Loss of salvation???

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,141
29,453
113
#41
I love that you have a heart for ple struggling with this issue, Magenta.

Besides that, there is another important detail concerning his living conditions that I believe he's only mentioned in one of his posts, and it definitely needs to be changed, with the help of the Lord.
Thank you Seoul... I saw that as well...
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,530
490
83
#42
This discussion has been going on on CC forever... Once saved, always saved. I have thought on it. And then. Define saved.

Here is my reasoning: Judas followed Christ and accepted him as Lord. He left everything behind to follow his master. That would be a good definition on saved, wouldn't it. But alas, we know what happened. His betrayal was predestined and he was damned. So I think we all can backslide and loose salvation. But we serve a God that is merciful and full of grace, and fortunately we can repent and be let into His grace again. But once saved, always saved is too easy. Salvation comes with a commitment and has to be followed up with actions and proven by the fruit.

I am not a theologian, and I know greater minds than mine have come to a different conclusion.
it is not once saved always saved. it is to me Once saved by God, always saved by God (Phil 1:6)

here is what I get about Judas, who killed himself in repentance as we see he did from scripture. He therefore repented between God and himself as not worthy. Would not give homage to Evil. So, Satan put him in Spirit prison, having the keys to Hades and Heaven then, not now anymore, is defeated in the risen Son not the dead one.. That Jesus took away on his resurrection from death to life.
Judas was there in Spirit Prison, as a witness to Jesus as the Messiah.
They believed and when Jesus was risen the graves for all opened up as in Matthew


Matthew 27:52

King James Version

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

Amazing mysteries of God. And God also saved Peter, who denied God three times as said he would do that.
God loves us all y'all time to believe God and stand in a to learn new from error of daily mistakes (iniquities). trust to agree with God as what is not good for you to do anymore, and you will leave whatever has got you in bondage.
Beleive, receive and see new in God for you. Stop going to others in flesh and blood, that are not perfect either, thank you
God in truth still speaks to us in our Souls y'all Sit still, listen and hear truth over error, we all know truth over error and decide according to our wants and needs
Unfortunately, physical leads in the first birth of flesh nature. Once born new by God the tis not a concern anymore
Thanks.
 

Burn1986

Active member
Mar 4, 2024
918
212
43
#43
I don't want to discuss this poster's business, because I don't know him and it's certainly not my place.

But if anyone has the chance, I would encourage them to read this person's other posts. He's in a state of great distress, and is in the middle of very unhealthy choices he's asking God for help with, but can't seem to pull himself away from either.

After reading his posts, I can see why he's asking this.

I believe he sees himself in a backslidden state (his posts explain why,) and he is wondering if he is still saved.

Any thoughts from others who have also read his posts? I'd be very interested in the answers, as I seem to run into a lot of people in similar circumstances.
That’s a good point. Thanks for clarification
 

Chaps

Active member
Apr 3, 2024
307
114
43
California
#45
There is new life offered in the risen Christ, the death had to take away all sin first (John 1:29) it is now finished (John 19:30) for new life to begin in us the kids. by belief to Christ as risen for us. Then the new life begins and the Old waxes away over time in not quitting trust to God,
Eph 1:6.7.13, Phil 1:6
sealed by God to see truth over error
One in belief, leaves sin in the dirt, seeing truth of God for them. One then, leaves the errors of this world happening from religion behind them. Ever since the original temple was sacked, not one stone left upon another in AD 70. Evil has taken up the cross to get others under them to lead them. When The risen Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.
Thanksgiving and praise to God over Son taking all sin away for us as far as the east is from the west. For us to finalize it as reconciled forgiven by God through Son to now be born new by God in risen Son, thank you
All of this is true, for those who are in the faith. But if you walk away from the faith and walk away from the Son, you walk away from His cleansing and grace. There is a reason Paul uses phrases like “fallen from grace.” This clearly means that someone has grace and they fall away from it because they turn away from grace to something else. It is not a lack of God’s power or cleansing that causes a person to fall away. It is a person’s rejection of the truth and the grace that bought them. I do not believe the Bible teaches that someone who becomes a Christian loses volition and the ability of choice. Consider the following verses…

Hebrews 2:1–4 (ESV): Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The point being made here is that if Israelites rejected the Law given by angels and were judged accordingly, how much more if someone walks or “drifts” away from the message from God’s Son? Having the Law did not save Israel. They had accept the Law as truth from God. If a person drifts away and decides the Gospel is not true and rejects the Son, how will a person escape? This is not written to unbelievers, but to believers who are in danger of “drifting.” A person cannot drift away from something they have not embraced.
 

