Is He Able?

The debate rages on. Can you lose your salvation or can't you? There are lots of verses about "If you" warnings that are frightening if you're paying attention. These are the ones that convince so many that salvation can be lost. But if you look at the texts about God's capabilities, the picture is quite different.

The top text used to prove that salvation can be lost is in Hebrews.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Heb 6:4-6)

Some argue that the description isn't real Christians. I find that hard to believe. "Enlightened" alone is a sure indication, given 1 Corinthians 2:14. And non-believers don't get to share in the Holy Spirit. The whole list appears to prove a real believer, not a "hit and run." See? Case proved. Except ... almost none of those who favor this text ... agree with it. The text says if that happens, it is impossible to restore them again to repentance. That is, once lost, always lost. If you have salvation and lose it, you lose it forever. No second chances. No repentance possible. Are we actually going with that one? Of course, that's only one, but it's a prime example of me and my responsibilities ... and the seriousness of obedience. On the other hand, there is God. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). No one. (And, let me ask you, how is it "eternal life" if it can be lost?) Paul said, "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Php 1:6). Was Paul misguided? Jude said He is "able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy" (Jude 1:24). Is He? Or is He dependent on us? In Ephesians, Paul says that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3) and goes on to list some of them, including being chosen before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4), being predestined for adoption (Eph 1:5) and having the seal and guarantee of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14). Does my failure to be all I should be nullify those blessings already given?

If you look at Scripture, we are commanded and warned and cautioned regarding maintaining salvation. It's true. So ... are we dependent on our own proper obedience? Paul said, "Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal 3:2-3). If we can lose our salvation, the answer is "Yes ... we are perfected by the flesh." Paul assured us salvation was a gift so that none should boast (Eph 2:8-9). If I get to heaven because I properly maintained my salvation, that's quite an achievement. So I'm delighted that it's God who is at work in me to will (to choose) and to work (to have the power for) His good pleasure (Php 2:13). So I will "work out my salvation" (Php 2:12) based on His work in me and trust Him to keep me to the end ... not keeping myself.

Paradise Lost

There is no small number of genuine believers who argue that salvation can be lost. They do so largely based on actual texts, so don't be too hard on them. One of the most common texts is in the book of Hebrews.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Heb 6:4-6)

There it is ... in black and white. Now, note, it clearly says if they fall away, they cannot be restored. That is, if this text is about losing salvation, it must be about permanent loss. If you lose it, you never get it back.

People do a variety of dances around this. "Oh, that's not talking about genuine Christians." Maybe ... but "enlightened," "tasted the heavenly gift," "shared in the Holy Spirit," and "tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come" seem too far advanced to be an unbeliever. In fact, can an unbeliever fall away (The word is literally "to apostasize") ... if they never were a believer? Others have other approaches, but if you take this as a text for the loss of salvation ... it is dreadful, ominous, terrifying ... and permanent.

When I was younger, I "earned" this condemnation. If salvation can be lost, I did it in spades. I met all those criteria, and if that is a reference to salvation permanently lost, I am condemned already. So when I read, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy ..." (Jude 1:24), I weep for joy. I see, "I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Php 1:6) and fall on my knees in gratitude. Jesus says, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28) and I sing hallelujahs. I'm not counting on my continued godly living. I'm standing on His work alone.

Paradise Lost

It was the discussion topic that got picked up all on its own in the Sunday small group: Can we lose our salvation? Interestingly, the teacher brought the question out assuming everyone knew the answer was "No." He was, apparently, misinformed. It was somewhat painful to watch. All these older Christians taking Scripture out of context, missing the point, and making claims that, frankly, scared me. The leader assured us that the topic wasn't significant to salvation, like a "pre-Trib"/"post-Trib" discussion isn't. I beg to differ.

