Millions who profess Christianity feel secure, resting on the assurances of their clergy, who claim that a born again Christian cannot lose salvation. Countless worshippers suppose that salvation is irrevocably guaranteed to every Christian who has committed to the Lord.

Yet what does God tell us in the Bible?  What is the truth of the matter?  Are Christians guaranteed salvation?  Does this popular teaching reflect reality or merely myth?  Could millions of worshippers be falling prey to a seductive religious deception? 

On a more personal level, when you and I have come to believe in Jesus Christ – when we are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit – is our eternal future in the Kingdom then sealed?  Do we have it made?  Can we relax?  Or is there still a risk?  Does our Christian struggle continue for the remainder of our physical lives?  You need to know!

To resolve this vital question once and for all who have ears to hear, let’s search in the inspired Word of God.

Believe and Be Saved

Let’s begin our exploration with a representative sampling of New Testament verses which are used by those who argue in favor of “once saved, always saved.”

Jesus Himself plainly asserted:

¹⁶“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  (John 3:16-17)

The historian Luke records the words of the apostle Paul, and his co-worker Silas:

²⁹And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:29-31)

In his own writings also, Paul confirms:

¹³In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ … given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  (Ephesians 1:13-14)

²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  (1 Corinthians 1:21)

⁹that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9)

There are other similar Scriptures that we could read.  They are there.  They are true.  They are all part of the inspired Word of God.  On the surface, these authoritative Biblical declarations might seem quite clear to the modern reader, who may read the word “believe,” and therefore presume that simply to become a converted Christian irreversibly ensures eternal salvation.

Is that what the above verses actually mean? 

Before we rush to a premature conclusion, let’s take care to be thorough in our exploration.  Might there be more for us to discover?

Essential Principles from Scripture

In order to glean the whole counsel of God on this subject, we must acquaint ourselves with two essential and related Biblical principles.  The principles are these:

1. A number of statements in the Bible appear to be all-encompassing when taken alone; sometimes such statements are not limited, extended, or completely explained within the passage where we find them.  However, a given statement may well be limited, extended, or explained elsewhere in Scripture.

2. Therefore, to arrive at the correct understanding of Scripture – a precise understanding of God’s mind and His will on a topic – we must diligently search out and consider other relevant Biblical passages.

We can see very clear illustrations of these Biblical principles pertaining to several Scriptural issues.  Let’s first take a look at how these principles apply to one topic; then, we will look at another.

In each of the synoptic Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark and Luke), the authors record Christ’s admonitions concerning divorce and remarriage.  Mark and Luke both recall Jesus having warned:

¹¹And He said^* to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; ¹²and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”  (Mark 10:11-12)

¹⁸“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.  (Luke 16:18)

In the above verses, we could point to Christ’s use of the terms “everyone” and “whoever.” Taken alone, these verses could certainly seem to indicate that Jesus’ warning is for every Christian, with absolutely zero exceptions for any circumstances.

Yet what do we find mentioned twice in Matthew’s account?  Actually, there is a single (and from the context of the latter passage, rarely applicable) allowance which Christ does make for divorce and remarriage:

³² but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. (Matthew 5:32 ASB)

⁹“And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery.  (Matthew 19:9 ASB)

While there is much debate among scholars as to what this singular exception actually entails, an exception clearly exists – an exception documented for us only by the apostle Matthew, (perhaps because of how rarely it applies.) 

Think about it!  If we were to base doctrine concerning divorce and remarriage upon just the writings of Mark and Luke, without the inclusion of Matthew, we would be prohibiting all divorce, without any exception.  In so doing, we would be acting contrary to the will of God.

Another Scriptural topic which demonstrates the necessity for searching beyond the immediate context pertains to Christian subjection to governing authorities.  More than once in his writings, the apostle Paul strongly admonishes all Christians to obey their civil governments.  He does not state or imply any exceptions to the rule:

¹Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. ²Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.  (Romans 13:1-2)

¹Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, (Titus 3:1)

Peter issues similar commands to believers:

¹³Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. ¹⁵For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. ¹⁶Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. ¹⁷Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  (1 Peter 2:13-17)

With only these passages, we might overlook the importance of Peter’s fine distinction between showing honor to the king, while fearing God.  We might easily conclude that Christians are to obey every order from their civil government, even if the government’s order demands that we disobey God’s commandments.  (If that were true, these directives would represent a significant change from God’s expectations recorded in the Old Testament accounts of Daniel and the lions’ den [Daniel 6:1-28] and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace [Daniel 3:1-30].)

