Though many Christians are once “born-again” and saved, many will and many have already chosen to sin and fall away from God into the eternal exile of “outer darkness.”
Here are a few Scripture verses that should help demonstrate what the New Testament teaches on the issue of "falling from grace," and “leaving and losing your salvation:"
In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus speaks of a person that was the servant of a particular Master, who began to say to himself, “my Master delays in His coming,” and backslides. Jesus said, “his Master” will come back, cut him in two, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. Hypocrites will have their part in eternal exile in "outer darkness" (Rev 21:8).
In the parable of the “Ten Virgins,” Jesus teaches five of the virgins will lose their salvation and Jesus the “Door” will be closed to them forever (Mt 25:1-13). Foolish Christians fail to “buy oil,” a type of the Holy Spirit, and lacking the Holy Spirit all five are turned away from Jesus and Heaven forever. Jesus ONLY knows those whom He knew from the foundation of the world. Those whose names are “ERASED” from the Lamb’s Book of Life were not known from the foundation of the world by God, hence God’s infinite statement, “I NEVER knew you!” At one time their names were listed when they were “born again,” however they chose to turn away and refused to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God resulting in their names being delisted from the Lamb’s Book of Life.
To deny Jesus is Lord before Men results in Jesus erasing their names from the “Lamb’s Book of Life” if they had been previously written there.
Re 3:5* “He who OVERCOMES shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not ERASE his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.”
Mt 10:37* “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."
Mt 10:38* “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."
Being "Not Worthy" means being disqualified from the "prize" of eternal salvation. It is ONLY those who OVERCOME Satan and sin that inherit eternal life, to turn back from the Light of God as "God is Light" is to turn into the darkness of the Kingdom of Darkness and in eternity "outer darkness."
Luke 9:62 "Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”" To desire with one's spiritual eyes sin and spiritual darkness makes one unfit for the Kingdom of God and results in eternal disqualification of inheriting eternal life with Jesus Christ...
In Mark 4:16-17 but more specifically in Luke 8:13 Jesus speaks about the heart that is the shallow ground, believing and receiving the Word of God for a season, who “believe for a while and… fall away.” Those whom "believe in Jesus" and are baptized in the Name of Jesus are SAVED (Acts 2:38), at least for a limited time as they choose to use their free will so to be saved.
Continuing to believe in Jesus forever in faith is what God COMMANDS. But "believing for a while and then later falling away" is SIN and UNACCEPTABLE to God and will result in eternal damnation. John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”" John 12:44 "And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me."" Failure to believe in Jesus and in His Father results in eternal damnation...
In John 15:6 Jesus warns “if anyone does not abide in Me, he is CAST OUT as a [severed or cut off] branch and is withered, and they gather them into the fire and they are burned." There is a weeding process going on right now and all those who have their Names ERASED from the Lamb’s Book of Life were not listed at the beginning of the time of the Creation of Heaven and Earth and among those God “foreknew before the foundation of the earth.”
Romans 11:22 describes both the “goodness and the severity of God," in the context that those who do not continue in belief will be “cut off” as unbelieving Israel was cut off from God and was no longer God’s chosen people.
In Colossians 1:22-23 Paul speaks about believers who will be presented holy before the Father “if you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard…”
Hebrews 2:1* “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. [“We” may apostatize and fall away from Heaven’s salvation.] 2* For if the WORD spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3* how shall we escape if we NEGLECT so great a SALVATION?” No one shall ESCAPE God’s WRATH of ETERNAL DAMNATION for neglecting what needs to be done so to be saved. “Be holy for I AM Holy,” having “Faith in God” and believing in Christ Jesus and OBEYING other commands of Jesus.
Hebrews 3:12 “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Note these are CHRISTIANS in CONTEXT, who may make the fatal choice to DEPART, APOSTATIZE, LEAVING the Living God resulting in losing their SALVATION. It is NOT “once saved always saved” but Christians, according to the Holy Bible may leave their born-again status and become TWICE DEAD!!!