It was Jesus who made the first promise regarding the certainty of the salvation of those who come to Him. "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" (John 10:27-28). This would rank among the "precious and magnificent promises" Peter talked about in his second epistle (2 Peter 1:4). No one will snatch them out of His hand. "Oh," several assured us, "that may be true ... but I can." I get what they're saying. "Maybe you can't take me out of His hand, but surely I retain sovereignty over my own salvation!" Because if we humans are anything, it is autonymous. Self-ruled. But Jesus had just told the Jews, "You do not believe because you are not of My sheep" (John 10:26). Notice cause and effect. He didn't say, "You are not of my sheep because you do not believe." It was reversed. So those who are not among those who will be His sheep won't believe. So if I retain the final say on whether or not I ultimately end up in heaven, then Jesus was wrong. And I can't trust Him. Paul was wrong when he told the Philippians, "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" (Php 1:6). Well ... maybe, Paul. As long as they cooperate. And Jude was overly optimistic when he praised "Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy" (Jude 1:24). You'd like to think so, Jude, but it ain't necessarily so. Human beings routinely override God's ability to keep us from stumbling. Get over it.

If you examine Scripture, you'll find that every reference to our end of the equation requires work. James said that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Paul warned the Philippians to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Php 2:12). From our vantage point, we need to be adding to our faith (2 Peter 1:5-11) in order to have any assurance of salvation. But wait! If you examine Scripture, you'll find that in every reference to God's work in salvation, it does not hinge on us. It isn't relying on us. He calls, He saves, He sanctifies. Paul asked the Galatians, "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal 3:3), where the clear answer is "NO!" Instead, God's work in salvation looks like this: "Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Rom 8:29-30). It's one unbroken chain from "those whom He foreknew" to "those whom He glorified" and we don't get to break that chain because that's His work. One other concern here. If we can, indeed, lose our salvation, as suggested by many in Hebrews 6, look at what that says. If that passage (Heb 6:4-8) is a proof text for people losing salvation, then it proves one other fact: Once lost, always lost. If you lose your salvation, you can never regain it. It is "impossible to renew them again" it says. The possibility, then, of losing your salvation has several direct ramifications on salvation. You can't trust God to get it done. You can't trust Scripture for making such certain claims regarding God's ability to maintain your salvation. And, oh, if you do lose it, it's game over. No coming back. Paradise lost. I'm not willing to go there in the face of the bulk of Scripture that claims the opposite, thanks.

The Perseverance of the Saints?

Let me state at the outset that I believe the Bible teaches that anyone who is born again, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, whose sins are forgiven by the blood of Christ, and is raised to new life is saved for eternity. I don't like to use the phrase, "once saved, always saved." I think it can be misleading. It suggests that you can become saved and then live the most profligate life imaginable and it won't matter at all because you're always saved. I believe that the Bible teaches that the one who is born of God does not make a practice of sinning, that, in fact, he or she cannot make a practice of sinning (1 John 3:9). I believe that the Bible teaches that we must continue in the faith (Acts 14:22; Col 1:23) -- must work out our salvation (Phil 2:12) -- but that we do so because "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13) That is, there are three certainties for the saved person. First, you will remain saved. Second, you must work. Scripture refers to it as "sanctification". It is the necessary result of a changed heart. Third, that work is the product of God at work in you. Therefore, it isn't by your effort but by His. In the end, then, I believe that genuine believers will persist in the faith, working until the end because God is at work, and, so, will surely be saved once that salvation has begun.

There are lots of people who argue against this. That's fine. I can't align their arguments with the Word of God. There are lots of people who argue for this and, while they are in agreement with my basic idea -- that those who belong to the Lord will remain saved until the end -- they disagree with the whole "work out your salvation" thing. That's fine. I still can't align their arguments with the Word of God. Many argue for "eternal security" with the explicit demand that there is nothing more required of us. "You know," they say, "'not of works', like the Bible says." I agree that we are not saved by works but by faith alone, but, like Martin Luther, I contend that Scripture teaches that it is faith alone but not a faith that is alone. So there are lots of arguments (by "arguments" I mean truth claims and lines of reasoning, not verbal battles, although there are lots of those, too), good and bad.

