Can a Christian lose their salvation?

Question

For all OSAS believers out there. I believe that the OSAS doctrine stemmed from John Calvin's 5th point of Calvinism 'The Perseverance of the Saints'. However, I think this doctrine has many holes in it and I want clarification. Can a Christian lose their salvation? Give biblical references if you can.

Answer 1

Hello,

The majority of Christians believe that you can. Here is why:

Christ does say that I am the vine, you are the branches and you only get to the father by me. Also he says that he who believes in me will never die. Now from there he goes on repeatedly to say things like if you do not forgive your brother and even enemies, you will not be forgiven; he will ask you did you cloth me when I was naked, visit me in prison, welcome me as a stranger, visit me when I was sick, feed me when I was hungry and the list goes on to say that under duress if you deny his reality or existance he will deny you to God and, oh yes, do not forget about the sin against the Holy Spirit.

Now they say, if you are a con man or liar, the biggest risk you can take is to change your story. The way I see things, along with the majority of Christians is that there are built in requirements to achieve Jesus' promise for eternal life.
Saying praise Jesus; he is my savior and getting baptized is a first step but not all he requires. Living according to his teachings by trying to do good and avoiding sin, in other words, works is a big part of the equation.

I am not afraid to take the risk here and say that if this eternal security were true then it proves that Jesus himself is a paradox and perhaps the greatest con man and liar in history since he is totally contradicting himself. Those who believe in eternal security and teach it are doing a great job in illustrating the Paradox.

The concept of eternal security gives one a licence to sin with immunity and impunity; much like those mafia
movies where there is a church scene, baptism, communion and the gangsters step out for a smoke break and arrange an adulterous fling with the secretary, order a drug shipment and contract killing. Just lovely that they are still saved eh?

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer 2

The debate must not be if a Christian can lose their salvation. The Scritures and from Jesus own words is their an assurance that all you believe will have eternal life. The debate must be; can a Christian stop believing??? Everything is available if we believe! Mat. 18:15-17. Rebelation 3 of the church of Sardis. Exudus 32. Peter 3. These person believed at first, but falling in sin, they would not want to repent. Not believing do not produce good fruits.

Answer 3

Yes they can.

You are correct that this belief originated with John Calvin's 5th point. I agree its full of holes but that does not mean its a Holy Doctrine.

Why do all those warnings exist in the Bible if it can't happen?

Look up the word "blot".

Hebrews chapter six is another example of someone losing their salvation. As is the middle of Hebrews 10 and the end of Hebrews 12.

Calvinists rationize when someone falls away that the peson was never saved to start with and that's just a rationalization.

The two books which address this question better than any other was written by a Calvinist trying to earn his Ph.D. from Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville.

Read these books:

"Life in the Son" and "Elect in the Son" by Robert Shank.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Pastor Art

Answer 4

Yes, they can if they commit blasphemy of The Holy Spirit. {Speaking directly and disrespectfully against Him} . People always say "A Christian cannot commit it". How is this so if the Bible warns of a falling away of people who knew God in Hebrews. Jesus told believers to remain in Him. Doesn't that show the possibility of not remaining in Him? The good news is that all other sins can be forgiven. I wouldn't say that a Christian can lose their salvation. I would say they could forfeit it.

Answer 5

Jesus, being the definitive word in the matter, says in Matthew 24:13 "That he who has endured to the END is the one who will be saved." There is no half-time show. Paul & Timothy writing to the Philippians at 3:12-14 shows even they were not 'saved' yet. Only until they "finished the race" or the end of their lives would they have that prize.

Are people today claiming to be better or more worthy than Paul or Timothy? Certainly as leaders of the organization, they would know, would they not?

Israel was saved from bondage because of their being unfaithful to God. Latter they forgot their lessons so God tossed them out. They lost their salvation.

Answer 6

You can't loose your salvation it isn't possible Jesus died once for all sins. I believe that those who have by faith trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are eternally secure and can never lose their salvation. We further believe it is the privilege of all believers to be assured of their salvation; that this assurance rests not in themselves, but in the promises of God; that the Scriptures teach that such as are truly regenerate, being born of the Spirit, will not utterly fall away and finally perish, but are kept by the power of God unto the day of salvation. We also believe that the doctrine of eternal security should lead to a life of love, gratitude and obedience to God. John 6:39; 10:27-29; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:3-5; I John 2:19; Romans 11:29. I hope this helps

Answer 7

Revelation 3:5
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Hebrews 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Answer 8

This one is one of my favorite things to discuss with others that believe the once saved, always saved.
That is a false doctrine. HUGELY SO, another lie of the devil.
WE only need to Bible to show us all the reasons that it is false. But I will touch on this one. The Bible talks more about hell than heaven, and God tells us to Hold onto the prize, SALVATION, of which we have been given, and tells us to hold on so we dont lost that precious prie.
So why would God tell us to hold on and not lose it, it it is not possible to be lost? Just that right there shows that once saved always saved is a false doctrine. another lie of the devil, like the original lie, YOU WONT SURELY DIE.
God doesnt sit in Heaven eager to toss us out when we make a mistake. BUt, a person can toss themselves out by refusing to hear and obey the full word of God, living as Jesus lived, speaking as He spoke, without fear or compromise.
We are to live a life or purity and holiness right here on this earth, preparing here to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.
JEsus put His seed into His ppl, and because of His shed blood on the cross, we have been given the Holy Spirit, to show us and empower us with just how we are to live and think and act. IT is not Gods fault, if a person says they are Christian, and yet wont follow. We are to purseu Jesus, meanings going after Him with all our heart and mind.
Grace will not cover deliberate sins. 1 John 3:9 says those born of God cannot sin. They cant , becasue they arent still living in the old sin nature, they are living in the nature and mind of Christ, and thru the power of the Holy Spirit that gives us all, all we need to overcome sin.
God requires obedience. ITs not just a suggestion.
When we live holy and pure here and now, we will receive Heaven, and there will be even greater for so many reasons, and also because in Heaven, there will be no wicked ppl there, no phony Christians, doing all they do now to make life miserable for everyone else.
Having the mind of Christ and becoming a new creation because of Jesus, is reqiuired. thats why right now in these last days as more of the Mysteries of the Bible are being revealed, MORE are coming to all of these truths, thru the direction of the Holy Spirit.
So yes we can lose out salvation if we dont fully abide in Christ. Read Psalm 91. God bless you for your question.

Answer 9

It is impossible to lose salvation (1 John 5).

Answer 10

Christians can lose salvation, but Calvinists can't, because anyone who believes that God creates people to send them to hell is not going anywhere near Him.
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