This is a question that we often hear from people and the answer is really quite simple.
Let’s look at some passages in the Bible that demonstrate that the answer is definitely NO, and we should not believe anyone who tells us otherwise. Anyone who says we can lose our salvation is misinterpreting the Bible and denying the power of God.
What we need to realize and believe is that salvation from eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire, is a FREE GIFT of God that is accomplished by God through Jesus Christ. It is given to us by God’s grace freely and it is not dependent on our behaviour or obedience as Christians; it depends simply on our belief in Christ’s redemptive work. This, however, is NOT the same as the REWARD of the Kingdom, which is EARNED and does depend on our obedience, consecration, spiritual maturity, and so on. Although we will not lose our salvation from eternal death, which we will see from the verses below, today if we are not faithful Christians who love and pursue God and His Kingdom, there is a severe judgment ahead of us to discipline us. Not only this, but we will lose the reward of reigning with Christ in His millennial kingdom on earth. Although salvation is certain, we must desire more than to be saved from the Lake of Fire. Out of our love for God, our desire in life should match Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-12:
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
These are some of the verses that assure us that salvation is certain:
John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life“.
This well known verse says if we believe in Jesus Christ, we shall not perish, but have eternal life. It does not say “may not perish” or “possibly won’t perish” but SHALL NOT perish. It demonstrates that eternal life is based on God’s love, His Son Jesus Christ, and our belief in Him rather than our own works and what we do or don’t do. A gift has no strings attached and can’t be retracted.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Again, eternal life is a GIFT of God; it’s not something that we work for.This gift was given to us because of God’s love for us which does not change before or after we receive salvation. After receiving salvation, we will make mistakes and sin against God but God will not take back His gift. In fact, He gives us the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Of course this does not give us the freedom to keep sinning because there is also discipline and judgment so we must walk in the fear of God (2 Cor 5:11; 1 Peter 1:17; Heb 12:28-29)
Romans 8:29-30
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
These verses tell us of our predestination. In other words, we were picked out and chosen, long before we were born, for His purpose — to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. Remember that God is omniscient. He knows what will happen in the future of each person. If He knew we would fail, why would He have chosen us before the foundation of the earth? Do you think God made a mistake when He chose us? He chose us because He knows we will reach perfection and glorification.
Philippians 1:6:
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ“
This also assures us that God will complete the work that He started in us. If God knew we would fail then why would He even begin His work in us at all? Also, it’s GOD who will complete the work, not us through our own efforts because we’re not able.
1 John 5:1
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.”
In our heart we believe that Jesus is the Christ, which means that we are born of God. As a believer and born of God, we are His children. Even if we are “bad children” we are still His children and born of Him. We cannot be “unborn”. There will always be a Father-son relationship and we will always be His child.
Ephesians 1:13
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
We have received the Holy Spirit as a seal and the only condition is that we believe. The Holy Spirit represents a promise. God’s promises are certain and this seal is not removable because God keeps His promises. The seal also identifies us as belonging to God. We will forever belong to Him. Forever is a very long time!
Hebrews 7:25
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Don’t we believe that Christ is able to save us to the uttermost? Salvation is not only escaping the Lake of Fire, but it’s a complete salvation. It’s a complete transformation into a perfect man. Our whole spirit, soul, and body will be sanctified and changed to the image of Jesus Christ. When we consider ourselves at this moment, we realize there are still so many shortcomings. We’re disobedient, lazy, rebellious, in love with the world and ourselves, our thoughts are on earthly things, little interest in heavenly things, and so on. We’re saved from the Lake of Fire but we still need salvation in many areas of our lives. It’s hard to believe that we’ll be saved from all this but we will! Today He is interceding before God for us; this makes it certain that we will be saved to the uttermost because it’s impossible for Christ to fail.
John 17:9
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.“
Not only is Christ interceding for us, but He is also praying for us. John 11:41 says that God ALWAYS hears Him so if He prays for us then it’s impossible for us not to be saved to the uttermost.
Jude 24,25
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,And to present you faultlessBefore the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,To God our Savior,Who alone is wise,Be glory and majesty,Dominion and power,Both now and forever.Amen.”
Our God, who created the heavens and the earth, is the Almighty God. He’s able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of His glory. Not in a nervous, unconfident way, but even with exceeding joy! Our God and saviour alone is wise and knows what we need to be perfected!
Romans 8:31-39
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:“For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“
These are very compelling verses to show that we have a very powerful ally, the most powerful, GOD. Satan cannot bring any accusation against us. In fact no created thing can separate us from the love of God, including ourselves — our doubts and our own faithlessness. God gave up His own Son for us, His greatest treasure, to save us and He would not do this for nothing. He expects and He will have the outcome He wants from us which is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ and to bring us into glory.
Praise the Lord!