Can you lose your salvation?

Can you lose your salvation? The answer is unequivocally no. Why would such a thing be said? Well… for the Bible tells me so. Knowing the comment just may sound as if there will be a breaking into song, it does not make it any less true. The word of God, when kept in context does not teach one can lose their salvation, but rather it confirms that the opposite is true. It has been said by many English teachers that when one reads, they need context, context, context, to understand the thing that is being read. It must be said before venturing on, it is important that this is not saying that those who hold that salvation can be lost are not redeemed, but it does beg the question, are they being faithful to rightly divide the word of God?

Concerning the question, Ephesians chapter one will be used, not because of anything else then an attempt to show from context that one cannot lose their salvation. The purpose intended in the treatment of this question is not using verses out of their context. Paul pens these words in the book of Ephesians for the purpose of showing his readers that God has done a good work in believers and that they too can partake of the blessings God has for those who believe.

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 1:1) Paul has been called by Jesus Christ by the will of God and he was writing to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Paul was called on the road to Damascus, he wrote to those who have repented and believed, to those that belong to Jesus. He was not talking to those who will one day be unfaithful and lose their salvation. “Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:2) Paul has his typical greeting for the saints and is writing so that they would be blessed by God, with grace and peace which comes from the Father and from Jesus Christ the Lord.

He continued immediately to praising God. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Blessed, highly favored, highly esteemed is the God who is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. This amazing God who is worthy to be praised does something awesome, He, Himself has blessed with all, not most, not some, but all spiritual blessings. God has blessed those who believe with blessings in the heavenly places. What does that mean? He has blessed those who believe with salvation which is from on high. He has made them kingdom citizens, meaning they have the blessings of being a citizen of heaven, even while living here on earth. How does bless us with all these spiritual blessings? Christ is the whole reason that those who believe have all spiritual blessings. Hopefully while reading these verses readers will see the amazing theme, if men are in Christ, then they will, not might, receive these benefits. Just a little addendum, like most who hold to the idea that salvation can be lost, it is also disconcerting to those who hold to eternal security, that people can claim Christ and live in total contradiction to the word of God. If men are truly in Christ, then they will honor Christ. They will believe and continue to believe in the gospel. They will repent of sin and continue to repent of their sin by His power.

“According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4) According as He hath chosen, even as He chosen those who believe in Him. The word chose or chosen is a problem for them, for if God chose those who believe, then somehow those who lose their salvation can be unchosen for then God could not have chosen. For some, the word chosen causes great distress. It would be beneficial for the word to just be changed in the Word, but if that were to happen it would cease to be word of God and tainted by the will of men that could not be held as God breathed.  God did this choosing before He made one thing upon the earth. What did he choose those who believe for? Paul says, “that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” He chose those who would trust so that they would be holy, set apart, different and blameless before Him in love. This is a beautiful thing God Himself has done and not by the work of men, but solely the work of God. Men cannot boast about what God does.

The question that arises is, can men be blameless? The answer is yes and no. Under their power it is an emphatic no, but under the power of God it is yes and Amen. To be blameless is to be above reproach and it is not about perfection. To be blameless is about the fact that if an accusation comes against a person, the accusation has no sticking power. This can only be achieved when men are in Christ and caught up in His love.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Ephesians 1:5) Another problem for some is the fact that the Bible uses the word predestinated. God has ordained or foreordained, which means that God had ordained it before it came to be. God having predestinated and foreordained men unto the adoption, chose to allow men to become His adopted children.  This adoption was totally initiated by God Himself. They were adopted by means of Jesus Christ so that they could be God’s children which He chose for His own. Why would God, adopt children and then unadopt them? Would this not be a fickle God who does not hold on to His promises that He made?

He adopted men “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1:6) He has done this to the praise of His glory, which shows His amazing grace. He shows undeserved grace by not giving what is deserved, but rather what is undeserved. Salvation comes at Christ’s expense; salvation comes at Christ’s obedience. He, being God has made, it has been done for those who truly believe, to be accepted in the beloved. This does not give license to sin, but rather frees them to worship and follow the one who has made men accepted in the beloved, who had no hope apart from the beloved Christ.

How does God grant this grace? He does so through the Son which died, yeah rather has risen again. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7) In whom, in Christ, those who believe have redemption, they’ve been bought back from the wages. How do they have redemption? This redemption though His blood, which grants redemption. Not only does Christ grant redemption, but even forgiveness comes through that shed blood according to the riches of His grace. He has done this through the riches of what is not deserved, but freely given. Grace so amazing that redeems and forgives comes from God,

“Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Ephesians 1:8) He has abounded or been lavished upon those who believe and has given all wisdom and prudence.  He has given all the knowledge necessary to overflowing and prudence, which is the ability to use knowledge rightly, at the right time. “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” (Ephesians 1:9) He has made known to all the saints the mystery of His will. God is not hiding the important things from His people, in fact God is allowing them to know the mystery of his will. He desires to communicate the truth to His people, so that His will is not a mystery. When people believe, God makes known to them the mystery of His will, why? He has done it “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” It was all due to His good pleasure, which He purposed and planned.

