Bible Question:
Good Day. I am looking for some info on the view, Can we loose our salvation? What are the aruguments for and against. I also need a good place to find scripture verses ? Thanks |
Bible Answer: You ask a very important question. My response is not intended to start an argument, but rather to highlight what the scriptures say. Jesus asked this question "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) Is it possible to know that we have eternal life? John writes "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; tha you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 4:13) God wants us to know that we have eternal life and this assurance grows as we walk by faith in him day by day. What is Salvation? We are born sinners Rom. 3:23 and we can never merit favor with God by our own works Rom: 3:20 Our salvation or deliverance from sin is only brought about by faith in what Christ has already done on the cross. We who are found guilty and deserved to be banished from God forever and are cleared of all guilt by faith in Christ "Being Justified (cleared of all guilt) freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24, Rom. 5:1) What happens when we are saved? The moment a lost sinner feels their awful need and rests by faith in the work of Christ alone they are "born from above" (John 3:6)or born of the Spirit of God and are made new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:7) and is a child of God. (John 1:12) Paul shows us the contrast: "But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin" Rom. 6:17 That is what we were before we were saved slaves to sin. But in Christ we are "then made free from sin, you became servants of righteousness" Rom. 6:18 There are three aspects to salvation: a) when we first trusted Christ we are saved from the penalty of sin.(John 5:24, John 3:16) b) As those indwelt by the Spirit of God, as we walk by faith we are saved from the power of sin (Rom. 6:18) and we are being changed to become more like Christ (2 Cor. 3:18) We are not perfect, but our desire will be to honor the Lord and when we fail we have an advocate who pleads his own precious blood on our behalf. (1 John 2:1) c) By faith we look forward to the future when we will be saved from the presence of sin altogether when Christ comes. (1 Thess. 4:13-18) We see these three stages in the lives of the Thessalonians. Paul writes "you turned to God from idols"(their repentance and faith) "to serve the living and true God"( their daily walk of faith for Christ) " And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (the believer's hope and anticipation) You ask "Can we lose our salvation" Our faith is founded on the promises of God a God who cannot lie. (Heb. 6:18) Our salvation is secured by the work of Christ alone on the cross, a work in which God is totally satisfied. Jesus himself told us many times that when we believe in him we have (present possession) eternal and everlasting life. (John 3:16, John5:24) The words eternal and everlasting do no imply temporary. Jesus said "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand" John 10:28 I do not believe that we can lose the new life which God has given us as a free gift, we cannot lose the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and we cannot cease being a child of God. We may falter and fail, but he remains faithful "for he cannot deny himself" If I were die today I would go out into eternity pleading only the work of Christ and I rest on his word that though unworthy in myself, we can say with Paul "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12 Peace in his precious name. Robert |