Chaps

Active member
Apr 3, 2024
307
114
43
California
#46
I agree. Jesus will never cast us out. However, the verses I quoted refer to believers walking away from the truth they have received. I think that is a different concept altogether.
 

wattie

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2009
3,236
1,130
113
New Zealand
#47
Can a once truly saved believer backslide too much and lose the gift of salvation? If so do they need to repent and ask for forgiveness through Christ again? Thoughts are welcome and scripture too!
Jesus forgives all sin for those who believe in Him.

He is God! He claimed equality with the Father while on earth.

He could forgive people of sin He had not met who hadn't personally directly offended Him.

He has power over sin to cleanse it.

John 5:24 and 6:40 show eternal salvation cannot be undone. Among many other verses.

Hebrews 6 is not about loss of eternal life. 'Fall away' in this passage, is about not going on to maturity in the faith. It's someone going back to OT sacrifice of bulls and goats when they are under the NT covenant...not the OT.

Hebrews 5 is about Hebrew believers going on to maturity...Hebrews 6 is a continuation of this.

Hebrew believers were sacrificing bulls and ghosts before the knew Jesus. They started going back to this practice.

It didn't undo their salvation but grieved Jesus. They opened themselves up to His firey discipline, that would convict them to leave their old ways behind.

Hebrews 10:26 is about this. The 'no longer a sacrifice for sins ' is the sacrifice of sheep, bulls and goats.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,141
29,453
113
#48
AA has helped millions upon millions of people worldwide overcome their
addiction to alcohol (among other things) and turn their lives around...


I am one of them. Surely I would be dead by now had God not delivered me of my drug and alcohol addictions.

Perhaps you have read some of my testimony on this topic in my Scripture Art thread?

I also just found this thread again:

(1) AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) is Satanic!! - Christian Chat Rooms & Forums

That anyone could call a program "Satanic" that helps people develop and maintain
a personal relationship with God is very very very very very short-sighted.


God is central to the 12 step program, and the steps are solidly based on Biblical principles.
 

Karlon

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2023
2,603
1,173
113
#49
AA has helped millions upon millions of people worldwide overcome their
addiction to alcohol (among other things) and turn their lives around...


I am one of them. Surely I would be dead by now had God not delivered me of my drug and alcohol addictions.

Perhaps you have read some of my testimony on this topic in my Scripture Art thread?

I also just found this thread again:

(1) AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) is Satanic!! - Christian Chat Rooms & Forums

That anyone could call a program "Satanic" that helps people develop and maintain
a personal relationship with God is very very very very very short-sighted.


God is central to the 12 step program, and the steps are solidly based on Biblical principles.
wow! i din't know Magenta. i took it in a different way as in a clean joke. sorry. with the help of Jesus, you are a success. glad to hear you overcame. my father, brothers & myself were able to drink massive amounts of alcohol & i mean 30 to 40 drinks in 3 to 4 hours & nothing would happen. a former g.f. said to me once, "how do you drink so much"? i just said, "i concentrate when people are talking to me & pay attention well." by course, there are other reasons for different people. the good news is i didn't do that for a very long time, about 7 years & that ended 20 years ago. the weird thing is it didn't mean anything to me. i never felt like "i have to have a drink". & i never had the urge to drink. it was just something i did. blessings to you.
 

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,559
656
113
#50
The fallen away(christians) WILL go into the tribulation to be judged by God for apostasizing. That's what the tribulation is for.
And, NOOO... I don't want to hear the lie that the tribulation is for apostasizing sinners who were never saved to begin with. Sinners can't apostasize.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,774
113
#51
Can a once truly saved believer backslide too much and lose the gift of salvation?
The short answer is "No". God does have ways of dealing with His children. But at the Judgement Seat of Christ (this judgment is for believers only) there will be a loss of rewards. Salvation includes the FREE GIFT of eternal life, which is purely by the grace of God and through the finished work of Christ (which includes a lot more than the gift of eternal life).
 
Jun 1, 2024
18
9
3
#52
I am not a theologian, and I know greater minds than mine have come to a different conclusion.
That may be so, but I think I know a few scriptures that can back up your claim.


Judas followed Christ and accepted him as Lord. He left everything behind to follow his master.
KJV Matthew 19:27
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

That would be a good definition on saved, wouldn't it. But alas, we know what happened. His betrayal was predestined
KJV Matthew 17:22-23
[22]And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
[23]And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

and he was damned.
KJV Mark 14:21
The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.



So I think we all can backslide and loose salvation. But we serve a God that is merciful and full of grace,
Do I even need to use scriptures about mercy and grace?



and fortunately we can repent and be let into His grace again. But once saved, always saved is too easy. Salvation comes with a commitment

KJV Acts 2:38
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.



and has to be followed up with actions and proven by the fruit.
KJV Matthew 7:15-20
[15]Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
[16]Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
[17]Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
[18]A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
[19]Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[20]Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.


