You actually CANNOT lose your salvation. This is because of the doctrine of election (a.k.a. predestination). God has promised to complete the good work he began in every believer. The reason this is so critical is that if you believe that people are ultimately responsible for their own salvation to choose to follow God, we give ourselves opportunity to boast.
Romans is clear on the subject of election, Ephesians is also helpful.
Eph 2:8 for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift,
9 not of works, that no one may boast;
It is a gift in every way, in every sense. Many people don't like to think of God violating their "free" will. But this does not exist. God bends man to his own will, this is the preeminence and sovereignty of God. All things are his, all things are under his control. God does not look into a crystal ball and "see the future". He doesn't "know the future". He plans the future. There is a HUGE difference.
Believers of free will dance around the omnipotence of God over the human heart and make believe that God simply knows what we will choose before he creates us, then he creates us anyway. This makes God out to be sort of like an observer in his creation. As though he sort of draws a card to see what is on the other side, then plays it. It even traps God into an unchangeable future. If the future is played out, how can God be all powerful to change the future?
The answer is God plans the future and carries out his plan. We join into his plan at his discretion, and under servitude to his will.
Romans is clear on the subject of election, Ephesians is also helpful.
Eph 2:8 for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift,
9 not of works, that no one may boast;
It is a gift in every way, in every sense. Many people don't like to think of God violating their "free" will. But this does not exist. God bends man to his own will, this is the preeminence and sovereignty of God. All things are his, all things are under his control. God does not look into a crystal ball and "see the future". He doesn't "know the future". He plans the future. There is a HUGE difference.
Believers of free will dance around the omnipotence of God over the human heart and make believe that God simply knows what we will choose before he creates us, then he creates us anyway. This makes God out to be sort of like an observer in his creation. As though he sort of draws a card to see what is on the other side, then plays it. It even traps God into an unchangeable future. If the future is played out, how can God be all powerful to change the future?
The answer is God plans the future and carries out his plan. We join into his plan at his discretion, and under servitude to his will.
The human heart is deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
We have all been led astray like sheep (Isaiah 53:6)
23 for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God --
24 being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that [is] in Christ Jesus
25 whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God -- (Romans 3:23-25)
It is not by our choice we are saved, but by the Grace and forbearance of God. you will not find free-will anywhere in the Bible. You will find from Scripture that we have a will (an evil one) and freedom (from sin and death) but a "free-will" does not exist.We have all been led astray like sheep (Isaiah 53:6)
23 for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God --
24 being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that [is] in Christ Jesus
25 whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God -- (Romans 3:23-25)