However, with added insights from the book of Acts, where the Bible records Peter and the apostles’ defense before the Council, a clear picture emerges.  We find that God’s directives remain constant.  Indeed, we are to obey human governments to the extent that we are able, but never in transgression of the supreme authority of Almighty God.  As the apostles pose this dilemma to the Council, we find they also answer it for us – and in the end, quite definitively:

¹⁸And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; ²⁰for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”  (Acts 4:18-20)

²⁷When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, ²⁸saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.  (Acts 5:27-29)

Thus, again we have seen demonstrated that Scriptural statements can alone be incomplete, and that we must search thoroughly throughout Scripture, if we are to gain a true and accurate understanding of God’s will and intent.  We can summarize these two principles in the statement that we must seek to live by, and to discern Truth from – not just selected passages of Scripture – but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (compare Matthew 4:4).

How will these Biblical principles contribute to conclusively resolving our initial question:  are Christians guaranteed salvation; can a converted Christian lose salvation? 

Let’s enlarge our exploration of the Word of God.

The Inescapable Faith Connection

As we expand our study, we will discover that it is quite enlightening simply to pursue the meaning of the Greek word pisteuoô, translated as “believe” in those verses connecting salvation to Christian belief.  What does it actually mean to “believe,” in the New Testament sense?  Can this word denote simply a mental and/or intellectual acknowledgement, independent of any particular action?  The New American Standard Greek Dictionary reports:

G4100 ðéóôåýù  pisteuoô; from G4102 [pistis]; [the definition is] to believe, entrust:— [translated in Scripture as] believe (118), believed (73), believers (3), believes (29), believing (10), do (1), entrust (1), entrusted (6), entrusting (1), has faith (1). [1]

We have learned that pisteuoô is derived from pistis.  Interestingly, we discover that pisteuoô, “believe,” leads us directly to the doctrine of faith:

G4102 ðßóôéò  pistis; from G3982 [peithoô]; [the definition is] faith, faithfulness:— [translated in Scripture as] faith (238), faithfulness (3), pledge (1), proof (1).[2]

In fact, any reputable dictionary of New Testament Greek, such as Vine’s[3], will reveal that pisteuoô, “believe,” is nothing more than the noun form of pistis, “faith.”  This connection is both fascinating and inescapable. 

What more can we glean from this intriguing link?  Is there any Biblical passage which might shed particular light on this association?

The book of James contains one such message, which uses both Greek terms in a discussion of Christianity that is indeed illuminating.  The passage begins:

¹⁴What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith [pistis] but he has no works? Can that faith [pistis] save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷Even so faith [pistis], if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.  ¹⁸But someone may well say, “You have faith [pistis] and I have works; show me your faith [pistis] without the works, and I will show you my faith [pistis] by my works.”  (James 2:14-18)

Here above, the apostle James proclaims in absolute terms that the “belief” or “faith” which leads to salvation is no passive experience!  This belief demands action. 

On the other hand, James’ next words serve to illustrate the fact the Greek term [pisteuoô], of and by itself, can be used to refer to mere head knowledge:

¹⁹You believe [pisteuoô] that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe [pisteuoô], and shudder. (James 2:19)

Ouch!  This certainly takes the shine off of “giving our heart to the Lord,” and then conducting ourselves however we please. 

James continues on, ensuring that we have every opportunity to get the point of his message:

²⁰But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith [pistis] without works is useless? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ²²You see that faith [pistis] was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith [pistis] was perfected; ²³and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed [pisteuoô] God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith [pistis] alone. ²⁵In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith [pistis] without works is dead.  (James 2:20-26)

We have now established that saving belief involves far more than head knowledge.  The belief which leads to salvation commands life-changing action.

On the other hand, might it be that once we acquire this active belief, it becomes impossible for us to lose it?

