Let’s review a major point before I go on to directly address a scripture that seem to imply it’s possible to lose salvation.
Whether you believe in eternal security or not, most people can see that the Bible maintains a tension surrounding salvation. It’s as if the Bible asks everyone, “Are you saved? Are you sure? Are you really sure? Do you have any doubts?” This is a good line of questioning for reasons I’ll explain in a moment. But first, how would you respond to such questioning?
If you hold onto a lot of anxiety, these questions will stir up considerable fear and doubt. As you push past the tipping point, you’ll find insecurity. You might think, “Maybe I’m not saved. Maybe Jesus doesn’t care about me. Maybe I’m beyond God’s love. Yes, I’ve fallen away and my situation is hopeless.” This is also helpful, provided you don’t stop in hopelessness.
God wants you to feel secure in His love. If your heart has impurities like anxiety, doubt, and fear, He will want to work out the impurities. As this happens, your faith and confidence will grow. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians should convince you that it’s okay to have a goal to become more confident in your faith.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19
To be more confident in your faith is only humility as you trust God more. But to be more confident in yourself, in what you can do without God, is only pride. In this context, I present to you a difficult passage for many Bible readers.
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews 6:4-6
Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians (read more about this). They were raised under the old way, the law. They converted to the new way, faith in Christ. However, they were tempted to return to their old, familiar ways. They doubted the simplicity of the Gospel. In a moment of weakness, in their insecurity, they considered turning back to the OT (or fall away from the NT).
In Hebrews 6, Paul reiterates that there is no turning back. The only way is the way forward is by faith in Christ. Returning to Egypt is futile. “If you come this close to the truth, but reject it and choose to keep looking elsewhere, you won’t find another way.” Paul is emphasizing an all-or-nothing truth. You’re either all-in or all-out. There is no in-between.
You must choose which way you’ll tip. The purpose of such scriptures is exactly to sort out the issue. You must know whether you are saved or not. So which is it? State it loud. State it bold. State it confidently.
Any doubt or concern is proof you’re not one of the ones who fall away. The following verses apply to you (more on this):
Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:9-12
God bless you with, “full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish.” Have unhindered energy to pursue the things of God. Amen.
Matt’s books,
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, contain practical exercises that help God’s truth spring to life.
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