“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” (Ephesians 1:10) “When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more, and the morning breaks eternal bright and fair, When the saved earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there” (When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder) When all things come to pass and the fullness of time comes He will gather together in one all things in Christ. All things which are in heaven and on earth will be brought together in Christ. He is going to take possession of everything. “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:11) In Christ the saints have an inheritance, in fact they have obtained an inheritance. They were predestinated, chosen according to Him. He who works all things after the counsel of His will, His good, pleasing, and perfect will. The question is if they obtained an inheritance, that means it is a thing that happened, so then they can lose that inheritance which they received? God can choose, but somehow men can unchoose? God cannot perform His will because of sinful man?

He did so according to His will. For the reason, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:12) It is all for His glory and if He has given an inheritance to the praise of His glory, then men can thwart it? This glory comes from the fact that man first trusted in Christ and that glorifies God. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” (Ephesians 1:13) They trusted in Christ after they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. In Christ they believed were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. God has sealed those who believe with the Holy Spirit of Promise. The promise of God was given to those who believe as a seal. When God seals something it cannot be unsealed, it’s a done deal. Much like Darius who did not want to have Daniel thrown into the den of lions but had to for his seal was not something that could be broken. If this applied to an earthly, godless king, how much more true is it for the King of kings? God’s seal cannot be broken if it could then God cannot keep what He has said. This seal is important and a seal, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:14) It is the earnest, down payment, guarantee of our inheritance. If salvation can be lost then there is no guarantee and God is then a liar. How long will the seal last for those who truly believe? It will last “until the redemption of the purchased possession,” until He, Jesus, comes and takes possession of that which He has already purchased. This will happen unto the praise of his glory, for God will be gloried.

The text often used to defend the loss of salvation is Hebrews 6 and so it has been added to this discourse. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.” (Hebrews 6:1-3) Leaving the principal things of the doctrine of Christ, does not mean one leaves aside the gospel so they can have perfection, but that one who believes moves into perfection because of standing in Christ Jesus. Saints need not lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works. They do not have to repent and believe the gospel so they can be saved again and again, so that they can have faith toward God, a doctrine of baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, or the eternal judgment. Why? Those who believe will do these things if God permits, He will permit.

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.“ (Hebrews 6:4-6) For it is impossible for those who we once enlightened, once had their eyes open to the gospel. It is impossible for those who have tasted of the heavenly gift, the glimpse of the salvation offered by Christ. It is impossible for them who have partaken in the share of the Holy Ghost, who have tasted the good word and even had a glimpse of the power of the world to come, if they should fall away and not follow Christ. They cannot be renewed to repentance again, for they crucify to themselves the Son of God anew and afresh. They put Christ to open shame. They slander the Christ they should be surrendered and submitted to.

What type of men would these be? Would they not be men like Judas, who had been enlightened, who had tasted the heavenly gift, Christ Himself, who had partaken of the Holy Ghost, through whom was given authority to heal and cast out demons with the others, who had tasted of the good word of God, and His power and yet rejected Christ and died in his rebellion. This is the type of man who appears to be a believer but sadly is not. The evidence of perdition, the evidence of their lostness is the fact that they die in their sin and wages thereof.

“But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.” (Hebrews 8-9) That which bear thorns and briars is rejected and is near unto being cursed, which will be burned in the end unless there is genuine repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. There is hope for the lost who think they are redeemed, and it is found in Christ. The writer continued and called his hearing saints beloved, the redeemed of God, that he is persuaded, convinced that there are better things for them, and those better things accompany their salvation. Though they spoke hard things before of the those who were not and are not genuine believers, yet this is not the case of His hearers. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10) He commends the saints in this beloved church that God does not forget their work nor their labor of love that they have shown for the name of God, in their ministry they have done for the saints and even continued to do among the saints.

So, if one can lose their salvation, it is not because the bible tells them so, but because of human wisdom, because of the way verses are not left in their context, but because men dislodge verses to back up their flawed theology. These are just two texts that shoot holes into this false theology. The only encouragement for men, all men, whether they hold to perseverance of the saint or that one can lose salvation, “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” (Romans 3:4) Let God be true, He is the sovereign God and never, ever loses one of His own. Job is a great example, God had Job tried and knew Job would not curse Him to His face, why? Because God was the one who held Job and will hold all who are His.  

By,

Tommaso (Tom) Pasquarella