ETERNAL SECURITY
Can a person lose his/her salvation once he/she has become a Christian/believer?
Do we not all know people who at one time expressed a faith in Christ? They went to church, read the Bible, prayed, seemed to be genuine Christians, and then something happened so that they gradually departed from the faith until today they will have nothing to do with church, Christ, or God. Does this prove that a person can lose his/her salvation? Let’s see what God says.
Bible passages that show that true Christians/believers are eternally secure:
Rom. 8:29, 30 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
“foreknew” (Gk. “prognosis”) – when used in reference to God, it means “chose and, therefore, knew something ahead of time”. Here, it means the sovereign act of God in choosing before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4) certain people from among mankind to be saved/have eternal life in heaven (2 Tim. 1:8, 9).
A rule of Greek grammar, in fact, shows
that this is the meaning of the word “foreknew” when used of God’s foreknowing
something/someone. This rule of Greek grammar
states that where two nouns are in the same case, connected by “and” (Gk. “kai”) and the first noun is preceded by the article “the”,
the second noun refers to the same thing to which the first noun does, and is a
further description of it. Therefore, in
Acts
“predestined” (Gk. “proorisen”) – means to predetermine; appoint beforehand (Eph. 1:5, 11).
“conformed to the image of His Son” – means to be made like Christ; holy; perfect; ultimate and complete sanctification.
“first born” – means pre-eminent; head; top position (Col. 1:18).
“many brethren” – means Christians or believers.
“called” (Gk. “ekalesen”) – in relation to God’s calling someone to salvation, is that choice on the part of God of an individual in summoning and drawing him to salvation (Jn. 6:44, 65; 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Thes. 2:12; Heb. 9:15; Rom. 1:5-7; 9:23, 24) through the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 1:1, 2) so that the person actually exercises saving faith for salvation (2 Thes. 2:13; Acts 13:48) – Unger’s Bible Dictionary, pp. 167, 168.
“justified” (Gk. “edikaiosen”) –
means declared righteous and uncondemned, by taking away the guilt and penalty
of sin of the believing sinner because of Jesus’ substitutionary payment for
his sins (Rom. 5:1, 8, 9;
“glorified” (Gk. “edoxasen”) –
means transformed the believer’s body at the Rapture (1 Thes.
So, people whom God “foreknew” (chose to
be saved, because God wanted it so, based on His own will and purpose and not
on mankind’s choices – Eph. 1:5, 11; Jn. 1:13), before the creation of the
world (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thes. 2:13), have also been “predestined”, “called”,
“justified”, and “glorified” with the whole process being encapsuled
as a single timeless event. All of these
steps are in the aorist tense showing that they are certain, completed, and
irrevocable (Rom.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, pp. 143-147.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 474.
Richard’s Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, p. 502.
Heb.
The word “will” refers here to the will of God which Messiah came to do. The will of God which the Old Testament sacrifices could not accomplish was the sanctification (making holy/perfect before God) of men. This was accomplished through the sacrifice of Messiah/Savior. The Greek word “hagiago” (“to sanctify”) means “to set apart for God”. Here, the work of sanctification refers to the placing of the believing sinner into the status of a saved person, with all the accompanying blessings and enablements which that act includes. The words “we have been sanctified” are in the Greek text a perfect participle and a finite verb, showing in the strongest way the permanent and continuous state of salvation into which the believer is brought and in which he lives. The words “once for all” are to be taken with “the offering of the body of Jesus Christ”, and not with the act of sanctifying, although verse 14 speaks of the latter fact.
Wuest’s
Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2, p. 175.
Eph. 1:13,
14; 4:30 “In 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, who is given
as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own
possession, to the praise of His glory.”
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit
of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
A seal was used: to guarantee the genuine character of a document (Esther
Christians are “sealed” (secured or protected) for delivery unto the day
of Christ’s return (the day of redemption), when our redeemed bodies and souls
reunite to inhabit heaven. No one or no
thing can alter this security or ownership for salvation, of which Christians
are (since they are God’s possessions – 1 Cor.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 619.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, pp. 49, 50.
