Can We Lose Our Salvation

As I mentioned in my last article, there have been many scenarios where it appears that someone has lost their salvation. Joshua Harris is one of many over the course of church history who have done great things for God and yet turn completely away from the faith. When looking at it, it is hard to believe that there is any other answer but that they have lost their salvation. But we are not supposed to believe what we see. This is an important lesson in believing in what scripture teaches and not what we perceive. There are several principles that the bible teaches to let us know that, without any doubt, your salvation cannot be lost, changed, left, deconstructed, fade etc.

1. God Promised. In many verses our heavenly Father promises that nothing, including ourselves, can take away our faith. Instead what we are told is that God promises us that our status before Him will never change.  “...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 10:28-29) See also Romans 8:31-39 and 1 Peter 1:1-5. If this is what God has promised, yet we also believe we can lose our salvation, wouldn’t that make God out to be a liar? Why bother believing He will save you, if you don’t believe He promises to secure that salvation?
2. We Are Not That Strong. All protestants believe that salvation is by faith alone through Christ alone. We also believe, there is no way to obtain our righteousness through our own works I.E. we are not strong enough to save ourselves (see Galatians 2:21, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 9:16, 11:6 and 2 Timothy 1:9). So if we are incapable of obtaining our salvation, how could we possibly discard it? If only God is strong enough to save us (remember the phrase “mighty to save”?), are we then going to say we are stronger to undo what God has done?
3. It Defies Logic. Think about what the Gospel is in application. If you are saved, the Bible is clear that we die to ourselves (Mark 8:35), are buried (Romans 6:4) and rise up in a new life (Romans 6:4). So we are no longer alive when we become saved. When Clint becomes saved, he is dead and Christ is the one that lives in him (Galatians 2:20). If this is the Gospel, if this is what happens when you truly become saved, then how can you possibly lose your salvation? If we are dead and are born again, how can we possibly go back to the first life? How am I to get rid of Christ in me and bring back Clint? Clint is dead! Losing your salvation makes as much sense as someone coming back from the grave, it just can’t happen.
4. God Saves. The Bible is also clear that God is the one that saves us, that He is the author of our salvation. He is the one that seeks us (Luke 19:10), we would never seek Him (Matthew 18:12-14). He is the one that convicts us of our sin (John 16:8). He is the one that opens our eyes that have been blind (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). He is the one that gives us life (John 6:63). He is the one that sanctifies us (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). And He is the one that will preserve us till the end (Philippians 1:6). If all of this is true, then how could we possibly lose our salvation? Or to put it another way; if we could lose our salvation, He is not faithful to complete it. Do you honestly believe that?

As you can see, it is not possible for us to lose our salvation. So then what is the answer for people like Joshua Harris? The answer is they were never saved to begin with. But how do you explain the fruit of his ministry, the souls that were saved, the years as a theologian, the biblically accurate books he wrote and the decades spent tending to God’s flock? That is also a long answer and I will cover that in my next article. In the meantime, rest assured that you are safe and secure in our Father’s arms.