Can you lose your salvation?
It’s a theological question for scholars and a source of fear for some believers. Others worry, not for their own salvation, but for the eternal future of someone they love. Historically, Calvinists, who teach a limited atonement believe that, if God calls a person to salvation, they cannot be cast aside — and they can’t cast themselves out, either unless they engage in deliberate and conscious apostasy. Arminians, who teach an atonement for all based on a free-will decision to receive the gift of salvation must also believe in a free-will rejection of salvation, even if once claimed. The Molinist view is complex (as are most Molinist views), asserting that, while Christians are able to fall away, they won’t because God’s middle knowledge allows Him to prevent such action.
For parents of children raised in the Christian faith, children who appeared to be solid in their beliefs before college, the young adult years are terrifying. College and adult experiences so often seem to pull people away from the faith, and parents who “checked all the boxes” often feel like they missed something when their children make choices or statements that counter their previous assertions of salvation. The temptation is to pressure grown children to return to their childhood faith, but the pressure is often tantamount to nagging, which only serves to drive them farther away from the Lord. It’s also easy to worry; what happens if grown children don’t ever talk about faith again? The sense of loss and failure can be overwhelming. There’s also a feeling of being judged by others whose children have become pastors or missionaries.
How do I know? I have three children, all of whom were raised in church. As parents, we checked all the boxes: kids’ choir from pre-k through high school, missionary trips, Sunday school, AWANA, Bible verse memory (thank you G.T. and the Halo Express), VBS — all the things. As of this writing, one daughter is deconstructing/reconstructing her faith and her life. The other two have let their faith take a back seat to the here and now. They haven’t “lost” their faith, but they aren’t actively living it out in a way that I can see, either. Does that “inaction” mean anything? Some scholars think so. Others don’t. But I’m a mom who tried to do all the “right” things, and sometimes I need a word of encouragement that my prayers for all my children will be heard.
The topic of whether or not people can walk away from salvation is overwhelming, partly because scholars over the years have made compelling arguments both for and against eternal security and salvation, often using the same verses. The most common texts are from the letter to the Hebrews, which has as its theme the preeminent of Jesus and the danger of apostasy. The resources listed at the end of this post offer better explanations of the arguments than I can, but based on reading through them all, I have come to a conclusion that I think is in line with Scripture, history, and the nature of God. I was influenced to begin this line of thinking after a sermon by Clay Smith cited below. Along with the sermon, a friend said to me that, in spite of church attendance and other external signs of faith, kids who make sincere professions of faith as teenagers are “in the boat.” They’ll get to the destination, even if they stay below deck. It’s an interesting metaphor. I’m not sure it holds up under scrutiny, but I like it anyway.
Can people lose their salvation? Yes, but. That’s my answer. Is it possible for people who make a confession of faith to turn against it and deny the gift of God? I have to believe so based on passages like 1 Timothy 4:1, Hebrews 4:6, and 2 Peter 3:17. But each of these passages, and others like them, refer to deliberate acts of rejection of a truth once trusted. There are more people whose faith fades into the background than apostates. What happens to the non-apostates whose faith is an ember under ashes rather than a flame?
Myers makes a good point when he differentiates between salvation and security. According to him, salvation means temporary deliverance from a particular thing: sickness, enemies, or experiences. Salvation, by this definition, is both temporary and conditional, and by nature, temporal, not eternal. Salvation is not necessarily the same as eternal security. Salvation requires individual action; eternal security is a promise from God who does the work of sanctification.
Smith, in his sermon on Hebrews 5, recalled the character of God who forbade the Israelites from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14) because of their disbelief and rejection of the reports of the land from Joshua and Caleb. However, being denied entry into the Land did not change their position as God’s Chosen People. Long after the last generation to die in the desert were gone, God still redeemed them as they claimed, lost, reclaimed, were exiled from, and returned to the Promised Land. Many of those who were punished with the wanderers will be in heaven, including Moses, who did not enter the land but died on the mountain overlooking it. They missed the blessing God had for them, but they did not lose His hand upon them.
There’s real comfort in that interpretation, but I think it’s also a biblical interpretation in tune with the nature of a Holy and Loving God. Holiness cannot look at sin. Love redeemed us in Jesus. We can’t accidentally lose our faith or turn away from our security in the promise of God. We can, however, miss the full blessing He intended for us at the moment of salvation as we believed and He began His sanctifying work in us. We can choose to forgo growing in grace and wisdom, but the consequence is missing the life of wonder God prepared for us. We can be inwardly focused on our lives, our families, and our personal needs and live, but we miss so much that we might know if we looked outward through the lens of service, worship, and sanctification.
The boat metaphor is helpful here. The boat is analogous to the resurrection and the promise of eternal life for all who believe. Proclaim the name of Jesus and board the boat. Everyone who boards will arrive at the destination. The journey, however, will differ depending on where people choose to reside. Below deck is safe, especially with an inside berth. There isn’t much to see and even less to do, but arrival is certain. Then there are those who choose to ride up front like Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic — only without the iceberg. The view is spectacular. The wind and waves capture all the senses. It is vibrant and joyful, and maybe a little dangerous. Sometimes the salt air hurts, and the bow can get slippery, but no one will ever be lost from the top side.
I will never stop praying for my children to dwell in the fullness of God’s blessing and the delights He has prepared for them, but I am also comforted by the knowledge that they ARE in the boat. R.C. Sproul said, “First you pray, and then, you wait.” While I’m praying and waiting I will also trust the Lord knows what He’s doing and I will look forward. I will enjoy the splendid scenery, the salt spray in the wind, and even the challenges of hanging on when the sea gets rough. I will dwell in His blessings on my life, doing the work He has planned for me, and loving my children in the same way that Jesus loves me.
Resources:
Ferwerda, J. (2008, Dec 12). Can you lose your salvation?
Hinn, C. (2022). Can you lose your salvation?
Minton, E. (2017, August 8–10). The can/won’t model of eternal security: Part 1 — the case for apostasy. Part 2 — the case for OSAS. Part 3 — conclusion.
Myers, J. (2017). I believe in eternal security…but not “once saved, always saved.”
Pallman, D. (2021). The case against eternal security: Hebrews 6:4–6 and 10:26–29.
Reagan, D.F. (n.d.) How a Christian can lose salvation.
Salvation Call. (n.d. ). Biblical proof you can lose your salvation.
Smith, C. (2022, Dec 5). Can I lose my salvation? Sermon Series: Hebrews.
Sproul, R.C. (2020, Mar 23). Can a Christian lose their salvation?
Stewart, D. (n.d.). Can a believer lose their salvation?