Is it possible to lose salvation?

[Ronald Nolette]

Or I could read John 1, John 3, John 4, John 5 John 6. and see that everyone must make a choice. to receive the lord in faith. or to reject him

Or you can keep those passages in their proper grammatic construct and realize they say nothing about free will or predestination but are simple facts. That means Jesus said that whoever does A then B follows. they say nothing about how one does A which is accept Christ.

But according to your position, Jesus can choose someone to be saved, but if they don't want to be, then their will is supreme over Gods' Will.

 

[pandaflower]

1 Corinthians 2 is helpful here.

The natural mind doesn't seem God.

Which is why God calls us. God hardened all. And frees whom he elects.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

They introduced all sorts of UNBIBLICAL doctrines like Sola Scriptuira, Unconditional Election, Eternal Security, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, etc. NONE of these things had been taught by Scripture or the Church for 15 centuries.

Sorry but they are clearly taught by Scripturres and were the foundation otaught by Jesus and the Apostles until Consantine sowed the seeds for the massive corruption which turned in to Romanism.

 

[Angelina]

Jesus had a lot to say about and this taught that the path to eternal life is narrow and that few find it. In Matthew 7:13-14, He said;

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."​

This shows that salvation is not guaranteed for everyone, and only those who stay faithful and follow His teachings will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.


Jesus also warned that some would hear the word and believe for a while, but eventually fall away. In the Parable of the Sower, He explained;

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." (Matthew 13:20-21).​

This illustrates that some will start their walk with God but will not persevere when faced with trials or temptations.

In John 15:6, Jesus made it even clearer, saying;

"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."​

Here, Jesus compares Himself to a vine and believers as branches. A branch must remain connected to the vine to stay alive and bear fruit. If a person disconnects from Christ through disobedience or unbelief, they wither spiritually and face eternal judgment.


The original apostles also confirmed this truth. Peter warned in 2 Peter 2:20-21;

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them."​

This shows that a person who was once saved and returns to sin is in a worse condition than before they knew the truth.​

James also affirmed this truth when he said;

"Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins."​

(James 5:19-20).​

This verse reveals that a believer can wander away from the truth and face spiritual death unless they repent and return to God.

The Bible does provide examples of those who lost their salvation. Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus, yet he betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus Himself said about Judas;

"It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." (Matthew 26:24).​

This shows that Judas was once in the faith but fell away and was lost.

Another example is Balaam, a prophet who once heard from God but later led Israel into sin for personal gain. Peter referred to him, saying,

"They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor." (2 Peter 2:15). King Saul is yet another example; he was chosen and anointed by God but later disobeyed and rebelled, and the Spirit of God departed from him (1 Samuel 16:14)​

Jesus' words make it clear that salvation is not a one-time event but requires endurance and faithfulness until the end. As He said in Matthew 24:13, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Therefore, those who abide in Christ, obey His commandments, and remain faithful will receive eternal life. However, those who turn away from Him and return to sin risk losing their salvation and facing eternal separation from God: "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."Rev 14:12

Blessings.

The possibility of losing your salvation is based on turning around from your worldliness and toward the Lord. Salvation is real and when you received Jesus as your personal Lord and savior, this took place along with the promise of the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. The question should be, "Can you ignore the Holy Spirit while still living a worldly life and rejecting his promptings in your heart?" The answer, I believe, will be clear when you meet your maker. The Holy Spirit will not reject you as a new believer but God's word says he will not strive with man forever (Gen 6:3), so I think there is a time when he will acknowledge that a particular person is no longer listening to him and therefore, he will meet his maker in that condition. No longer listening and doing his own thing. What does the bible teach us about those consequences? Jm2c

 

[LoveYeshua]

The possibility of losing your salvation is based on turning around from your worldliness and toward the Lord. Salvation is real and when you received Jesus as your personal Lord and savior, this took place along with the promise of the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. The question should be, "Can you ignore the Holy Spirit while still living a worldly life and rejecting his promptings in your heart?" The answer, I believe, will be clear when you meet your maker. The Holy Spirit will not reject you as a new believer but God's word says he will not strive with man forever (Gen 6:3), so I think there is a time when he will acknowledge that a particular person is no longer listening to him and therefore, he will meet his maker in that condition. No longer listening and doing his own thing. What does the bible teach us about those consequences? Jm2c

Angelina, Thank you for your post. To answer the first question, the answer is no, you cannot ignore the Spirit who warns you when you are about to sin, because the Spirit was given to guide us into all truth and to keep us close to Christ (John 16:13). If a person refuses to listen, the danger is not that the Spirit fails, but that the person hardens his heart and turns away from the truth. Jesus spoke plainly about this when He said, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away” (John 15:2), and again, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6). To abide in Christ means to remain in Him, to walk with Him, and to bear the fruit of obedience, love, and faith. If a person chooses to turn back to a worldly life, ignoring the Spirit’s warnings, then he is no longer abiding in Christ, and the Father will cut off that branch. The Lord also gave a warning in Matthew 7:21–23, where He said that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. This shows that saying we believe is not enough if our lives reject His leading. The consequence of turning away from the truth is separation from Christ, and without Him there is no life, only judgment. But the good news is that as long as we are willing to listen, repent, and return, He is merciful to forgive and restore us, for He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance (John 15:4; Matthew 11:28; Ezekiel 18:32).

