Once Saved, Am I Always Saved Forever. Could I Lose My Salvation?
The salvation of every person in the world has been secured through Christ’s death, which paid the price for everyone’s sins—past, present, and future. So legally, everyone is saved. However, receiving this salvation is a personal choice. Just as a condemned person can choose to accept a pardon or face the consequences, we too have the choice to accept Christ’s atonement for our sins and be set free, or reject it and remain condemned.
Salvation is received by faith and sustained by holding on to that same faith. As 1 Corinthians 15:2 states, “By which you are also saved if you hold fast to the word which I preached to you.” Our salvation is preserved by continuing to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:22-23 emphasizes this truth: “But now He (God) has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” Simply put, we remain saved by staying grounded in our faith.
Hebrews 10:37-38 reinforces this: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the Just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” The message is clear: Once saved, you are always saved, provided you continue to believe in Christ’s atonement for your sins.
But does this mean we can continue in our old wrong behaviours or mindset and still remain saved? The real question is, “What did you truly believe?” James 2:26 clearly states, “Faith without works is dead.” Genuine faith naturally produces actions that align with that belief. When you embrace the gospel, you become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)—the old ways pass away. If your faith is authentic, it will transform you, leading to a life marked by righteousness and holiness. Focus your mind on the things of God, and your faith will grow stronger, moulding you to become more like Him in all things.
However, some believers have shipwrecked their faith, as mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:19. This can happen by either relying on their own efforts through legalism (trying to follow the laws of Moses for righteousness instead of relying on Christ) or by habitually engaging in worldly pleasures, causing them to forget they were saved. Continuously committing sinful acts opens the door for the devil and our conscience to condemn us. If we allow this condemnation to persist long enough, our hearts can become hardened in sin, leading us to turn away from our faith in God. The devil and our minds can convince us that we are no longer saved. Like Adam and Eve, we may find ourselves running away from God. Sadly, We could lose our faith.
We don’t lose our salvation because we made a mistake, but because we turn away from accepting Christ’s atonement due to unbelief. However, if we return to God in repentance and accept His unconditional offer of forgiveness—even with our last breath—we are saved, just like the thief on the cross with Jesus. Remember we do not live right because we want to escape God’s punishment but we live right because it is in our new nature to live right (unless you have forgotten what you believed).
We are saved to do good works, but no one can be saved by doing good works. But glory be to God that when we are saved, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who helps us stay true and preserves us from unbelief and corruption as we yield to Him.
- This discussion was modified 3 months ago by Ukemeobong Michael.
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