As Josh Harris, Hillsong Writer Lose Faith, Pastor Answers: Can We Lose Our Salvation?

Before we delve into the theological debate, please watch this short clip that was just posted to help you better understand what might be happening and what you can do to safeguard your heart: youtu.be/CwE79Ev1MuY

A common question for many is, “Can I lose my salvation?” I’ve heard both sides of the argument, and only God truly knows a person’s heart, but I can share a few thoughts. The reason there is a debate is because the Scriptures teach that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned, but they also offer warnings about falling away. There should be a healthy tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. This issue should not create a spirit of division, elitism or theological superiority.

One school of thought suggests that salvation cannot be lost, as in losing your car keys, but that it can be left, as in walking away from it. This may be why Jesus spoke of the man who embraced a sinful lifestyle because his master delayed His return (see Matt. 24:48). When the master returned unexpectedly, the servant was banished because he chose to turn from what he knew to be right. However, he was called an “evil” servant. The context suggests two different hearts—faithful and faithless.

In another passage, Jesus said, “You have left your first love,” when speaking to the church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:4b, NKJV). James 5:19-20a (MEV) adds, “if any one of you strays from the truth and someone corrects him, let him know that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death” (but is it physical death caused by sin that he is saved from?)

If anything, these Scriptures, and many more, reinforce the fact that we have certain responsibilities. We should never turn from what we know to be right. Jesus encouraged His followers to be watchful, prepared and ready for His return. Are we watchful? Are we prepared? Are we ready? (Read Matt. 24:45-51, Luke 21:34.)

The other school of thought suggests that some of those passages are dealing with people who never fully surrendered to Christ. As a result, they fell away. They heard the gospel, but never fully embraced it and turned from their sins; they only had “intellectual” knowledge of salvation. According to this view, the real question isn’t, “Can a person lose their salvation?” but, “Was the person really saved to begin with?”

Titus 1:16 and James 2:14 both conclude that many people “say” that they know God, but deny Him by their lifestyle, or they fall away. First John 2:19 (NKJV) suggests that those who acknowledge Christ initially, but deny Him later, are not saved to begin with: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.”

When it comes to salvation, we all agree that God gets all the glory and all the credit. Salvation is His work. We are never outside of His sovereignty and control: “It is God who makes … us … stand firm in Christ” (2 Cor. 1:21, NIV). I am convinced, like Paul, “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39, MEV). Nothing can separate us from God, but we should never ignore the strong warnings about turning from Him.

When we believe the gospel and repent of our sin, we “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph. 1:13-14). These promises are not based on anything that we do; they are based on what Christ did. John 3:36a says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life.” Jesus adds, “I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand” (John 10:28). Again, “It is God (not us) who makes us stand firm in Christ.”

I believe salvation is guaranteed based on the assurances found in Scripture, but we also must “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (see Phil. 2:12b). My goal is to be faithful to the command to preach, witness and proclaim while understanding that God does the drawing, saving and sealing.

Again, I believe that there should be a healthy tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. This issue should not create a spirit of division, elitism or theological superiority. At the heart of the division is Calvinism vs. Arminianism. Sadly, brother is shooting brother and sister is wounding sister. Have we forgotten how to show grace to those in the body with whom we disagree? Those who believe you can lose your salvation should not chide those who believe in eternal security. “Once saved always saved” is by no means a license to sin; it’s a belief in God’s guarantee. But on the flip side, those who embrace eternal security should not mock those who disagree.

I can hear it now, “But what about Hebrews 6:4-6?” This passage says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to be renewed once more to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and subject Him to public shame.”

Based on my understanding of terms such as “enlightened,” “tasted,” and “shared,” they are not necessarily words linked to salvation. Judas Iscariot was enlightened—he knew a great deal. He also tasted and shared in the ministry of Christ, but we all know his fate. When he fell away, repentance was elusive. His fate was sealed. However, this verse should force all Christians to take inventory.

We all sin and fall short, but the important question to ask is what is the condition of your heart—have you truly repented and believed in Christ as your Lord and Savior, or are you trusting in false assurance? This may be why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 13:5a, “Examine yourselves seeing whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not know that Jesus Christ is in you”?

Our actions reveal a great deal about our relationship with Christ. A.W. Tozer said: “When people find that after being in the church for years they are not making much progress, they ought to examine themselves and wonder whether they have been truly converted.” Again, please watch this new short clip to better understand what may have happened to people who fall away: youtu.be/CwE79Ev1MuY.

The Big Question: Has your heart become so hard as to reject Jesus Christ? Are you doubting God and beginning to drift away? If so, you can change that today. I’m aware that I’m driving this point home, but I’d rather err on the side of speaking too much about a committed relationship with Jesus than too little. It’s never too late to get back on track: “‘Return to me, and I will return to you’, says the Lord” (Mal. 3:7b).

God is sovereign but man has a responsibility to repent and return. Full surrender is not an option; it’s the answer.