I'm just saying. Depending on the person's definition of "saved", being saved might not be as simple as most people might think. Especially when you read Christ's response to the Seven Churches at the beginning of Revelations.
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,927
1,272
113
#53
Paul's gospel is different from jesus's you give the wrong advice.

some people say it is the same but read the fine print it is not!
we disagree on this, but i thank you for speaking to me about it.
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
5,942
1,872
113
#54
Can a once truly saved believer backslide too much and lose the gift of salvation? If so do they need to repent and ask for forgiveness through Christ again? Thoughts are welcome and scripture too!
Can a person earn salvation? If they can, then they certainly can lose salvation.

But if the answer is no. How can they fall back so far that they lose something they could never earn to begin with?
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
5,942
1,872
113
#55
Paul's gospel is different from jesus's you give the wrong advice.

some people say it is the same but read the fine print it is not!
So paul taught a different gospel? The paul would have condemned himself. and by the way, How is Paul in scripture if he taught a different gospel?
 

HealthAndHappiness

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2022
10,280
4,329
113
Almost Heaven West Virginia
#56
Can a once truly saved believer backslide too much and lose the gift of salvation? If so do they need to repent and ask for forgiveness through Christ again? Thoughts are welcome and scripture too!
When you sin, you lose the joy of salvation according David and any believers who have been saved a month. However, if you received the gift of everlasting life at some point, how do lose it? You don't if it was everlasting. You didn't get put on probation based on behavior as most pastors will tell you in different terms. There's a whole book addressing this called Galatians. It talks about a different gospel, one who's object of faith is you. That's a fake gospel. If your faith is based upon "turning from your sins" for salvation, that's a mod3rn way of saying obedience to the law. You already blew that as did the preachers who told you to do that.

However, after salvation we continue to confess sins and turn from them to regain and remain in fellowship with the Lord, NOT to regain the gift of everlasting life.
You get the gift by faith in the Savior, not by faith in your obedience plus the Savior, as if He didn't do it all for you.

I wasn't a perfect child, believe it or not. When I broke the rules, my Dad punished me, but he didn't disown me or throw me into the coal furnace. I needed to own up to my wrongdoing (confessions) and apologize.
With the Father in heaven it's similar except that He forgives us on the basis of the only begotten Son Who was punished in our place. Watch the following video. It's short and explains this better.

Saved person who sins

I recommend that you pray with the classroom at the end.
Have a great day!
📖🙂👍
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,530
490
83
#57
All of this is true, for those who are in the faith. But if you walk away from the faith and walk away from the Son, you walk away from His cleansing and grace. There is a reason Paul uses phrases like “fallen from grace.” This clearly means that someone has grace and they fall away from it because they turn away from grace to something else. It is not a lack of God’s power or cleansing that causes a person to fall away. It is a person’s rejection of the truth and the grace that bought them. I do not believe the Bible teaches that someone who becomes a Christian loses volition and the ability of choice. Consider the following verses…

Hebrews 2:1–4 (ESV): Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The point being made here is that if Israelites rejected the Law given by angels and were judged accordingly, how much more if someone walks or “drifts” away from the message from God’s Son? Having the Law did not save Israel. They had accept the Law as truth from God. If a person drifts away and decides the Gospel is not true and rejects the Son, how will a person escape? This is not written to unbelievers, but to believers who are in danger of “drifting.” A person cannot drift away from something they have not embraced.
Thank you for this excerpt. I get it, that a person, any person could change their mind after belief to God in reality is really for them for their best interests. (Jeremiah 29:11) Which is not necessarily (Usually not) what one might think one needs and or wants, which usually turns into needs. And a gigantic mess that it usually becomes harmful to people here on earth. reacting to their troubles

I do not see how, anyone could fall away from belief (not Fathomable to me) to trusting God the only one good according to Jesus. I see the lure(s) been through them as many others have as well.
Was an Alcoholic, a partier, a woman chaser, a person of my own best interests, each day, without any compassion of care, yet it was there in me growing up. I did care, yet it seemed only when it was about me.
Not seeing I needed new life, I was alive and wanted to be noticed, so I did whatever I could to be noticed, loved and forgiven by others.

I was

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

King James Version

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

I was so religious I stunk. And at the same time I was caught up in sin, hiding it within me, afraid to reveal it , because if others saw my thought(s), whether did them or not, I would be put out and not loved or forgiven (even though God by Son has). Under Law, for even if a person looks at a person with lust in his eye, one needs to gouge that eye out, it is better for a part of the person to enter Heaven, than all of that person to enter Hell. If thy hand sin, cut it off, again it is better for part of you enter Heaven, than all of you enter Hell. Under Law to enter Heaven one would have to become a Torso to enter. that does not wrk does it?