For the answer, let’s proceed onward in our exploration of God’s Word.  As we search, we will need to ask ourselves questions, such as “How should I understand this verse in the light of other verses that may seem to ensure salvation?  Can irrevocably guaranteed salvation be reconciled with the clear meaning of this passage?"

Looking Back

In his account of the Gospel, Luke recounts a conversation between Christ and some potential followers, providing helpful insights:

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:57-58)

What is Christ’s message?  “A life of service to Jesus Christ will not necessarily be an easy, settled comfortable life.”

⁵⁹And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)

What is Christ’s message?  “If we obey the call to follow Jesus Christ, it changes our priorities, even regarding our physical family and matters which we would normally view as being of primary importance.”

⁶¹Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” ⁶²But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:61-62)

What is Christ’s message?  When do we truly put our hand to the plow?  Perhaps some may argue this point, but on the basis of other Biblical passages that we have already examined, and others which we will examine, it seems obvious that we put our hand to the plow when we repent and are baptized, receiving the Holy Spirit.  “If we then look back, we are not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

How can we explain this passage if salvation is irrevocably guaranteed to the believer, to the one who sets his/her hand to the plow?

Perseverance and Holding Fast

Pressing forward on our Biblical adventure, we arrive at several passages expounding on the necessity for Christian perseverance.  The first of these is the famous parable of the sower of seed, told by Jesus Christ.  Let’s look at Luke’s account, as Jesus explains the meaning of the parable:

¹¹“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. ¹²“Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.  (Luke 8:11-12)

There are people who hear the word of God, but it has no effect.  They never believe.  Christ goes on:

¹³“Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe [pisteuoô] for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.  (Luke 8:13)

There are people who hear the Word, and believe – for a while.  But when temptation or trials come, they fall away.  Others, it seems, do remain, but without attaining salvation:

¹⁴“The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  (Luke 8:14)

What an admonition to us!  These people do hear the word.  Christ’s words imply that they even take root and apparently begin to produce some fruit.  But in the end, no fruit ripens to maturity (or perfection) because these people refuse to put away their preoccupation with the worries and pursuits of daily life.

¹⁵“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.  (Luke 8:15)

Notice the phrases that are used in the above verse.  Not only do these people hear the word “in an honest and good heart” – they also “hold it fast” and “bear fruit with perseverance.”  This requires more than just a valid beginning.

A grain of winter wheat that sprouts in the late fall has born no fruit.  The young sprout has to hold on to the soil through the winter rain, freezing weather, snow and wind.  The immature grain plant has to persevere for months, until the summer of the following year, before its new grain reaches full maturity and is ready for harvest.  What happens if the plant fails to hold fast or persevere?  No grain can be harvested.  The fruit is lost.

Another important Biblical passage discussing perseverance is presented by Paul:

⁴Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶who will render to each person according to his deeds: ⁷to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; ⁸but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.   (Romans 2:4-8)

Here again, Paul emphasizes that we must go beyond a great start – we must persevere in doing good in order to receive God’s gracious gift of honor and immortality.  (This does not imply that we earn salvation; what we have all earned is death.  However, God chooses to grant salvation exclusively to those who persevere in righteous faithfulness.)

¹Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ²by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

Consider!  These are brethren, part of the Body of Christ, members of the Church.  Can they relax?  Do they already have it made?  Or must they persevere over time and through trials in order to receive eternal salvation?

How, too, does the apostle John describe the saints?

¹²Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.  (Revelation 14:12)

The author of Hebrews (which may or may not be Paul) likewise accentuates tenacity in faithfulness:

⁶but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.  (Hebrews 3:6)

¹Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.

⁹So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. ¹²For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.  ¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrews 4:1, 9-14)

In addition to the theme of perseverance, here we begin to discover mention of “falling away,” or “falling,” as it is termed in verse 11 above.  Are there other passages which indicate that a converted Christian can “fall away” and lose the opportunity for eternal life?

Falling Away

With the background of understanding which we have already fully established – knowing that righteous conduct must demonstrate our active Christian belief, and that we must persevere in that righteous conduct – is it still somehow possible that those who fall into unrighteous conduct, failing to persevere, are only those who were never truly converted in the first place?  Can this popular human idea be reconciled with God’s inspired Word? 

