Does the Bible really say
you can lose your salvation?
by Mark duBarry
Many false religious groups and cults teach that a person can lose their salvation. They quote several verses to support their claim that a born-again Christian can actually lose their salvation. Some of the chief passages they use as proof texts are I Peter 1:9-10 and II Peter 2:20-22:
2 Pet 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind,
and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old
sins.
2 Pet 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give
diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye
shall never fall:
2 Pet 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they
are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than
the beginning.
2 Pet 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from
the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2 Pet 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
On the surface, out of context the verses may seem to some to say such. However, a closer look at the context of the scripture passage reveals a different conclusion. Any time the Bible seems to contradict itself on an event or issue, we need to take a closer more studious look. Since we know the Bible is without error, and written by men inspired by the very Holy Spirit of God, there must be something we are missing. In these cases, we should look at the entire context of the chapter and the book.
FIRST, To whom is Peter writing this letter? That’s always a good place to start. See chapter 1, verse 1. It’s other Christians; saved people:
Simon Peter, a servant and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with
us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
SECOND, in chapter 1:4-11, they emphasize parts of verse 9 (“. . .hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”) and verse 10 (“make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.”). According to their view, these verses support falling from grace. Remember to whom he was writing—saved people. Can a saved person forget they were purged from their old sins? Of course they can forget, or at least act as if they have forgotten. They can drift away from the Lord by not doing the things Peter commands in verses 5-7. We refer to it as “backsliding”; a moving away from God. Christians should not backslide, or drift away from God, but it happens. Notice the words, “hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins”. The saved person does the forgetting, not God. God doesn’t forget! Also note that, even though he has forgotten it, he is still purged from his old sins, Peter does not say the purging is now void because he forgot he was purged. The fact remains that the sins have been purged already. Verse 10 encourages saved people to gain the assurance of their salvation in their own mind, not in God’s mind, by doing the things stated in 5-7. Living a spirit-filled life close to God helps to confirm our salvation within ourselves through the guidance and witness of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:16 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”). What about the “fall” mentioned here? It refers to stumbling, or falling out of fellowship with God—not a falling from salvation! Once a person is saved and is adopted into the family of God, we are His children, and joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;. . .”). This is positional and the relationship we have with God does not change with our straying in sin, or stumbling with wrongdoing. When our children disobey us, a good fellowship is broken with the parent, but the child is still as much of a child as they ever were to the parent—this is unchangeable.
Paul says in Hebrews that it is absolutely not possible for a saved person to “fall from grace”; and if it were, (which it is not) they could never be saved again:
Heb 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who
were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of
God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew
them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame.
THIRD, what about 2Peter 2:22 and the swine returning to the mud hole? What is the subject of chapter two? False prophets and teachers. . .
2 Pet 2:1 But there were false prophets also
among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, . . .
Chapter two is not about saved people becoming lost again; rather, it’s about people who claim salvation who never ever had it. Look at the context and the words of chapter two—these are not Christians—they are false (they have never been Christians):
2 Peter 2-- {1} false prophets.. false teachers...damnable heresies..
denying the Lord {2} pernicious ways {3 covetousness.. feigned words..{10} ..
walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness.. Presumptuous.. selfwilled,
{12} But these, as natural brute beasts.. they understand not; shall utterly
perish in their own corruption; {13} And shall receive the reward of
unrighteousness, .., sporting themselves with their own deceivings .. {14} full
of adultery, .. cannot cease from sin; beguiling {15} forsaken the right way,
and are gone astray {17} .. wells without water, clouds that are carried with a
tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
Obviously unsaved people who are pretending to be prophets and teachers.
FOURTH, verses 18-22 is speaking of false professors, those who say they have been saved, joined a church, and living the so-called Christian life from day to day. They are pretenders. They never were saved. Verse 20 says “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” They have escaped the pollutions of this world through associating themselves with godly people who know the Lord. These false people know the right words; they have a head knowledge of salvation, but are lost. Verse 21 says “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”. They know (have a head knowledge) the way of salvation, but are lost in their sins. They cannot live it, because they have no power from God for day to day Christian living. The commandment was given to them to repent, which they have falsely done. Presented with the “holy commandment” they have turned away from God, going the other direction, the direction of the natural man which is enmity against God.
FINALLY, verse 22, the clincher. “ But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” Instead of this verse being the proof text for losing salvation, it is just the opposite! This verse proves the point that if a person is not truly saved, they will be unable to live a life of pretense as a new creature—they will return to their sinful nature. Those who are “dogs” or “sows” were always such; they are just returning to their nature. They were never “sheep”—they were just pretending to be sheep. They were never children of God. The old saying, “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” is true. If a person has not been saved, they will revert back to the mud hole of sin. There is no sustaining power in their life from above. All their efforts are human, of the natural man.
Christians are former lost sheep, but no more. They used to be lost in sin, but they were born again. They are new creatures in Christ! Once saved, they will never go back to the mud hole of a life of sin because they are God’s children.
John 10:26 But ye believe not,
because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my
voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them
eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out
of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave
them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my
Father's hand.
Notice the words: eternal life, shall never perish, no man is able . . .
No, Christians are not sinless; but when they do sin, and they confess their sins to God, He will treat them as His children and forgive them. If they don’t, God will bring chastisement to His own children until they obey—even to the point of taking them home to heaven.
Yes, salvation is an everlasting gift from God. We can not save ourselves and we cannot keep ourselves saved. As Jonah said, “Salvation is of the Lord.” A Christian can not lose their salvation because they did not obtain it apart from the unmerited favor of God. Hebrews says He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He started it—He finishes it. It’s a good thing! I am thankful for God’s role in salvation and for His sustaining power that keeps us saved!