Most believers I know have asked themselves this question at some point in their Christian lives, "Can I lose my salvation? Is there a possibility of me being thrown into hell one day because somehow or other I fell away from the faith? Or denied the faith? Is such a thing possible?"

And I am pretty sure the reason we ask ourselves such questions, is because certain verses in the Bible strongly indicate that we can. After all, there are verses that talk quite openly about believers falling from grace, or of being cut off from Christ (Galatians 5:4). How can we fall from something to which we were never in originally? How can we be cut off from Christ if we were never joined to Christ to begin with? Or warnings that infer that it is possible to have our name blotted out from the book of life (Revelation 3:5)? Or verses referring to unfruitful branches that are broken off from Christ the true Vine, and then being put to the side in order to dry out? Branches that were initially connected to Him, so clearly representing believers. Branches that must have some element of life from the Vine in them, because they only dry out once they are cut off from the Vine and are discarded. Whose end is for burning eventually (John 15:1-6)?

Or how about so many of the kingdom parables in the gospels, which seem to clearly suggest that some of Christ's servants will be treated very harshly at His coming? Because they did not do the things which He told them to? An unmerciful servant who initially had his huge debt forgiven by his master, but which was then re-instated in full because he refused to forgive his fellow slave of a much smaller debt (Matt.18:23-35)? Foolish servants who instead of feeding their fellow servants who have been placed under their care, abuse them instead (Matthew 24:45-51)? Or virgins who did not get oil in their lamps (Matt.25:1-13)? Servants who buried their talent (Matt.25:14-30)? Or people who did not feed the hungry, refresh the thirsty, clothe the naked nor visit the sick (Matt.25:31-46)?

And so on and so forth, with a host of other scriptures that warn believers (rather than unbelievers) of the peril of walking in wilful sin (Hebrews 10:26). Or that warn believers to make sure that they are spiritually dressed and ready for Christ when He comes, so that they will not be found naked and be ashamed before Him at that time (Rev.16:15)? So, it is really not much of a surprise when such thoughts occur to us, or doubts arise in our minds regarding the security of our salvation in the long run. But are such thoughts right to entertain, or should we reject them? Considering this is not a minor issue at all but a major one, with potentially very serious consequences of eternal significance if we get it wrong.

I remember having thoughts like these as a young Christian who had just come to the faith. And this was because of verses I kept coming across in the Bible that indicated it was very possible to fall away from the faith. Warning me that there was a battle we all had to engage in, in order to maintain the faith that we had. As the apostle Paul declared at the end of his life and ministry:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," II Timothy 4:7.

What if I did not fight the good fight as Paul did? What if I started the race but did not finish it? What if I did not keep the faith? What did it mean to keep the faith? Warnings and exhortations that were spoken to believers and not to unbelievers.

Warnings that we need to endure in the faith in order to be someone who actually receives the promises, rather than being someone who does not endure but gives up somehow or other, and loses out on the promises of God in the end. Scriptures like this one in the book of Hebrews:

"For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul," Hebrews 10:36-39.

You have need of endurance. The writer is talking to believers and not to unbelievers. So, what if we do not endure in our faith? Considering the writer says that we need endurance so that after we have done the will of God, we believers may receive the promises? What if we do not endure and only partially do the will of God? Do we still receive the promise? The phrasing of these verses strongly indicated that we probably will not receive them. Only those who endure to the finish line will do the will of God, and so will receive the promises in the end. Anyone else will not receive them. So, what if we draw back to perdition or to destruction as it is termed in other translations? Is such a thing possible for a believer to do? What if God has no pleasure in us? Does that mean that we are still saved?

Just a few verses would prompt all manner of questions in my mind. What did it mean to, "draw back to perdition,"? Drawing back gave the distinct impression that the individual in question was going back to a place they used to be in before. So, they used to be in a position of condemnation. They came out of that place to a position of faith and right-standing with God. But then they drew back to their original place of condemnation or perdition once more. Did that mean I could come to the faith, but that somewhere along the line I could be in danger of drawing back in that same faith and be lost eventually? They certainly seemed to be suggesting that. This was the clear message being given by these verses if taken at face value.

As a relatively new Christian I remember asking an older brother from our church about the kingdom parables, and whether they were really indicating that we could be a believer and yet still not make it on judgement day? He just said that such parables were difficult to understand, because taken at face value that is exactly what they did seem to suggest. But he was not sure himself and could not give an authoritative response to my question. An honest admission, but it did not help me to answer the question that would not go away in my mind.


ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED?

I then decided to read a book on eternal security by the British writer R T Kendall entitled, "Once Saved Always Saved," to see what his arguments were for believing a Christian could not lose their salvation. I thought if he was so in favour of the once saved always saved position that he made that the title of his book, then he would probably put the strongest case forward for this viewpoint. So, I wanted to see how he presented his argument, what scriptures he would use in support of his position, and how he would deal with the, "difficult," warning scriptures?

I saw that he brought up some of the scriptures that talked about predestination, how Jesus knew those who were His, and the fact that nobody could pluck us from the Father's hand. All good scriptures that seemed to point toward the once saved, always saved position. But in my opinion, he never properly dealt with the warning scriptures that popped up so regularly in the Bible as well. And his main argument seemed to centre around an experience he had had with the Lord back in 1955, in which he spoke of the Holy Spirit coming upon him in such a powerful way, that he just knew that he was saved and always would be.

I could understand how such an experience would make him feel at the time. I have had encounters with the Lord that conveyed a deep understanding of God's love for me to my spirit. That God held me in the palm of His hand. That I was secure in Him. But could I then say that because I had such an experience, I would never be at any risk of losing my salvation? Not ever? No matter how I acted or what I did? I did not think so. That was quite a thing to claim on the basis of a feeling, albeit a spiritual feeling or experience. And to me it seemed quite presumptuous of the author to make such a claim. Especially when there were so many scriptures that clearly spoke of believers being lost in the end. Or at least of losing the salvation which they thought they had. And after reading his book, I had to say that I was not convinced by the way he tried to explain away these warning scriptures in his book. His arguments just did not ring true to me.

So, I went for a number of years not really having an answer to this question. Could a believer lose their salvation? Yes, or no? There seemed to be scriptures that supported both views. On the face of things both positions seemed to contradict each other. So, it was all a bit confusing.