René P.

 

[Angelina]

As long as there is life in your body, brother @LoveYeshua, there is hope and hope in God does not disappoint.

 

[Behold]

But according to your position, Jesus can choose someone to be saved, but if they don't want to be, then their will is supreme over Gods' Will.

And according to your position, if Jesus chooses someone, then He has no power to keep them, and they can "lose their salvation".

Ridiculous.

Salvation is an OFFER......and all who will believe, will be saved. And they are Kept Saved, exactly as they became Saved......by GOD.
"God is FAITHFUL to complete our salvation".

 

[mailmandan]

YOUR teaching????

Scripture says that the church is the pillar and foundation of truth. Are YOU the church?

That was in response to your comment - "The teaching you are repeating has only been taught for 500 years."

I am part of the church, which literally means "called out ones". This refers to God's redeemed people, the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18,24) and not a church building with the name Roman Catholic engraved on the front of it.

 

[BreadOfLife]

Sorry but they are clearly taught by Scripturres and were the foundation otaught by Jesus and the Apostles until Consantine sowed the seeds for the massive corruption which turned in to Romanism.

First of all - NONE of those false doctrines are taught in Scripture.
Secondly there's NO such thing as "Romanism" . . .

Now, I'll make it easy for you. Just show me where Sola Scriptura is taught in Scripture.

I'll wait right here for your well-researched answer . . .

 

[pandaflower]

First of all - NONE of those false doctrines are taught in Scripture.
Secondly there's NO such thing as "Romanism" . . .

Now, I'll make it easy for you. Just show me where Sola Scriptura is taught in Scripture.

I'll wait right here for your well-researched answer . . .

You'd never budge from your RCC programming. And you know it.

The 5 Solas the Council of Trent declared Anathema insure no Roman Catholic will ever know the truth of God in Christ.


So,wait right there. Insecure in your sense of what it means to be a "good" Catholic.

 

[BreadOfLife]

You'd never budge from your RCC programming. And you know it.

The 5 Solas the Council of Trent declared Anathema insure no Roman Catholic will ever know the truth of God in Christ.

So,wait right there. Insecure in your sense of what it means to be a "good" Catholic.

In other words, you don't have ANY Scriptural support for the false Protestant invention of Sola Scriptura.

That's what I thought . . .

 

[ElieG12]

Paul said:

1 Cor. 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

If he's talking about a prize that can be achieved, or not, then the future eternal life of Christians is not something that cannot be lost or even achieved, depending on many factors.

The Bible speaks of a day of judgment for all humanity, and even if a person considers themselves secure, that doesn't guarantee that they've achieved a state where no matter what they do, they won't be destroyed by God (Matt. 7:21-23).

As seen in the previous passage from Paul to the Corinthians, he himself says that he continually struggled to avoid being disapproved in the end. If he didn't consider his future salvation assured unless he continued to strive, why do some people deceive themselves into thinking differently about themselves?

As seen: anyone can be "disqualified for the prize", so "salvation" in the future can be lost.

 

[pandaflower]

In other words, you don't have ANY Scriptural support for the false Protestant invention of Sola Scriptura.

That's what I thought . . .

You accuse and then answer your own accusation. That's weird

Mark 7:13 talks about your tradition.

Meanwhile there are plenty of scripture supporting scripture as enough to sustain the believer.

Matthew 4:4 is just one.

You're angry at people who are eternally secure in Christ.

That's sad.

 

[BreadOfLife]

You accuse and then answer your own accusation. That's weird

Mark 7:13 talks about your tradition.

Meanwhile there are plenty of scripture supporting scripture as enough to sustain the believer.

Matthew 4:4 is just one.

You're angry at people who are eternally secure in Christ.

That's sad.

This says absolutely NOTHING about the false Protestant invention of Sola Scriptura – that Scripture alone is our SOLE Authority.

Meanwhile, Matt. 16:18-19 and Matt. 18:15-18 say that whatever the CHUCH binds or looses on earth is bound and loosed in Heaven.

Luke 10:16 says that whoever listens to or rejects the CHURCH listens to and rejects Jesus and the One who sent Him.

Jesus is Truth itself (John 14:6).
- The Church is the Pillar and Foundation of Truth (1 Tim. 3:15).
- Jesus promised His Church that the Holy Spirit would guide her to ALL Truth (John 16:12-15).
- The Church is the FULLNESS of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23).
- Jesus identifies His very SELF with His Church (Acts 9:4-5).

Finally – had you bothered to read Mark 7:13 in CONTEXT – you would know that this has absolutely nothing to do with Sacred Tradition.

Jesus was chiding the Pharisees and THEIR traditions like the washing of Cops, pitchers and kettles (v.4) and pacing those rules above the Word of God.

Learn to read the Scriptures in their proper context . . .

