Can You Lose Your Salvation?
This expert summary dives deep into the crucial biblical topic of salvation assurance, tackling the central question: How do we know that our salvation is secured for eternity?. Drawing from Matthew 25 and John 10, the analysis contrasts genuine believers (sheep) with false professors (goats), emphasizing that authentic faith is revealed through internal transformation and the consistent production of good fruit, not mere outward religious performance.
The Central Importance of Assurance
The question of whether one can lose their salvation, or whether their current faith is genuine, is recognized as one of the most important topics a person will ever wrestle with, potentially impacting their eternity.
God Desires Assurance: The purpose of exploring this topic is not to manufacture fear or manipulate people into practicing religion more. Instead, it is meant to bring the comfort, joy, and peace that scripture affirms God wants believers to have. Just as a husband wants his wife assured of his love, God wants His bride assured that His love can be trusted to the very end.
The Fear of Deception: Many people, including the speakers, wrestle with the fear of being “self-deceived”. Scriptures show that many people who thought they were saved will hear Jesus say, “Depart from me I never knew you… You worker of iniquity”. These individuals called Him Lord, cast out demons in His name, and did seemingly wonderful things, yet were unrecognized by Christ.
Sheep vs. Goats: Identifying True Believers
Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31–33) illustrates the final separation of people into believers (sheep) and unbelievers or fake believers (goats).
The Likeness of Sheep and Goats: In reality, sheep and goats can look very much the same. Similarly, within the visible church, there are posers—people who appear to be true believers but inwardly are not. Jesus warned about false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
- The Danger of False Shepherds: False goats are skilled at using “sheep words” and looking like sheep, enabling them to mislead others. Jesus warned that other shepherds try to come in over the fence, but His true sheep know His voice and follow Him through the door.
- The Final Separation: Jesus warned His followers not to try to separate the sheep and goats themselves, as they might mistake a struggling sheep for a goat. The separation will be done by angels at the final judgment.
The Deception of Outward Appearance (List 1)
Many characteristics that people use to judge faith neither prove nor disprove genuine salvation. These are traits that goats (false professors) can easily adopt:
| Evidence (List 1) | Description |
|---|---|
| Visible Morality | People can put on a great moral act; the Pharisees were very moral. |
| Intellectual Knowledge | Knowing a lot about the Bible, even having intellectual belief, does not equate to being a sheep. Satan himself has intellectual knowledge about God. |
| Religious Involvement | Active ministry and religious involvement do not guarantee faith. |
| Conviction of Sin | One can have conviction of sin and coming judgment due to their conscience, and still not be saved (e.g., Felix trembled before Paul). |
| Assurance | Hypocritical religious leaders (Pharisees) surely believed they were going to heaven, yet Jesus strongly criticized them. |
| Time of Decision | Hearing the gospel and receiving it with joy for a while, like the rocky soil hearer in the parable, is not proof of salvation if deep roots are lacking. |
The Pharisees, for example, were masters of outward religion: they prayed publicly and were the best examples of people who looked like sheep, but Jesus called them dangerous wolves. They used spiritual language (e.g., “I feel led,” “providence of God,” “the devil’s attacking me”) and elaborate prayers, but these were not evidence of true salvation.
The Proof of Authentic Salvation (List 2)
Genuine, saving faith is demonstrated by inward qualities and consistent fruit that cannot be faked before God. If List 2 is true for an individual, they are a sheep, and List 1 will also accurately describe them.
| Proof of Authentic Faith (List 2) | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|
| Love for God | A true, authentic love and genuine gratitude for the cross; a relationship known only between the individual and God. |
| Repentance from Sin | Real repentance is grieving the heart before God, loathing the sin, and committing to future actions that reflect the belief that the sin is wrong. A goat loves their depravity and protects their sin. |
| Genuine Humility | Humility is a gift from God that cannot be faked; God opposes the proud but exalts the humble. |
| Devotion to God’s Glory | A heart devoted to God’s glory, rather than one’s own glory gained through religious practice. |
| Continual Prayer | Prayer springing continually from the heart, accompanied by thanksgiving and peace that passes all understanding. |
| Selfless Love | Genuinely loving others before oneself, wanting what is best for them even if it costs the believer. |
| Separation from the World | A deliberate choice to separate oneself from the darkness and the “river of sin,” choosing to have feet on solid ground. |
| Spiritual Growth | Like an alive plant, the believer grows, producing fruit and transformation, rather than remaining a synthetic, fake plant. |
| Obedient Living | True obedience to the Lord characterizes a real believer. |
| Hunger for God’s Word | Loving and thirsting for God’s word, not reading it merely out of duty or obligation. |
| Transformation of Life | An actual change on the inside, not just putting on a religious costume. |
The Internal Fight: The spiritual life is called the “good fight” because it is an actual war against flesh and spirit. The fact that a believer is fighting against sin is a good indication that the Spirit of God lives within them. A goat, by contrast, does not fight against sin.
Fighting from Victory: Believers are not fighting for victory; they are fighting from victory. Jesus has secured the victory, and the Holy Spirit provides power over sin. While perfection is only reached in heaven, a true believer should be progressively winning the battle against sin. The sole fact that we are not living the life we used to live before Christ is evidence of salvation.