Trying to get to the bottom of this dilemma, I then decided to go through the Bible and to write out any scripture that I came across that seemed to contradict the once saved, always saved position. I thought if I can actually write these scriptures down, then I might get a better view of what the Bible actually taught on this subject. I started in Matthew because it was the first book in the New Testament. And I wrote down the question, "If we are once saved always saved, why....?" in my notepad.

I then proceeded to write down any verses that I came across that appeared to contradict that viewpoint. I wrote out about two pages of scriptures by the time I was only halfway through the book of Matthew. It was at that point that I started to realise that there was a major problem with the once saved, always saved sort of teaching. So many scriptures seemed to contradict it. Not just a few, but many. It could not be the whole truth on the matter. There were an overwhelming number of scriptures that either directly or indirectly, contradicted this viewpoint. And I could not ignore or change them all.


CHANGING WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS

I have personally heard quite a number of teachers say that the scriptures that talk about our eternal security in Christ are so compelling and convincing, that they must be the only truth on the matter. So, they say that looking at things logically, if the two sides of the debate seemed to contradict each other, one side must be right whilst the other side must be wrong. And as they had already decided that the scriptures supporting eternal security were so strong, naturally any other scripture that seemed to contradict them by suggesting that we can lose our salvation, must actually be meaning something else.

So, the logic goes, such, "warning scriptures," should not be taken at face value, but must be understood in the light of the verses that speak about our eternal security in Christ Jesus only. So, they discount the clear and obvious meaning of such scriptures, and instead give another meaning to them entirely. And I have personally listened to some of the most outlandish, improbable and frankly at times, rather bizarre interpretations of scriptures that some preachers give, in order to protect or to reinforce the once saved, always saved position.

This is very wrong. In fact, God warns us most pointedly that if we start changing what His Word says, then there will be serious consequences for us down the line (Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19). The Bible says that all scripture is God-breathed (II Timothy 3:16), not just the verses that talk about our eternal security in Christ. All scripture should be interpreted at face value, according to the context in which it is written. We are supposed to love the truth whatever that truth says. Not to change parts of the truth so that we can emphasise one part of the truth only. The Bible can often present two different truths that appear to be conflicting on the surface of things, but which actually fit together perfectly when studied in more detail under the illumination of the Spirit of God.



ARE WE ADOPTED NOW, OR IN THE FUTURE?

For example, the Bible says that we have received the adoption as sons (Gal.4:5). But then it also says that we are waiting for our adoption which will happen at the return of Christ (Rom.8:23). So, are we adopted already, or is that something which is to come? Well, both positions are true, in their specific context. Currently those who are genuine believers have received the spirit of adoption in their hearts as an anticipation of what is to come (Rom.8:15). So, they have not yet experienced the fullness of God's adoption as sons, but they have received the, "Spirit of adoption," by faith in Jesus Christ. And as long as they then walk by the Spirit, they will receive the fullness of that adoption as sons, the redemption of their bodies at the return of Christ. Because only those who walk by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Rom.8:14).

Or, for example, another so-called contradiction: the Bible says that believers are no longer under law but under grace (Romans 6:14). We are no longer under the jurisdiction of the law. But then the scripture also says for believers to speak and to act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty (James 2:12). So, one scripture is saying that we are no longer under law, but the next is saying that we are. That we will be judged according to how we lived under that law. But both scriptures are true and should be taken at face-value, because they are talking about two very different laws. The law of Moses on the one hand, and the law of liberty otherwise known as the law of Christ, or the law of the Spirit on the other. Two very different laws. One focusing upon the letter of the law, and the other focusing upon the spirit of the law. So, two seemingly contradictory viewpoints which actually harmonise perfectly when looked at more closely.

Or how about the seeming contradiction that God is a God of vengeance (Psalm 94:1) and He is a God of mercy (Deuteronomy 4:31) at the same time? If He is merciful, how can He be vengeful also? Yet both are true. On the face of it, they both seemingly contradict each other, but in reality, they do not. God is a God of mercy and vengeance at the same time. Jesus says that God prefers mercy over sacrifice. This is the dividing line upon which both aspects of these two very different characteristics fit perfectly together. He prefers to show mercy. But He will be vengeful upon those who ignore His mercy, or upon those who treat it lightly. Verses that appear contradictory on the surface of things, but which actually fit perfectly together.



BOTH POSITIONS TRUE IN THEIR SPECIFIC CONTEXT

It is clear in my mind that the scriptures which speak about our eternal security in Christ are true in their specific context, but also the scriptures that talk of us falling from that secure place are also true. One does not cancel out the other. They are both true within their specific context, and should be harmonised together, as much as we can. This is a critically important point. Both sides are true to some extent. The key issue for us is to correctly divide the Word of God, so that we know how they both measure up against each other. How both sides match up and connect together. And if there are some points that we do not understand, then to seek God for His clarity on the subject. The one thing we should not do, is to ignore or change the meaning of the scriptures on one side of the argument because we do not like what they say.

So, how do they divide from each other? How can the scriptures be talking about the security of our salvation at one point, and then equally be talking about the dangers of falling away from such a place somewhere else? For me it simply comes down to the warning scriptures are spoken to all believers in general, whereas the eternal security verses in their specific context, are talking specifically about the elect people of God whom He knows are His (II Timothy 2:19), and who will endure to the end to be saved (Matthew 24:13). There is a difference between the two groups. And God speaks differently to each group. He will warn all, but will only affirm His elect sheep.

Having listened to arguments on both sides, I came to realise that a lot of the disagreements on this issue come down to the use of words, and what we mean by terms such as, "saved," or, "salvation,"? And what I found was that often people were meaning different things when they used such words. So, two people would be disagreeing over whether a Christian could lose their salvation or not. And both would often be right in what they were saying, up to a point, because they were using the same words but meaning different things by them.

For example, one person would say that a true believer cannot lose their salvation because they are meaning that person is one of God's elect saints. And they are talking about salvation in the fullest sense of the word. That someone is only saved if they endure to the end in their faith. And that is a true statement in its specific context. An elect saint of God will never lose their salvation because they will endure to the end in their faith, and God will keep them on the narrow path which leads to life. However, how many people in today's church are of God's elect? And why do we tend to treat all people in the church as God's elect, by making blanket statements to all that we cannot lose our salvation?