So it was interesting to me to run across a new one I hadn't considered before. Reading in Hebrews, I came across the familiar passage in Hebrews 8 about how our High Priest, Jesus, is superior to all others. The author tells that one way He is superior to other priests is that He is present with God instead of here on Earth, an immediate intermediary. As an immediate intermediary, it says that "Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises." (Heb 8:6) So there was the Old Covenant with Israel and now there is a New Covenant (Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25). Then it makes this interesting observation about the Old Covenant.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. (Heb 8:7)

Okay, now, hold on. That first covenant was instituted by God. Is the author of Hebrews saying that the covenant instituted by God was faulty? Yes, he is. So in what way was that first covenant faulty?

For He finds fault with them when He says: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in My covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord." (Heb 8:8-9)

Oh, now, see? That makes sense. The fault was not with God or His covenant. It was with the "other party". The fault with the Old Covenant was that they did not continue in it. Thus, in order to correct this fault, the author of Hebrews is claiming, God has made a New Covenant. What is the New Covenant?

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the Lord: "I will put My laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Heb 8:10-12)

So, here is the situation. There was an Old Covenant that was great, except that Israel didn't keep their side of it. In order to remedy that, God has made a New Covenant that solves the problem of the failure to keep it. In this New Covenant, God puts His laws into their minds and hearts and they don't merely know of Him; they know Him. In return, He is merciful and sets aside their sins.

Now, we understand that the new "Israel", according to Paul, includes "the children of promise" (Rom 9:6-8) -- all who come to Christ. With this "Israel" God has made a New Covenant that fixes the problem of the Old. The problem of the Old was that the ones with whom the covenant was made didn't keep it. The New fixes that fault. That is, God's New Covenant with believers includes provisions so that they will keep His covenant because He will make it so. This idea, then, includes both the eternal security of those who have been saved as well as the certainty that those who are in Christ will work. And it does so by basing the works believers do on God's provision, not their efforts.

That's not an argument I've seen before on the topic of whether or not a true believer can lose his or her salvation. That is, I don't believe it is new information; I just haven't seen it applied to that discussion before. So where am I mistaken? What have I misunderstood or misapplied? In what way have I strayed? I don't see it. Do you?

Why Do People Leave the Faith?

There are a lot of things written about the question of people leaving the faith. Of particular concern are the kids who grow up in a Christian home, seem to be fully involved, and then leave for college and come back without faith. It happens a lot. And lots of people are trying to tell us why. For instance, research tells us that a lack of training in apologetics is a serious problem. Kids simply don't have the arguments to retain their faith. One author suggests that failed fathers is a key factor. Those who leave cite things like disillusionment and a lack of "Christian authenticity". They complain that there is no room for doubt or questions. They don't like what a lot of people don't like, things like the exclusivity of Christianity or the concept of Hell. I think it's clear, though, that the primary reason kids leave the faith is to pursue behaviors that are not compatible with Christian morals.

Suggested solutions are plentiful. Lifeway offers a list from a Fuller Theological Seminary book entitled Sticky Faith that includes things like being raised with an emphasis on relationship with Christ rather than an adherence to rules, an intergenerational faith community, and parents that walk alongside their kids. Others suggest that parents need to be authentic Christians. Clearly we need more apologetics. And let's make our churches more friendly, accepting, open. That sort of thing.

