Yeah, this is definitely the most asked question in modern Christianity. A lot of "Christians" really think you can. Even though there are LOTS of passages that disproof this theory. Like John 10:27-29:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)
Here a great sermon by Chuck Missler of Koinonia House in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho:
"It's two hands involved! That's the key! There are two hands involved! The father's and the son's. If you can lose your salvation, I have a new name for God: Butterfingers."
Couldn't agree more! Missler's totally right!
Sadly most religious people, especially Arminians, are like: "Yeah, that's true. But we can pluck ourselves out of God's hand." Huh? No one means no one. I repeat: "no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (Yeah, it also includes women, haha.) And: "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all". Are you trying to say you are greater than the father?
" Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6)
See? That's a STRONG proof for "once saved, always saved"! If we could lose our salvation, that would mean God cancalled the work through the Holy Spirit.
And what about Hebrews 6:4-6?
Often that passage is misused as a proof that you could lose salvation. But let's look at that verse: "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."
Well, it simply means that a person has rejected the Gospel. The other person has tried everything to convince the lost one, and the lost one was so close to grab it, but still say no! Sadly too many people are in that position. What a tragedy! They don't know what it costs them! That's why I am making this blog. God expects us to win souls.
This situation can be compared to a baseballer making a contract with a club. (Are you a sportsman? I honestly am interested in motorsports, especially in MotoGP and WRC, I also would rather like to focus on that, but the Holy Spirit wants me to serve the Lord) He is almost done, but then he realizes that the salary's not good enough and he is like: "Nah, thanks." In that case it could have been a wise descision if he has a better offer. However, not when it comes to Jesus. There are no other sacrifices!
Here another good explaination by Andrew Farley of Church without Religion in Lubbock, Texas (definitely my favorite non KJV only preacher):
Yeah, that's true! Don't downplay or belittle the blood!
But didn't Demas lose his salvation?
"For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia." (Paul the Apostle in 2 Timothy 4:10)
Demas left Paul, yes. But who is the savior? Paul or Jesus? Paul may have been the greatest theologian of all time and the autor of the Gospel of Christ, but only Jesus can save! You cannot get saved until you believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and that he made the payment for all of your sins with his blood.
And what does Matthew 7:21-23 mean?
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Four things:
1) What is the father's will? Let's go to John 6:39-40: "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." (also talking about the rapture, but that's another story)
2) As you can see, those people were boasting with their works to obey Jesus. They only put parts of their trust in Jesus and the rest in their own efforts, just like Peter before he changed his mind (I don't wanna write "repent" to avoid confusion). Sadly modern translations replace "wonderful works" with "miracles". That's why I stick with the KJV.
3) Jesus does NOT say: "I used to know you, but lost you." So that proofs they never were saved.
4) Jesus calls them "ye that work iniquity". Meaning they thought their good works could get them to heaven, like already mentoined in (2. New translations however changed it things like "you workers of lawlessness", "you evildoers" or "you that break God's law".
Therefore losing salvation is illogical and a lie from Satan. Yet people are like "Oh shoot, I oversaw a red traffic light, I now lost my salvation!" Is that a sin? Yes, breaking the goverment's laws is a sin as long as they don't contradict with our faith (Romans 13:1-2).
God does not make a difference between "big" and "small" sins (saying otherwise could mean you defend your own sins because they aren't that big). Seriously, if we lost our salvation everytime we sinned, then we would lose it several times a day. As we know, every evil thought is a sin.
In the Book of Ephesians there are two important verses about the Holy Spirit we recieve at the moment we trust in Christ as our savior:
"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" (1:13)
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (4:30)
I am NOT a Calvinist!
Often "eternal security" and "once saved, always saved" get connected with Calvinism because the fifth and last point is "perseverance of the Saints". But let's see what John Calvin really said:
"the power of the Spirit is so effectual, that it necessarily retains us in continual obedience to righteousness"
See? Calvinism says that a truly saved person perserveres to the end. While biblical eternal security means you get persevered by God like I have shown you with the verses from the Gospel of John.
Hope that helped you a lot. God bless.
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