In Hebrews 3:14 the author writes about how we will be saved in Jesus Christ if we hold fast our confidence until the end.
In Hebrews 6:4-6 the author writes about those that had “once been enlightened, tasted the Heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come” and yet “fall away." Having eaten at the "Table of the Lord" and then turn away from the Living God and then apostatizes, he or she falls away into the kingdom of darkness, making them ineligible for eternal life. In that passage I see the best description of salvation given in the entire Bible, and yet also a description of one that hardens his heart and walks away from Jesus altogether.
John 6:51* “I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52* The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53* Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54* “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 56* “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57* “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.” Jesus is very clear, He emphatically makes it essential to salvation to “TASTE” of the Heavenly things, the Table of the Lord. For those who choose to refuse to partake of spiritual body of Christ will end in their names being blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life and the damnation of their souls forever.
Hebrews 10:26-27 "For if we [Christians] go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice of sins, but remaining a terrifying expectation of judgment." Losing the perfect sacrifice of Christ the Lamb of God results in losing their salvation forever. This is God’s PROMISE if Christians will not repent of continuing in sin.
Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Christians, not being in PERDITION have the choice to DRAW BACK INTO PERDITION, DAMNING THEMSELVES FOREVER.
James 5:19-20 talks about a brother who wanders from the truth, and says that if he is turned back his soul has been spared from death. This speaks of the possibility of being renewed again to repentance, but also the reality that if he does not, his soul would perish. Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die." Ezekiel 18:24-26 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?"
26 “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die." If the righteous man turns to sinning and does not repent, he will suffer God's Judgment of the "second death" of eternal damnation and exile in "outer darkness."
2 Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” The Blood of Jesus Christ had “bought them,” for Christ’s possession, but the false teachers turned from the Truth to teach lies so to lose their salvation the Lamb’s Blood had provided for them. Once purchased by “The Blood” but rejected when they turned from truth forever.
In 2 Peter 2:20 Peter writes about believers who had “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” but are “again entangled in them and are overcome," and how “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning." It would be better for them if they had never known Jesus and then rejected the Almighty God and His Son Jesus...
2 Peter 3:17 "…Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and [apostatize] fall from your secure position." “Once Saved,” but the then Christian brethren fell away to PERDITION because of lies and false doctrines.
Php 2:12 "Work out your salvation in fear and trembling." Why fear? Because it is NOT always "Once Saved always saved…" There is always a chance one may fall from grace and God's Kindness.
1 John 2:24 says there is something Christians need to always do in order to remain being saved. "See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father." Salvation is conditional on the word "if it does," then you also will remain in Jesus the Son and in the Father…
Jude 12 describes those that are “twice dead.” That verse speaks about those that were dead, were made alive in Christ, and then became dead again.
Born twice and then died twice and yet still living meaning the spiritual "born again" experience became "died again" experience. Having been eating at the Table of the Lord tasting the Heavenly gift of the Holy Spirit, then falling from grace by one's choice walking away from the "Bread of Life" instead choosing the "table of demons" results in losing one's salvation.
In Revelation 3:14-22 Apostle John writes of those who had been believers, but who had grown lukewarm, and how Jesus warns “I will vomit you out of My mouth” and He also warns of the possibility of having their names erased from the "Lamb's Book of Life." They once had Jesus the Life, but had rejected Him in their hearts so Jesus had to step out of their hearts to give them their final warning before eternal damnation and exile away from God and Jesus in “outer darkness” forever.
Genesis 6:3 "The LORD said, "My Spirit shall NOT strive with man forever…"
Psalm 103:9 "He will NOT ALWAYS STRIVE WITH US, Nor will He keep His ANGER forever." God's "anger" brings judgment, death and the loss of salvation.
God will not always strive with men made of flesh (Genesis 6:3).