As for me, I have a problem ... with the question. "Why do people leave the faith?" The only answer I can find is "They don't." Why would I say that? It's what I read in my Bible. Jesus said, "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." (John 10:27-29) So if "no one is able to snatch them out of my hands", in what sense can someone -- anyone -- do it? John wrote, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12) and Paul referred multiple times to our "adoption as sons" by God (Rom 8:15; Rom 8:23; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5). How do you cease being a child of God, an adopted child? The condition of the saved person is "eternal life" (John 3:16). In what sense is it "eternal" if it comes and goes? Paul told the Philippian believers, "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." (Phil 1:6) On what could Paul base such confidence? Jude praises "Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy." (Jude 1:24) Over and over again the Bible speaks of God's hand in our salvation. Sure, we come in faith. Sure, you "work out your salvation" (Phil 2:12). But God's hand in salvation is to keep us (1 Peter 1:5), to sustain us (Psa 37:17), to seal us (Eph 1:13). We have this amazing, unbreakable chain in Romans 8.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (Rom 8:28-30)

Predestined, called, justified, glorified. In that sequence we have no input. It is God's work. And it offers no deviations. "Predestined ... called ... justified ... oops! Lost."

J.I. Packer said, "Your faith will not fail while God sustains it; you are not strong enough to fall away while God is resolved to hold you." The truth is that those who belong to Christ will remain with Christ (1 John 2:19). Oh, sure, there may be rough patches. Wavering, doubt, a time of sin, even gross sin. But God's Word says that those who are in Christ at all are in Christ forever.

Perhaps this doesn't help ease your mind. You know people who "leave the faith". They seemed to be true believers. They appeared to be followers of Christ. But Jesus describes a group (He says "many") that appears more like believers than I think most of the ones you have in mind. These prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles. And Jesus tells them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matt 7:23) The real point, then, is not appearance. The point is an actual relationship with Christ (Gal 4:8-9). Outward appearance can be faked. But the fact is that those who are His cannot be lost and will not, in the end, go out from us. Perhaps our best efforts would be a focus on relationship and be drenched in prayer and the Word. It's that kind of a battle. It's not one of methods and arguments. They might bolster the spiritual war, but it is a spiritual war. It should, then, provide comfort to if you are concerned about others when you know that He will not lose one.

Losing My Religion - Final Questions

I've offered a series of Scriptures that argue both that we must persevere and that God insures that He keeps His own. And I've offered a way to put them together. Because, you see, if you go with either the "Conditional Security" or the "Unconditional Security" views, you wind up slightly askew. Either you work out your salvation and have something to boast about or you don't and have dead faith. So, what about those who fall away? I mean, we all know there are those who do. How do you explain that?

The Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:3-23) describes several types of soil. There is, of course, the hard soil that never gets the Word and there is the good soil that bears fruit, but between these two there are two others. One is the "rocky soil" that "receives it with joy" when he hears the Word, but affliction kills it. And there is the "thorny soil" that hears the Word, but it is choked out by the world. The key thing in both cases is that they appear to make a start. They appear to "come in faith", to "receive Christ". And in both cases they fail. They "fall away". If God insures that He loses none, how do we explain this?

According to the Bible, those who "fall away" were never "of us".

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us (1 John 2:19).

No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him (1 John 3:6).

Notice that it isn't unclear. "If they had been of us, they would have remained with us." This is agreement that those who are in Christ will remain in Christ. So what about these who left? "They went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." Pretty clear. John says that the one who is perfectly happy remaining in sin has never seen Him or known Him. This isn't vague.

Look at this one from Hebrews:

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end (Heb 3:13).

Yeah, I know. Verb tense again. We have this phrase, "have become partakers of Christ", which is in the present perfect tense. Present perfect shows actions that were finished recently or ones that were completed at an indefinite time in the past. It's done. You are "partakers of Christ". End of discussion. But wait! There is an "if" clause: "if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end." Now that's interesting. That's future tense. It's something we don't know about now. But what we can say with certainty (because we assume the Bible is true) is that if you will not hold fast until the end, you are not now a partaker of Christ. See how that works?

So what are we to do? "Be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10). "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" (2 Cor 13:5). How? Well, there is the internal evidence. "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor 12:3). No one willingly, joyfully submits to Christ as Lord unless the Holy Spirit does it. And there is the external evidence of works (2 Peter 1:5-9). Making sure you are in Christ is a good idea. Assuming you are without evidence is not wise. Ultimately, we trust to a Sovereign God, and I can think of no safer place to rest.

