The Basics: Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?
Posted on 04. Mar, 2010 by Les in Basics
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” -Romans 8:35
The Christian life is a life of freedom and joy. We are told we can come confidently to the throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). But when do we lose this privilege? Are there sins that can keep us from God? Can we walk away from the grace that has been delivered to us? How secure are we, anyway?
We’ll be spending a lot of time in the most comprehensive chapter in the Bible on the topic: Romans 8.
He Has Set Us Free
What, exactly, does the Bible mean when it says:
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” -Romans 8:1-2
You see, we are utterly free from the law of – ‘If you sin, you will die’. God Himself, who is all knowing and all powerful, has pardoned us, and promised us eternal life. Now, no sin will ever be counted against us again. We still sin, but the counter has been reset to zero, and God took the batteries out.
We’re secure because God has forgiven us.
He Has Given Us the Spirit
Who do these insane promises apply to? Who are these people who are freed completely from condemnation? Is anyone who prayed a prayer free? Can we just sin and enjoy forgiveness, and not worry about serving God?
Let’s look again at 8:1.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” -Romans 8:1
Who is it that is “in Christ Jesus”?
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” -Romans 8:9
Only if you have the Spirit of Christ, do these promises apply to you. Which brings us, once again, to one of my all time favorite doctrines: regeneration. Regeneration is a work of the sovereign grace of God to change the heart, mind, and will of a sinner into that of a believer. It is the moment the Holy Spirit enters and takes up residence in the believer. Without this indwelling of the Spirit, we are incapable of believing.
“no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.” -1 Corinthians 12:3
So follow me. If someone is not regenerate they do not have the Spirit, If someone does not have the Spirit they are not in Christ, and if someone is not in Christ they are not freed from the law of sin and death. While many may claim that they know Christ, some are deceived. Anyone can say they’re Christians, but only those who have the Holy Spirit belong to God.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” -Romans 8:14
These people, who now love God and no longer have a heart that is rebellious, will never ultimately walk away from Him. Anyone who does walk away, proves they were never regenerate to begin with. We will have eternal life only “If indeed the Spirit of Christ dwells in us”.
We’re secure because God gave us His Spirit.
He has Planned It All
“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” -Romans 8:30
Please note two things about this chain of events: 1. They are all past tense. 2. Not one of them is a work of man.
In God’s mind the glorification (conformity to Christ’s image in eternity) of His elect people is already as complete as their predestining. As far as God is concerned, everyone who is in Christ is as good as in Heaven.
Secondly, since man didn’t predestine himself, call himself, or justify himself, to say we can stop God from the final step is just silly. Salvation is, in every way, of the Lord. There is nothing we accomplish, contribute, or decide that helps God save us. This is what grace means. Grace is God lavishing His love and mercy on people who, not only don’t deserve it, but never even wanted it.
We’re secure because God has planned it.
He Won’t Let Us Go
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38-39
If you can think of something that doesn’t fit in this list, you’ve found the loophole. Paul did us a pretty big favor with that last one. I certainly can’t think of anything that isn’t “in all creation”… besides God of course, and speaking of God:
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” -Romans 8:33
We’re secure because God won’t let anything take it away.
He Gave His Son
“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” -Romans 8:3-4
Because we couldn’t obey, God has taken the punishment owed to believers and placed it PERFECTLY on his Son. He has, in effect, “condemned sin in the flesh”. And now the righteous requirements, the very perfect life that Christ lived, is fulfilled vicariously in us… those who walk in the Spirit. This is the finished work of the atonement.
Christ’s sacrifice removes every sin from every believer. His obedience gives us a perfect standing before God. And His resurrection guarantees that we will be raised to glory.
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” -Romans 8:11
Christ is not trying to save people. Christ has saved His people. And every person for whome Christ has died, WILL be in heaven. The promise of God to His elect is not a temporary conditional security.
We’re secure because Christ is a perfect Savior.
Elise
Mar 9th, 2010
know of any good articles or books that refute or discuss the position of loosing one’s salvation. That discuss the “if” verses
Les
Mar 9th, 2010
Not off the top of my head. I was going to work the arguments into this article, but it didn’t really fit the flow.
I think I’ll write another article on the subject.
Elise
Mar 10th, 2010
Thanks
Aaron Armstrong
Mar 13th, 2010
Elise, Sproul’s “What is Reformed Theology?” has a chapter on God’s preservation of the saints; it discusses the “Hebrews 6″ problem (which is the text that many will use to suggest that Christians can, even though it doesn’t exactly say that).