Jesus said to forgive your brother "seventy times seven" daily, however note it is a finite number of times for forgiveness, speaking of a limit of God's patience and time for forgiveness (Mtt 18:22)... Even God's patience can be exceeded by sinful men that are unwilling to repent of sins and errors of their ways... Note the world wide flood geological strata (CONFIRMED by uniform carbon-dating of large oil deposits world wide dated at the same time being deposited) globally that wiped out most life on the earth in Noah's Flood (Genesis 6:19).
Matthew 7:19-23 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your Name, and in your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles"' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'" These former Christians had been speaking in context of the Name of Jesus were formerly believers.
God speaks, "as far as the east is from the west” of removing God's memory of sin of transgression from us by putting the Lamb of God over us to hide us results in salvation. Walking away from the covering of Christ Jesus results in losing one's salvation forever. Just as God puts our former sins away from His remembrance, He also may put His memory of our Name in the Lamb's Book of Life away from His remembrance forever resulting in the loss of one's salvation forever.
Jesus tells Peter that there is a limit for forgiveness of sin "seventy times seven" Mtt 18:22. 490 is not infinity, but indicates a finite LIMIT to God's patience which will END some day if there is no repentance.
Genesis 6:3 “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh.” There is a limit to how much God will tolerate unrepentant sins of the flesh. Gal 5:19* “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20* idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21* envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Christians who practice sins of the flesh will lose their salvation and fall from grace.
Hebrews 10:26* “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Prodigal Son shows God's grace and forgiveness is greater than what most think. The prodigal son giving himself over to prostitutes and destitution was again received back by the Father who said about the son that he was LOST. The prodigal son was actually lost to god the Father, the son lost his salvation, but was restored when the son came to his senses and repented of his sin. So also someone can be once "saved" and then become lost, losing one's salvation, and then come back to our Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus and be saved again. The father of the prodigal son said the wayward son was dead to him, that the son had died spiritually and was reborn gaining eternal life (Luke 15:32).
Therefore having one's name “ERASED” from the Lamb's Book of Life and losing one's salvation is not an empty implied threat, but means there is a real possibility of losing one's salvation forever.
Matthew 10:22 "All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved…" It is only those who "endure to the end that will be saved." Jesus means "once saved" they only will be saved if they endure to the end. Matthew 24:9-13 "…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." It is only those who endure to the end will be saved.
Luke 12:46 "…He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers." Jesus will take those that once believed and were given gifts and eventually disown them and assign them to the place of unbelievers.
Romans 11:20-22 Jesus threatens "you" the Christians to be broken off, being currently connected holding onto Jesus, unless we continue in the Kindness of Jesus.
John 8:31-32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." It is only the free will of those who will abide in the Vine of Jesus and HOLD ON to Jesus that will be saved. If people let go holding Jesus they will fall from grace and lose their salvation.
John 15:1-6 It is ONLY those who choose to REMAIN IN JESUS that will inherit eternal life. For those who choose NOT TO REMAIN IN JESUS they will fall from grace and be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire and be burned forever.
1Cor 9:27 Apostle Paul said he could be disqualified for the prize of eternal life with Jesus if he failed to "die daily" and make his flesh his slave or all would be lost in eternity.
Colossians 1:21-23 Salvation is conditional, "…If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." If you continue in the Faith, then and only then may you be presented to God without blemish.
1 Timothy 1:18-20 "…Fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have REJECTED THESE and so have SHIPWRECKED their FAITH." Salvation is lost if one does not hold onto Faith and a Good Conscience. Being SHIPWRECKED usually means losing one's life.
1 Timothy 4:1 Christians can sin and abandon the faith by following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Christians can lose their salvation by following deceiving spirits and doctrines taught by demons. The price Christians will pay for sinning by following deceiving spirits is eternal damnation, unless there is repentance from sin and renewing their vow to follow the Holy Spirit.
Salvation requires learning to yield to the Holy Spirit daily, as the Bible has written we are being "saved" daily. Christians are in a process of "being saved" and may choose to walk away from the Holy Spirit which ends that process forever 1Cor 1:18; 2Cor 2:15.
