Can Salvation be lost?

[Prov910]

I was listening to a sermon on the car radio a few days ago. The minister said (I'm paraphrasing), that there are no behaviors or acts on our part that can earn salvation. Salvation comes through the grace of God. (I don't have an issue with this; it's not the subject of this thread.)

But then the minister went on to say (paraphrasing again) that there are no behaviors or acts on our part that can cause us to lose salvation once we've been saved. Is this right? I'm a bit skeptical of this. It seems to me that being saved in Christ doesn't magically grant us carte blanche to engage in any sort of sinful behavior that temptation sends our way. Or does it?

Can Salvation be lost?

 

[oldhermit]

"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled," Heb 12:15

"You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." Gal. 5:4

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Heb. 10:26-31

 

[MarcR]

When you disobey your parents they don't usually disown you. God's Salvation is even stronger than a parent's love.

That is not Carte blanche in any way. When we are disobedient we receive God's chastening & it is not pleasant.

But His chastening is not punishment for wrongdoing it is God's way of persuading us to do right.

Ro 8:37-39
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
KJV

Heb 13:5-6
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
KJV


Jn 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
KJV

1 Jn 5:13
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
KJV

1John 5:13 clearly states that those who have Salvation have eternal life already.

If eternal life could be lost it would not have been eternal when you had it.

 

[trofimus]

I was listening to a sermon on the car radio a few days ago. The minister said (I'm paraphrasing), that there are no behaviors or acts on our part that can earn salvation. Salvation comes through the grace of God. (I don't have an issue with this; it's not the subject of this thread.)

But then the minister went on to say (paraphrasing again) that there are no behaviors or acts on our part that can cause us to lose salvation once we've been saved. Is this right? I'm a bit skeptical of this. It seems to me that being saved in Christ doesn't magically grant us carte blanche to engage in any sort of sinful behavior that temptation sends our way. Or does it?

Can Salvation be lost?

No, salvation cannot be lost.

But not every faith leads to salvation. Only active faith with life of repentance.

If somebody lives still in sin and has no desire whatsoever to be clean and like Jesus, he was never saved, in the first place.

 

[Blain]

Salvation is a gift that given freely but you have to make the decision to accept the gift. And like wise it is a gift that can be given back but only if you make the decision to do so.
Salvation cannot be lost but can be given back

 

[Zmouth]

Can Salvation be lost?

If faith comes by hearing, then a person that found it should already know the answer to that question, since without faith it is impossible to come to the knowledge of the truth. However, some don't like to retain God in their knowledge.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14

 

[notuptome]

Salvation is a gift that given freely but you have to make the decision to accept the gift. And like wise it is a gift that can be given back but only if you make the decision to do so.
Salvation cannot be lost but can be given back

Every time I read this statement I am stunned at how inane mans heart has become. I know you are just repeating what you have heard but really it is impossible for you to seal yourself by the Holy Spirit and it is impossible for you violate the seal God has placed upon you by the Holy Spirit.

You are no longer your own but you are bought with a price, you are now sealed by your Redeemer for His glory into the day of redemption.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[Innerfire89]

If we were on our own in perseverance then we would, but Christ is working in us and He does not fail.

 

[preacher4truth]

Salvation is a gift that given freely but you have to make the decision to accept the gift. And like wise it is a gift that can be given back but only if you make the decision to do so.
Salvation cannot be lost but can be given back

You have no clue what you're talking about with respect to the Gospel.

 

[Bogadile]

I hope not.

Ephesians 1:13ff makes it quite clear that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit once we believed the Gospel. Some have stated that we can unseal ourselves but I have not found any scripture on that, and until scripture is provided, I stick to my view that once God seals something man cannot "unseal" it.

By the way, who was this minister? He sounds very inconsistent. Usually you only got two choices, either God seals and you cannot unseal. Or it is you doing something to get sealed, and doing something to get unsealed.
This pastor is playing both sides it seems.

