A common question among Christians is whether, once you are saved, you can lose your salvation. The simple answer is yes; a Christian can lose their salvation. Either our unrepented sins cause us to lose our salvation (implying the departure of the indwelling Holy Spirit) and thus go to hell at physical death, or our unrepented sins cause the believer to lose the filling (control) of the Holy Spirit, who produces his fruit (spiritual qualities) in our life. We are left to act in our power since we lack the Spirit’s empowerment. God wants us to be restored to communion with him. For this reason, he will chasten (discipline) us. This believer will travel to heaven after bodily death, but their actions will not be rewarded at the judgment.
What Does the Bible Say?
Several New Testament passages speak to this issue. The first is Romans 11:29-30 and Galatians 5:4:
- “God has saved us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.'” (Galatians 3:13)
- “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)
In both verses, Paul refers to salvation through faith in Christ rather than works. This can be seen as an encouragement that salvation is not dependent on how much good one does or doesn’t do—rather, we are saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. In addition to these passages about salvation being by grace through faith alone, many others discuss what happens when someone turns from God and rejects their gift of eternal life because they have chosen not to accept His sacrifice on their behalf. These verses include Luke 15 and John 5:24-25; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31; James 2:14-17; Revelation 20
What Does Losing Your Salvation Look Like?
It is possible to lose salvation, but there are a few things you can do that will help prevent this from happening:
- Remember that your salvation is not tied to your actions or anything you do. It’s a gift from God.
- Ensure that you stay in good standing with the church and keep up with your studies to continue learning about God and his ways.
- Be aware of any sins or bad habits that could be pulling you away from God (addiction to drugs or alcohol, for instance).
If those problems seem too big for you to overcome on your own and keeping them under control seems impossible at the moment, go talk to someone who works in pastoral care at your church—they will help guide and support you through this difficult time until they are resolved once more.
How Could They Lose Their Salvation After They Believed?
Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be taken away. However, you can lose your salvation in two ways: (1) by rejecting Christ or (2) by committing the sin that separates you from God.
If someone rejects Christ and never repents, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven because they have rejected their only way to salvation. This is why Jesus said in John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned.” If you believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and accept His sacrifice for your sins on the cross, you are saved forever!
The second way someone could lose their salvation would be if they committed sins after becoming a Christian that caused them to separate themselves from fellowship with God—hence why Paul wrote to people who were already Christians but still living sinful lives (Romans 6). He told them that if they did not stop doing things that were displeasing to God, their sin would lead them to be judged along with everyone else who continues living this way when Jesus returns (vs. 20-21).
How Could They Lose Their Salvation when They Believed but Not Have the Possibility of Being Saved Again?
Well, if you’re a Christian and someone tells you that your salvation is conditional on something, then it’s probably not true. But let’s say that somehow they are right. What could God require of us to maintain our salvation?
Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about this question:
What Should You Do if You Think You’ve Lost Your Salvation?
If you think you have lost your salvation, it is important that you immediately repent and pray. You must confess your sins, ask God to forgive them, renew your faith in Jesus Christ and ask Him to help you stay faithful to Him.
This may seem like a simple prayer, but it is one of the most powerful prayers anyone can say! It will bring about change if you are sincere about it!
If You Truly Believe in Jesus Christ to Save You from Your Sins, Then You Cannot Lose Your Salvation.
Let’s say you were the most committed Christian in the world, but one day you suddenly decided that you didn’t want to be a Christian anymore. You stopped reading your Bible and praying because it was too difficult for you. What would happen?
You would start living like an unbeliever! And if others saw this behavior change, they’d probably assume that something bad had happened to cause such a change—that maybe you had gotten sick or lost someone close to you, or whatever else happens in life that can cause people to change their minds about things.
But what if, instead of getting sick or losing someone close to them, God told them outright: “I’m going away forever and leaving my love behind.” Wouldn’t it still shock us? Wouldn’t we cry out, “You can’t do this!”? Of course, we would! That’s because we know how deeply we depend on such relationships. We know that without love, our lives would be meaningless; without hope, they would collapse into despair; without peace, they would come apart at the seams …
Conclusion
So while it is possible to lose your salvation, I don’t think you need to worry. As I said, it only happens if you stop believing in God. If you believe in him, then you are saved.