Hebrews 6:4-6 Speaks of a Real encounter with God, of those whom abided in the Vine of Jesus Christ and then bears thorns instead of fruit. Then after being "born again" bearing the fruits of the flesh results in the Second Death. Christians who were formerly "once enlightened," and they did once taste the heavenly gift, "eating the flesh and blood" of Jesus the "Bread of life" (Mt 26:26). They did taste the Word of God and the Powers of the Age to come, and had made a sinful choice to instead go to the "table of demons." They were actually once enlightened and not merely claimed or pretended to be enlightened by God's Spirit. They actually had become enlightened at one time in their lives and became partakers of the Holy Spirit and then made the sinful choice to walk away from the Holy Spirit and thus they turned themselves away from the Living God forever.
Salvation is a process from the foundations of the earth where Christians were foreknown, being chosen as an adopted son of God, being a genuine partaker of the Holy Spirit, predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ, called, justified, getting to Heaven places and sitting down in Christ, as you were fore ordained to do in the Lamb's Book of Life. However there are people who become partakers of the Life, partakers of the Holy Spirit, believe in the doctrines of Jesus Christ and walk with Him daily, bear fruit of the Spirit, yet they don't learn to yield their free will to the Holy Spirit, but follow deceiving spirits and are drawn away from Jesus and in disbelief, and do not remain steadfast, they stumbled and fell from salvation forever.
Hebrews 3:11; 4:3 "…I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST." All those twenty years and older that refused to enter the Promised Land as Commanded received the WRATH OF GOD and LOST THEIR SALVATION. It is not "once saved always saved" but clearly if one turns away to other gods in violation of the first of the Ten Commandments, one may lose one's salvation forever.
There are more Bible passages that could be considered, but these are offered in order to demonstrate that every Bible author generally issues at least one warning to the believer against returning to their former ways of life before they were born again, presenting the very real danger of “leaving one’s salvation” altogether.
Eph 1:13-14 Christians are "sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise." It is "pledge" of things to come. However the "SEAL" can be broken open, resulting in the loss of one's eternal salvation and the pledge of God will NOT be fulfilled as a result of Christians breaking open that seal of the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 2 "those that fell away makes their end worse then their beginning."
We are the Temple of God and the Holy Spirit, and yet the Spirit can depart if God' wills it. Ezekiel saw the Spirit depart from the Temple in the O.T. and the Spirit can depart from the saints, the Temple of God if God wills it today…
1Jo 5:16* “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.” The context is Christian brothers sinning which may or may not lead to spiritual death and eternal damnation in “outer darkness.” Christians can and do sin and if there is no repentance loss of one’s salvation results.
1Samuel 16:14 "…the Spirit of the LORD departed from God, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him." It is NOT "Once Saved, Always Saved."
The Spirit of God can leave one as King David prayed "Do NOT take Thy Holy Spirit from me!"
As Christ on the cross cried out "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" As Christ, who was and is God Incarnate example for us shows that the Holy Spirit, His Father, could and did leave as Christ became "sin" for us on the cross (2Cor 5:21).
As unrepentant sin is conceived in us when we sin, then the Holy can and will leave eventually resulting in loss of fellowship and will be damned to eternal exile in "outer darkness" if we fail to repent.
Hebrews 10:26 "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a terrifying expectation of God's judgment." To willfully continue to sin and not keep the Commandments of Jesus and stubbornly walk in spiritual darkness results in apostasy and eternal damnation.
Rev 22:19 "God will take away him his share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, meaning eternal life will be lost and one exiled forever from the Holy City of New Jerusalem.
To continually walk away from God, rejecting Jesus is the "unpardonable sin." If one still yearns and desires to be with God and Jesus then the unpardonable sin has not been committed.
Hebrews 3:15 “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”
John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." If you desire God ask Jesus into your heart and He will help you to follow Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He cares for you...
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do His COMMANDMENTS, that they may have RIGHT to the Tree of Life, and may ENTER in through the GATES into the CITY” [ New Jerusalem].
