Can I Lose My Salvation

 

Text: John 3:15-16  "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Introduction:

So far, you have answered three questions to help you gain assurance of salvation.  In Part One, you studied what God has done so that you might be saved.  From Part Two, you examined what you must do to be saved.  From Part Three, you noted three biblical evidences of salvation.  Yet, another logical question arises which affects your assurance of salvation.  That question is, “Can I ever lose my salvation?”

In the above text, you find a promise of God mentioned twice.  God has promised “eternal life” or “everlasting life” to those who believe in His Son.  Can one who has believed unto salvation ever lose this eternal life God has promised?

Baptists believe that the Scriptures teach the “eternal security” of the Believer.  This teaching declares that you can never lose your salvation.  Baptists believe that the blood of Christ which was powerful enough to save you is also powerful enough to secure you.

Consider three biblical passages which teach the eternal security of the Believer.

I.  Provision of Salvation

Why has a righteous God chosen to save an unrighteous sinner?  Examine two verses of Scripture which tell you why.  The first verse is found in our text.  John wrote, “For God [SO LOVED] the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  Another verse which reveals God’s reason for saving sinners is, “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). These verses tell you about God’s provision of salvation.

It is God’s provision of love that saves and keeps us. Concerning this love, Paul wrote, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the [LOVE OF GOD], which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

According to Romans 8, there are two things which secure your salvation.

A. Love That Secures

This passage tells of a love that secures.  “Nothing,” Paul wrote, can “separate us from the love of God. . . .”  God’s love is proven through Christ’s death on the cross to provide for the salvation of mankind.  It is the inseparable love of God that saves and that secures.

B.  Limitations That Secure

From this passage, you learn of limitations that secure your salvation.  Nothing– not anything– can separate us from the amazing love of God. Romans 8:38-39 lists ten categories of things which cannot separate us.  These limitations which secure us are:

1. death;  2. nor life; 3.  nor angels;  4. nor principalities;  5. nor powers; 6. nor things present; 7. nor things to come; 8. nor height; 9. nor depth; 10. nor any other creature.

What can separate us?  Our sin cannot, for it is a thing present.  Neither can Satan separate us, for he is an angel which has fallen.  You cannot even separate yourself, for you are any other creature.  Nothing can separate you from God.  It is this provision of God’s love that keeps you saved.

II.  Protection of Salvation

Because God loves you so much, He protects you.  You have been redeemed (or saved) by the precious blood of His own Son.  Therefore, you are of great value to Almighty God.

Because He loves and values you, notice how God protects you. John wrote of this protection, “And I give unto them [ETERNAL LIFE]; and they shall never perish, neither shall [ANY MAN] pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and [NO MAN] is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

A.  Savior’s Hand

First, the Believer is described as being in the Savior’s hand.  Jesus wants you to know that He has you safe and secure in His hand.  As He holds on to you, no man, not anyone can take you from His hand.  His hand is a place of safety and security.

B.  Sovereign Hand

Yet again Jesus assures us of our safety by telling us we are also in the sovereign hand of His Father.  In His hand, no man can pluck you out.  In Their hands, you are safe and secure for all eternity.  In fact, verse 29 teaches what I call the “double eternal security” of the Believer.

It is this protection of salvation which assures you that you can never lose your salvation.  You are safe and secure in the hands of the Father and of His Son.

III.  Position of Salvation

You are inseparable from God’s love and are protected by the very hand of God.  Yet still another verse teaches the security of the Believer. Of this security, John wrote, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God . . .” (1^st John 3:1).  Salvation places you into the family of God.

This new relationship with God is by birth and by blood.

A.  Birth

Jesus spoke of a birth that is a necessity for salvation in John 3.  He said, “Ye must be born again.”  Of course, this birth is spiritual.  It is a result of a true salvation experience.  Your physical birth made you the child of your father.  Your spiritual birth made you a child of the heavenly Father.  You could refuse to claim your earthly father or he could refuse to claim you. 

Yet, the fact remains you are still his child.  Nothing you or he could ever do would change that.  Consequently, your spiritual birth made you a child of God.  Your spiritual birth forever settled your position with God.  Sin can break your fellowship, but not your relationship with God.  You cannot be unborn again, therefore your spiritual birth secures your position with God.

B.  Blood

Paul wrote, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).  The blood which flows in your veins establishes your earthly kindred.  Your spiritual kinship was permanently settled by the blood of Jesus the moment you believed.  Is the blood of Jesus which saved you powerful enough to keep you saved?  Yes, it is enough to keep you saved for all eternity.