Another person will say a believer can lose their salvation because they see salvation as something a person enters into at the beginning of their faith walk. They get saved when they first believe upon Jesus Christ. And there is truth in this statement also (Acts 16:31). But who knows whether that person will remain in the faith or not? If they are of God's elect people then they will remain in it, but if not, their faith will not endure. They will, "remain for a time," like the seed that grew in the shallow soil in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:21). There was growth and new life which can only come from God, but it did not remain. It died out because it had no root system to support it. Such a person may not experience salvation in the fullest sense of the word, but they were saved temporarily as it were, through a faith they once had, but which they eventually fell from. Thus, the way we use words matters a great deal in this debate.

From my perspective, the phrase, "can I lose my salvation?" is not a particularly good one to use. I use it as a headline for this article because as a phrase it is widely used and people will recognise the dilemma such a question presents. But when talking about the issues themselves, it tends to complicate the matter, because people mean different things by the word, "salvation," and both will be right in their own eyes. Because there are elements of truth on both sides of the argument. So, rather than arguing about words which can be used in different ways, it is probably better to talk in terms of faith and our connection with Christ, which the scripture is quite clear about.

According to the Bible, a person can definitely come to the faith and experience a Divine washing by God's Spirit. They can be made a partaker with the Holy Spirit and enjoy a form of connection with God through Jesus Christ up to a point. Whether that person was, "saved," depends on what we mean by the word, "saved,"? Salvation is a process we enter into at the point of actual conversion (Acts 16:31), a process we then work out with fear and trembling throughout our lives (Phil.2:12), and a process that is completed at the resurrection when Jesus returns and raises up His elect saints (I Peter 1:5). A salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time," I Peter 1:5.



THE ELECT OF GOD HEED GOD'S WARNINGS

The elect of God will show that they are God's sheep, by taking note of the warning scriptures and living their lives accordingly. For example, they will take the warning about not walking in wilful sin in Hebrews 10:26-31, and make sure that they do not do so themselves. They will look to Christ to help them to overcome sin in their lives. And they will keep short accounts with God, being swift to mourn over their sin, and quick to repent of them. The one thing they will not do is to say, "Well that scripture does not apply to me because I cannot lose my salvation. Let me change its meaning so that I do not have to concern myself with what it says."

There is a proving that we need to undergo to show that we are indeed God's sheep. And the proving is remaining in Christ and so bearing His fruit in our lives. Drinking from the living water that comes from Him, and producing His fruit in us. The fruit of the Spirit in our hearts and the fruit of good works through our actions. Works that God does in us and through us, but works that we must actively walk in by an act of our will. Only those who remain in Christ will be fruitful.

"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples," John 15:8.

But the problem often comes when everyone in the church assumes that they are the elect of God. Or preachers treat everyone in the church as if they are all of the elect of God. Promising, affirming and assuring them that they can never lose their salvation, when they do not know whether the person that they are talking to is of the elect of God or not?

It is a bit like a doctor testing his patients for cancer, and then telling everyone who is clear of cancer at that time that they will never die of it. Not ever. The doctor knows that they are cancer-free at that present moment in time. But they do not know who will develop such a condition further down the line. So, effectively they are giving many of their patients a false assurance. Doctors are generally considered to be professional experts on such matters, so people will tend to trust the things that they say. But in light of their doctor's assuring words, how many of those same patients will then make the decision to continue living unhealthy lifestyles that actually encourage cancer to develop in their bodies? And all because their doctor told them that they had nothing to worry about? They will never die of cancer. So, why restrain themselves when they have no need to?

And I see the same thing happening in many churches today. People are regularly affirmed in their faith and encouraged to have full confidence in their eternal destiny, because we can never lose our salvation according to many of the preachers. As long as we are a, "believer," or have, "given our lives to Christ," we are, "saved," and can never be un-saved. But who knows how many people in churches today are actually saved in reality? How many have been truly born-again, or are walking by the Holy Spirit? And how many of them have wandered from the narrow path but they do not even realise it, because they are constantly told that they can never lose their salvation? So, they never test themselves to see whether they are in the faith or not (II Corinthians 13:5)? And how many of them are the elect of God who will endure to the end in their faith? And if we do not know how many of them are the elect of God, why do we treat them as though they are, with blanket statements that say we can never lose our salvation?

It is clear to me that the times a scripture is indicating that we are saved forever, or that we will never perish, it is referring to the elect sheep of God whom He knows will endure in their faith to the end. A very specific type of person. They are not referencing all believers in general. No, in their context they are referring specifically to God's elect people whom He knows will bear fruit and who will endure in their faith.



MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE

So, for example, in the book of John chapter 10, Jesus speaks about His sheep whom He knows by name. His sheep who hear His voice and who follow Him.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no-one will snatch them out of My hand," John 10:27-28.

Jesus is talking specifically here about His sheep who have heard His voice and they follow Him. A scripture designed to comfort such people. But it is not talking about sheep that do not follow Him. Or who follow Him for a short time but then who wander away. No, He is talking about His sheep. Those who belong to Him. We could call them the elect of God. Those God has predestined from before time began to be His sheep. Those who are chosen in Christ, elected to be saved by the Sovereign grace of God. Those who draw near to Him. The scripture is clearly talking about a type of believer who proves that they are genuine by how they live. It is not speaking in general about all who believe. Only about those who prove that they are God's elect sheep.

Another example of this is the scripture in Philippians chapter 1 that is used many times to say that we cannot lose our salvation:

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ," Phil.1:6.

What is said is that if we have been saved, that God will complete the good work that He has begun in us. It does not depend upon us at all. So, God will make sure that it happens. So, if we are saved, or consider ourselves to be saved, then effectively we can relax, because God is going to make sure that we stay that way. But is this scripture spoken to all believers, or to God's elect and faithful saints? To whom is the epistle written?

"Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons," Phil.1:1.

Paul writes his letter to the saints in Christ Jesus. In other words, to those who were holy and blameless in Christ Jesus. And he goes on to talk about them in glowing terms. That they had fellowshipped or partnered with him in the gospel from the first day until the present, which means they had supported his ministry in every sense of the word, in prayer, in work, in heart and in finances (verses 3-5). Saints that he held dear in his heart, because he recognised that they were partakers of God's grace as much as he was (verse 7-8), and they clearly had the love of God in their hearts (verse 9).

