The question of losing salvation is one that many believers wrestle with. Does the Bible provide a clear answer? Scripture offers encouragement and warnings about faith, perseverance, and the security of salvation. Let’s explore what the Bible says about this important and sometimes controversial topic.
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What Does The Bible Say About Losing Salvation
John 10:28-29
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
This verse provides assurance to believers that once they receive eternal life from Jesus, they are securely held in His hand and the Father’s hand. It emphasizes the fact that no external force or power can separate them from God’s love and salvation.
Romans 8:38-39
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This passage emphasizes that nothing in all of creation can separate believers from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus. It encompasses a wide range of possibilities, reinforcing the eternal security of salvation once it is received.
Ephesians 4:30
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
This verse highlights the sealing of believers by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit serves as a guarantee and a mark of ownership, ensuring that believers are eternally secure in their salvation. It reminds believers to live in a way that does not grieve or dishonor the indwelling Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 1:3-5
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This passage highlights the living hope that believers have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes the eternal nature of the inheritance that awaits believers in heaven and reassures them that their faith shields them by God’s power until the final revelation of salvation.
Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Believers can have confidence that the work of salvation started in them by God will be completed. This verse assures that God’s work of salvation in the lives of believers will continue until the day of Christ Jesus, guaranteeing their eternal security.
John 6:37
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
This verse reaffirms the promise that anyone who comes to Jesus will never be cast away. It emphasizes God’s role in drawing and giving believers to Jesus, assuring that once they come to Him, they find acceptance and eternal security.
Hebrews 7:25
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them.”
Jesus, as our eternal High Priest, is able to save completely those who come to God through Him. His intercession is ongoing, ensuring the full and eternal salvation of those who put their faith in Him.
2 Timothy 2:13
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
This verse emphasizes God’s unwavering faithfulness even when believers may falter in their faith. It underscores the fact that God’s faithfulness is based on His nature and character, ensuring the security of believers regardless of their momentary faithlessness.
1 John 2:19
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”
This verse speaks about those who appear to be part of the Christian community but ultimately leave. It indicates that their departure reveals they were never truly part of the community of believers. It suggests that genuine believers will remain and persevere, highlighting the assurance of true salvation.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
This well-known verse proclaims God’s immense love for humanity and the offer of eternal life to all who believe in Jesus. It assures that those who genuinely put their faith in Him will have the gift of eternal life and will never experience spiritual death or separation from God.
Romans 10:9
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This verse presents the condition for salvation: confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection. It assures that whoever meets this condition will be saved, reinforcing the certainty of eternal salvation for those who genuinely place their faith in Jesus.
John 5:24
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
This verse emphasizes that those who hear the word of Jesus and believe in God who sent Him have already received eternal life. It affirms that they will not face judgment but have transitioned from spiritual death to eternal life, highlighting the certainty of their salvation.
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
This verse speaks of the believer’s identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. It emphasizes that it is no longer their own life but the life of Christ living in them. It underscores the transformative power of salvation and the ongoing faith that now defines the redeemed life.
John 15:4
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
This verse speaks of the vital connection between believers and Jesus. Just as branches need to remain attached to the vine to bear fruit, believers must remain in Jesus to experience spiritual growth and bear fruit in their lives. It highlights the importance of abiding in Him and the communion that results from it.
Colossians 3:3
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
This verse illustrates the spiritual reality of believers. Through their identification with Christ, believers have died to their old selves and now have a new life hidden with Christ in God. It emphasizes the security and transformed identity found in Christ.
Romans 8:1
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
This verse declares the freedom from condemnation that believers have in Christ Jesus. It affirms that those who are in Him are no longer under the judgment and penalty of sin but have been fully forgiven and justified, reinforcing their secure position in salvation.
Titus 1:2
“In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.”
This verse acknowledges the hope believers have in the promise of eternal life that God, who is faithful and does not lie, has made. It emphasizes the unchanging nature of this promise, grounded in God’s character and established before the beginning of time.
Hebrews 6:17-18
“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.”
This passage highlights God’s unchanging nature and the assurance it brings to believers. God confirmed His promise of salvation with an oath, ensuring that those who have fled to take hold of that hope can be greatly encouraged, knowing that God cannot lie and will surely fulfill His promise.
Romans 11:29
“For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
This verse affirms the irrevocability of God’s gifts and call upon believers. It reminds us that once God has bestowed salvation, it cannot be taken away or nullified, emphasizing the eternal security found in His unchanging faithfulness.
2 Corinthians 1:22
“He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
This verse speaks about the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. The anointing and seal of the Holy Spirit serve as an assurance and guarantee of the future fulfillment of God’s promises. It reinforces the certainty of salvation and God’s faithfulness in completing what He has started.
Romans 8:17
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
This verse affirms the position of believers as children of God and joint heirs with Christ. It assures that all believers who share in the sufferings of Christ will also share in His future glory. It strengthens the assurance of eternal inheritance and the security of salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
This verse speaks of the transformative power of being in Christ. It emphasizes the reality of believers being new creations, with the old sinful nature being replaced by a new life in Christ. It reinforces the permanent change that occurs through salvation.
1 John 3:2
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
This verse acknowledges the present reality of believers being children of God, with the future promise of being transformed fully into Christlikeness when He appears. It assures that believers will one day see Jesus as He is and be transformed to be like Him, further reinforcing the assurance of eternal salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:8
“He will also keep you firm to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This verse assures believers that God will keep them firm and steadfast in their faith until the end. It emphasizes that God’s faithfulness ensures that they will be blameless on the day of Jesus’ return, highlighting the security of their salvation and God’s commitment to their spiritual preservation.