1 Cor.
3:11-15 “For no man can lay a
foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation
with gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will
become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with
fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it
remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself
shall be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Even though a Christian’s life may be lived in such a way that it is a
waste (wood, hay, and straw), yet “he himself shall be saved, yet so as through
fire”. The imagery is that of a man who
has to dash through the flames of a burning house to escape to safety, and as
he flees, his clothes are set on fire, yet he escapes alive but naked. So it is with many Christians, they will
appear before God naked – without rewards – because their lives were lived for
themselves instead of for God. And yet,
they will be saved. The loss suffered is
that of reward, not salvation.
The Wycliffe Bible
Commentary, p. 1235.
John
When a person believes in Christ as their personal Savior, they receive
eternal life at that point; it is already theirs here and now. And if it is here and now that their eternal
life begins, then they can’t lose it, otherwise, the life they received could
not have been eternal but temporal.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 296.
Rom. 11:28, 29 “…for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Both “grace” and “faith” are gifts from God (Eph. 2:8, 9). Since God is the One who gives the people He
wants to saving faith, and the result is eternal salvation, then the saved
person is eternally secure, because both “faith” and “eternal life” are gifts
from God (Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 6:23) and, therefore, irrevocable. God cannot take back the faith or eternal
life that He gave someone; it’s irrevocable/unalterable.
“Calling” (Gk. “klesis”)
– is that choice on the part of God, from eternity past (2 Tim. 1:8, 9), of an
individual in summoning and drawing him to salvation (Jn. 6:44, 65; 1 Cor. 1:9;
1 Thes. 2:12; Heb. 9:15; Rom. 1:5-7; 9:23, 24; 2 Thes. 2:13) through the work
of the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 1:1, 2) so that the person actually exercises saving
faith for salvation (2 Thes. 2:13; Acts 13:48; 16:14).
Unger’s Bible Dictionary, pp. 167, 168.
Even the Christians in
John
6:37-40, 44 “All
that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will
certainly not cast out … And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all
that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. …every
one who believes in Him, may (shall – NIV) have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Those people that God the Father gives to His Son Jesus Christ will not
be cast out (never be driven away – NIV) – v. 37. On the “last day” (judgment day –
Another important point is that a person has, not just will have,
eternal life from the point of believing (see Jn.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 296.
Hendriksen’s New Testament Commentary – Gospel of John, pp. 234, 235.
Phil. 1:6,
7 “For I am confident of
this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the
day of Christ. For it is only right for
me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both
in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all
are partakers of grace with me.”
The work which God had begun in the lives of these Christians at
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 649.
Hendriksen’s New Testament Commentary – Philippians, pp. 54, 55.
Gal.
3:2, 3 “This is the only thing I
want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law,
or by hearing with faith? Are you so
foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are
you now being perfected by the flesh?”
A person receives the Holy Spirit at the point of salvation when he
believes the gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 597.
John
1:12; 3:3, 7; Gal.
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he
cannot see the
“For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.”
When a person receives/accepts/believes in Jesus
Christ as his personal Savior through faith, he is born again spiritually into
the family of God and becomes a child of God. By way of
analogy, when a person is born humanly and becomes the child of his parents,
nothing can change that physical relationship.
He will always be the child of his parents, whether he rejects, denies,
or forsakes them or not. So, it is in
the spiritual family. When one is born
again spiritually into God’s family, the sonship relationship cannot be
changed. An individual can lose
closeness to the parent through sin or rejection, but not the family
relationship, so it is with the child of God.
So, being born again gains believers entrance into the
Some Bible Passages Seem to Teach that a Person Can Lose
His Salvation, But Don’t.
First, however, some
terms need to be defined.
“Salvation” or being saved, basically means to be delivered from something unto something else, or safety. This is taken from the Hebrew words “yeshuah” or “yesha” or the Greek word “soteria”.
“Salvation” can mean the
physical deliverance of a people or person from one place to another (i.e.,
from
“Salvation” can mean “justification”.
The believer was saved when he believed.
He has been delivered from the penalty of sin unto a position of
holiness (Eph. 2:8, 9; 2 Tim. 1:9;
“Salvation” can mean “sanctification”.
The believer is being saved. He is
being delivered from the power of sin unto a practice of holiness (Phil.
“Salvation” can mean “glorification”.