He was speaking to those he considered to be God's elect, because they had proven such a thing over time. He was not addressing his words to all believers in general, who may or may not be of the elect of God. Because they had proven their faith by what they did, Paul was, "confident," that He who had begun a good work in them would also complete that good work until the day of Jesus Christ. And rightly so. Because the good work that God had begun in their lives was evidenced by their actions over time. So, not a scripture we can just apply to anyone who believes in Jesus. Far from it.

Or how about this scripture from Hebrews, often used to prove that all believers are saved forever?

"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them," Hebrews 7:25.

This scripture is talking about those who, "draw near to God through Him." This is a sign that a person is of the elect of God, because they seek to draw near to God. Not just to draw a bit closer to Him, but to draw near.

It seems clear to me that any time the scripture is speaking about those who are saved forever or perfected forever, it is talking in terms of God's sheep. His elect whom He knows by name, and not about believers in general. It is talking about those who draw near to God. Not those who may know something of God's forgiveness, but keep Him at arm's length. Or talking about those who believe for a while but who then drift away. It is talking about those who reveal that they are His sheep by enduring to the end in their faith. They are being sanctified as an ongoing process, not going through some sanctification but then turning back to their old life once again.

"For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified," Hebrews 10:14.

Those who are being sanctified. Not those who believe for a while, but then go back to their old lives in the world. No, those who through faith, patience and endurance, do the will of God and receive the promises (Hebrews 6:12 and Hebrews 10:36). Those who hold on to their faith whatever test gets thrown at them. Those who overcome sin, the flesh, the world and the devil through that faith.

Any scripture that is speaking about our eternal security in Christ is specifically talking about God's elect people. His people who are His sheep and who will endure in their faith so as to be saved in the end. Those who are being sanctified. It is not talking about all believers in general. Those who do not draw near to God are not included. Nor are those who have believed but are not walking in God's sanctification. These are not promises given to all believers as a carte blanche to walk however they like, and still expect to be saved and go to heaven.



NEVER SAVED TO BEGIN WITH?

Those who hold to the once saved, always saved position usually say that anyone who falls away was never saved to begin with. They were a false convert or a pretend believer. And this is where things can often get muddled up. Because in one sense they are correct, but not in another. It is correct to say that anyone who falls away was never one of God's elect sheep. They were never predestined to be saved in the end. This is true. But it is incorrect to say that such people never came to the faith. That they were never a disciple or follower of Jesus, or were never saved at all, but were just people pretending to be saved.

For sure there will always be those who sit in church pretending to be believers but who are not. Those who have never come to the faith at all, but who pretend that they have. But there are also many well-meaning people who come to the faith, but for whatever reason they either drift from that faith, or abandon it further down the line. Which is why we have so many exhortations in the Bible to endure in our faith (Hebrews 10:36), to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), to be diligent in making our calling and election sure (II Peter 1:10), to not shrink back in our faith unto destruction, but to have faith to the saving of our souls (Hebrews 10:38-39).

The scripture speaks openly about those who fall from the faith (Hebrews 6:6 and I Timothy 4:1), who fall from grace (Galatians 5:4), who shipwreck their faith (I Timothy 1:19), who apostasise (II Thessalonians 2:3), which means they forsake or abandon the faith they once had. How can someone fall away from something that they never had in the first place? How can someone apostasise who did not have a faith to begin with?

People say, "Well, these falling from the faith were not true believers in the first place, they were false converts." But that is not what is being said. The scripture says that they fall from faith, not from a pretend faith. The word used for faith is the usual Greek word, "pistis," which directly means faith or faithfulness. It does not mean a pretend faith. They may not be God's elect, but they did have a faith in God which they fell from.

The same with those who shipwreck their faith. The same Greek word, "pistis," is used again. They shipwreck their, "pistis." They had a faith but managed to shipwreck it by not holding onto it with a good conscience (I Timothy 1:19). They thought they could live with a defiled conscience, not realising that faith cannot exist side by side with a darkened conscience. How can we be at rest in our faith, if we are troubled by sin in our hearts at the same time? Faith is not just a belief in our heads. No, it is a belief and a rest in Christ in our hearts. A Divine rest that is damaged by walking in sin. Ignoring our conscience in such circumstances just means that we are neglecting our faith and on the path to falling from it eventually.

To use the imagery Paul is using, the ship of their life as a believer was floating along just fine, until something happened and it got holed under the waterline. A ship does not begin as a shipwreck. It floats on the water until such time as it hits an object, or something goes very wrong onboard, and it starts to take on water and sink. And then it becomes a shipwreck. And so, people begin with faith, but somewhere along the line something terminal happens to their faith, and it gets holed beneath the waterline and they begin to sink. And living with a constantly defiled conscience, over time will eventually be terminal to our rest of faith within. We cannot walk in faith whilst having known, unrepentant sin in our hearts at the same time. It just does not work.



A DOG RETURNS TO HIS VOMIT

In looking at this whole area of whether we can lose our salvation or not, I think it will be useful to examine some of the main scriptures which seem to say that we can. To see whether they are actually saying that we can lose our salvation or not? And whether the changes that are made to such scriptures by the once saved, always saved advocates are justified or not? An example of one of these scriptures is this one from the apostle Peter:

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire,'" II Peter 2:20-22.

Those who follow the once saved always saved position say that this scripture is talking about a pretend believer. Someone who knew something of the knowledge about God, but not a saving knowledge. Someone that knew about the way of righteousness, but did not really know that righteousness in practice. And they say the proof of that is because the Bible describes them as a dog or a pig at the end. So, they were always a dog or a pig. They were never saved to begin with.

It is true that someone described as a dog or a pig is not one of God's elect sheep. They were never saved in the sense of being one of God's own children whom He chose for Himself. Saved from before the beginning of creation by the Sovereign will of God. But they did come to the faith. They did believe upon Christ, and they did experience a supernatural washing. The dog left their vomit for a time. They repented of their sins. But eventually went back to them. The sow was washed, but went back to their wallowing in the mire. Nothing can wash a person's soul except the blood of Jesus Christ. We cannot wash ourselves.

