Can You Lose Your Salvation?
Click the play button below to listen along to today's lesson.
Main Question:
Can you lose your salvation? Why or why not?
Calvinism
TULIP
Total Depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Preservation of the Saints.
Preservation of the saints: Those whom God has elected and regenerated will persevere in faith until the end. They cannot lose their salvation because it is God (not us) who ensures our perseverance.
This final point is addresses our question for today about whether or not we can or cannot lose our salvation.
As you listen along or read these Bible verses, ask yourself the following question with each verse:
“What does this say about the state of our salvation before God?”
- John 10:27-29– I give them eternal life, never perish, no one will snatch them out of my hand
- Rom. 8:38-39–Nothing can separate us from God
- Phil 1:6–God will bring his work to completion
- Eph. 1:13-14– You were sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is our guarantee
- John 6:37-40–I will never cast you out, everyone who looks at the son will have eternal life
- John 6:44– No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws them in
- John 17:11-12– Less clear example
- Rom. 8:28-30– Those he foreknew
- 1 Cor. 1:8-9– He will sustain you till the end
All of these passages have to deal with God as the agent of salvation, but us. God is the one who has the power to save, not us.
Arminianism
Conditional Security–those who believe that salvation can be lost if a person turns away from faith or falls into persistent or unrepentant sin.
As you listen along or read these Bible verses, ask yourself the following question with each verse:
“What does this say about the state of our salvation before God?”
- Hebrews 6:4-6– impossible to restore those who have fallen
- 2 Peter 2:20-22– teachers/prophets of the church who have started teaching falsehoods
- v. 15– they have left the straight way and wandered off.
- vv. 20-22– worse off, return, this idea of rejecting the truth of God
- Gal. 5:4– you have been severed, fallen away from Grace
- 1 Cor. 9:27– "I am careful lest I myself be disqualified"
- Col. 1:21-23– if you continue in faith, not shifting in hope of the Gospel.
- Rom. 11:19-22– grafting in and being cut off
- 1 Tim. 4:1– some will depart from the faith.
- Acts 8:9-24– Even Simon believed and was baptized
- He was warned to repent, which suggests that true faith must be accompanied by a repentant heart and can be lost if we turn away from God.
This perspective places the onus on us/humanity. We don’t earn salvation, but it’s something that we need to be intentional about and receive from God.
Counter arguments
Calvinist response
"Those who have 'fallen away' were never truly saved to begin with or that they were false believers and not part of the Kingdom of God for the right reasons."
They might say something like they are the kinds of people that are just your average “Luke-warm”, run-of-the-mill, church attendee – A “Christian” in name only.
Arminian response
Humans still have free will – God initiates and empowers salvation, but humans have the responsibility to respond and remain faithful.
This highlights the seriousness of a personal faith and obedience to Christ.
Rom. 8:38-39– would argue that external forces cannot separate us from God, but we can separate ourselves from God and walk away
Phil. 1:6– would argue that God’s promise holds true but it does not override human free will
Acts 8:9-24– would argue that Simon was indeed a true believer based upon the context
Simon even asks for forgiveness and repents and prays!
Take away
Why is it important that we respond to God with our faith?
How has this conversation helped you understand both perspectives?
How will/can you use this to help witness to others?