That is the Under Law perfection needed to never sin or else you go to hell. As God is not an escape goat for anyone to use being forgiven (reconciled) to get away with harm to anyone over their needs, they think they need. Which this world promotes, oh go ahead, you are forgiven right?
So, we the people do it and hide it, to get away with it, being selfish to self needs here on earth. That being the only reward one will ever get. According to God, speaking through Son when was here on earth in the flesh for us to save us in his resurrected life to us.
We all at frist birth are born as dead to God y'all in need of life, which is in the risen Christ given yto us bty Father, once see it sand in it, how can anyone ever walk away?

Then I saw

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

King James Version

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

I failed from that first verse, and all others also "I" failed, "I" could not do that, "I" could then couldn't, because of pride that continued to get in my way. Guilt and pride were my leaders, over suffering and shame.
Therefore "I" need those verses 1 Cor 13:4-7 in me, to do that exactly through me, without any pride in it ever again or guilt either.
God imputes this Love, Charity in us, the ones that are willing to go through anything and not quit belief to God, no matter what troubles happen to them.
Been there, gone through it, confessed my sin(s) even to my wife and the Church I belonged to, then, still willing to do that to this day in trust to God, he, Jesus the Son, did take all sin away in his Father's sight for me and all others as well in that last shedding of blood it is done, (John 19:30) once for all to believe God it is finished for God Father to give us new life for us that believe God in this done work with Jesus as risen, ready to impute new life into them too. Believe God, receive truth from God, and see from God, learning new daily is and has been my journey, not denying God at all, regardless of feelings wanting to, I see not to in all adversities I have been in and could be again. I love the last Chapter of Job.
You see, like Job in the book of Job, 'I" would not, will not deny God, because God loves us all y'all. your time to decide too, thank you.

Therefore, I do not see how anyone, that has gotten enlighten to this truth I just revealed, will ever walk away!
Will you
seeing once God saves, one stands in that all the way to death, the same as Jesus did willingly for us all to begin with.

Hope to help, y'all, seeing those that choose to walk away had been on their way to discover the whole truth and all the truth, yet not seen it yet, giving up through adversirties, no deep soil in them to stand in God no matter what troubles happen to them.
So not yet born new (again) by God yet, the revealing has not come to them yet. So if you a person, anyone is in this same type of mess, all I can say is
Please choose to not give up on belief to God, for God does just love you too, otherwise the cross means nothing in the dying to take away all sin, but "Unbelief" to Father of Son in his being risen back to life for you in God's spirit and Truth. For you to be alive forever in Father and Son as Won (One)
God's amazing, unfathomable grace to the flesh and blood of mankind. God loves you all
Time to beleive to see it, as long as you will not give up, I began this walk at age 12 I am 67 now. So, y'all stand in trust to God and grow in God's grace given you daily, to continue in being forgiven from God, to not ever take this truth for granted, thank you
 

vassal

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2024
687
312
63
#58
So paul taught a different gospel? The paul would have condemned himself. and by the way, How is Paul in scripture if he taught a different gospel?
it was different it is why he called MY GOSPEL;

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to
my gospel.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
2Ti 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to
my gospel:

Note the arrogance in Paul's words, yes Paul liked to boast it is well known. but to say Jesus was raised according to Paul's gospel is clearly false! It is GOD by his power that raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus said on his last breath;

Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Do a side by side comparison of what Jesus and Paul preached and you will see the differences and no they do not complement one another. i can do it for you but I wont you have to look into this yourself it is the only way to see and understand.
 

vassal

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2024
687
312
63
#59
A lot of people knows Paul's gospels but do not know the Gospel of Jesus which was to announce the Kingdom of Heaven and repentance from sin as defined by the commandments given to all, not only the Jews. It is why Jesus asked his disciples to preach the good news and teach everything he taught them to the rest of the world to everyone gentiles and Jews.
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
5,942
1,872
113
#60
it was different it is why he called MY GOSPEL;

Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
2Ti 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to
my gospel:

Note the arrogance in Paul's words, yes Paul liked to boast it is well known. but to say Jesus was raised according to Paul's gospel is clearly false! It is GOD by his power that raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus said on his last breath;

Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Do a side by side comparison of what Jesus and Paul preached and you will see the differences and no they do not complement one another. i can do it for you but I wont you have to look into this yourself it is the only way to see and understand.
ok

So can you tell me the differences between what Jesus said, and what Paul said?

Because I do not see any differences