Losing My Religion - Putting it all Together

The Bible is full of commands that we need to persevere, to hold fast, to stand firm, to obey. God's Word contains many warnings that we need to remain faithful to the end. There is no doubt. On the other hand, Scripture is equally filled with assurances that we can know that we have eternal life, that we are saved by faith apart from works, that those who are once in Christ are kept in Christ.

The Bible seems to be bipolar on the subject. "Yes, yes, absolutely you need to persevere to the end! No, no, you're not saved by works! You are justified by faith ... apart from works! Of course, faith without works is dead. But Christ will surely lose none; He will certainly save those who come to Him." How do we put these together? We need to persevere ... but we will surely be saved.

It's interesting in examining the texts on the subject that you will find a perspective shift. There are two points of view being offered in these passages. One is Man's and the other is God's. The verses that call on us to persevere call on us to persevere. It's what we do. The passages that assure us that salvation is sure are all from God's point of view. It's what He does. Two different angles.

As it turns out, that's how it actually works, at least according to Scripture.

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but He who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him (1 John 5:18).

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God (1 John 3:9).

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 (Phil 1:6).

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 1:24-25).

Do you see what's going on here? These are putting both views together. Believers must persevere -- and they will. God does it. God insures it. God accomplishes it. How does that look in the Christian's life? It looks like perseverance. It looks like good works and obedience. It looks like

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil 2:12-13).

It's all there. Work out your salvation. Work it out with fear and trembling. This is a serious and solemn warning. Work! How? Well, it is God who is at work in you. And what is He doing? He is giving you two things: the will and the power. "Willing and able." The two necessities to do what God wants. He provides it. You see, then, that we work and He provides the ability to do so. In the end, then, we work but He gets the glory. We work but we have no room for boasting. We work but it's not us, but Christ living in us.

Look, I don't know about you. I know me. I am horrible at being constantly godly. When things go badly, it's easy to doubt. When things go well, it's easy to forget. It is my tendency to slip off either side. If I were trusting in my own faithfulness and my own will and my own determination to keep my salvation, I think I could say with relative certainty that at some point I'd lose it. Thanks be to God that I'm not the one in charge. You see, this is why I am so pleased with my Sovereign God. Yes, I need to persevere. Yes, I need to obey. Yes, I need to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. But it is of the greatest comfort to me that it is God who is at work in me to will and to do His good pleasure. He is able to keep me from stumbling. He will not allow me to ultimately and fatally fall. Instead, He will keep me growing, improving, more and more willing and able to do that which pleases Him. So, you can hang onto your "Conditional Security" and work on it yourself. Or you can place your confidence on a faith without works -- the version that James calls "dead" faith. I'm going to go with this middle version ... you know, the one I find in the pages of Scripture.

Losing My Religion - Unconditional Security

I've pointed out already that the Bible isn't vague on the topic of perseverance. In order to be saved in the end, the Bible says that believers must persevere in the faith. Without that perseverance, there is no reason to count on final salvation. That is the "Conditional Security" side. I will point out that this side goes on to say, "So, if you don't persevere in the faith you will lose your salvation" and "It happens ... a lot." And I've already gone on record as saying that I did not concur with that suggestion. The texts that require perseverance do not say anything about losing salvation. Indeed, you won't find the phrase anywhere in Scripture.

I may be confusing you now, but the question is only made worse when you consider what the Bible has to say on the "Unconditional Security" side of the question. John had a lot to say on the subject, starting with the reason he gives for his entire first epistle:

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

If security is conditional, how can you ever know that you have eternal life? John thinks you can. So he writes,

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36).

Verb tense again. "Has". Present tense. So if salvation can be lost, then in what sense is this life "eternal"? If it can come and go, how can it be called "eternal"? (See also John 5:24; 1 John 5:11-12; etc.)

John wrote:

Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world -- our faith (1 John 5:4).

This one places "overcomes the world" in the category of the "born of God", not those who work for it.