Amen
Rev. William Burk
Here are a few Scripture verses that should help demonstrate what the New Testament teaches on the issue of "falling from grace," and “leaving and losing your salvation:"
In Matthew 24:45-51 Jesus speaks of a person that was the servant of a particular Master, who began to say to himself, “my Master delays in His coming,” and backslides. Jesus said, “his Master” will come back, cut him in two, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. Hypocrites will have their part in eternal exile in "outer darkness" (Rev 21:8).
In the parable of the “Ten Virgins,” Jesus teaches five of the virgins will lose their salvation and Jesus the “Door” will be closed to them forever (Mt 25:1-13). Foolish Christians fail to “buy oil,” a type of the Holy Spirit, and lacking the Holy Spirit all five are turned away from Jesus and Heaven forever. Jesus ONLY knows those whom He knew from the foundation of the world. Those whose names are “ERASED” from the Lamb’s Book of Life were not known from the foundation of the world by God, hence God’s infinite statement, “I NEVER knew you!” At one time their names were listed when they were “born again,” however they chose to turn away and refused to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God resulting in their names being delisted from the Lamb’s Book of Life.
To deny Jesus is Lord before Men results in Jesus erasing their names from the “Lamb’s Book of Life” if they had been previously written there.
Re 3:5* “He who OVERCOMES shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not ERASE his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.”
Mt 10:37* “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."
Mt 10:38* “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."
Being "Not Worthy" means being disqualified from the "prize" of eternal salvation. It is ONLY those who OVERCOME Satan and sin that inherit eternal life, to turn back from the Light of God as "God is Light" is to turn into the darkness of the Kingdom of Darkness and in eternity "outer darkness."
Luke 9:62 "Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”" To desire with one's spiritual eyes sin and spiritual darkness makes one unfit for the Kingdom of God and results in eternal disqualification of inheriting eternal life with Jesus Christ...
In Mark 4:16-17 but more specifically in Luke 8:13 Jesus speaks about the heart that is the shallow ground, believing and receiving the Word of God for a season, who “believe for a while and… fall away.” Those whom "believe in Jesus" and are baptized in the Name of Jesus are SAVED (Acts 2:38), at least for a limited time as they choose to use their free will so to be saved.
Continuing to believe in Jesus forever in faith is what God COMMANDS. But "believing for a while and then later falling away" is SIN and UNACCEPTABLE to God and will result in eternal damnation. John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”" John 12:44 "And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me."" Failure to believe in Jesus and in His Father results in eternal damnation...
In John 15:6 Jesus warns “if anyone does not abide in Me, he is CAST OUT as a [severed or cut off] branch and is withered, and they gather them into the fire and they are burned." There is a weeding process going on right now and all those who have their Names ERASED from the Lamb’s Book of Life were not listed at the beginning of the time of the Creation of Heaven and Earth and among those God “foreknew before the foundation of the earth.”
Romans 11:22 describes both the “goodness and the severity of God," in the context that those who do not continue in belief will be “cut off” as unbelieving Israel was cut off from God and was no longer God’s chosen people.
In Colossians 1:22-23 Paul speaks about believers who will be presented holy before the Father “if you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard…”
Hebrews 2:1* “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. [“We” may apostatize and fall away from Heaven’s salvation.] 2* For if the WORD spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, 3* how shall we escape if we NEGLECT so great a SALVATION?” No one shall ESCAPE God’s WRATH of ETERNAL DAMNATION for neglecting what needs to be done so to be saved. “Be holy for I AM Holy,” having “Faith in God” and believing in Christ Jesus and OBEYING other commands of Jesus.
Hebrews 3:12 “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Note these are CHRISTIANS in CONTEXT, who may make the fatal choice to DEPART, APOSTATIZE, LEAVING the Living God resulting in losing their SALVATION. It is NOT “once saved always saved” but Christians, according to the Holy Bible may leave their born-again status and become TWICE DEAD!!!
In Hebrews 3:14 the author writes about how we will be saved in Jesus Christ if we hold fast our confidence until the end.