 

[PennEd]

Salvation is a gift that given freely but you have to make the decision to accept the gift. And like wise it is a gift that can be given back but only if you make the decision to do so.
Salvation cannot be lost but can be given back

Blain. I give you a bottle of wine as a free gift. You accept it and imbibe it and get the effects of the alcohol.

How are you going to give me back that gift you imbibed? Even if you vomited it up, youd still have the effects of consuming it.

So how are you going to give back the Holy Spirit, and His effect of eternal life? You have accepted Him.

 

[joefizz]

Salvation is a gift that given freely but you have to make the decision to accept the gift. And like wise it is a gift that can be given back but only if you make the decision to do so.
Salvation cannot be lost but can be given back

well blain actually there is no way to give back salvation after accepting it,you can blaspheme the holy spirit and die possibily but that doesn't give salvation back to God,you are correct that salvation is a gift but you can only reject it or accept it,unlike ordinary gifts it cannot be given back to God once received,anyways God bless you for your effort we all have much to learn still.

 

[Cee]

Consider the picture of baptism.

1) You die to the old man. (Dunked in water)
2) You live to the new man. (Pulled out of water)

If you "give back" your salvation, you're giving back your life.

There is no other life for you to live out of.

You're dead.

Galatians 2:19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If you TRULY believe this Scripture what life are you now returning to?

 

[joefizz]

Blain. I give you a bottle of wine as a free gift. You accept it and imbibe it and get the effects of the alcohol.

How are you going to give me back that gift you imbibed? Even if you vomited it up, youd still have the effects of consuming it.

So how are you going to give back the Holy Spirit, and His effect of eternal life? You have accepted Him.

not the greatest of analogies,maybe try explaining in a less graphic and more simple way,like say a person buys something for you in a store that's policy is "no refunds" well you could once offered the gift reject it or accept it,but once purchased for you because you accept it "you can't take the gift back",although salvation isn't the same as a normal gift but one can grasp the general idea without the need for graphicness.

 

[Nehemiah6]

But then the minister went on to say (paraphrasing again) that there are no behaviors or acts on our part that can cause us to lose salvation once we've been saved. Is this right? I'm a bit skeptical of this. It seems to me that being saved in Christ doesn't magically grant us carte blanche to engage in any sort of sinful behavior that temptation sends our way. Or does it?

You simply jumped to a conclusion instead of accepting what was said for what it meant. Was the preacher saying you have carte blanche to engage in sinful behavior, or was he simply saying that nothing you do will cause you to lose your salvation? There is a difference. Being saved means turning your back on sinful and godless behavior (Titus 2:11,12). But Christians can fall and sin, and must deal with sin in their lives (1 John 1 & 2). They are still children of God, and cannot be unborn (John 1:12,13).

 

[trofimus]

Somebody said "If you could loose salvation, you would."

 

[preacher4truth]

The golden chain of redemption cannot be broken; Romans 8:29-30ff.

That is one reason why it is called "Good news."

Anything that falls short of this is a false gospel.

 

[Blain]

Every time I read this statement I am stunned at how inane mans heart has become. I know you are just repeating what you have heard but really it is impossible for you to seal yourself by the Holy Spirit and it is impossible for you violate the seal God has placed upon you by the Holy Spirit.

You are no longer your own but you are bought with a price, you are now sealed by your Redeemer for His glory into the day of redemption.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Actually no this is not based on what I have heard it is based on how my understanding of salvation is, I apologize if my view upsets you but this is simply what I believe

 

[Deacon_D]

Paul lost Demus so I’d say yes.

 

[preacher4truth]

Paul lost Demus so I’d say yes.

I see church fathers speak of the fact Demas left off Paul as to not hazard his life for the Gospel, loving the temporary over eternal, or, it has been stated that he was not regenerate, which evidenced later in his life. I've yet to read any respectable authority that says he was once converted and then lost salvation.