Can you lose your salvation?

Question

Is it possible to lose your salvation? And if so, what are your thoughts on this verse:

4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Can it be permanently tooken away?

Answer 1

I believe that once a person exercises saving faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is forever in the family of God. God never kicks anyone our of his forever family. A number of Scripture passages support this view. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:13 we are told that at the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit places us in the body of Christ. Once we are infused into the body of Christ, we are never excised from the body. In fact, Ephesians 1:12 and 4:30 indicate that at the moment of believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are permanently "sealed" by the Holy Spirit. At that point, we are God's everlasting property. That seal guarantees that we'll make it to heaven.
Moreover, we read in John 10:28-30 that it is the Father's purpose to keep us secure despite anything that might happen once we have trusted in Christ. Nothing can snatch us out of His hands. God's plans cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24). Further, Romans 8:29-30 portrays an unbroken chain that spans from the predestination of believers to their glorification in heaven.
Another fact we need to keep in mind is that Christ regularly prays for each Christian (Hewbews 7:25). With Jesus interceding for us, we are sucure. (His prayers are always answered!)
Of course, the fact that a believer is secure in his salvation does not mean he is free to sin. If the Christian sins and remains in that sin, Scripture says that God will discipline him or her just as a father disciplines his children (see Hebrews 12:7-11).
Source(s):
The Complete Book of Bible Answers by Ron Rhodes

Answer 2

After the reformation Jacob Arminius, a Dutch theologian who opposed the teaching of John Calvin, said salvation could be lost; the Calvinists insisted on the security of the believer. Arrminians hold that vss 4&5 mean the person was truly born again and has lost his salvation. Calvinists interpret these verses that the person was not actually born again, only on the VERGE of salvation. V4 states that if salvation were to be lost it would be impossible for that one to be born again, lose it and be born again AGAIN! Whatever view is taken about the state of an apostate prior to his apostacy, the outcome is virtually the same. Whoever openly and consciously rejects Jesus Christ is unregenerate even if he seemed to have been saved earlier. The Arminian would say he had lost his salvation; the Calvinist that he never had it, but the result is the same.

Answer 3

The apostles did "fall away" after Jesus was taken in the garden. I think we all fall away to varying degrees, due to temptation and doubt. I believe that you could even fall away to the point of being an atheist, yet still have a change of heart (repent) and come back, asking for His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9; If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In these verses, I think the key words are "renew them again unto repentance". The conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, and the conversion of a non-believer into a believer is a one time thing. Once we know that God is real by the power of the Spirit, there is no need for this to be renewed. His Spirit resides within them. If a person decides, as an act of His free will, to fully disregard this and not believe anymore, they will not experience that conviction to repent again.

Will that person lose His salvation? He says that He will never leave or forsake us. That what we do will be tested, but we ourselves will be saved, yet so as through fire. He also says that the branches that do not bear fruit are removed and thrown into the fire. There is another parable where the vine dresser ask the owner to hold off and allow Him to fertilize and prune it, to see if it will then bear fruit. So what are we to conclude?

God's grace and mercy are totally dependent on His will. If He let a generation of His chosen people die in the wilderness for their unbelief, would He not also do the same to us? What of those who get "saved" but continues to live sinful lives? There is still consequences for sin, and our God is all about righteousness and justice. He knows our hearts, if we are repentant and willing to be obedient, which is not hard to do if you love Him.

If we live our lives, loving God and others, abiding in Him, this is not an issue. Our salvation is assured. There is no condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus. It is about maintaining the relationship with Him, so that we know Him, and He knows us. Love is the answer, and through Christ we can do all things. I think we should be living our lives with this in mind, knowing that the possibility exists if we are not abiding in Him. Love of God and other people should be the most important thing in our lives, not the guilt and fear.

1 John 2:3-6
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Answer 4

No one can lose their salvation ,but one can forfeit their salvation.The scripture you quoted from Hebrew the 6th chapter deals with one who turns their back on God.
Also Rev 3:5, John 5:39, II Peter 2:21. God said He will never leave us of fosake us, but we have the choice to rebel. Once a person totally walks away from God He would have to die on the cress a second time. Ephesians 4:5 says their is one baptism. That does not mean water baptism but when one is born again they are baptized into Christ Jesus. I hope this helps

Answer 5

If you believe that salvation is a result of man's "prerogative" in choosing God, then quite obviously man's prerogative will surface again in the ability to reject God at a later point -- and find verses to support that viewpoint. However, if you come from a mindset of God being the one that does the choosing and the saving, then he certainly has the ability to keep his own in the palm of his hand. I find much more comfort in the latter argument, and I can read the verses you've listed at face value.

Answer 6

My apologies for not remembering the book or verses, but: "And the Lord spoke to me and said, 'For once you are in my hand by choice, I shall NEVER let you go, nor shall I cast you aside, Nor shall any persons or any thing be able to take you from my hand'. Salvation CANNOT be permanently removed, yet you can "sin" afresh and have a need to re-new your relationship as well as seek forgiveness as well as repentance from and to G-D once again!!! As for my thoughts on those verses: Why would you want to re-do to the Messiah what He already did for YOU once before? That, in my opinion is just wrong. No offense meant, just my opinion.

Answer 7

Yes if you do not repent..your sins are not forgiven.
Also, no one can gain their salvation in this life for 100% sure unless they have a personal visit from the Savior and I only know of 1 or 2 prophets that happened to...

Answer 8

no but you will give an account of your walk with the LORD the more faithful you are the better for we are followers of CHRIST also here on earth you are still in the game the only thing that actually comes to mind is the blasphemy against the holy spirit but don't worry about that one because if you had you would not be asking about the question you are i am a strong believer of once saved always saved but that is my opinion hope this helps GOD BLESS!!!!!

Answer 9

Depends what you mean.

It won't be taken away from you... but free will, if it really is free will, has to be meaningful. God gives men and women the ability to do anything, and that does include turning away from him.

The passage above is an exhortation on believers not to let one of their number go, and never to give up on them. This parallels Jesus' parable of the Good shepherd.

Answer 10

What he's saying is if you've experienced all of that and still fall away from God then nothing will keep you to God. That doesn't mean you'll lose your salvation. Jesus didn't say do t once if you don't get it right you're out.