In Hebrews 6:4-6 the author writes about those that had “once been enlightened, tasted the Heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come” and yet “fall away." Having eaten at the "Table of the Lord" and then turn away from the Living God and then apostatizes, he or she falls away into the kingdom of darkness, making them ineligible for eternal life. In that passage I see the best description of salvation given in the entire Bible, and yet also a description of one that hardens his heart and walks away from Jesus altogether.
John 6:51* “I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52* The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53* Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54* “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 56* “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57* “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.” Jesus is very clear, He emphatically makes it essential to salvation to “TASTE” of the Heavenly things, the Table of the Lord. For those who choose to refuse to partake of spiritual body of Christ will end in their names being blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life and the damnation of their souls forever.
Hebrews 10:26-27 "For if we [Christians] go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice of sins, but remaining a terrifying expectation of judgment." Losing the perfect sacrifice of Christ the Lamb of God results in losing their salvation forever. This is God’s PROMISE if Christians will not repent of continuing in sin.
Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Christians, not being in PERDITION have the choice to DRAW BACK INTO PERDITION, DAMNING THEMSELVES FOREVER.
James 5:19-20 talks about a brother who wanders from the truth, and says that if he is turned back his soul has been spared from death. This speaks of the possibility of being renewed again to repentance, but also the reality that if he does not, his soul would perish. Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die." Ezekiel 18:24-26 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?"
26 “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die." If the righteous man turns to sinning and does not repent, he will suffer God's Judgment of the "second death" of eternal damnation and exile in "outer darkness."
2 Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” The Blood of Jesus Christ had “bought them,” for Christ’s possession, but the false teachers turned from the Truth to teach lies so to lose their salvation the Lamb’s Blood had provided for them. Once purchased by “The Blood” but rejected when they turned from truth forever.
In 2 Peter 2:20 Peter writes about believers who had “escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” but are “again entangled in them and are overcome," and how “the latter end is worse for them than the beginning." It would be better for them if they had never known Jesus and then rejected the Almighty God and His Son Jesus...
2 Peter 3:17 "…Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and [apostatize] fall from your secure position." “Once Saved,” but the then Christian brethren fell away to PERDITION because of lies and false doctrines.
Php 2:12 "Work out your salvation in fear and trembling." Why fear? Because it is NOT always "Once Saved always saved…" There is always a chance one may fall from grace and God's Kindness.
1 John 2:24 says there is something Christians need to always do in order to remain being saved. "See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father." Salvation is conditional on the word "if it does," then you also will remain in Jesus the Son and in the Father…
Jude 12 describes those that are “twice dead.” That verse speaks about those that were dead, were made alive in Christ, and then became dead again.
Born twice and then died twice and yet still living meaning the spiritual "born again" experience became "died again" experience. Having been eating at the Table of the Lord tasting the Heavenly gift of the Holy Spirit, then falling from grace by one's choice walking away from the "Bread of Life" instead choosing the "table of demons" results in losing one's salvation.
In Revelation 3:14-22 Apostle John writes of those who had been believers, but who had grown lukewarm, and how Jesus warns “I will vomit you out of My mouth” and He also warns of the possibility of having their names erased from the "Lamb's Book of Life." They once had Jesus the Life, but had rejected Him in their hearts so Jesus had to step out of their hearts to give them their final warning before eternal damnation and exile away from God and Jesus in “outer darkness” forever.
Genesis 6:3 "The LORD said, "My Spirit shall NOT strive with man forever…"
Psalm 103:9 "He will NOT ALWAYS STRIVE WITH US, Nor will He keep His ANGER forever." God's "anger" brings judgment, death and the loss of salvation.
God will not always strive with men made of flesh (Genesis 6:3).