In His mercy, God grants us a crystal-clear answer:

¹But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith [pistis], paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, ²by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, ³men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. (1Timothy 4:1-3)

How can we “fall away from” believing, or “from” a faith or belief, if we never really held that belief (or faith) in the first place?  Accordingly, what we unveil in Hebrews 6, should come as no surprise:

⁴For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.  (Hebrews 6:4-6)

Peter’s words offer a helpful comparison:

³⁸Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

To be sure, there may be many people who fake Christianity for any number of reasons.  The Bible alludes to them – ones who have never been truly converted, who have never received the Holy Spirit. 

However, conversely, in Hebrews 6 above, these who “have fallen away” were genuinely converted and have received God’s Holy Spirit.  The author incontrovertibly establishes that these were converted Christians who have repented, been baptized and been forgiven their sins by the crucifixion of Christ, who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.   How sobering that after being partakers of the wonderful and unmerited graciousness of God – after being members of the Body of Christ – some will subsequently give up and quit, tragically forfeiting their eternal salvation.  We must take warning from this knowledge:

¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit; (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

¹²Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)

¹⁰“At that time [in the last days] many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. (Matthew 24:10)

¹⁸For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. ²²It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”  (2 Peter 2:18-22)

²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. ²⁶For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ²⁸Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  (Hebrews 10:23-31)

Not only must we take warning for the preservation of our own salvation, but our recognition of the deadly peril of falling away should motivate us to intervene on behalf of our fellow Christians who stumble:

¹⁹My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, ²⁰let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20) 

One tremendous role model which God has provided for us in our Christian endeavor is the example set by the renowned apostle Paul.

Personal From Paul

The devout apostle Paul shares illuminating personal insights from his own life, confirming that Christians can lose salvation:

²³I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. ²⁴Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; ²⁷but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:23-27).

What are these startling words?  A spiritual giant – the apostle Paul – expresses that he could become disqualified?  Even after being converted and preaching to others, Paul still could have become disqualified from eternal life.  What should that convey to you and to me?  Are we somehow better than Paul?

We know that Paul was very well educated in the Scriptures, having studied under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).  Perhaps in reminding the Corinthians of the ever-present danger of becoming disqualified, Paul was recalling God’s somber words to His earlier prophet Ezekiel:

²⁴“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. (Ezekiel 18:24-26)

Paul openly acknowledges that he doesn’t yet have it made!

⁷But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ⁹and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; ¹¹in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  ¹²Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; ¹⁶however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.  (Philippians 3:7-16)

Indeed, let each one of us have this attitude – pressing on – following the example of Paul in recognizing that we do not have a guarantee of salvation, until the end of our lives.  Let us devote the remainder of our human lives to living by every word of God, so that we can share Paul’s wonderful confidence as we, too, approach death:

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.  (1Timothy 4:6-8)

The Book of Life

Paul refers to another encouraging element of God’s plan in his letter to the brethren at Philippi:

³Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.  (Philippians 4:3)

Here we have learned that these Christians’ names are in the book of life, but what exactly is the book of life, and how might it pertain to our broader question? 

Immediately we discover that our names must be in the book of life, if we are to receive salvation:

¹¹Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened [the Bible]; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. ¹⁴Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

How do our own names – yours and mine – come to be entered into the book of life?

¹⁶Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.  (Malachi 3:16

⁴⁸“He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. ⁴⁹“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰“I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”  (John 12:48-50)

²²But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 6:22-23)

⁵³So Jesus 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.  (John 6:53)

¹⁶And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” ¹⁷And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  (Matthew 19:16-17)

²⁷and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it [the new Jerusalem], but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.  (Revelation 21:27)

We could read many more verses in this context; however, from the small sampling above, we can easily grasp the basic concepts:  (1) Our names enter into the book of life only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and  (2) Fearing God and keeping His commandments are required for inclusion in the book of life.

Now we know of the book of life, and we understand how our names can be in the book of life.  Does the Bible ever speak of anyone’s names being taken out of the book of life, once they are included?  Tragically, yes.