The verses say that they escaped the pollutions of this world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Knowing about Jesus does not enable us to escape anything, let alone the pollutions of this world. The Bible says that before we come to Christ, we were helpless prisoners to sin and death. We were chained in a dark dungeon of sin, and helpless to escape from it. Until Jesus opened the prison door and let us out. And broke us free from the entanglements of sin. Which Peter is warning us not to allow to encroach upon our souls once more. So, they did experience a freedom from sin up to a point. Something that can only happen through the power of the saving blood of Jesus Christ.

None of us can free ourselves from the entanglements of sin, apart from having faith in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Nobody escapes the chains of sin and opens the door of their prison cell from the inside, just by themselves. Knowing about the Lord Jesus Christ does not do us any good. Only knowing the Lord as Saviour can open the prison doors.

And the scripture specifically talks about escaping the corruptions of this world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Not through the knowledge about the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. No, the knowledge of Him. The scripture says that they knew the way of righteousness, but turned from the holy commandment that was delivered to them. An unbeliever does not know the way of righteousness. An unbeliever cannot, "turn from the holy commandment delivered to them," because they never turned to it to start with. All our righteousness is like filthy rags according to the Bible (Isaiah 64:6). None of us can know the way of righteousness unless we have come to faith in Jesus Christ first.

The word translated, "known," in terms of the phrase, "having known the way of righteousness," (v.21) is the Greek word, "epiginosko," which literally means, "to know or become fully acquainted with," and is always used in that sense throughout the scriptures. It is not saying that they partially knew something about the way of righteousness. No, they knew the way of righteousness, but at some point, turned away from it.



IMPOSSIBLE TO RENEW TO REPENTANCE

Or how about this scripture in Hebrews chapter 6, which has often been put forward as a proof text for the fact that we can fall away or apostasise from Christ?

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame," Hebrews 6:4-6.

Taken at face-value, this scripture is clearly talking about the perils of a genuine believer in Jesus falling away from Christ. Someone who has been enlightened, who has tasted the heavenly gift, and who has become a partaker of the Holy Spirit. Someone who has tasted the good Word of God and even the powers of the age to come. So, not just a believer, but we could say even a more mature believer in Christ? Someone who has experienced something of the spiritual life that is in Jesus Christ. If they fall away, they cannot be renewed again to repentance. That is how the vast majority of people would read this scripture at face value, unless they had been previously primed to reject this view because of the once saved, always saved position.

Unfortunately, those who hold to this position change the meaning of this scripture entirely. Some of them say that the person in question was intellectually persuaded by the gospel, but spiritually uncommitted to it. They were convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but had not put their faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. The verses do not say this, nor even imply it, yet they often present such logic as a fact. They say that the person in question was enlightened up to a point, but they were not actually saved. They tasted of the heavenly gift, but again, not enough to be saved. More like a momentary sampling of it, rather than a proper tasting of it. In their opinion. They became partakers of the Holy Spirit, but somehow or other they were not actually saved. They tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, but again, never actually got saved at all.

How a person can be enlightened, have tasted the heavenly gift and been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and yet not be saved or in faith at that point is baffling. We cannot become a partaker of the Holy Spirit unless we have been accepted by Christ and washed in His blood first. The Holy Spirit will not indwell an unclean vessel. The Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God, not to those who pretend to obey Him (Acts 5:32).

And again, the phrase, "if they fall away," is used again. How can we fall away from something if we never attained to a higher position previously? Only Christ can place us in a higher position through faith in Him. We cannot do such a thing through our own efforts. It makes no sense at all.

Other people realise that it is a bit absurd to try and make out that these verses are talking about a person who never actually came to the faith at all. So, they accept that the first half of this passage is talking about a genuine believer. But then they completely change the whole flow of the passage to try and make it say the exact opposite of what the writer is so clearly trying to say. And all to try and make it fit their once saved, always saved viewpoint.

Such people say that the writer to the Hebrews is making a hypothetical statement when he then says, "if they fall away," in verse 6. They say that the writer obviously knows that a believer cannot fall away, so they are trying to emphasise that, "fact," by showing what such a thing would lead to in practice. That Christ would have to be crucified again and again, if a believer were to fall away. So, as such a thing could not happen, the writer is writing in this rather roundabout way in order to point that out. A very complicated and unclear view of the scripture, which effectively engineers it to say the opposite of what it so clearly is supposed to be saying.

Personally, I find this interpretation both ridiculous and nonsensical. It is disingenuous and like trying to say that black is white and white is actually black. Why on earth would the writer to the Hebrews write in such a hypothetical and unclear manner, which goes against all the flow and context of the verses in question? If his aim were to make the point that we could not lose our salvation, why would he not just say this? Instead of writing in such a roundabout and unclear fashion, so as to give the reader the clear impression that a believer could actually fall away from the faith?

The context does not even fit with such an unlikely scenario. The very next verses talk about two very different types of soil, one of which drinks in the rain which falls upon it and thereby produces a crop useful to the farmer, and the other which does not. It only produces thorns and thistles, which is rejected and near to a curse. Whose end is for burning. Like the hearts of men who have eventually fallen away from Christ and who cannot be renewed to repentance ever again.

"For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner." Hebrews 6:7-9.

"It is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned," verse 8. Exactly picturing the concept the writer was putting forward in the previous verses. If a man falls away from Christ he cannot be renewed to repentance anymore. He has been, "rejected," and is, "near to being cursed," "whose end is to be burned."

The writer is not talking about unbelievers in the world as compared to believers in the church. No, he is speaking to believers in the church, some of whom had learnt to drink in God's heavenly waters and so had well-watered hearts, but others who did not. They had allowed their hearts to dry out over time. So, a warning to believers to make sure that they keep drinking in the living waters that flow from Christ, and to keep the soil in their hearts soft and well-watered. Why warn unbelievers about drinking in God's heavenly rain when they have no access to it? And what is the point of these verses if the writer to the Hebrews is actually trying to reinforce the idea that a believer can never lose their salvation? Because if we can never lose our salvation, how could we have hard soil in our hearts that, "is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned,"?



