Can I Lose My Salvation?

Happy Sunday. I have a friend in Mississippi that told me about his cousin. You know how it is: every summer kids go on vacation, and others go to summer school, and others go play sports, others might fish. My friend's cousin would get baptized every summer. She'd live a great life in July and August, but then fall and winter would come, and watch out.

She would revert to her old ways and, well, Live Like Hell, camp out on Fool's Hill. My friend called it summer salvation. Can you do that? Is it possible?

Today we will look at the question: can you lose your salvation? Other ways to put it: can we fall from grace? Once saved, always saved? The theological word for falling From Grace is apostasy.

Some people believe that once you are saved you are eternally secure; you are always saved. Others believe that you can turn away; you can lose your salvation. Today we're going to look at a lot of scripture. There are biblical arguments from both sides.

First, let's look at scripture that could support the argument that you can fall from grace, you can walk away from God, lose your salvation. Do you remember the parable of the SE from Luke chapter 8? I'll begin reading these words of Jesus from verse 5, Luke 8. Jesus said, "A swer went out to sew his seed, and as he sowed, some Fe fell on path that was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some of the seed fell on the Rock, and as it grew up it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the Thorns grew with it and choked it. And some of the seed, well, it fell into good soil, and when it grew it produced a h hundredfold."

Now, as Jesus said this, he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen." And the disciples listened, but, well, after he told the parable they were perplexed, and they wanted an interpretation. And Jesus did just that. He said this, starting at verse 11: "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the Rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe only for a while, and in a time of testing they fall away. As for what fell among Thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked. They're choked by the cares and the riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit will never mature."

And then Jesus said, "But as for that that is on the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patient endurance." Now, parts of this section of scripture sound to me like my friend's cousin, who would believe for a few months and then back to her old ways.

Another scripture that some use to point to the ability to lose your salvation, it's found in the book of 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter 4. I'm going to read in verse one. There it says, "Now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will renounce the Faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teaching of demons."

Hebrews 6:4-6 is particularly bothersome. There it says, "It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, and 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 they have fallen away. They have fallen away, since on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to continue tempt." So those are some of the verses used by people who say you can fall away.

Now let's look at the other side: eternal security. A good place to start is familiar words from Romans 8:38 and 39. Paul said, "I am convinced 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."

In John chapter 10, Jesus said this: "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the father's hand."

Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven. On that day," the day of judgment, "on that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many Deeds of power in your name?' And then I will to declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evil do doers.'"

I have several more scriptures that I could use. If you would like more, email me, and I'll be glad to share them with you. Confused yet? Do you want to know how I believe? And I want you to know that it's okay if you disagree. Now, you'll be wrong, but I'll still love you.

I believe that once you are saved, you are always saved, period. You see, I need something certain. I don't want to be worried that in my last day I do something and I am disqualified. I believe that all of scripture teaches that if you are saved, that you're radically changed.

1 John 2:4-6 tell us this: "Whoever says, 'I have come to know him,' but does not obey his Commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist. But whoever obeys his word, truly is this person the love of God has reached Perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, 'I abide in him,' ought to walk just as he walked."

Now, I suppose people may have argued over, May argue of the definition of salvation. Was the girl who bapt, was baptized every summer, really a Christ follower? I don't think so. I just think she got wet.

I can never imagine walking away from God. We must approach god with awe and love and fear, and never with complacency. It does matter how we live, and we should be careful. Matthew 24:13 tells us, "The one who endures till the end will be saved."

I do not believe we are saved because we endure. I believe that we endure because we are saved. What I plan to do is hold firm to my faith. Today, let's end with a time of rededication and a time to thank God that we are his.

Pray with me. Father, it's my prayer that all within the sound of my voice know you and are certain of their salvation and are ready for the time when you call them home. Father, help us to know your word and be able to share it with others. I pray today's words have been clear and that you'll use them for your good. Help us to never take one moment for granted. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

God bless. Thanks for joining me today. Have a great week.