The Conditions of Salvation — Bible Study Express

QUESTION

Some Christians believe that once a person is saved, he can never be lost. What does the Bible say about this?

ANSWER

The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” is not taught in the Scriptures. Both the Old and New Testaments are in agreement that salvation is lost through disobedience, as the following passages indicate:

Ezekiel 18:24
KJV ²⁴ But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. WEB ²⁴ “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.

Ezekiel 33:18
KJV ¹⁸ When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. WEB ¹⁸ When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he will even die therein.

Jesus declared: Matthew 24:13
KJV ¹³ But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. WEB ¹³ But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Paul said: 1 Corinthians 9:27
KJV ²⁷ But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. WEB ²⁷ but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

Elsewhere we read:

Hebrews 6:4-6
KJV ⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ⁵ And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ⁶ If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. WEB ⁴ For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

Hebrews 5:9
KJV ⁹ And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; WEB ⁹ Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,

Revelation 3:11
KJV ¹¹ Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. WEB ¹¹ I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.

Thus the Bible is clear that it is possible for Christians to lose their saving relationship with God through disobedience.