The believer will be saved. He
will be delivered from the presence of sin unto a perfection of holiness (Rom.
Matt.
Both of these verses are merely saying that in spite of all these
persecutions, the one who remains loyal to Christ, shall (physically) enter into
the kingdom (be saved, delivered, or glorified). The distinguishing mark of the saved Jewish
remnant will be their enduring faith to the end (Rev. 7:3-8; 14:1-4;
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 972.
2 Tim. 2:12a also mentions the idea that the result of enduring is reigning/ruling or being glorified. Also, Matt. 10:22 and 24:13 are primarily
dealing with the “tribulation period” (the first 3½ of the 7 years
before Christ’s Second Coming – Rev. 11:2, 3; 12:6; 13:5) at the end of the age
(Matt. 24:3, 21) and not the present time we are in today.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., pp. 42, 76.
Also notice that the subject switches from “you” to “the one” in both
passages, showing a different audience is involved – a future audience at the
end of the age.
Matt.
7:21-23 “Not everyone who says
to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the
There is no good reason to think that these people in verses 21-23 are
believers/saved. Why? First, because the context of the passage,
Hendriksen’s New Testament Commentary – Matthew, pp. 375-378.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 941.
John
15:2, 6 “Every branch in Me
that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He
prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.”
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they
gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
As there are suckers that grow out from vines but add nothing to its
usefulness and must be cut away to make the fruit-bearing branches more
productive, so a mere follower/associate of Jesus who merely identifies himself
with Christ, like Judas, but is not truly saved/a believer will, therefore, be
judged. Like a dead branch, a person
without Christ as his Savior is spiritually dead and, therefore, will be
punished in eternal fire (Matt. 25:41, 46).
Judas was with Jesus; he seemed like a “branch” (Matt. 10:1). But he did not have God’s life in him (Jn.
6:70, 71;
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 325.
Fruit-bearing is the evidence of true conversion or vital relation to
Christ. Keep in mind, however, that
some, most, or all believers will have periods of time during their Christian
lives when they’re not bearing fruit (Gal. 5:22, 23) but rather bearing sin (e.g.,
1 Cor. 1:2, 11; 3:1-3; 11:20-22, 27-31; Gal. 1:2, 6; 4:6-11; 2 Thes. 1:1-4;
3:6, 11, 14), yet these believers/Christians are saved (1 Cor. 3:12-15);
otherwise, a believer would have to be sinless or perfect, and no Christian is
sinlessly perfect in experience (1 Jn. 1:8, 10) all the time.
Rom.
In spite of what had been the privileges of having God’s temple among them,
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, p. 197.
“Otherwise you (Gentiles) will be cut off” does not mean that a Christian
can lose his salvation. Rather, it
refers to Gentiles as a whole turning away from the gospel, much as
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 485.
1 Cor.
15:1, 2 “Now I make known to
you, brethren the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in
which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word
which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”
“if you hold fast the word” – means “since” they
are persevering in believing the true gospel (that Christ died for the
believer’s sins, was buried, and rose again for the believer’s justification
and glorification, vv. 3-5; Rom. 4:25; 5:10), as some were questioning the
resurrection of the dead (vv. 12-14).
Hodge’s 1st
& 2nd Corinthians, Ephesians, p. 174.
The word “if” (in Greek is “ei”) means “since”
here. Verse 2 of 1 Cor. 15 is a first class conditional sentence, and a first
class conditional statement “affirms” the reality of the condition. It is
expressed by “ei” (Gk. for “if”) with the indicative
mood (the mood in Gk. which confirms the reality of the action from the
viewpoint of the speaker) in the “if clause”. “If you hold fast” in Greek is “ei katechete”. The “ete” ending of “katech” indicates
that it is the second person plural of the indicative mood. “The construction
(in Greek) confirms the condition and is best translated (by the word)
‘since’.”
Dr. Ray Summers, Essentials of New Testament
Greek, pp. 13, 108, 109.
Gal. 5:4 “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified
by Law; you have fallen from grace.”
“severed/alienated from Christ” – in context
here, it refers to these Christian’s experience or fellowship with Christ, not
their standing or position in Christ (Gal.
“fallen from” – is the Greek word “ekpipto” meaning, lost hold of or left.