THOUGH WE SPEAK IN THIS MANNER

Once again, the warnings the writer is giving here apply to believers, not to unbelievers given the context of what the writer then says in verse 9:

"But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner," Hebrews 6:9.

Though we speak in this manner. Evidently the warnings just given could unsettle believers because they are directed towards them. But, "though we speak in this manner," we are confident of better things concerning you all. Things that accompany salvation. Because we warn you of the risks of falling away from Christ, and you paid attention to those risks. Unlike some people today who change the entire meaning of the scripture so as to neuter such a warning completely.

The writer to the Hebrews is warning us what will happen if we do not partake of the living water that flows from Christ. We will dry out spiritually speaking within. The soil in our hearts will become hard and dry, which over time will become unfruitful, and eventually we will fall away from Him if nothing changes. And one day we will bear the responsibility for this choice by being thrown into hell. This is the prospect each of us faces if we do not bear fruit but only thorns and briars in our hearts. So, as the writer says, "though we speak to you in this manner," of bringing you a warning not to fall from Christ, we are confident that you will take this warning to heart, and you will remain in Christ, and thereby bear good fruit in the soil of your hearts. A good fruit that naturally accompanies salvation.

These verses make no sense at all, if the previous warnings were not actually warnings at all, but were instead hyperbolic statements designed to somehow say the opposite of what they clearly seem to be saying. Why would the writer warn us about dry ground coming under the curse of God, when such a thing could never actually happen to a Christian? And if we can never lose our salvation, why would the writer acknowledge that the warnings he was giving to believers might unsettle some of them, so that he would make the comment, "though we speak in this manner," in verse 9?

The writer to the Hebrews then continues his warnings to believers in the very next verses, informing them that only those who are diligent to walk in faith and patience will actually inherit the promises of God. Those who are sluggish in such matters will not. Verses which are addressed to believers and not to unbelievers. That we might be diligent in our faith, to the full assurance of hope until the end. In other words, being careful to walk with a full assurance of faith and hope in our hearts until the very end of our lives. So, becoming sluggish in our faith and finishing our life's journey with only a partial assurance of hope in our hearts will not really do.

"And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises," Heb.6:11-12.

In my opinion, these verses and their context give no doubt that a believer in Jesus needs to be warned that they could potentially fall away from Christ, and to lose the salvation that they think is theirs. These are serious warnings that it is important we listen to and we would do well to heed. Not to change out of all recognition so that they say the opposite of what they were originally intended to say.



STUMBLING OR FALLING IN THE FAITH?

I think that it is also worth saying that there is a huge difference between stumbling in the faith, and then falling away from the faith. We all stumble many times (James 3:2). It is a part of our struggle to become Christ-like. And our aim should be to stumble less and less, the further we go along our personal journey of faith. But falling away from the faith is far more serious and permanent. Something that we cannot reverse. And that is because to fall away permanently, God has rejected us, as a farmer would eventually reject the ground that only ever produces thorns and thistles. Something that does not happen immediately, but over a period of time.

Verse 8 says that such ground is, "near to being cursed." In other words, it is dry and only producing useless thorns and briars, but it has not been cursed yet. It is near to such a curse, but has not yet been given over to it. God is merciful. There may be time to make a change. If we heed the warnings that God has given us so clearly in His Word. To repent of our hard-heartedness, turn back to Him and seek for His Living waters once more.



FALLING AWAY IS BEING DIVORCED FROM GOD

These verses in Hebrews 6 are very much like how God instructed Jeremiah not to pray for His people Israel any longer, because they had walked in their sins for so long that God was going to finally give them over to them. He called them His people (Jer.2:13, 3:14), many times over. And He had pleaded with His people Israel to repent of their spiritual adulteries over many years, but they had consistently ignored His call and despised His grace. So, eventually they were, "rejected and near to being cursed." And finally, God divorced His woman Israel after years and years of pleading with her to turn from her sins. Divorced her by giving her over to the Assyrians (in the case of Israel), and then to the Babylonians (in the case of Judah). And once He had given her the certificate of divorce and sent her away, she was unable to return to Him once more. As described by the prophet Jeremiah:

"They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man's, may he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? 'But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me,' says the Lord," Jeremiah 3:1.

One of the commandments under the Mosaic Law stated that a divorced woman could not go back to her original husband if he had divorced her and she had then married someone else (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). She could no longer return to her original husband. Such a thing was an abomination before God and He warns them that if it happened, it would bring sin upon the land.

God gave the Jews this command because this is how He sees things. And it is also a spiritual example for His people to learn from today. We are supposed to be the bride of Christ. His woman, holy to Him. But if we are displeasing to Him and we do not listen to His call to repent, then eventually He may well divorce us too. And there is no coming back from such a thing. Once God Almighty divorces someone, they remain separated from Him.

Many people today do not think that God will act in this way towards New Testament believers. That somehow, we are a special case and we could never be divorced. But our God never changes (Malachi 3:6). And if He treated His people Israel like this in the Old Testament, He will do the same to those who act the same way under the New Covenant. Only those under the New Covenant are a lot more responsible than those under the Old. So, let us listen to His warnings and respond to them with the urgency that they demand. Do not keep ignoring them. Considering that everything written in the Old Testament was put there for our instruction and learning today.

"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope," Romans 15:4.

But, once God has rejected a person, they are given over to their sin and hardness of heart. Such a person will be unable to repent of their sins anymore. They will no longer be able to experience a Godly sorrow for their sins. So, they cannot be, "renewed unto repentance," any longer. Because Christ only died once. If we have accessed His grace and atoning sacrifice once, but have then turned away from it, God will eventually reject us. A man reaps whatever he sows. And once we have given up such a privilege and definitively turned our backs upon it, we can never access it again. Because Christ was only sacrificed once. He will not be sacrificed time and time again. There is a limit to His grace if it is ignored and despised by our behaviour. Which is why the writer to the Hebrews makes this very pointed warning to us in chapter 2:

"Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Hebrews 2:1-3.

We Christians, must give more earnest heed to the things we have heard, so that we do not drift away from them. Because such a thing is eminently possible to do. And the consequences for us as New Testament believers are a lot more serious than it was for those who were under the Old Testament dispensation. To those who have been given more, much more will be expected of them in return.

"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more," Luke 12:48.



