Can a christian lose their salvation?

Question

Hebrew 6:4 - 6

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And 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.

by our own effort we can not attain salvation but through Christ, but we can LOSE salvation. even Judas was prphesiced as being called a friend of Jesus before the betrayal in Mark 14:10.

what's your thoughts on this

Prophesied*

Some very good answers

as for the "would God take back a gift" line... your using human reasoning and NOT scripture which is God' word.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the idea of "Once saved, always saved" is a common misconception today.

Holy Scripture is abundantly clear that salvation can, indeed, be lost.

2 Peter 3:17,18 ...beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.

James 5:19,20 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.

Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

2 Peter 2:20-22 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. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."

Colossians 1:22,23 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight -- if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

And, as you have quoted, (this is actually my favorite):

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Hebrews 10:26,27 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

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

Hello,

The majority of Christian churches say this Eternal Security is a false doctrine since it contradicts what Jesus taught.
The points have already been covered by a few of the people answering here.

That said, I wish it were so. I'd much rather live a life of fun and debauchery, even destroy trouble makers that got in my way and know I was saved and guaranteed heaven just the same... alas I believe I know better and will not take that chance. As for others who will, good luck!

Mike

Answer 4

Pretty clear in that passage that a Christian CAN lose salvation.

I think that this is part of the main theme of Hebrews. Consider these other passages in Hebrews:

Hebrews 2:1 "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation"

Hebrews 10:28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Hebrews 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven

Of course, it is not the Hebrew writer only that speaks about falling away. Consider Paul's concern for the Christians of Galatia:
Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.\

***

Started to put some more passages, I see Father K has put them below me (thanks)

One study I did about Christians losing salvation forced me to conclude that every single book in the New Testament warns about Christians falling away

Answer 5

IMO It's theoretically possible, having accepted Jesus,
to deliberately sin & refuse to repent & seek forgiveness.
Judas is a case in point; he sinned & committed suicide.
But perhaps a merciful G*D would see that as repentance.
Thankfully, we're not the ones to judge him.

Answer 6

In the old testament before Jesus Christ died for our sins, people could lose their salvation. It was not assured that once you were saved you were always saved. They were saved only by obeying the law. If they broke it, they had to atone for it. Offer sacrifice etc. Since Jesus however things have changed for us. We are saved by trusting in Jesus. These verses help show this.

* Psalm 37:28, "For The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever."

* John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out."

* John 6:39, "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day."

* John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."

* Romans 8:33-35, 38-39, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

* Philippians 1:6, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

* 2 Timothy 1:12, "For I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

* Hebrews 6:17-20, "In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

* 1 Peter 1:3-5, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

* 1 John 2:1, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

Answer 7

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior you agree to serve Him. Also you can say you both sign a contract and we know God will honour His part and it is just up to us to honour ours. If we stay faithful we will receive what was promised

Answer 8

It's a small door that enters heaven. You'll know you're on the true path because few walk it with you.

Answer 9

Nope. John 10:28"...neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand."

Once we belong to Him, we are His forever. :-)

EDIT: Do YOU take back a gift once you give it? God certainly doesn't!

God bless!

Answer 10

Hopefully. None of them deserve to be saved. Throw them off the lifeboats.