“grace” – means favor (with its spiritual
benefits and enablements from God for daily living).
Wuest’s
Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, p. 140.
A Christian who seeks to be justified by law cuts his fellowship or
closeness with Christ because doing so is a sin and sin separates his closeness
to God and he, thereby, loses the benefits of God’s favor, but not his
salvation (justification – Rom.
Gal.
5:19-21 “Now the deeds of the
flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, 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.”
The word “practice” means habitual action or indulgence as the rule of
life, and not merely an occasional doing.
The habit of these sins is evidence that this person is not a Christian
and, therefore, will not inherit the kingdom unless he becomes born again
spiritually (e.g., 1 Cor. 6:9-11). The
Bible bases its estimation of a person’s character upon their habitual
actions. Salvation or the Christian’s
inheritance in the kingdom is not based upon law/commandment keeping (Gal.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 1, p. 158.
This passage isn’t teaching that a Christian can lose his salvation if he
lapses into a sin of the flesh (e.g., 1 Cor. 1:2; 3:1-3; Rom. 8:30; 11:29) but
that a person who lives continually on such a level of moral corruption gives
evidence of not being saved in the first place.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T.,
p. 608.
Eph.
5:5 “For this you know
with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an
idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
This is a true statement as it relates to the nonbeliever/unsaved
person. But if one becomes a Christian,
it no longer remains true (e.g., 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 1:7; Rom.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 638.
Col.
1:21-23 “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in
mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body
through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond
reproach – if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and
steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard,
which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was
made a minister.”
“reconciled” – brought
into a friendship relation in salvation.
“through death” – Christ’s death is the payment for the
believer’s sins and, therefore, removes the barrier between the believer and
God.
“to present you … and beyond reproach” – because Christ’s
death is the basis for the believer’s judicial perfection, he will be presented
holy and blameless (2 Cor.
“if indeed you continue” – means “since you are continuing.”
The
word “if” (in Gk. is “eige”) means “since” here.
Verse 23 of
Dr.
Ray Summers, Essentials of New Testament Greek, pp. 13, 108, 109.
2 Tim.
2:11-13 “It is a trustworthy
statement, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure,
we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are
faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself.”
The “if” in the Greek text is the particle/conjunction of a fulfilled
condition. It isn’t a hypothetical
case, here, in view of the fact that “we died with Him” is in the aorist tense,
which speaks of a past fact and not a present condition. Romans 6:1-10 also speaks of the Christian’s
identification with Christ in His death and resurrection when He died on the
cross and was raised from the dead. This
identification takes place at the moment of salvation when a person places his
faith in Christ’s death for the payment and forgiveness of all of his sins
(Eph. 2:4-7; 1:7; Col. 2:13, 14; 2 Cor.
If we (Christians) endure/persevere here on earth while under trial or
suffering for the cause of Christ, the Christian will reign with Christ in the
Messianic kingdom (Rom.
The Christian that denies Christ or loses faith because of being under
persecution or being ashamed of Him will forfeit reigning
with Christ in the Kingdom, as seen in the immediately preceding context of the
same verse. But God remains faithful and
will not go back on His promise, such as to give us eternal life if we ever
once believed in/died with Christ (Eph. 2:8, 9; Jn.
Wuest’s
Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2, p. 133.
Heb.
3:6 “… but 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.”
Because the recipients of this letter were Hebrew Christians, 3:1 (as
everything is explained against the backdrop of Jewish history and religion,
and the epistle makes no reference to Gentile society), who were suffering
persecution (10:32-34; 12:4) and some were thereby tempted to go back into
Judaism to avoid persecution, the author writes this warning to encourage his
readers to persevere in the Christian faith.
The “if” in the Greek text is the particle/conjunction “ean”, introducing a future, unfulfilled,
hypothetical condition. The writer is
proposing a condition as yet unfulfilled.
If these Hebrews, to whom he is writing, “hold fast their
confidence” firm to the end of their lives, that fact shows that they belong to
the house of God, in other words, are saved.