SINNING WILFULLY

Going on in the book of Hebrews, and continuing to go over some of the scriptures which talk about a believer losing their salvation, how about this scripture in Hebrews chapter 10?

"For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Hebrews 10:26-31.

Again, the once saved always saved advocates say that these verses are referring to a person who knows about the truth, but they do not have a saving knowledge of the truth. The scripture does not say this, nor does it even allude to this. But they unilaterally give this meaning in order to try and make the case that these verses are not talking about a true believer in Jesus. But they clearly are.

The writer starts with the phrase, "For if we sin wilfully." He does not say, "If a person sins wilfully." He is talking to believers and including himself in that statement, saying that if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. If we sin wilfully. If you or I sin wilfully, this is what is going to happen to us. We will fall into the hands of the Living God. A fearsome thing indeed.

If taken at face-value, these verses are evidently a warning to people who consider themselves to be true believers in Jesus Christ. And this is borne out by verse 29 which says that such a person has, "counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing." The blood of the covenant did sanctify them at one time. They came under the blood of Jesus and were sanctified by it. But they treated such a precious thing as something common or unholy, by walking in unrepentant and wilful sin. Nobody experiences sanctification by the blood of Jesus without repenting of their sins and coming to faith first. It is impossible.

These verses are comparing the New Testament believer in Jesus Christ, with the Jews under the Old Testament Law, and showing how much more responsible we as believers are compared to them. Because we have benefitted from the precious blood of Jesus that was shed for us, and we have benefitted from the Spirit of grace in a way that the Jews under the Old Testament never did. And yet too often many of us take it all for granted.

So, if this is our attitude and we decide therefore to walk in unrepentant sin, we, "trample the Son of God underfoot," we, "count the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified as a common thing," and we, "insult the Spirit of grace." And in this context, God says that He will, "Judge His people." Not judge the people of the world. Or the people who knew something of Him but never benefitted from the shed blood of Jesus. No, the Lord will judge, "His people." And for those who choose to walk in wilful sin after receiving such grace, no sacrifice for sins is left.




BRANCHES THAT ARE CUT AWAY FROM CHRIST

Jesus says that any branch in Him that bears no fruit is eventually broken off and cast out to the side to dry out or be withered. And once withered, it will be gathered along with all the other dried out branches and thrown into the fire. And He says that the reason this happens is because such people do not abide in Him. Which is why He exhorts us to abide in Him that we might be fruitful believers.

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned," John 15:1-6.

Clearly every believer in Christ has a choice. Either abide in Christ and receive His life within us which will make us fruitful, or do not abide in Him and be unfruitful. And suffer the consequences. To abide means that we are already in Christ and choose to stay there. It is the Greek word, "meno," which literally means to stay and remain in a given place, to continue, to dwell and to endure in that place. So, not to join, but to stay and continue in a place we are already in.

If we do not abide in Him, effectively we are reducing or even severing our connection with Him. By our own actions or lack of them. We close our hearts and stop receiving any of the nourishing sap from the Vine. Jesus is speaking about branches that are in Him. Not branches that are disconnected from Him and attached to a thornbush or a briar. He says that any branch, "in Me," that does not bear fruit He takes away. So, believers can be connected to Him, but later they become disconnected and are removed from Him. Exactly how Paul warns the believers at Rome, saying that they were wild branches that had been grafted in to Christ through their faith. But they then needed to continue in God's kindness, or they would also be cut off from Him as the Israelites had experienced beforehand.

"You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off," Romans 11:19-22.

Paul says, "You stand by your faith." So, he is talking about genuine believers who are standing in their faith. Faith which can only come as a gift from Almighty God (Romans 12:3). But he warns them not to become arrogant in that grace that has been shown to them, but rather to fear. For if God treated the Israelites, the natural branches with severity, let us not kid ourselves that He would not do exactly the same to us also. It is eminently possible for a believer to be cut off from Christ.

So, Paul urges us to, "Behold then," or to consider the kindness of our God and His severity also. Appreciate His kindness to us, but do not take it for granted. And the fact that He acted with severity to the people of Israel is an example all Christians need to consider seriously today, because it could happen to us too. We could be cut off from Christ also, if we become conceited and take our faith for granted. So, we are under an obligation to, "Continue in His kindness," otherwise we also, "Will be cut off." So not, "We may be cut off," but, "We will be cut off." Strong words indeed.

Evidently the unfruitful branches mentioned in John 15 that are connected to Christ, have a very tenuous connection with Him. They have received enough life in order to be there in the first place. They may have even been fruitful in times past? But now they have a very weak connection with Him. Something Jesus is warning us about. Make sure that we abide in Him over time, because the only way to be fruitful is to receive His Divine life into our hearts on a regular basis. As any branch needs the consistent supply of life-giving sap from the vine in order to be alive and to produce fruit.

The language used by Jesus is so clear and to the point, that it is difficult to deny. But some try to do so. Some say that the fruitless branches are not, "true branches," because only true branches produce fruit. It is true that they are not God's elect, His very own branches. But they are connected to Him. And because they refuse to abide in Him, they get broken off from Him.



PARABLES SHOULD NOT BE READ LITERALLY?

I once heard a preacher say that Jesus is giving us a parable here in these verses in John 15, and that parables should not be taken literally. They only exist to teach us one main truth. So, therefore Jesus was not meaning that believers could be, "broken off," from Him. No, He was exhorting us to abide in Christ so that we would be fruitful believers. But such reasoning rather begs the question, "Why would Jesus say that any branch in Me that is unfruitful will be cast out from Me," if He did not mean exactly that? Jesus always says what He means, and means what He says. He does not use frivolous words. He only said what His Father told Him to say (John 12:49-50). Nothing more and nothing less. And why worry countless believers down through the ages by warning us that we can be broken off from Christ, if He did not actually mean that at all?

The idea that parables just exist to teach us one basic truth, and the details that are to be found in them are not important is patently wrong. Biblically speaking. Every detail Jesus gave in His parables was there for a reason. Not one element is there by mistake. Every constituent part of each parable is there by design of our Lord in order to teach us specific lessons through all of it.