Buy the book if you get a chance. You will enjoy it.
janice Caswell
Mar 17th, 2010
One of my favorites added to these precious scripture verses and another vital one: Colossians 1:27….”to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
janice Caswell
Mar 17th, 2010
Jesus Christ, our very Abba/Daddy, is not just ‘with us’, ‘around us’, ‘above us’; He chose to come and live ‘in us’……is that not the most comforting, tender, and precious grace our God could give…..Himself? Where we are, there He is. Where He is, there we are! “We cannot separate, ’cause You’re part of me.” Amazing!
janice
Mar 17th, 2010
I think of a butterfly…..can they turn back and become a ‘worm’ as they were before, in the cacoon? How absurd is that? They are made new. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” Galatians 2:20. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away…” 2 Corinthians 5:17. God has made us new in Him, we have a new nature, our new creation is now in precious union with His Spirit. It is fixed and done and chosen to be before the foundations were laid! Amen
janice
Mar 17th, 2010
For those who like to spell-check….including me…my last post: C-O-C-O-O-N! (: …and God laughs.
Elise
Mar 29th, 2010
thanks Aaron for the recommondation.
John MacArthur just did a sermon series that I downloaded from itunes on that very issue. Hoping to learn alot from it since the only thing I was taught was someone can loose their salvation.
Lubee
Apr 13th, 2010
Yo this is truly edifying and assuring. Funny thing is… As I was on your site bro, I turned to a kid in class today and I asked him from memory of a previous conversation “do you want to get saved?” And he said “I was saved, but I’m trying to get back in it.” Then I literally just turned to the blog which was right up the page and explained it to him, the gospel that is. This is straight amazing. Pray that the Lord open his eyes.
Aaron Armstrong
May 11th, 2010
@ Elise – How was the MacArthur sermon series?
Gary
Aug 3rd, 2010
Yes, God elects, as Jesus says none will be snatched from his hand. Yet, while we are still in our sinful flesh we are bound to sin. (e.g. Peter’s fall, and Paul’s stuggle with sin in Romans 7). We are called to die daily to ourselves (daily cross). The flesh of our Old Adam must be be put to death daily and our new selves rises daily. God’s Word is Law and Gospel. The law puts our sinful flesh to death since it cannot be reformed, and the Gospel raises us up to new life. Until Christ returns sin must be rebuked lest we fall into the belief that we can sin without fear of God’s wrath. It is the tension of the Christian life until he returns. To remove that tension is harmful and leads to being comfortable with sin. Jesus has set us free from sin not to sin freely.
lynn
Aug 3rd, 2010
I read your gospel parts 1, 2, 3…
You wrote….Turn your trust away from the things of this world. Money, power, sex, morality… none of these things can save you. Understand that your sin problem is inescapable and you will be judged. With that understanding of hopelessness in yourself, believe that the sacrificial death of Jesus is perfectly what God requires for you to be forgiven. And be united to His death through that faith
Is that all that is required to be saved and born again? As a little girl that is exactly what I put my faith in…does that make me eternally secure?
Les
Aug 3rd, 2010
@Lynn, great question.
As Paul Washer puts it, the proof that you’ve repented in the past is that you’re still repenting.
The Biblical doctrine of eternal security is also referred to as ‘Perseverance of the Saints’. So security should be thought of in light of continual desire to obey and continual change.
We don’t change overnight, and we don’t even always progress, but there is a pressing forward, a persevering in the face of external and internal opposition for the whole life of a Christian. This is a supernatural work of God in His people.
So if you aren’t currently trusting in Christ to save you, if you aren’t continuing to be changed into the image of Christ, then you must seriously consider that you made a false profession when you were young. If you were never born again, if you never received the indwelling Holy Spirit, you were never saved.
And the solution is exactly what you quoted. Come to the end of yourself. Realize you will perish in your sins unless Christ is your perfect Savior. Forsake the world’s values and Cling to Jesus. Not as a one time inoculation, but as the treasure of your life.
Repent, believe, and be forgiven.
mark
Aug 16th, 2010
I read the “free to comment” so here goes:) About the “if” statements: You may find it interesting to know that those “if” verses can to be taken as either challenge statements, or statements of fact. i.e. Jn 8:31 That continuing in His Word is an end proof of genuine salvation since apart from Him we can do nothing. It is the context of the rest of Scripture, primarily the didache or teaching section of Romans to Revelation that must determine which answer is correct. It is a regrettable fact that so many read the English and only “see” a challenge. It reminds me of that picture that has both an elderly women and a young women in the same picture. It seems that for most, whichever they see first prevents them from seeing the other.