If they do not do so, but instead renounce that profession and return to
the system of Levitical sacrifices (Judaism), then that shows that they never
were saved. It is not the retaining or
losing of salvation that is in question here, but the actual possessing of
salvation. The text does not say, “whose house we will continue to be”, but “whose house we
are.” Frequently the verb of being is
left out by the Greek writer, it being understood in the light of the
context. But here, it is in the Greek,
and in the present tense. Therefore,
the subject of the security of the believer is not in view here.
This verse (along with all the following passages in Hebrews to be
discussed) must be understood in light of its historical background and
context. The purpose in writing the
Epistle to the Hebrews was to meet a certain condition in the first
century. It was to reach Hebrews who had
outwardly left the temple sacrifices, had identified themselves with the
visible Christian Church, had made a profession of Messiah and who were at the
time suffering persecution (10:32-34; 12:4) from Judaism in an effort to force
them to renounce their professed faith in Messiah and return to the Old Testament
sacrifices.
Now, if under the pressure of this persecution they should hold fast
their confidence to the end, then that would show that they were saved, and if
not, then that would indicate that they had never been saved. This confidence or boldness would
characterize the speech and behavior of the Hebrew who was actually a possessor
of salvation and not merely a professor of it.
Continuance in the Christian life is the test of reality.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2, pp. 72, 73.
Homer Kent’s The Epistle to the Hebrews: A Commentary, p. 67.
Heb.
In verse six, we saw that true believers are Christ’s possessions, but here
in verse 14 we find that Christ is the believer’s possession. If these Hebrews would maintain their faith
in Messiah to the end of their lives, that would show that they had become in
the past partakers of Christ, and that as a present result they were
partakers of Him. Again, as in verse
six, the question is not one of the retention or losing of salvation based on
one’s persistence in the faith, but rather whether a person even has salvation
to begin with (evidenced by a continuance in the faith to the end). It is not the future of these Hebrews that
the writer is concerned about here, but rather if they had in times past ever
become a partaker of salvation in Christ.
If the faith of these Hebrews is a genuine faith, they will persist in
the faith to the end of their lives, despite the persecution which they were
enduring. If that faith was a mere
intellectual assent to the historic facts of the gospel, it will not be able to
stand up under this persecution, but will be repudiated by the person. The first person is/was saved, while the
second never was.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2, p. 80.
“partakers of Christ” – believers are
participants in a vital union with Christ.
“the beginning of our assurance” – is the
original faith which these believers had placed in Christ for salvation.
“if we hold fast” – this
is not a warning that a true partaker of Christ (Christian) would lose his
salvation, but that a true believer/Christian will continue in the faith and
not apostatize to Judaism.
Heb.
6:4-8 “For 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, and have tasted the good word of God and
the powers of the age to come and 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.”
The author is writing to believers as is evident from studying 5:12 –
6:1, 9, 10, and from the fact that the same Greek words used here for
“enlightened” (Eph. 1:18; Heb. 10:32), “tasted” (Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:3), and
“partakers” (Heb. 3:1, 14; 12:8, 10; 1 Cor. 9:10), are used with reference to
believers in the verses contained in the parentheses, and not just of mere
professors of Christianity. These
believers should have been mature, but instead they had lapsed into spiritual
infancy (
The readers (Hebrew Christians) were apparently confused and wavering (
“… have fallen away …” – apostatized; repudiated
Christ/Christianity.
“… it is impossible to renew them again to
repentance…” – because to repent (have a change of mind) would require that
they accept the complete sufficiency of Christ’s death as the total payment for
the forgiveness of all the believer’s sins, as well as the basis for present
fellowship with God, and would require seeing Judaism as inferior/not
needed. For as long as these Hebrew
Christians would view the Old Testament system of sacrifices and other Jewish
rituals as necessary for a right relationship to God, they would remain in
their sin, and it would be impossible to renew them to repentance. They can’t renew themselves again to
repentance (acceptance of Christ as Messiah/Savior) since they again crucify to
themselves the Son of God (reject Christ as the Savior and His death as the
means of complete acceptance with God through the forgiveness of their sins).
This case that the writer presents in 6:4-6 is hypothetical. There is nothing to show that the conditions
of final apostasy had been fulfilled by his readers (6:9) or anyone else for
that matter. Note that the writer shifts
from “you” (
Heb.
10:26-29, 39 “For
if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there
no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of
judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses
dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How 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?”
