Can You Lose Your Salvation

To know God, be born again, and then fall from grace is a horrible thought. Can a Christian lose their salvation? What would cause that to happen, if it were possible? Would there be a way to return to God?

These are very important questions. The answers are often debated—not because the Scriptures fail to give clear answers, but because many people aren’t ready to hear them.

That’s understandable, because we are talking about matters of life and death. In fact, we are also talking about the resurrection and the second death! This is something that affects everyone, including loved ones who have already passed on. So it makes sense that emotions can run high.

Some people believe in the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” Others claim that “once saved, always saved” is false. But what does the Bible really say about it? Can you truly lose your salvation?

I ask you to remain calm as we go through this together. You might feel furious, or you might feel vindicated in your beliefs. But the goal is not to vindicate or infuriate—it is simply to open the Bible and accept every Scripture as it is written and in its proper context.

Is Salvation Conditional or Unconditional

If you remember from Unit 3:9, we discussed the difference between the reality and the promise of salvation. Until we step into that promised land—a city whose builder and maker is God—we have the promise of salvation, but not yet the reality of it.

Before we can answer questions about the security of salvation, we need to understand that it doesn’t belong to us in the first place. We have no power over it—it belongs to the Lord. He decides what will happen, not us. Thankfully, He is not willing that any should perish!

He has promised us salvation, and we wait in hope to receive the reality of it. We have faith that He will keep His promise. Still, God has made promises in the past that were not unconditional. Let’s look at that.

The word “if” is a very powerful word. It means the promise is conditional—you will receive the promise if you meet the requirements. Otherwise, you will not receive it.

The Bible uses the word “if” when speaking of the promise of salvation:

This tells us that salvation is not unconditional—it does have conditions. We listed these at the beginning of Unit 3. We explained that even a free gift still requires you to accept it. To repeat, the conditions are: believe, repent, confess, be baptized, and endure to the end (continue in the faith).

Can a Christian Lose Their Salvation

Receiving the gift of salvation is conditional—it is based on meeting the five requirements we have discussed. But what happens if a person meets those requirements and then falls away?

When there is a promise that you will receive something if you meet certain requirements, it only makes sense that you will not receive it if you fail to meet them. The Bible is actually quite clear on this.

Beyond these verses, there are other Scriptures that show even more directly that it is possible for a Christian who has the promise of salvation to lose that salvation in the end.

The following passages speak of believers who follow Jesus but do not endure to the end. They “fall from grace” when they no longer meet the conditions for salvation, and they will not be saved.

This is a very simple verse, yet many claim it is not speaking of Christians. But I must ask you: Can you depart from a place you have never been? This passage speaks of those who were once in the faith and will depart from the faith. They are indeed Christians.

Yes, it is possible for a Christian to fall from grace. If they do, they no longer meet the requirements for salvation. But how can that happen? What could cause a Christian to fall from grace?

Is it sin? Does God refuse to forgive a Christian who sins? Is there a certain point where God will no longer put up with us? Where is that line drawn?

Let me calm your fears right away—there is no amount of sin that a person can commit that would keep them from obtaining salvation! If Jesus died for us while we were yet sinners, in order to forgive our sins, then why would He reject us once we come to Him for the forgiveness of those sins?

Someone once said, “I could never be good enough to gain salvation, and I can never be bad enough to lose it either.” This is a true saying!

So remain calm.

It is true that our sins separated us at one time from God. But if we have been given the promise of salvation, then our sins have been wiped out! Sin alone will not separate a Christian from God anymore.

Jesus doesn’t get tired. He lives forever. That means whatever sin you commit tomorrow already has the sacrifice standing before God for you. If your sins are wiped out today, how could God become impatient with you when your next sin is treated as though it were the very first one you ever committed? In fact, it has already been forgiven and wiped away.

There is a bridge between us, covering the gap of sin. Jesus made a way where there was no way!

You may be asking yourself, “Then what can cause a person to not receive salvation after they have become a Christian?”

The answer is found in those five conditions that must be met. If even one is not met, then the promise is of no effect—because the condition of the promise has not been fulfilled.

Of the five conditions the Bible gives—believe, repent, confess, be baptized, and endure unto the end—where is “never sin” listed? Those words are not there. Even if you tried to argue that repentance means never sinning again, you would be wrong, as we have already proven here.

Never sinning is not a condition of salvation. Even enduring to the end and repentance do not mean you will never sin. Committing sin, in itself, is simply not a reason that a Christian will lose salvation.

In fact, as Paul told us in Romans 5:10, it would make no sense for God to die for us while we were still sinners if He was just going to cast us away the moment we sinned after coming to love Him. Think about that—God is far too wise to be that foolish!

The Deceitfulness of Sin

With that said, we need to talk about what sin can do to us. There is something called the “deceitfulness of sin” mentioned in Hebrews 3:13. You see, no amount of sin can cause you to lose salvation directly—but the result of sin can cause it in the end.

This is why sin is dangerous. It isn’t because sin itself can cause you to lose salvation. Sin doesn’t cut the Christian off from the God who cleanses them of sin. They don’t depart from the faith the moment they sin. But the deceitfulness of sin is that it hardens your heart.

The effect of sin is subtle. It causes a slow hardening of the heart that leads to unbelief, turning from God, rejecting Jesus, diving further into sin, and—eventually—ending in hell.

