Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

[Christine]

Many saved people have their salvation threatened by those who would put us back under the law. Even more often, innocent Christians have their salvation scrutinized by the misapplication of this condemnation of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21. Galatians 5:19-21 is a passage that is often used as a salvation indicator by those who do not understand salvation by grace. The passage is properly understood to be a motivator to produce the fruit of the Spirit in a saved individual.

Firstly, Paul clearly teaches that we are saved by the undeserved merit of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross (Romans 4:5). Since it is not according to our works, it can not be indicated by our works (Romans 11:6). Instead it is indicated by the work of Christ and our faith in what he performed (Eph 1:13, Romans 3:22-24). If you want a proper evaluation of your salvation then we must not look at our own works, but at the work of Christ (Romans 4:20-25). Is our trust totally in what Christ did? If so, then we have received the grace of God unto salvation.

Having an understanding of the basis of our salvation by grace negates the possibility that this passage is condemning saved members of the Body of Christ. However, it is just as wrong to believe that it is advocating using the works of the flesh to test a person’s salvation. For if we received salvation by grace then we cannot refute our salvation by our works. On the contrary, Paul uses this description of the works of the flesh in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit in order to motivate those who live in the Spirit to also walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:25).

In the context of Galatians Paul addresses the issues of salvation and justification by faith first in chapters 1 and 2. Then Paul continues to talk about the walk of a justified person. That is, he first explains grace, our position in Christ, our free justification, and then subsequently contrasts our new position with our old position to spur us onto good works for which we were ‘before ordained that we should walk’ (Eph 2:10).

Paul says in Galatians 2:17 that we know ‘that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ’. Paul continues to describe the presence of sin in the justified individual:

      “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” – (Galatians 2:17-18)

Paul says we are dead to the law, and so we do not build up our flesh again to try and reap good fruit from it. It has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives. Our new position is in Christ and not in the flesh (Gal 2:19-21).

In chapter 3 Paul continues by asking:

      “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” – (Galatians 3:3)

We began in the Spirit in that we are made alive through the Spirit after we were dead under the law. Yet, this implies that we are to walk in the Spirit as well. Paul will continue to stress this idea for the next few chapters. Christ has set us free from the law and now we have a new position in Christ to walk by faith in Grace.

Paul begins chapter 5 with the statement, ‘stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage’ (Gal 5:1). We are not to entangle ourselves under the curse of the law, but instead ‘wait for the hope of righteousness by faith’ (Gal 5:5)!

We are to exhibit our liberty from sin and death through our walk in the Spirit. There is a law against the works of the flesh that works unto death. However, there is no law against the works of the Spirit which are unto life. Therefore we are to walk after the Spirit not the flesh.

The passage in Gal 5:19-21 explains the law working against the works of the flesh. Yet, our flesh is crucified on the cross, and we are Christ’s:

      “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. “ – (Gal 5:24)

So then, ‘if we live in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit’ (Gal 5:25).

The works of the flesh do not condemn us because of our justification by faith in Jesus Christ. Instead it is contrasted to the fruits of the Spirit to show that there is no productive result from the works of the flesh. Those whose flesh is not crucified, and who are not in Christ, will perform the works of the flesh and not inherit the kingdom of God. We have been crucified with Christ, and as such should bear common fruit. We should walk by the way in which we live, which is, in the Spirit.

[NewDawn]

Hi Christine,
I think this is something that I always had a hard time grasping and I'll have to study it more, as far as walking in the Spirit.

I may be making it hard on myself, but can you explain it to me again in how we are to do this. 

Sorry!  

[Christine]

Thats easy. You already ARE in the Spirit, and God says that "we are created IN CHRIST JESUS (He living in us and we in Him) UNTO GOOD WORKS which God created BEFOREHAND that we should WALK IN THEM."

God created good works ahead of time for you to walk in...as they present themselves...put one foot in front of the other and walk.

We try to make it so much harder than it really is, don't we?? Rejoice...God has all the bases covered.  You live your life depending on Him to do just what He said He would do...He WILL manifest His resurrection LIFE in and thru you. When decisions come up that need making, you make them according to the instructions given you in His Word.

You are doing just fine.....I want you to study the book of Ephesians and write down all the things God says He already accomplished FOR you. You will be amazed. That is your homework for the week...wink

[Christine]

Something we all need to nail down....good reading.

[Roofdad]

For those that are perhaps visitors to this site, and are not familiar with right division, and the preaching of Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, and saw this particular topic, please alow me to say a few words.

I came from a Baptist / then Pentecostal background. Here is a synopsis of my experience, in any given week, believing that I could lose my salvation, as taught by some mainstream churches..........

Sunday morning! Alright! Gotta get to that altar..... kinda had a bad week. Lay at that altar, crying, and begging for forgiveness, until I felt justified in my own mind. OK! I am good to go, now! Going to heaven, if I die! Long way to church, so I miss Sunday night. Pastor will probably say something about people not being very faithful to the church, on Wednesday night...... oh, well. He don't buy my gas.....(OMG! Did I really just say that?? God PLEASE forgive me!)   Hmmm....Monday not too bad. Cussed when I hit my finger, but asked for forgiveness.... Tuesday comes......... they shut my !@#$%&** cell phoone off! Stupid phone company....... ran out of gas, and REALLY cussed up a storm! Man! Now I maybe AIN'T saved! Wednesday finally..... gotta hit that altar tonight! Money kinda low.... 70 mile round trip..... missed Wednesday night! Lost my temper with the kids...... BOY! where does that "F" word come from, when I am mad?? Now I KNOW I'd go to hell, if I die before Sunday! Friday OK. Didn't make as much money as I was supposed to....... spent the whole night fuming mad..... what about the light bill? Now it's Saturday..... NO joy...... NO feeling of Christian fulfillment..... why did I have to have a bad week?? God is punishing me for saying those cuss words on Tuesday, then missing church! I can not WAIT for this day to be over, so I can get to that altar tomorrow..... hopfully, God willing, I won't die before then......