So, for example, Jesus spoke about the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). He did not speak about the wheat and the dandelions, or about the wheat and the daffodils. He spoke about the wheat and the tares, specifically because tares look like wheat from the outside. The Greek word translated, "tares," is, "zizanion," which directly translates as darnel or false grain. So, tares look like wheat bearing grain, but they are quite different in reality. As true believers and false believers look the same from the outside, but they are very different on the inside. The wheat is nutritious and useful to the farmer, but the tares are poisonous. As true believers are useful to our Heavenly Father, whereas false believers are poisonous and useless to Him. Though they may look the same on the outside. The details are very important and are there for a reason.

Or how about when Jesus spoke about the different types of soil in the parable of the sower? Each type of soil exactly describes the different types of heart that we may have within us. The hard soil represents a hard heart. The shallow soil represents a shallow heart. The thorn and weed infested ground represent hearts that have been taken over by the worries and cares of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth that choke the life out of the new creation that is growing in them. Exactly as thorns or weeds will grow up alongside a good plant, will wrap their coils around that good plant, and strangle the life out of it. The details are all of critical importance and exist to teach us specific lessons we would do well to pay attention to. Because that is how Jesus intended for them to be understood.

There are many other scriptures that we could look at that talk about the dangers of falling away, but if we start analysing them all, this article will run to many, many pages. So, I will leave it at that for now. This study has looked at the question, "Can we lose our salvation?" to which the answer must be, "yes," and a qualified, "no." No, an elect saint of God will never lose their salvation, because they will live their lives in light of the many warnings in scripture, and they will work out their salvation with fear and trembling. They will learn how to walk with Jesus and work His works in His strength. But equally it is very possible for a believer to lose their salvation in the sense of falling away from the faith they were once walking in. They were never of the elect of God. But they were called of God, and walked with Him for a time. Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt.22:14).



DO WE LOVE THE TRUTH?

It is understandable that many people do not like to even countenance the idea that a believer could lose their salvation. Or that they could possibly fall away and apostasise from the faith. I have had some people look at me in horror when I have suggested that it is eminently possible to do so. Not that I particularly like being the harbinger of bad news, but we need to love the truth of God's Word whatever it says and however that truth may affect us. But I have been in a number of churches where the idea that we can lose our salvation is either ignored completely, or dismissed as error. And if someone dares to suggest it, they are closed down pretty quickly so that people's minds and souls are not disturbed. The preacher who confidently says, "We cannot lose our salvation," from the pulpit, usually gets the biggest amen and handclap in the church. It is a popular doctrine to hold onto and to preach. But are we called to preach popular messages or the truth?

Quite a number of the people that I have met who hold to the once saved, always saved viewpoint, have told me that they personally have had issues with a lack of assurance in their own faith walk with God. So, they say believing that we cannot lose our salvation has helped them a great deal in this area. It has given them a stability which they previously lacked. And certainly, God has put scriptures like John 10:27-28 and Philippians 1:6 in the Bible to encourage His elect saints that they are safe in His hands. And this assurance is very needed and a welcome encouragement to read. But such scriptures are not there to affirm any and all believers in the church. Only His elect who take to heart His warnings and are diligent to make their calling and election sure, by doing the things God tells them to do. Not trying to earn their salvation by dead works, but being diligent to walk in the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to walk in (Eph.2:10).

It is understandable for believers to struggle at times with a lack of assurance in their hearts. We have probably all struggled in this area at one time or another. Wondering whether we are actually saved, or are we still saved? But how are we supposed to deal with this lack of assurance in our hearts? By changing what the Word of God says, so that we convince ourselves that whatever happens, we cannot fall away? Or do we embrace the struggles that we have, and use them as a catalyst to move us to seek God like never before? So that in seeking for Him with all of our heart, we actually do find ourselves in that wonderful place where we know that He lives within us? Where our hearts are genuinely strengthened and comforted by the indwelling presence of God? The rest of faith that we as believers are called to enter into? Where God's Holy Spirit bears witness with our own spirit that we are His children. Something we are to know deep within ourselves.

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," Romans 8:16.

When we realise that the Bible speaks so openly about the dangers of falling from the faith, it is a possibility that we could develop a type of spiritual nervousness by which we can never rest within. Because we keep wondering whether we are actually saved or not? Did I do something today that negated my faith? Have I wandered from God's narrow path and I do not even know it? And then we could be in danger of trying to do things in our own strength in order to please God? But not doing them from a position of rest in Jesus Christ.

This is not a good place to find ourselves in. God wants us to be able to rest in Him, not to try and earn our salvation. To enter into His rest of faith and to remain there. But often the way into God's rest is through a striving with ourselves brought on by an increased awareness of our need for Him.

The risk of falling away as presented in the warning scriptures, can often motivate us like nothing else to seek to enter that rest. Because the alarm we may feel about such a prospect makes us realise how dependent we actually are upon Him. And so, we are much more likely to find that Divine rest in our souls, because we come to realise that only God can save us and keep us. A rest that we need to be diligent to enter into.

"Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience," Hebrews 4:11.

Let us, believers, be diligent to enter that rest. Because we can all too often find ourselves drifting from such a rest, and we need a spiritual reset. So, let us believers know whether we are at peace or at rest with Him or not? And if we are not, let us be diligent to enter His rest once more. So, that none of us falls by following the same example of disobedience the Israelites showed when they left Egypt at God's command, but later failed to enter into God's Promised Land. They failed to inherit the promises of God because they did not endure in their faith as Joshua and Caleb did. We may have started our journey of faith, but will we finish it as well? We may have left Egypt, but will we make it to our Promised Land? The kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?

Do we have peace in our hearts with God Almighty? A true Divine peace deep within that anchors our hearts in Christ Jesus? Or do we have a kind of pseudo-peace that we have created in our own minds? A pseudo-peace that only exists because we have removed any mention of falling away from our spiritual mindset? Our Lord wishes us to know the reality of the potential risks that we all face in our journey of faith. Which is why He warns us so often about them in His Word. But to then use these warnings as a spur to seeking God, finding Him and abiding in Him. And thereby, finding that Divine rest in Him. A supernatural rest and peace with Him in our hearts that is real.

Let us be lovers of the truth. Whatever the truth says, and however unpalatable we may find it. One day we will have to give account for our lives before Him. May we be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless, because we took notice of His warnings and lived our lives accordingly.

"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless," II Peter 3:14.