Can You Lose Salvation?

A big question in the church today is "Can you lose salvation?". Let's see what scripture has to say about it.


First off, let's look at the passages that people use to say that you can lose salvation.
Galatians 5:11-6:12
"Cncerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,  of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. 




*For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,  and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. * (the verses everyone uses to say you can lose salvation)


For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;  but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned. But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that acco mpany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."


First off, if this verse is saying you can lose salvation, then it also says it is impossible to be saved again after losing it. You must look at the context of this verse. It completely changes the meaning. I have put in bold some of the major things which tell the context of this passage. The writer here is talking about the fruit of salvation, not the root of salvation. When he says repentance, he is talking about repentance from dead works. Also, he goes on for a while about the christians having to be fed milk instead of meat. Unsaved people do not need milk. They need life. This passage is talking about saved people in need of growth. I put in bold the phrase "being burned". This phrase points us to the conclusion that the writer is talking about works. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, we see how God tests our works with fire. Also in Revelations, it talks about how Jesus eyes are like unto fire which represents judgement of works. All Christians will be judged when we enter before the throne of Christ for every work we do. This is what this passage is all about. Once you do sinful works, it is impossible to be renewed unto salvation (from dead works) again. What is done is done. God will judge us for our sins, and that cannot be undone.


The next controversial passage is Hebrews 10:26
"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins"


Again at first glance at this passage, it looks as if it is saying you can lose salvation, but context completely changes the meaning. In this passage, the writer is speaking to Hebrew Jews who were still going to the temple to make sacrifices under the Mosaic law after Jesus had already died on the cross and changed everything. Continuing in the Mosaic law became a "willfull sin" because it denies Jesus, and Jesus Christ himself said "No man can come to the Father but by Me". Therefore, if they continue going on in the Mosaic law after receiving knowledge of the truth of Christ, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Jesus' sacrifice.


The last passage many use to say you can lose salvation is Galatians 5:4
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."


The term "fallen from grace" does NOT mean losing God's grace unto eternal salvation. This passage again is talking about Christian living. If once you have been saved, you choose to live in a lower way of living, you are fallen from grace. This is a matter of sanctification (Christ making us holy), not salvation. We know from the Bible that our best works are still filthy rags in comparison to Christ's standards. This is where grace comes in. We cannot live the Christian life through our own efforts. Christ must impute His righteousness on us himself. Later in this chapter we are introduced to the fruits of the Spirit which God gives us by grace. This verse is clearly talking about those who try to do good works by the law and not by God's grace. Christ has no effect on them. They still use their own power and the law to justify it.


Here is a list of verses which support the assurance of salvation.


1 John 5:7-11: In this passage we see the trinity testifying that we are saved.
Hebrews 10:17 : God remembers our lawless deeds and sins no more.
1 John 5:13  : This says we can know we have eternal life.
Ephesians 4:30 : "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." This speaks for itself. We are sealed.


All of the verses thus far give biblical truth to "once saved, always saved", but there is still a problem. What about passages that say "faith without works is dead"? These kinds of passages make us think that works are involved in salvation, but this is not true. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Therefore salvation has nothing to do with works. It is completely God's grace that we can have eternal life. Works are just evidence of true salvation. If you are really saved, you will produce fruit. This is why I like to say "Once saved, always saved, IF saved." It is a heart change which brings about a change in the way you live.