John also quoted Jesus several times on the topic.

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out ... 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 6:37, 39).

"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" (John 10:27-28).

Of note in these statements from Christ are the superlatives, the certainties, the absolutes. The "all" and the "nothing" and the "no one". There are some that the Father gives to Christ. Of them, all will come, all will be received, and none will be lost. These "sheep" are from the Father to the Son and, in His hand, impossible to remove. No one can snatch them out. That would necessarily include the sheep in question. These are absolutes.

Scripture is not vague on the topic. Clearly, repeatedly, over and over God's Word assures those who believe that He will keep them all to the end. (See, for instance, 1 Cor 1:8-9; Eph 1:13-14; 1 Thess 5:23-24; Heb 13:20-21; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 5:8-10.) Describing the New Covenant, God said, "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me" (Jer 32:40). "They will not turn away from Me." No question. No doubt. Not gonna happen. The Bible is absolutely certain that those who are once in Christ will certainly be saved. You can be sure of it.

Losing My Religion - Conditional Security

"So," the young man began his conversation with me the other day, "do you believe a Christian can lose his salvation?" He wasn't actually interested in finding out what I believed as much as trying to convince me of what he believed. And he was quite sure a Christian could lose his salvation.

It isn't a peripheral question. That is, it's a day-to-day, rubber-meets-the-road question. It's a nitty-gritty, down-to-earth, real-life question. Every Christian needs to know. Not only "What must I do to be saved?" but "What must I do to remain saved?"

The hardcore "Conditional Security" type like this guy (and you'll never hear this guy call himself a "Conditional Security" type -- it's just a way of differentiating positions) believes that it is absolutely necessary that a true believer persevere in the faith in order to be ultimately end up in heaven and Christians can and do fail to persevere. The hardcore "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) type will counter, "No! That's salvation by works! Once you're saved, there is nothing you need to do to maintain or retain your salvation." Me? I would tend to disagree ... with both.

First, then, let's look at the "Conditional Security" question. Is our salvation sure without condition, or is there something we need to do to retain it? We get hints of the need to persevere in faith with passages like Hebrews 11:6 that assures us "without faith it is impossible to please God." The suggestion, then, would be that we can have some initial faith, not retain that faith, and still end up pleasing to God ... which clearly contradicts Scripture. James warned, "Faith, if it has no works, is dead" (James 2:17). John wrote, "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" (1 John 2:3-4). The "Unconditional Security" folk would like to assure us that this isn't true. Watch out! But there are far more explicit passages to consider.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain (1 Cor 15:1-2).

Two important notes. First, notice the verb tense there for "saved" -- "are being saved". It is apparently an ongoing process. Second, there is no doubt that Paul requires that "you hold fast to the word" and indicates it is possible to have "believed in vain".

Christ is faithful over God's house as a Son. And we are His house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope (Heb 3:6).

This one says that we are God's house, but puts a condition on it -- "if". If what? If we "hold fast our confidence."

He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard (Col 1:22-23).

Aren't these verb tenses interesting? "He has now reconciled" indicating a present fact. But there is a conditional statement. He has now reconciled you if you continue in the faith. If you do not continue in the faith now and in the future you are not now reconciled.

"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved" (Matt 24:13).

Not much wiggle room there. Endure to the end in order to be saved.

Paul isn't unclear either.

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21).

Written to the churches of Galatia, Paul gives a list of the types of things the flesh does and then warns clearly "that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

One that will likely cause distress and, more likely, disagreement is the one in Hebrews 6. People tend to interpret this passage from their predisposition and often despite it.

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame (Heb 6:4-6).

The "Conditional Security" buff will assure you that this is an absolutely clear passage demonstrating that an apostate believer can lose his or her salvation. This same one will not, however, typically agree with the text that says "it is impossible to renew them again to repentance." No, no. You can lose your salvation, but you can always get it back. Well, that's counter to the text.

