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Once you are saved can you be lost? This is a question that has divided Christians over the years. It is at the same time a very important issue to understand because misunderstanding this subject can cost a person their eternal life.
Indeed, I believe there will be millions who would be lost because they did not understand the issue of Salvation. Salvation is something that you must nurture, or you must hang onto because you can lose it if you neglect your relationship with the Lord.
So, people who think I came forward to the altar, I felt the Holy Spirit in my heart, I gave my life to Jesus, I know it was real but then they drift away and they think Oh well I'm saved.
This is a very dangerous belief because it's not true that you can turn your back on God and you'll still be assured of Salvation. Let's find out what the Bible says on this subject.
Romans 11: 22“So you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. He punishes those who stop following him. But he is kind to you if you continue trusting in his kindness. If you don’t continue depending on him, you will be cut off from the tree”.(ERV)
I Corinthians 15:1“Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I told you. You received that Good News message, and you continue to base your life on it”.(ERV)
Hebrews 4:1 “And we still have the promise that God gave those people. That promise is that we can enter his place of rest. So, we should be very careful that none of you fails to get that promise”. (ERV)
Philippians 2:12“My dear friends, you always obeyed what you were taught. Just as you obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important for you to obey now that I am not there. So, you must continue to live in a way that gives meaning to your salvation. Do this with fear and respect for God”. (ERV)
John15:1-2 Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit. He also trims every branch that produces fruit to prepare it to produce even more”.(ERV)
John 15:6 “If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned”.(ERV)
John 10:27“My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me”.(ERV)
Salvation is something that you must nurture. It's something we need to hang onto. We have several examples in the Bible of people who clearly were saved but drifted away from God.
You got King Saul chosen by the Lord, filled with the spirit of the Lord just like David was filled with the spirit of Lord. Then he nurtured a rebellious proud spirit until his behaviour finally drove away the Holy Spirit. God decided not to speak to him through the prophets and not through a priest. So, he went to a witch and eventually he committed suicide. He was lost.
Some might even contest at one-point Judas was saved. Jesus sent him out along with the 12 disciples. They came back saying they could cast out demons and they were performing miracles. But he clung to his greed and selfishness and he also hung himself. So, it is possible for a person who was once saved to be lost.
Hebrews10:26-2926 If we decide to continue sinning after we have learned the truth, then there is no other sacrifice that will take away sins. 27 If we continue sinning, all that is left for us is a fearful time of waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy those who live against God. 28 Whoever refused to obey the Law of Moses was found guilty from the testimony given by two or three witnesses.
Such people were not forgiven. They were killed. 29 So think how much more punishment people deserve who show their hate for the Son of God—people who show they have no respect for the blood sacrifice that began the new agreement and once made them holy or who insult the Spirit of God’s grace. (ERV)
So, if a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, God says everyone is going to be rewarded according to his works. If we are saved our works will be different. Jesus said you'll know them by their fruits.
If you do not have the fruits of the spirit( Galatians 5:22-23) and you are not walking with the Lord, you can't say well I was once saved in the past so I’m still saved even though I’m not practicing the Christian life. This is a very dangerous believe.
Jesus said he that endures to the end will be saved. We need to hang on to the end.