Can Believers Lose Their Salvation?

The question of whether believers can lose their salvation is a hot topic of theological debate. There are generally three main views on this matter, which we will explore and then discuss the implications of.

Perseverance of the Saints (also known as "once saved, always saved"): This view is held by some Reformed and Calvinistic traditions.

It asserts that once a person is genuinely saved and has faith in Jesus Christ, their salvation is secure and cannot be lost, regardless of subsequent actions or behaviors.

Those who hold this view will point to Scriptures such as John 10:28-29, which reads, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.[a] No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”

Conditional Security: This perspective, held by some Arminian and Wesleyan traditions, argues that believers can choose to turn away from their faith and reject salvation.

They believe that individuals have free will and can ultimately forfeit their salvation if they consciously and willfully reject their relationship with God.

Those who hold such views will point to verses like Galatians 5:4, which reads, “For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.”

Eternal Security with Conditions: This position combines elements of the first two views.

It suggests that while believers cannot lose their salvation due to external circumstances or the actions of others, they can choose to turn away from God and renounce their faith, thus forfeiting their salvation.

The genuineness of our faith is crucial to consider.

1 John 2:19 reads, “These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.”

If we have truly accepted Christ, tasted the beautiful fruit of His redemption, and walked in the freedom He offers, what reason would we have to ever turn back?

If one slips away from the faith, it should be considered whether or not they ever truly accepted it in the first place.

How can we know if one has truly accepted the faith?

By the fruit their life produces.

1 John 2:3-4 reads, “We can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.”

A life truly committed to Christ will yield tangible and visual results that show clearly where their focus lies. If it’s with Jesus, they will do the things Jesus has asked them to do, plain and simple.

Sometimes, we fear that our mistakes will make us lose our salvation.

It’s important that we flee from such thoughts. We must accept that we are a work in progress, and not be concerned that the occasional slip-up will remove us from God’s grace.

Philippians 1:6 affirms this truth, saying, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

God is working in you and through you.

There is no one who has ever lived a perfect life except for Jesus.

God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, but rather following Christ with the sincerity of your heart. That’s what’s important.

No mistake you make can remove you from God’s grace as long as you are repentant and continually turn to Him.

When we do come to faith in Jesus, we must be careful to cling tightly to that faith.

2 Peter 2:20-21 teaches, “And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.”

If we genuinely do know Christ, and somehow still turn away, we have no one but ourselves to blame for the judgment that is to come.

It's important to note that the different views on this subject stem from interpretations of biblical passages and theological perspectives.

There is no consensus across all Christian denominations, and individuals may hold differing opinions within a single denomination.

Ultimately, this is a matter of personal belief and interpretation. But what we do know from the Scriptures is that we must have a genuine faith that produces fruit and we must cling tightly to that faith.

If we do, nothing can ever remove the salvation Christ has freely given us.

Related: How Do I Get Into Heaven?