Jesus said to forgive your brother "seventy times seven" daily, however note it is a finite number of times for forgiveness, speaking of a limit of God's patience and time for forgiveness (Mtt 18:22)... Even God's patience can be exceeded by sinful men that are unwilling to repent of sins and errors of their ways... Note the world wide flood geological strata (CONFIRMED by uniform carbon-dating of large oil deposits world wide dated at the same time being deposited) globally that wiped out most life on the earth in Noah's Flood (Genesis 6:19).
Matthew 7:19-23 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your Name, and in your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles"' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'" These former Christians had been speaking in context of the Name of Jesus were formerly believers.
God speaks, "as far as the east is from the west” of removing God's memory of sin of transgression from us by putting the Lamb of God over us to hide us results in salvation. Walking away from the covering of Christ Jesus results in losing one's salvation forever. Just as God puts our former sins away from His remembrance, He also may put His memory of our Name in the Lamb's Book of Life away from His remembrance forever resulting in the loss of one's salvation forever.
Jesus tells Peter that there is a limit for forgiveness of sin "seventy times seven" Mtt 18:22. 490 is not infinity, but indicates a finite LIMIT to God's patience which will END some day if there is no repentance.
Genesis 6:3 “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh.” There is a limit to how much God will tolerate unrepentant sins of the flesh. Gal 5:19* “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20* idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21* envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Christians who practice sins of the flesh will lose their salvation and fall from grace.
Hebrews 10:26* “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”
Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Prodigal Son shows God's grace and forgiveness is greater than what most think. The prodigal son giving himself over to prostitutes and destitution was again received back by the Father who said about the son that he was LOST. The prodigal son was actually lost to god the Father, the son lost his salvation, but was restored when the son came to his senses and repented of his sin. So also someone can be once "saved" and then become lost, losing one's salvation, and then come back to our Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus and be saved again. The father of the prodigal son said the wayward son was dead to him, that the son had died spiritually and was reborn gaining eternal life (Luke 15:32).
Therefore having one's name “ERASED” from the Lamb's Book of Life and losing one's salvation is not an empty implied threat, but means there is a real possibility of losing one's salvation forever.
Matthew 10:22 "All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved…" It is only those who "endure to the end that will be saved." Jesus means "once saved" they only will be saved if they endure to the end. Matthew 24:9-13 "…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." It is only those who endure to the end will be saved.
Luke 12:46 "…He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers." Jesus will take those that once believed and were given gifts and eventually disown them and assign them to the place of unbelievers.
Romans 11:20-22 Jesus threatens "you" the Christians to be broken off, being currently connected holding onto Jesus, unless we continue in the Kindness of Jesus.
John 8:31-32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." It is only the free will of those who will abide in the Vine of Jesus and HOLD ON to Jesus that will be saved. If people let go holding Jesus they will fall from grace and lose their salvation.
John 15:1-6 It is ONLY those who choose to REMAIN IN JESUS that will inherit eternal life. For those who choose NOT TO REMAIN IN JESUS they will fall from grace and be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire and be burned forever.
1Cor 9:27 Apostle Paul said he could be disqualified for the prize of eternal life with Jesus if he failed to "die daily" and make his flesh his slave or all would be lost in eternity.
Colossians 1:21-23 Salvation is conditional, "…If you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel." If you continue in the Faith, then and only then may you be presented to God without blemish.
1 Timothy 1:18-20 "…Fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have REJECTED THESE and so have SHIPWRECKED their FAITH." Salvation is lost if one does not hold onto Faith and a Good Conscience. Being SHIPWRECKED usually means losing one's life.
1 Timothy 4:1 Christians can sin and abandon the faith by following deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Christians can lose their salvation by following deceiving spirits and doctrines taught by demons. The price Christians will pay for sinning by following deceiving spirits is eternal damnation, unless there is repentance from sin and renewing their vow to follow the Holy Spirit.
Salvation requires learning to yield to the Holy Spirit daily, as the Bible has written we are being "saved" daily. Christians are in a process of "being saved" and may choose to walk away from the Holy Spirit which ends that process forever 1Cor 1:18; 2Cor 2:15.
