Many Christians live with the fear that they can be lost again after they’ve been saved, but what does the Bible say about eternal security?
A Warning for Believers?
Hebrews 10:26-30 seems to be enough evidence for some that we can lose our salvation. These verses says, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot 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?” The word “sanctified” does not mean salvation; it means set apart for holy use…consecrated for a specific purpose. Paul writes that “the unbelieving husband is made holy by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy by the husband” (1 Cor 7:14), Some translations say “the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife” (NIV), but his saved wife cannot save her husband, except perhaps through the example of her holy conduct (1 Pet 3:1-2). These verses are not a warning to believers, but a warning to those who are sitting on the fence about Christ. I usually tell them, “The fence is combustible!“
What About Hebrews 10:26-30?
Hebrews 10:26-29 warns against the sin of apostasy. Apostasy is an intentional falling away or defection from biblical truth. Apostates are those who seem to have moved toward Christ in saving faith, even professing it publically, but they only go right up to the edge of saving belief. They not only hear and understand the Gospel, and are on the verge of trusting in Christ, but then over time, they reject what they have learned and turn away from it altogether. This is not something a believer does. These are people who are perhaps even aware of their sin and even make a profession of faith, but have never come to repentance and faith in Christ (Mark 1:15).
The Sin of Apostasy
The phrase “sinning willfully” is consciously and deliberately rejecting Christ time and time again. They have learned to know God’s way, they have heard it preached, they might have even studied it, counting themselves among the saints, but then something happens. They turn away from all they’ve been taught, in a willful decision, and have become apostate. Incidentally, who doesn’t sin willfully? We all do, right, so that verse worried me to. I do sin and my will is involved, but there’s a difference. We hate our sin, turn from it and turn to God in confession of it. Even though we are not sin less, we begin to sin less, however, apostates hear the gospel and keep on practicing the things of those who will not inherit the Kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-11; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Rev 22:15). This shows that they were not really saved and part of the church, otherwise, they would have remained with the church (1 John 2:19).
Sinning Willfully
Sinning willfully is basically sinning continually and deliberately and practicing it day by day. The believer sins, but they don’t desire it and don’t make a practice of it (1 John 3:9). Christians will still sin, but we don’t make it a practice like I intentionally practiced basketball. Day after day I practiced on my high school teach. It was a willful decision. On the other hand, the true believer is one who will fall into sin and hurt their fellowship with God, but never their relationship with God. My children could make me not favorable to them in times they misbehaved, but I was never going to not be their father. We might lapses into sin, but eventually we come back to God in repentance by the Spirit’s conviction until we just can’t stay away from God any longer. After a while, we just can’t stand the unconfessed and un-repented of sin anymore…we are burdened until we confess it (Psalm 51; 1 John 1:9). This makes me think of the Prodigal Son. But, the unsaved just keep on doing what their nature is (1 John 3:9).
What About 2 Peter 2:20-22?
Second Peter 2:20-22 is another troubling passage that many claim as a proof-text, showing you can lose your salvation or fall away. These verses says, “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. For 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. It 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.”
False Teachers and Prophets
If they left the church, were they really part of the church? No! The Apostle John said that if “They went out from us because they were not of us, for had they been of us, they would have remained with us” (1 John 2:19). God has no aborted children. By the way, the Apostle Peter is dealing with the problem of false prophets and teachers in the church (2 Pet 2). He is not writing about believers falling away. This is why he gives us a clear and detailed picture of how these pretend believers operate so believers can avoid falling prey to their destructive heresies and biblical errors. Like many religious people, they had intellectual knowledge about Jesus, but not heart-level knowledge that would cause them to fully surrender their lives to Jesus Christ in faith.
Explaining 1 Pet 2:21 “For it would be better for them…”
Why does Peter say, “For it would be better for them if they had not known the truth?” The fact is, we are accountable. The more light or truth we’re given and obey it, the more God gives us more light and truth, but the more we learn, the more we are responsible for what we learn. Luke wrote in 12:47-48 about “that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accordance with his will, will receive many blows, but the one who did not know it, and committed acts deserving of a beating, will receive only a few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” So “to whom much is given, much will be required of them (on judgment day). To him who knew His master’s will and did not do it, he (or she) will receive greater blows, but the one who did not know His masters will, they will be beaten with fewer blows” (lesser judgment).
Summary
The only problem with people taking text out of context is that it creates a pretext and usually a false one. Just as with the idea that believers can fall away from the truth and be judged for eternity, when the truth is, our sins have already been judged by Jesus Christ at the cross, and we have no more wrath to face because we now have His very own righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). We can’t just quote one or two Bible verses and claim that as a belief. We must read the entire paragraph or the entire chapter, and sometimes, the entire book to get a full understanding of what God is saying to us. Getting the whole Word gets the whole truth…and nothing but the truth.
Conclusion
I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.
Here is some related reading for you: What Does the Bible Say About Insecurity?
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Welcome to What Christians Want To Know! The mission of this site is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians. Look for regular updates including Bible Verses, Bible Stories, Christian Quotes, Christian Answers, and much more. Find out 