Is this your life? Are you under constant condemnation? Has YOUR church told you that you can lose your salvation?

iF THERE WERE ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD DO TO LOSE OR KEEP YOUR SALVATION, THEN SALVATION IS BY WORKS!

Paul teaches differently. The RISEN Christ told him what to say to us, and Paul teaches us that after we believe, we are SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE.

This means that it is a GIFT that you can NOT lose!

[BOC560]

Yes, I’ve been there – many different churches over many, many years.  There sits the front row of deacons in their black suits. These guys seemed to have it so together!  They had a hotline to God through the pastor.  Didn’t have to worry about any of these guys slipping a cuss word.  Heck, they didn’t even pass gas!    (One church I went to had a “pastor’s meeting” with the deacons every Sunday morning primarily for them to inspect each other for straight ties, black socks, polished black shoes, etc.) 

Then there was me.  Anybody (including myself) could easily see the contrast between me and the REAL Christian men.  They were saved.  I was hopeful.  Then I eventually lost hope because I wasn’t improving.  (Trying to clean up the 'Old Man') Maybe God really did decide up front that some people were holy and others were evil and no matter how I tried, there wasn’t any way for my evil nature to be changed into a holy one. (predestination)

I told one of my friends, “I might as well forget all this and just go out and party.  At least I’d have some fun here while it lasted because I can’t live the “Christian Life” and I know I’m going to Hell in spite of all my best efforts.”

Over the years I’ve attended Church of Christ, Methodist, Mormon, Christian, Brethren, Methodist, Pentecost, Pilgrim Holiness, Wesleyan, American Baptist, Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and a whole host of others in my quest for salvation.

One preacher told me, “The only way you can know you’re going to ‘make it’ is to keep striving to the end.  Only those who finish the race will receive the prize.  You and I will both fall short of perfection but that’s when Christ steps in and makes up the difference with His grace.  But He only does this for those who have continued to strive.”

I went home and thought about that for a while.  I said out loud, “Lord, I have to disagree with you.  Your yoke is NOT easy and your burden is NOT light!  I really don’t know if I can carry the weight of this for much longer.”  I decided there must be something more to salvation than what I was seeing and so I decided to start going to yet another church.  I didn’t want to give up on salvation until I had exhausted all of the possibilities.  At this point I was not saved.  They probably weren’t either.  At least I knew that I wasn’t.

I really do wonder about guys that don’t despair and bleed over this issue.  (No Leaks, you know what I’m talking about.)  When you compare this earthly life to 'life eternal' ... that's a serious situation to be reckoned with.

Just a short time ago I talked with a friend who was retired from management of a major corporation.  He’s a very nice person and he’s very intelligent and very successful.  I was shocked to learn that he’d never sought after his salvation with much fervor. His understanding of life was that same old idiom, “Good People Go to Heaven – Bad People Go to Hell”.  He didn’t know all that much about the bible or its doctrine.  He didn’t know all that much about the doctrines of the different religions.  As far as he was concerned, most all religions are good and we live in a country where anyone can worship any way they please.

The general concept is this:  There are good people in all the churches, so it doesn’t matter which one you choose to attend.  Anyone can strive to be good in any church.  Whatever happens after death, God will be just and fair with the good people who continued to strive to be good.

That’s the same theology that another friend teaches who is pastor of a local church.  As I look around, MOST of the pastors are teaching this.  He told me, “Johnny, you’re taking salvation way too serious!  You can go to almost any of these churches and be saved.  We just disagree on the trivial matters.”  Obviously they believe that it doesn’t matter much what you believe – it’s whether or not you strive to be a good person and ask for forgiveness for those times you choose to be bad. 

Religion does help to hold the fabric of society together.  It prevents a lot of would-be robbers from being a problem to civilization.  Everybody in society likes the “God Has a Big Hammer” doctrine.  Schoolteachers like it.  Policemen like it.  And preachers ADORE it.  It keeps students, citizens and parishioners in line and so it provides the necessary discipline for man while he’s on earth.  It just won't get you saved.


You get the impression that the man behind the sign has overcome his sin nature!

I continue to be shocked that so few people seem to question the “God Has a Big Hammer” theory as it pertains to the time after death.  I wanted to know what was going to happen to me after I died.  The main thing I need to know is that God will be there to take care of me through death.  The main thing is us to learn God’s criteria for salvation.  This has been a lifelong struggle for me and I’m finally at peace with God after learning how to rightly divide the scriptures and understand his plan for me in His age of grace.  I trust in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection as proof that my sins have been paid for and that God, the Father has accepted the Son’s payment in full to justify me and give me spiritual life that will last beyond the grave. 

[Roofdad]

Very well said, Johnny. It saddens me to see so many that tell you with their mouth, that they know that they are saved by grace, through faith in Christ, then in the next breath, they say that faith without works is dead, and that our works justify our faith. I also used to believe that way, but I now disagree, since learning to rightly divide the word of God. I know that my belief in my Lord's death, burial and resurrection, is what justifies me. My joy has been more and more in seeing my tree beginning to bear fruit.
I love my Lord, my church family here, our pastor, and my new standing on the solid ground of the foundation of salvation that was given to me by the risen Christ!
Love y'all.

Darryl