 

[pandaflower]

This says absolutely NOTHING about the false Protestant invention of Sola Scriptura – that Scripture alone is our SOLE Authority.

Meanwhile, Matt. 16:18-19 and Matt. 18:15-18 say that whatever the CHUCH binds or looses on earth is bound and loosed in Heaven.

Luke 10:16 says that whoever listens to or rejects the CHURCH listens to and rejects Jesus and the One who sent Him.

Jesus is Truth itself (John 14:6).
- The Church is the Pillar and Foundation of Truth (1 Tim. 3:15).
- Jesus promised His Church that the Holy Spirit would guide her to ALL Truth (John 16:12-15).
- The Church is the FULLNESS of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23).
- Jesus identifies His very SELF with His Church (Acts 9:4-5).

Finally – had you bothered to read Mark 7:13 in CONTEXT – you would know that this has absolutely nothing to do with Sacred Tradition.

Jesus was chiding the Pharisees and THEIR traditions like the washing of Cops, pitchers and kettles (v.4) and pacing those rules above the Word of God.

Learn to read the Scriptures in their proper context . . .

You're fun.

 

[Wynona]

Oh so you also think salovation can be lost.

wow the cross has no power for you also.

John 15 is about bearing fruit. not about gaining salvation.

context would help you greatly

1 Cor 3: 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

So the cross has the power to save and no one can lose that salvation...unless you believe that you can lose your salvation, then the cross has no power for you?

Ive never understood this type of argument (violation of TOS forum rules aside).

If you can't lose your salvation, it shouldn't matter if some believers believe they can. They should still be saved.

I started at some point believing somewhat that you can never lose salvation. I no longer believe that. If Im still saved, then so are the others who believe you can lose your salvation. If Im no longer saved, than its possible to lose your salvation. Was I never saved in the first place? That opens up more questions.

I don't wish to throw gasoline on an already heated topic. I just wish there was more benefit of the doubt given to those who differ from you on salvation.

I don't get why so often the response is ," well you just aren't a Christian."

Also, if someone is decieved in a doctrine, why not be sympathetic and patient? Im not just picking on you @Eternally Grateful , I have these questions in general.

 

[Wynona]

Just speaking one member to others, let's try to leave uncharitable accusations off the table. Let's bridle our tongues and remember that we all want to please the same Lord.

 

[Taken]

Is it possible to lose salvation?

Yes…Because you failed to Reach out and TAKE the Gift of Salvation which WAS:
Bought For you,
Paid For you,
and
Offered for you To Reach out and TAKE.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[pandaflower]

So the cross has the power to save and no one can lose that salvation...unless you believe that you can lose your salvation, then the cross has no power for you?

Ive never understood this type of argument (violation of TOS forum rules aside).

@Eternally Grateful doesn't espouse that.

False teachers here who insist we choose to save ourselves and conversely can also choose to lose salvation do.

If that's against the rules, there are many rule breakers still at it.

If you can't lose your salvation, it shouldn't matter if some believers believe they can. They should still be saved.

If they were they wouldn't feel insecure thinking it can be lost.

I started at some point believing somewhat that you can never lose salvation. I no longer believe that.

That's a shame. Jesus never died for,maybe.

If Im still saved, then so are the others who believe you can lose your salvation. If Im no longer saved, than its possible to lose your salvation. Was I never saved in the first place? That opens up more questions.

I don't wish to throw gasoline on an already heated topic. I just wish there was more benefit of the doubt given to those who differ from you on salvation.

Here's the thing about that liberal ideology.

Jesus never said it. Eternal Salvation. Eternally irrevocably saved by God and his grace.

No Christian should be amenable to that ideology that insists God didn't mean what he taught and died to guarantee forever.

If God can save us,he can keep us . When he knew us before he created the world,he knew who were his before we existed.

Hubris and human worldly passion thinks we can undo what God predestined?

That's not just blasphemy. That's stupidity. And wilful denial of scripture that teaches just the opposite .

Tolerance for those who think human ego can undo God's will?
Heaven forbid!

I don't get why so often the response is ," well you just aren't a Christian."

Because they aren't .

Also, if someone is decieved in a doctrine, why not be sympathetic and patient? Im not just picking on you @Eternally Grateful , I have these questions in general.

You're not just picking on...

Error is one thing. Insisting on reiterating it after it is proven false and umbilical is quite another.

All that need be done is to think of what happens when a sinner repents and is reborn in Christ. All of it.

And then ask,where in Scripture does Jesus detail all that will be lifted,eradicated and reversed,if the redeemed choose it?

And if they later realize their mistake? God works all over again? Reapplies his seal,etc?

 

[Wynona]

And then ask,where in Scripture does Jesus detail all that will be lifted,eradicated and reversed,if the redeemed choose it?

I'll let those more invested in the debate answer that one. Ive never had any fruitful conversation come from debating OSAS.

Accusing people of not being Christians is against the terms of service here. Anyone doing that regardless of the reason could be reported at anytime. I don't have much interest in reporting people. Im more annoyed because it's uncharitable and leads to good threads being shut down.

If a doctrine is true, it shouldnt need personal attacks to defend it.