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Can we lose our salvation?

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tonychanyt

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The English word "save" or "salvation" is polysemantic. It has at least the following meanings:

  1. It could mean being physically rescued at a point in time (Exodus 14:13, H3444, יְשׁוּעָה yeshuah). It is being saved from a situation. In this case, you may need to be rescued again. You can be rescued or saved multiple times. The only places in the OT where yeshuah is used unambiguously as saving people from sins are in Eze 36:29 and 37:23.
  2. It could mean being officially accepted by a certain church or denomination. When you lose your membership, you lose this salvation.
  3. It could describe a shallow Christian who is a Christian in name only (1 John 2:19). He looks like a Christian and talks like a Christian. Instead of serving God, he wants God to serve him, but after a while, he goes away because he no longer finds God useful.
  4. It could describe a believer who has been born again but remains infantile and refuses to grow in the Spirit.
  5. It could describe a serious believer who regresses temporarily. Peter denied Jesus 3 times. John Mark deserted Paul (Ac 13:13). Demas deserted Paul.
  6. It could describe a serious Christian who thinks he has been regenerated. He is in the faith (2 Cor 13:5, Col 1:23) and has performed Christian works sincerely for years but eventually departs from it (1 Tim 4:1).
  7. It could mean that your name is written in the Book of Life. Later, God may erase or at least threaten to erase that name, and you may lose this type of salvation, Ex 32:32, Rev 3:5.
  8. It could mean that you have the nascent Paraclete dwelling in you, but later on, you abandon him.
  9. Finally, it could mean being saved from the physical now onto eternity. The Paraclete dwells in you presently. You keep growing in the Spirit and abiding in Christ for the rest of your life.
Is the doctrine Once Saved Always Saved true?

I don't think so. One potential danger of this belief is that they may think they are free to sin.

Can you lose your salvation?

Yes, in every step of the process of salvation and in many ways: John 15:2, Romans 11:22, Hebrews 6:4, 1 Corinthians 15:2, etc.

Can you lose your Indwelling Paraclete?

It is possible, but I don't think I can. The Paraclete does what he does. He chooses to dwell in a person by directly connecting with the person's human spirit. I only need to walk with him daily, guided by his peace in me. My spirit in the Holy Spirit grows every day. It gets stronger, not weaker. The Paraclete dwells in me permanently. I can know about the assurance of my own salvation. I cannot know if others are. That's between them and God. They also can know their assurance of their salvation, just like I.

Does this mean that we are free to sin?

No, I am not asserting unconditional eternal security. If the Paraclete dwells in you, you naturally abide in Jesus. As long as you abide in Jesus, you are free to serve God and are saved. When you grow your faith daily, your faith strengthens. There is no worry that you might lose it. This is a natural way of life for me.

See also

 
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awstar

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tonychanyt said:
You can be rescued or saved multiple times.
Click to expand...

I have been saved from the penalty of sin (justification)
I am being saved from the power of sin (santification)
I will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification)

The Paraclete does what he does. He chooses to dwell in a person by directly connecting with the person's human spirit. I only need to walk with him daily, guided by his peace in me. The Paraclete dwells in me permanently.
Click to expand...

Amen, brother. It takes years and years of Christian living to figure out that this is a true and worthy saying!
 
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jonojim1337

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tonychanyt said:
Is this the only meaning of "saved" in the Bible?
Click to expand...
Yes because salvation belongs to our Lord who Judges and Makes War. You think he will defeat sin in the world, but not in yourself? Think again.

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.​
 
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Vambram

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jonojim1337 said:
Yes because salvation belongs to our Lord who Judges and Makes War. You think he will defeat sin in the world, but not in yourself? Think again.

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.​
Click to expand...
Amen
 
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Danthemailman

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awstar said:
I have been saved from the penalty of sin (justification)
I am being saved from the power of sin (santification)
I will be saved from the presence of sin (glorification)

Amen, brother. It takes years and years of Christian living to figure out that this is a true and worthy saying!
Click to expand...
Romans 8:30 - Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. *ALL of them. *Notice how Paul uses the past tense for a future event to stress its certainty. :)
 
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