This passage is referring to believers (Hebrew Christians), as can be
seen from 10:19, 20 (brethren, who have access into the holiest by the new and
living way – Christ); 10:21, 22 (only believers have a High Priest and are
invited to draw near in full assurance); 10:23-25 (they are told to hold fast
their profession, and to attend the assembly of the saints, and to exhort one
another in view of the coming Christ); and 10:30-33 (He will judge His people;
and the persecution they suffered for their testimony).
There is no break at this point (
If these Hebrew believers failed to heed the knowledge which they had
concerning their position in Christ and the accompanying exhortations to go on
to maturity, and instead apostatized, then they would be sinning
willfully. It could not be called a sin
of ignorance, but a willful sin.
However, the Old Testament system (Judaism) to which they were tempted
to return had no sacrifice for willful sin, only judgment. The writer is not here teaching that there
would be no forgiveness in Christ, but that these Hebrew believers were talking
about going back to a religious system (Judaism) that had no provision for the
forgiveness of presumptuous (defiant) sin, committed willfully and deliberately
with full knowledge (Ex. 21:14; Num. 15:30; Deut. 17:12, 13; 18:20, 22).
There are three kinds of sins mentioned in Leviticus 4 and 5; sins of
ignorance, omission, and defilement. For
any of these sins a complete provision was made through the offerings of the
Old Testament.
But for the person who knew and experienced grace and forgiveness in
Christ and then rejected it for life under Judaism, all they could expect is
severer punishment (worse than mere physical death as given under the Law of
Moses; probably a greater degree of punishment in the lake of fire – Lk. 12:47,
48; Matt. 11:20-22 – because their willful sin of apostasy was a flagrant
contempt of what Christ had accomplished for the believer on the cross and an
arrogance against the Spirit and His work of grace, v. 29), because under Judaism
there was no provision for sins committed willfully.
The writer does not say that apostasy had occurred, but uses this
hypothetical argument as a warning to these Hebrew Christians to remain true
to Christ and Christianity.
“sinning willfully” – is
a permanent continuous apostasy (a permanent rejection of Christ’s death
payment for all of the believer’s sins in order to return to being a Jew). The verb is in the present tense that
emphasizes durative action, not isolated acts of sin.
“trample under foot the
Son of God” – means rejected and have contempt of Christ as Messiah/Savior.
“regard as unclean the blood of the covenant” –
means, consider Christ’s blood/death as no more effective in paying for the
believer’s sins and gaining his forgiveness than that of any other man’s
blood/death.
Loss of salvation is not being discussed, but rather the foolishness of
going into a religious system (Judaism) that had no provision for willful sins
committed, whereas Christianity does have a provision for any and all sins,
namely Christ’s death (Acts 13:38, 39).
A true believer could never really lose his salvation (Rom.
In
“to the preserving of the soul” – means
salvation in heaven (1 Pet. 1:3, 4, 9).
Again, it is not a matter of losing salvation being discussed, but of
losing confidence, or assurance (v. 35) and reward, “what was promised” (v.
36).
Heb.
12:14, 15 “Pursue peace with all
men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the
grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it
many be defiled…”
“Pursue peace with all men…” – the weak believers among them (v. 12) that
were tempted to return to Judaism and even their persecutors.
“sanctification” (Gk. “hagiasmos”) – means
separation to God as holy; holiness (acquired from the Holy Spirit’s work in
those who have faith in the truth of the gospel – that Christ’s shed blood
cleanses believers of all their sins and makes them holy – 2 Thes. 2:13; 1 Cor.
1:30; Heb. 10:10, 29; 2:11; 13:12; Acts 26:18; 1 Pet. 1:2).
If these Hebrew Christians try to gain holiness through law keeping (in
Judaism), then they have rejected God’s plan of salvation through faith in the
sufficiency of Christ’s death as the complete payment for the forgiveness of
all their sins. Only those who have been
sanctified (in Christ) will see the Lord.
So it would have been foolish for them to be sanctified by any other way
(i.e., Judaism).
“comes short of the
grace of God” – means failing to see and believe in the completeness and
sufficiency of Christ’s death payment for sins as being unearned or unmerited,
but simply accepted by faith. For them
to put their trust in anything else besides Christ or plus Christ (like
the Jewish laws and rituals) is to come short of God’s grace/favor.