The "Once Saved Always Saved" buff will need to do a more careful dance here. "Well, yeah, that's what it says, but it's not talking about genuine believers. The description is of someone who gets a little information, tastes God's goodness, that sort of thing. Doesn't actually enter in. Just on the edge, you see." You may wish to go that way, I suppose, but explaining in what sense someone can "have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit" without actually receiving the Holy Spirit is tough (and not particularly biblical), and if you give in on that point, the rest seems to gain momentum to force it to be about genuine believers.

It would appear to me that the text is talking about genuine believers who actually and ultimately fall away. These types have no possibility of repentance. End of story.

I've just touched on some of the most obvious texts that say that perseverance is necessary. It is biblical. It is mandatory. It is unavoidable without doing violence to Scripture. The Bible is quite clear in these places and elsewhere that those who would be saved must persevere in the faith. Perseverance in the faith is required to ultimately be saved.

Before going off to look at this stuff yourself either in defiance or fear, let me say one more thing -- give you one more seed of thought to allow germination. Look back either over the texts or what I've written and you will find something that you may have missed. Not once did I suggest that these texts say, "You can lose your salvation and some do." I said that Scripture clearly requires perseverance in the faith. These are not the same thing.

The Challenge of Contradictions

Biblical proof that a true believer can lose his or her salvation (feel free to skim this for now):

"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'" (Matt 7:19-23).

"All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt 10:22).

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:9-13).

"The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers" (Luke 12:46).

Then He told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down'" (Luke 13:6-9).

To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned" (John 15:1-6).

But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off (Rom 11:20-22).

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Cor 9:27).

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation -- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant (Col 1:21-23).

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme (1 Tim 1:18-20).

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Tim 4:1).

But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast (Heb 3:6).

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first (Heb 3:12-14).

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace (Heb 6:4-6).

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge His people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:26-31).

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them (2 Peter 2:20-22).

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position (2 Peter 3:17).

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father (1 John 2:24).

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and His angels (Rev 3:5).

And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Rev 22:19).

Biblical proof that a true believer cannot lose his or her salvation (again, you can skim this for the moment):

If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever (Psa 37:23-28).

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:14-16).

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24).

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:37-40)

"You do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and the Father are one" (John 10:26-30).

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever (John 14:16).

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with Him in his resurrection...Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him (Rom 6:3-5, 8).

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23).

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all -- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:28-39).

...for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable (Rom 11:29).

Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand (Rom 14:4).

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (I Cor 1:7-9).

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession -- to the praise of his glory (Eph 1:13-14).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30).

... being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).

... who has saved us and called us to a holy life -- not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time (2 Tim 1:9).

... but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Heb 7:24-25).

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Heb 8:12).

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb 9:11-12).

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Heb 13:5-6).

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

We know that anyone born of God does not practice sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him (1 John 5:18).

To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy-to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 24-25).

Okay, there are two lists here. (I'm sure there are more on both sides, but these are substantive lists, I think.) So, here's your assignment, if you dare. Your job is to make these two lists fit each other. There are rules. You can't discard passages because they don't fit your view. You can't place extra weight on passages just because they fit your view. You have to read these passages with equal simplicity. That is (for instance), if you're going to read "imagery" into one group because they just don't fit, then you'll need to read "imagery" into your favorites as well. In other words, as far as you possibly can, take them all at face value. And keep in mind that these passages have been in the Bible for as long as it has been written, and believers have concluded that there are no genuine contradictions, which suggests that my challenge is possible to achieve. (Hint: Go from the explicit to the implicit. Something that may be implied could be untrue if it goes against something that is explicitly stated in Scripture.)

You see, it is my belief that more often than not you (Christians in general) have taken the passages that agree with your view and concluded that your view is right, but you have not ever examined all the other passages that contradict your view to see how they agree. The view you end up with should be a view that agrees with all of these Scriptures, not discounting, minimizing, or glossing over some. If you're a person who takes your Bible seriously, I would hope that you would seriously consider taking up this assignment.