Compare the effects of a hardened heart with the conditions of salvation:

Symptoms of a hardened heart: unbelief, turning from God, rejecting Jesus, diving further into sin, ending in hell.

Conditions of salvation: believe, repent (turn to God), confess Jesus, be baptized (dead to sin), endure to the end in faith, ending in heaven.

Each effect of a hardened heart is the direct opposite of the requirements for salvation. Sin itself doesn’t cost you salvation—but a heart hardened by sin does.

A Lesson from Pharaoh

This is a lesson taught in the book of Exodus. Pharaoh hardened his heart against God little by little. At first, he had a choice to obey God or not. He said “no,” and the first plague came upon Egypt. Because he chose sin, his heart became a little harder, making it easier for him to say “no” again later.

Pharaoh had another choice to obey or not, and instead of learning, he hardened his heart even more. This went on ten times! Each time, Pharaoh had a choice. He could have submitted to God at any point, but the more he said “no” to God, the harder his heart became.

Eventually, his heart was so set against God that even when he had no choice but to let the Hebrews go, he still pursued them with his army—right through the parted waters and toward the pillar of fire he knew was God. The result was death.

He lost his heart little by little with each act of disobedience. That is what the deceitfulness of sin in Hebrews 3:13 is all about. It wasn’t the first, second, or even third sin that brought about the death of his entire army—it was the hardened heart of Pharaoh.

A little sin here and there doesn’t seem too bad—but that’s the deception. Sure, it won’t kill you outright. But it will begin to harden your heart against God. Eventually, sin can turn your heart so far from Him that you reject your faith entirely.

Over time, you can become so hard-hearted that you even begin to hate God. That hardened heart becomes like a wall separating you from Him. And that is how a “Christian” ends up in hell—it isn’t by one, two, three, or any number of sins. It’s by allowing sin to harden your heart.

Yes, a Christian can lose salvation—but not because of any sin they commit as long as they are still continuing in the faith. Just because a Christian sins in the flesh does not mean they have turned from the faith. Still, sin works slowly, hardening the heart with each wrong choice.

When the heart becomes completely hardened, the person rejects the faith—and then a Christian has fallen from grace. How much sin does it take? There is no amount of sin that God will not forgive. It is the rejection of the faith, not the sin itself, that causes a Christian to fall.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Let’s get metaphorical for a moment. Stone is formed from dirt and dust compacting and hardening over time. As we walk through this world, our “feet” (our flesh) pick up dust and dirt (sin). If left alone, it can harden and trap us—just like stone. But it is also easy to wash away.

Our hearts—our souls—are made clean before God when we become Christians. But our bodies—our flesh—still walk through this world and feel its pull. Let’s connect the passages.

Metaphorically, the one who is washed in the blood of Jesus is saved and clean. But the flesh remains until it is finally put off in death, and it needs to be cleansed daily. Remember: the flesh cannot repent; it must be covered in grace.

This is how we avoid having our hearts hardened. We should strive to live righteous lives by bringing the flesh under subjection. But if we fail, we must remember that Jesus is the one who washes us clean, even as we walk through this world.

Keeping your heart tender before God is as simple as confession and continually trusting in Jesus. Confess your sin, accept the forgiveness already provided, keep walking with Him—and the dust gathered on your feet (symbolizing the flesh) cannot cling to you.

What Happens If You Fall from Grace

But there are those who do not confess sin for what it is. They defend themselves. They refuse cleansing because they don’t believe they need it. Over time, they harden their hearts and turn from God.

When you depart from the faith, you depart from the Spirit of God.

Without the Spirit of God, which gives life, there is only death.

I know I just touched a nerve with that. After all, Jesus said He would never leave us nor forsake us. So how can this be true?

It is true because we are the ones leaving and departing from Him. Jesus remains who He is, and where He is—but we are the ones who move. We are the ones who reject Him. We are the ones departing from His Spirit. Even though the Spirit of God Himself will not leave you, that does not mean you cannot leave Him.

Many believe these passages prove that once a person is saved, they cannot lose salvation. They also believe these verses show that we cannot walk away from God by our own will—that there is no escape from the hand of God.

So let’s examine the scriptures above and see if they really do say what some people believe.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Jesus is speaking of those who hear Him and follow Him. He is not speaking of those who once heard and followed, but no longer do.

Christians are people who have the promise of salvation if we endure to the end and keep the faith. If you stop following Him, you lose the reality of that salvation being fulfilled.

“Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

This does not say that a person cannot leave by their own free will. It says that no man can pluck them out of His hand. In other words, no outside force can snatch you away.

Being plucked from the outside is not the same as pushing yourself out from the inside. Those on the inside can remove themselves from God’s protection.

Verse 29 continues the same thought: no outside force can remove you from the hands of God. But it does not say that God will deny a person the right to leave of their own free will.

Romans 8:35 and 38–39 also speak of outside forces. They do not describe someone being held inside against their will, like a prisoner. The hands of God are protection, not prison.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”

God loves even the lost.

So no, these passages do not support the doctrine of “Once Saved Always Saved”.

In the next unit, we will address the possibility of a return to God for a Christian who has left the faith. Can it be done?

Unit 3:13 – How to Come Back to God after Falling Away OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 3 – Repentance and Salvation