heresies stemming from "quietism", "antinomianism", and "legalism". If we all accept the Bible as God's unadulterated word, then there's no other source to look for answers than the very words of Jesus Christ.

There are several instances in scriptures where the Lord deliberately problematizes the doctrines of legalism, quietism, and antinomianism, which should lead us to also suspect them as they are not sound doctrines. For instance, He admonishes us to deny (hate) ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and fellow Him (Luke 9:23). This is a call to intentional daily living, a call to completely surrender, a call to a spirit-filled life of constant obedience, and a call to depend on Him alone for eternal life. It is by no means a license to indulge in sin (and I submit that God is able to save to the uttermost those who come to Him through Jesus Christ...Hebrews 7:25), unless you actually don't know Him personally.

The simple nuance I tried to emphasize as far as this perennial question is concerned is the fact that not all those who call Him Lord, Lord, have received Him as their personal savior or have a relationship with Him (Matthew 7:21-23). The debate about "once saved forever saved" is not warranted as far as scripture is concerned. I believe we could trust God to keep His word, if only John 3:16 is of any value to us. So I can't emphasize it enough that God is faithful to His promises. If He promised eternal life to those who receive His Son, then we could count on His words. The burden of proof for our salvation, however, rest on us. God is committed to keeping His promise of eternal life but question is how committed are we to genuine repentance? In other words, and to reiterate, I think the important question is whether, or not, we've received salvation. It's a personal question that each and every one of us should be prepared to answer because if we truly have been saved, we'd be concerned about pleasing Him daily.  

Lastly, I personally think we need to have a healthy view of God, but our ability to do so is very much predicated on how we conceptualize the doctrine of salvation. In my walk with God, I've come to realize that He's a loving father but also a righteous judge. However, I could appreciate why it's quite difficult for some of us to accept both aspects of His nature, albeit there's a duality of personalities that's inherent in all human beings. The difference is that God is Holy and Righteous.

There's no sin in Him and through Him we see a perfect fusion of characters and personalities. What does this portend for the end-times? God will surely bring justice to the world and if you are like me (a culprit and a victim of injustice); you'd want to be justified by God in Christ Jesus in order to escape the imminent eternal damnation. And yet we return to where we began - John 3:16 will lead you to the savior of the world.

May His name be blessed forever in all the earth!

Shalom!