Can a Christian lose their salvation?

[Vine Abider]

18 minutes ago, Cntrysner said:

You are very welcome indeed, I am glad you have acknowledged all aspects of what we receive in Christ into the one time event of being born again as a new creature in Christ. It is not a process of maturing to receive all God has to offer for us. We are complete in Him and will receive a full inheritance being we are an actual son and no longer children tossed to and fro (Eph 4:14), once we discern the Son of God and receive His identity we are perfect and fully mature in Him by His very life (4:13).
 

On one hand there is head knowledge as the gospel reveals the truth of Christ to us we are being perfected, then when we fully accept Him by receiving His identity, position, and inheritance we are perfected in Him, this acceptance reveals the new creature created in Christ thus all things are now of God (2Co 5:15-18). Christ is all in all, nothing of ourselves (Col 3:1-11), Seek the things which are above and not of this earth for ye are dead.
 

We are not being perfected VA, we are literally perfect, complete, and mature in Christ the moment we believe we are placed into His body (Eph 5:30,1:3).

 

Think of this way, in the parade of the Sower, the word (scripture) of God is the seed and if received it produces spiritual growth and matures into Christ in us and the old man, the seed of Adam, is dead and a new perfect creature is born fully mature in Christ and has no need of growth. Christ is our identity!
The old man can never be perfect because of sin, he must die and receive the body of Christ via the Spirit of the ascended Christ. Jesus had to leave this earth for the Spirit to come and fully indwell creating the new creature. Christ’s Spirit body (2Co 3:17) is in us VA and He separates the spirit from the flesh. We should not perceive things as a natural born man but understand all things are now new and of God by the Spirit. The fallacy is that the old man can mature to perfection but it never will, it is the seed of Adam.

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

The Father will be true to His promise, he will bring His perfected sons in Christ to glory.

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 
 

I think there are two aspects to this - we received everything we need, and we are also going through a process of transformation/sanctification. (and agree the corrupt old man & flesh are just worthy of disposal/death)

Two verses come to mind to illustrate:

For by one offering he hath perfected ^G5048 for ever them that are sanctified.  (Heb 10:14)

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: ^G5048 but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:12)

[JohnD]

On 9/21/2024 at 9:13 PM, katburnell said:

Honestly, the reason I am asking this question is because I am fearful of it happening to me. I fully believe in what Jesus did on the cross for me and for everyone, but I am just very afraid, because some people have different answers to how you get saved or keep being saved. 

I have backslid before, and I am back to God again, but now I am having a lot of fears. I do not want to be separated from God, and I am scared that He is not here with me anymore. 

Controversial topic. But it doesn't have to be. The scriptures are clear; once you are saved, you are saved forever (John 10:27-29). And if you can lose your salvation, you were never really saved to begin with (1 John 2:19).

#1. Becoming a Christian / being a Christian is believing in the genuine Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18). No other definitions or attempts to qualify as a Christian or to remain a Christian are true. None of them. Ephesians 2:8-10 clearly indicates that only faith in Christ Jesus is the key.

#2. Reread #1.

#3. You cannot gauge your eternal standing with God by your behavior in this life. Again, I cannot emphasize enough that Christianity is about whom you believe in not what you do. You "could" spare yourself and others a world of grief by living perfectly. As "could" we all. But we don't. And we actually can't (Isaiah 64:6).

Proverbs 24:16 (KJV)
16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

So you backslid... get up! Keep persevering. 

And don't harp on it. Don't remind yourself about past failures. Time moves forward. We are in the present now. What's past is past. And 1 John 1:9 is a good place to unload your guilt confessing your sins to God who is the only one we've ultimately wronged (Psalm 51:4). 

[enoob57]

It's as simple as works cannot save you so how could works condemn you
Romans 8:33 (KJV)

[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Some say well I can do it myself but then God says they were never of Him to start with...

