A Christian cannot lose his salvation
First and foremost, we are talking about true-blue, born-again Christians. This statement, however, leads to a problem: How do we know if someone is truly born of God?
In some cases, it is really hard to tell and only God would know. We must also not expect overnight changes in the person and underestimate the work of the Holy Spirit. We need only ask ourselves how long we took to "produce fruit" to remember our own stubborness and our Lord's patience.
That said, let's deal first with easy scriptures that clearly support eternal security.
It is comforting to note that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all "play a part" in keeping us saved. We can call this triple protection!
The Father...
* John 10:29 -- My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
The Son...
* John 10:28 -- I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
The Holy Spirit...
* 2 Corinthians 1:22 -- set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
* Ephesians 1:13 -- And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
* Ephesians 4:30 -- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
A Christian might argue that he can "snatch" himself out of the Father's hand by wilfully renouncing Christ. But he forgets that "no one" in John 10:28,29 includes him! (See "Renouncing Christ".)
Furthermore, Jesus said : "I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish." Common spiritual sense tells us that "eternal life" is not "eternal" if it can be cut off at some point. Also, "never" simply means never. It can't get any simpler than that!
Speaking of eternal life, it is given to us by God the moment we are born again. Eternal life does not begin after we die physically. As long as we have Christ in us, we have eternal life -- we are not waiting to get it someday.
* 1 John 5:12 -- He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Can sinning cause us to lose it?
The answer lies in this verse:
* Romans 5:19 -- For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Man is a sinner because of what Adam had done, not because he sins -- he sins because he has inherited Adam's sinful nature. Likewise, a Christian is righteous because of what Jesus Christ had done at the cross, not because he does good -- he does good because Christ is in him.
When we were sinners, our good deeds could not undo what Adam had done and make us righteous. Similarly, now that we are righteous, our bad deeds or sins cannot undo what Christ had done and make us unrighteous!
If we believe that the former is impossible but the latter, possible, then we are saying:
* Adam's work was superior to Christ's, when the opposite is true (Romans 5:15).
* Our sinning is more powerful than the perfect work and blood of Christ.
* The blood of bulls and goats in the Old Testament is more "potent" than the blood of Christ, since the former could atone for the sins of Israel for at least one year, but that the latter loses its effect the moment we sin.
Consider also that because of what Jesus Christ had accomplished on the cross, God is not even counting men's sins against them, let alone Christians!
* 2 Corinthians 5:19 -- that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
* Hebrews 10:17 -- Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
Predestination
Paul himself talks about eternal security in Romans.
* Romans 8:29,30 -- For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
The very idea of predestination presupposes that God knows beforehand. He is, afterall, omniscient. Those who believe that a born again Christian can lose his salvation should ask themselves if God could, in His perfect foreknowledge, predestinate persons "to be conformed to the image of his Son", knowing that they would eventually renounce Christ and lose their salvation (assuming that were possible). The very purpose of predestination and GodÕs perfect foreknowledge contradict that!
Note also the unbroken chain of events: predestinate -- called -- justified -- glorified. God will complete the process for every Christian, not just some! (See "He's faithful, not us".)
In a sense, Christians are already glorified in Christ Jesus, being seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). But there is more to come!
At the rapture, they will receive new imperishable bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52-54). There is also further glorification when the church is presented as the spotless bride to the Father by her bridegroom, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:27).
So, how can "them he also glorified" be completely true if believers can lose their salvation? And how can a "justified" Christian be unjustified and cast into hell?
Renouncing Christ
Christians who believe that salvation can be lost generally agree that there are many clear verses in the Bible that support eternal security. However, they draw the line when it comes to wilfully renouncing Christ. In other words, these same verses don't "cover" the Christian who decides to give up Christ.
But which true-blue, born-again Christian would, in his right mind, suddenly decide to renounce Christ? Surely it must be a temptation of the devil, a demonic influence. It cannot be a self-contained decision.
This being the case, let's suppose that the Christian does renounce Christ and lose his salvation. This would mean that the "demons" and "powers" responsible for influencing him have succeeded in seprating him from the love of God. This, however, is in direct contradiction to Romans 8:38,39!
* Romans 8:38,39 -- For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He is faithful, not us
Many Christians think that after they are saved, they need to work at keeping their salvation, or they might lose it. This is really no different from trying to earn salvation, which can only be received by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8)!
Also, they are foolish to think that they have the power to "maintain" their salvation. It is God who "keeps" them saved! It is God who is always faithful, not them!
* Romans 14:4 -- Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
* 1 Corinthians 1:8 -- He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
* 1 Corinthians 10:13 -- No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
* 2 Corinthians 1:21 -- Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
* 2 Thessalonians 3:3 -- But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
* 2 Timothy 4:18 -- The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
* Hebrews 2:18 -- Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
* Jude 1:24 -- To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--
Difficult passages explained I
Matthew 7:21 -- "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
A rule of thumb in Bible study is to interpret difficult verses in the light of simple clear cut ones. We should not be building doctrines out of one or two difficult verses.
That said, many have taken the above verse to mean that Christians can lose their salvation if they do not do what God tells them to do. To them, the "will of my Father" means just about everything God tells them to do. But if that is the case, who can enter heaven? Who can do everything that God tells him to do? What about doing 80 per cent of it? Is that enough for a perfect God? It all boils down to salvation by works!
Obviously, the "will of my Father" here is not to be interpreted generally as "anything and everything that God tells us to do". So, what is it, specifically?
Note that the context in this verse is salvation -- "enter the kingdom of heaven". So, the Father's "will" should relate, specifically, to salvation, and it does!
* John 6:39 -- And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
* John 6:40 -- For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
God's will in Matthew 7:21 is simply salvation for man. In fact, He is not willing that any should perish.
* Matthew 18:14 -- In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
* 2 Peter 3:9 -- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
So, how do we fulfil the will of God in Matthew 7:21? What should we do? Actually, there's nothing we can do except to believe, since everything that needs to be done for man to be saved has already been done perfectly by Jesus. We cannot add to it. Our part is simply to believe!
* John 6:29Ê-- Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
So, in Matthew 7:21, Jesus is saying that only those who believe in Him will enter the kingdom of heaven!
now read the verses you point out....do they conflict? No they don't why? Because its once saved always saved. Do you think an author forgets what he writes just a page before?
