‘I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings. ‘ Hosea 6:6
I participate in a Men’s Bible Study on Saturday mornings at 6:30 AM. I enjoy the fellowship and the encouragement from these men.
No matter what book we seem to study, our conversation gets to works versus faith and whether someone can lose their salvation. And sometimes, these conversations can get emotional and heated.
By the end of our time together, we leave knowing we are working out our salvation.
‘Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. ‘ Philippians 2:12-13
Today was one of those days where my thinking lingered on our meeting, and this is my effort to encapsulate those thoughts.
The question that I am pondering is: Can you lose your salvation?
I don’t think this is the proper way of looking at this question. I guess the question is: If you call yourself a Christian, were you truly saved from the beginning?
First, let’s keep in mind that children of God are “chosen.” How are they chosen? That is a good question, but I am still searching the scriptures for the answer. But here are some verses that support being “chosen.”
‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ‘ 1 Peter 2:9-10
‘He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ‘ 2 Thessalonians 2:14
‘For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. ‘ 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5
However, God chooses, I believe it is fair and just. But it never has anything to do with our efforts. I believe He even provides the faith we exercise to call on the name of the Lord. This verse from Isiah explains what all of the righteousness we can muster is equal to.
‘All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. ‘ Isaiah 64:6
‘Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. ‘ Romans 9:11-18
God is sovereign in His choice even though He gives all of us a choice.
I thought I was saved at the age of eight years old. My grandmother was faithful in explaining the Gospel to me. She gave me my first Bible. I was baptized in the faith. But as I lived my life, it didn’t reflect a life changed by the Spirit.
Fast forward to my forty-eighth year, when my life was a train wreck to the point where I no longer wanted to live. And this came after about six months of reading the Bible every day. This was something that I thought would change my life for the better.
I was at the end of my rope when I finally called out to the name of the Lord. The scary thought here is that I had spent forty-eight years calling myself a Christian, but it wasn’t until that point that I finally submitted my life to God’s Spirit.
And from there, my life started to change by His hand. Praise God.
My heart desired to be in God’s Word and around God’s people. I looked forward to my time in God’s Word every morning. I looked forward to attending church, Bible Study, and any other event that brought me into the presence of God’s people.
I can’t explain it, but I know that the Spirit of God is working in my life.
I started to understand better what I was reading in the Bible. The words I read became a way of life for me; I began to look at those around me with compassion and a desire to let them know about the love of God.
I see what God allowed to happen in my life as perfect timing. Through the struggles I faced and the bad decisions I made, He knew that the most effective time to change my heart was then. He knew my heart was ready.
There is no looking back and thinking, “I wish I knew then what I know now.” It would not have been the same. But God is sovereign, and He knows when it is right.
Does this mean the journey is over? Does this mean that I no longer strive to be better for those around me?
‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. ‘ James 1:12
‘What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. ‘ James 2:14-19
Saving faith will give us the desire to help those around us. It will make us more generous with the money and time God has given us to help those around us. Not out of any sense that doing this will get us into heaven but out of gratitude for what God has done for us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, for our sins.
‘ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ‘ Matthew 25:34-40
Service to those around us out of gratitude for God’s grace is the by-product of our willingness to allow the Spirit to work in our lives. God will not force this out of us; this is a heart-level event that comes from our desire to submit to God.
When we willingly move towards God, He moves towards us.
‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. ‘ James 4:7-10
Circling back to the two questions from the beginning of this essay:
- Can you lose your salvation?
- Were you truly saved from the beginning if you call yourself a Christian?
We are called to persevere to the end.
We are called to “Stand Firm.”
‘But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. ‘ Colossians 1:22-23
‘Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! ‘ Philippians 4:1
‘Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ‘ Hebrews 4:14
‘Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. ‘ 1 Timothy 6:12-16
Heavenly Father, thank You. I pray that You keep my heart centered on You and Your grace.
Let Your love shine through my heart onto those around me. I pray that You use me to build and strengthen Your church.
I know that it is You and You alone who saves, and I am confident that You who began a work in me will continue until complete when Jesus returns.
Thank You for those around me and for the challenges that You allow to happen in my life to strengthen my faith in You.
In the name of Jesus, I pray, in Your Holy Name, Amen!! 🙏❤️