1 John 2:19 (KJV)

[19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

 

[Cntrysner]

On 10/1/2024 at 9:52 AM, Vine Abider said:

I think there are two aspects to this - we received everything we need, and we are also going through a process of transformation/sanctification. (and agree the corrupt old man & flesh are just worthy of disposal/death)

Two verses come to mind to illustrate:

For by one offering he hath perfected ^G5048 for ever them that are sanctified.  (Heb 10:14)

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: ^G5048 but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:12)

It seems you can’t grasp the reality of being perfect in Christ. Our identity is Christ and if we believe we are sanctified by His obedience and sacrifice. He is the prize we win by faith of Him with His inheritance, there is no greater or further reward to receive by process. The old man is dead and can do nothing, he is powerless.

Sanctification in the OT was a continual sacrificial process that foreshadowed Christ. Jesus completed that process with the offering of His body once and for all (Heb 10:10-14).  

To receive a reward (bema) would require a work in and of ones self to perform which would be a work of the flesh or a righteous work of self. Dead men can’t work and for those that died in Christ it is now the Spirit that works in them, If it be the Spirit that does the works then the Spirit receives the reward and if the Spirit is Christ (Rom 8:9) then we receive all the rewards by being in Him. His identity, His rewards, His sanctity, His perfection, so that Christ can be all in all (Col 3:9-11).

Concerning Col Phil 3:12 Paul is speaking of attaining Christ, being with Him at death, the earnest of the Spirit being received. Paul refers to this attaining as the prize, the high calling of  God  in Christ. Paul is not referring to a process of perfection that he must do but to literally attaining the promise of the Spirit already in him (Eph 1:13-14).

 
2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 
2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 
2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 
2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 
2Co 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 
2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 
2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 
2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.    
 

[Luther]

On 9/21/2024 at 10:13 PM, katburnell said:

Honestly, the reason I am asking this question is because I am fearful of it happening to me. I fully believe in what Jesus did on the cross for me and for everyone, but I am just very afraid, because some people have different answers to how you get saved or keep being saved. 

I have backslid before, and I am back to God again, but now I am having a lot of fears. I do not want to be separated from God, and I am scared that He is not here with me anymore. 

If you don't mind me asking, was there a defining moment in your life where you knew that the sin in your life was totally unacceptable before God? 

[katburnell]

On 12/9/2024 at 5:09 PM, Luther said:

If you don't mind me asking, was there a defining moment in your life where you knew that the sin in your life was totally unacceptable before God? 

I do remember when I was saved. My foster family and I started going to a new church,(this was over 20 years ago) and I felt led by the pastor to give my life to Jesus. I had been through a lot at that point in my life. I had a traumatic event happen with my birth family, and I guess I was angry at God for a long time because of that. This new foster family I was living with were Christian, and found this new church, so we went, and during one of the sermons, I gave my life to Jesus.

[Who me]

5 hours ago, katburnell said:

I do remember when I was saved

And what about now, you mentioned backsliding, are you still following Jesus, active in a local church, reading your bible, praying etc?

Ever read John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Note two things in it. Christians/sheep listen to Jesus and know his voice. Are you actively  listening?

And who is it that is holding onto the Christian/sheep.

May I suggest you talk with your minister. Part of his job is to care for those in the congregation. 

[Luther]

13 hours ago, katburnell said:

I do remember when I was saved. My foster family and I started going to a new church,(this was over 20 years ago) and I felt led by the pastor to give my life to Jesus. I had been through a lot at that point in my life. I had a traumatic event happen with my birth family, and I guess I was angry at God for a long time because of that. This new foster family I was living with were Christian, and found this new church, so we went, and during one of the sermons, I gave my life to Jesus.

Ok. You know I just keep my mind focused on being accountable to God. Because no matter how we feel from day to day, our obedience to Him is non- negotiable 

[farouk]

On 12/10/2024 at 8:55 PM, katburnell said:

I do remember when I was saved. My foster family and I started going to a new church,(this was over 20 years ago) and I felt led by the pastor to give my life to Jesus. I had been through a lot at that point in my life. I had a traumatic event happen with my birth family, and I guess I was angry at God for a long time because of that. This new foster family I was living with were Christian, and found this new church, so we went, and during one of the sermons, I gave my life to Jesus.

Hi @katburnell Great verses here: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8.38-39)

[farouk]

Another good verse: "He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1.6)