“root of bitterness” –
could very well be those who were propagating Judaism and trying to get these
Hebrew Christians to compromise their faith in Christianity and return to Judaism.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 2, p. 223.
2 John
1:9 “Anyone who goes too far
and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who
abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”
“goes too far” – means “goes off course by not
acknowledging the man Jesus Christ as being God’s Son and Savior” (v. 7).
“abide in the teaching
of Christ” – means “dwell, live, or continue in the teaching which recognizes
Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God come to earth in human flesh.”
“does not have God” –
means “doesn’t have fellowship with God.” Not having (fellowship with) God is
not loss of salvation, but loss of fellowship/closeness with God and loss of
reward (v. 8). Rewards are given to believers, not the unsaved.
“has both the Father and
the Son” – fellowship with both the Father and the Son is brought about by
abiding/continuing in true faith in Christ as Savior and Son of God.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 4, p. 206.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., p. 908.
Rejection of the truth is a sin and sin breaks
the believer’s fellowship with God (1 Jn. 1:6) and the potential for full
reward (v. 8).
2 Pet.
2:20 “For 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.”
“they have escaped … by the knowledge of … Jesus Christ” – these people
described here are not believers/Christians, but only those who are in the
early stages of their escape from error, living overtly sinful, (v. 18) and are
not safe from it and confirmed in the truth yet; these are people who have been
impressed with Christian truth and have had strength to separate themselves
from their old surroundings and customs, but are led to return through the
compromises suggested by the false teachers (2:1, 18). It is one thing to know Christ personally/experientially,
as a believer does, and another to know of Him, namely facts about Him, and to
give a mental assent to these facts, as an unbeliever does. Christian influence
upon an unbeliever can act as a temporary moral deterrent from worldly vices.
“the last state has become worse for them than
the first” – to know the truth and have greater revelation presented, and then
turn from it brings greater condemnation/judgment (Lk.
So loss of salvation is not the issue here, but greater misery and
judgment for the unbeliever who was exposed to the truth of Christ as Savior
yet chose rather to go back into his/her old sinful ways of living after a
temporary moral reform.
Walvoord’s The Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T., pp. 873, 874.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. 4, pp. 60-62.
1 Tim.
“Faith” in verse 19 is the Christian body of truth as it relates to both
theology (i.e., 2 Tim.
Hymenaeus and Alexander had rejected “the faith”, the sound teachings of
Christianity (i.e., 2 Tim.
In relationship to “their faith”, both theological truth and moral
living, they suffer shipwreck (being messed up; ruined).
Loss of salvation is not in view, but rather a messed up Christian life
that necessitated discipline from the Apostle Paul (v. 20).
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, p. 1356.
Rev. 3:5 “He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life…”
While this passage may seem to imply
that a name could be erased from the book of life, it actually only gives a
positive affirmation that their names will not be erased. Names were written in the book of life from
the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8) because God chose some people for
salvation in His predestining plan (2 Thes.
Also, the phrase “not erase/blot out from the book of life” is a litotes (a figure of speech), which is an understatement expressing a positive affirmation by the negative opposite. So, here, “not erase/blot out” actually means “keep eternally secure his name in the book of life.” The corollary is neither the issue here nor is it true, any more than the corollary of the statement, “all husbands are men”, therefore, “all men are husbands”, is true. Or, just as the statement “if Joe scores a touchdown, his team won’t lose the game” is true, but the corollary “if Joe doesn’t score a touchdown, his team will lose the game” is not necessarily true because if Fred scores it, the team will win anyway. Corollaries of statements aren’t always necessarily true.
Rev. 22:19 “and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”
Since God can’t contradict
Himself, and since there are many clear passages of Scripture which teach that
salvation or eternal life once received is permanent (e.g., Rom. 8:29, 30;
11:28, 29; Jn. 6:47; Heb. 10:10), then verses such as 22:19 can’t teach loss of
salvation. Though not stated in detail,
the point of
Walvoord’s The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 338.
Hypothetical and even impossible cases to
teach a certain truth or warning are not unknown in Scripture. For example, James