³¹Then Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. ³²“But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” ³³The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.  (Exodus 32:31-33)

²⁸         May they be blotted out of the book of life

                        And may they not be recorded with the righteous.  (Psalm 69:28)

Moses certainly believed that God could blot his name out of the book of life, and God confirms the possibility of sinners being blotted out of that priceless book.  But what about us – what about Christians who are part of the Church founded by Jesus Christ?  Can we be erased from the book of life?  Let’s look at Jesus Christ’s message to the churches, recorded by John in the book of Revelation.

Message to the Churches

God’s book of life figures prominently in Christ’s message to Christians at Sardis, the fifth of the seven churches mentioned.  Jesus admonishes us, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”: 

¹“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:  He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ²‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. ³‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. ⁴‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵‘He who overcomes will 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. ⁶‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’  (Revelation 3:1-6)

While a few brethren in God’s Sardis Church are conducting themselves righteously, the majority have soiled their garments with unrighteousness.  If these brethren do not repent and overcome, God will erase their names from the book of life!  Here we should also note the fact that one’s name cannot be erased from the book of life, if it was never written there in the first place!

What else can we glean from Christ’s message to the churches?  The answer to that question is a study in itself; however, let’s take just a brief glance as it relates to the revocability of salvation.  Here are Christ’s promises to the other six Churches.

To the Christians at Ephesus:

⁵‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. (Revelation 2:5)

⁷‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’  (Revelation 2:7)

As a group, these Christians had lost their first love, putting themselves in dire peril of losing their place with Jesus among His other churches, along with losing their opportunity for eternal life!

To the Christians at Smyrna:

¹⁰‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’  (Revelation 2:10-11)

Jesus offers no criticism of these wonderfully devout Christians. Nevertheless, He does remind them that they will be facing a great test which they must pass successfully in order to receive eternal life!

To the Christians at Pergamum:

¹⁵‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. ¹⁷‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’  (Revelation 2:15-17)

Here again, we find consequences for failure, and the reward to brethren who overcome.

To the Christians at Thyatira:

²⁶‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; ²⁷and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; ²⁸and I will give him the morning star. ²⁹‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’  (Revelation 2:26-29)

This message pulls no punches.  Will you and I keep Christ’s deeds until the end?  We have no option to rest on the laurels of past obedience.  We must continue to overcome, keeping Christ’s deeds until the end.

To the Christians at Philadelphia:

¹⁰‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹²‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. ¹³‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’  (Revelation 3:10-13)

Several modern Church leaders have hindered the repentance of their members, proclaiming their various organizations to be the already-repentant Philadelphia Church. Yet even to the true Philadelphians, Christ finds it necessary to warn of the danger of losing the crown of eternal life.  Even these focused Christians must hold fast, and overcome.

To the Christians at Laodicea:

¹⁹‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ²²‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  (Revelation 3:19-22)

Each of these messages to the churches emphasizes overcoming.  When does overcoming occur?  As we have seen, overcoming is a lifelong aspect of the Christian struggle.  We must believe, we must hold fast, we must persevere – until the end.

Bad News and Good News

Our Lord and Savior warns that we will suffer in this evil world – some of us less, and others of us more.  At the same time, Jesus promises that if we remain faithful to the end of our human lives, our salvation will indeed be eternally assured:

²¹“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.  (Matthew 10:21-22)

⁴And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁵“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. ⁶“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. ⁷“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. ⁸“But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. ⁹“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰“At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ¹²“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. ¹³“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.  (Matthew 24:4-13)

¹⁴“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”  (Revelation 17:14)

If we are members of the Body of Christ – part of His Church – then we are  called by God, and we are chosen by God (compare Colossians 3:12). 

However, a crucial question remains to be resolved in your life and mine: will we be faithful?

¹²Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  (James 1:12)

Each of us can profit and take heart from Paul’s last words to his dearly loved son in the faith, Timothy:

³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. ⁵But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  ⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; ⁸in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.  (2 Timothy 4:3-8)

Will you and I fight the good fight?  Will you and I keep the faith?  Will you and I finish the course? 

If we persevere, then you and I will be in the first resurrection – alongside the apostles, the prophets and the other saints who have gone before. 

We can bank on God’s incontrovertible guarantee of salvation for every Christian who endures to the end:

And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the unfading crown of glory.[4]