Hebrews 6:4-6 Speaks of a Real encounter with God, of those whom abided in the Vine of Jesus Christ and then bears thorns instead of fruit. Then after being "born again" bearing the fruits of the flesh results in the Second Death. Christians who were formerly "once enlightened," and they did once taste the heavenly gift, "eating the flesh and blood" of Jesus the "Bread of life" (Mt 26:26). They did taste the Word of God and the Powers of the Age to come, and had made a sinful choice to instead go to the "table of demons." They were actually once enlightened and not merely claimed or pretended to be enlightened by God's Spirit. They actually had become enlightened at one time in their lives and became partakers of the Holy Spirit and then made the sinful choice to walk away from the Holy Spirit and thus they turned themselves away from the Living God forever.
Salvation is a process from the foundations of the earth where Christians were foreknown, being chosen as an adopted son of God, being a genuine partaker of the Holy Spirit, predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ, called, justified, getting to Heaven places and sitting down in Christ, as you were fore ordained to do in the Lamb's Book of Life. However there are people who become partakers of the Life, partakers of the Holy Spirit, believe in the doctrines of Jesus Christ and walk with Him daily, bear fruit of the Spirit, yet they don't learn to yield their free will to the Holy Spirit, but follow deceiving spirits and are drawn away from Jesus and in disbelief, and do not remain steadfast, they stumbled and fell from salvation forever.
Hebrews 3:11; 4:3 "…I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST." All those twenty years and older that refused to enter the Promised Land as Commanded received the WRATH OF GOD and LOST THEIR SALVATION. It is not "once saved always saved" but clearly if one turns away to other gods in violation of the first of the Ten Commandments, one may lose one's salvation forever.
There are more Bible passages that could be considered, but these are offered in order to demonstrate that every Bible author generally issues at least one warning to the believer against returning to their former ways of life before they were born again, presenting the very real danger of “leaving one’s salvation” altogether.
Eph 1:13-14 Christians are "sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise." It is "pledge" of things to come. However the "SEAL" can be broken open, resulting in the loss of one's eternal salvation and the pledge of God will NOT be fulfilled as a result of Christians breaking open that seal of the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 2 "those that fell away makes their end worse then their beginning."
We are the Temple of God and the Holy Spirit, and yet the Spirit can depart if God' wills it. Ezekiel saw the Spirit depart from the Temple in the O.T. and the Spirit can depart from the saints, the Temple of God if God wills it today…
1Jo 5:16* “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.” The context is Christian brothers sinning which may or may not lead to spiritual death and eternal damnation in “outer darkness.” Christians can and do sin and if there is no repentance loss of one’s salvation results.
1Samuel 16:14 "…the Spirit of the LORD departed from God, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him." It is NOT "Once Saved, Always Saved."
The Spirit of God can leave one as King David prayed "Do NOT take Thy Holy Spirit from me!"
As Christ on the cross cried out "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" As Christ, who was and is God Incarnate example for us shows that the Holy Spirit, His Father, could and did leave as Christ became "sin" for us on the cross (2Cor 5:21).
As unrepentant sin is conceived in us when we sin, then the Holy can and will leave eventually resulting in loss of fellowship and will be damned to eternal exile in "outer darkness" if we fail to repent.
Hebrews 10:26 "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a terrifying expectation of God's judgment." To willfully continue to sin and not keep the Commandments of Jesus and stubbornly walk in spiritual darkness results in apostasy and eternal damnation.
Rev 22:19 "God will take away him his share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, meaning eternal life will be lost and one exiled forever from the Holy City of New Jerusalem.
To continually walk away from God, rejecting Jesus is the "unpardonable sin." If one still yearns and desires to be with God and Jesus then the unpardonable sin has not been committed.
Hebrews 3:15 “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”
John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." If you desire God ask Jesus into your heart and He will help you to follow Him. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He cares for you...
Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do His COMMANDMENTS, that they may have RIGHT to the Tree of Life, and may ENTER in through the GATES into the CITY” [ New Jerusalem].
Amen
Rev. William Burk