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Can a Christian lose their Salvation?

Oct 31, 2025·By Ray Mileur

To begin with, it is important to clarify the meaning of the term "Christian." A “Christian” is not simply someone who has recited a prayer, walked down an aisle, or grown up in a Christian household. Although these actions may be part of a person's Christian journey, they do not define what it means to be a Christian. A Christian is an individual who has completely placed their trust in Jesus Christ as their sole Savior and, as a result, has received the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9).

Given this definition, can a Christian forfeit their salvation? This question is of utmost significance. One effective approach to address it is by exploring what the Bible describes happens during salvation and investigating what it would mean to lose one's salvation.

# 1 - (A Christian is a new creation in Christ.) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian is not simply a "new" & “improved” version of a person; a Christian is an entirely new creature. He is “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be destroyed.

#2 - (A Christian is justified). “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To justify means to be declared righteous. Anyone who accepts Jesus as their Savior is “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose their salvation, God would need to contradict His Word and “un-declare” what He has previously declared. Those who have been freed from guilt would need to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to overturn the verdict rendered from the divine bench.

# 3 - (A Christian is promised eternal life.) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises that if you believe, you will have eternal life. For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live forever. Does eternal not mean “eternal”?

#4 - (A Christian is Promised Eternal Life) -“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God assures us that if we believe, we will have eternal life. For a Christian to lose their salvation, the concept of eternal life would have to be redefined. A Christian is promised to live forever. Does "eternal" not mean "eternal"?

#5 - (A Christian is marked by God and sealed by the Spirit.) “You were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Upon believing, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who serves as a deposit ensuring our inheritance until the redemption of those who belong to God—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14). At the moment of faith, the new believer is marked and sealed with the Spirit, who has been promised to act as a deposit to assure the heavenly inheritance. Ultimately, this leads to the glorification of God. For a Christian to lose their salvation, God would need to erase the mark, withdraw the Spirit, nullify the deposit, break His promise, revoke the guarantee, withhold the inheritance, forfeit the praise, and diminish His glory.

#6 - (A Christian is guaranteed glorification.) “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). According to Romans 5:1, justification is granted to us at the moment of faith. Romans 8:30 indicates that glorification occurs alongside justification. All those whom God justifies are assured of being glorified. This promise will be fulfilled when Christians receive their perfect resurrection bodies in heaven. If a Christian can lose their salvation, it contradicts this assurance.

#7 - (A Christian is unable to lose their salvation.) The Biblical teachings about what occurs when we accept Christ would lose their validity if salvation could be forfeited. Salvation is a divine gift, and such gifts from God are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). A Christian cannot revert back to their former self; those redeemed cannot be unbought. Eternal life cannot be finite. God remains true to His Word. Scripture confirms that God does not deceive (Titus 1:2).

The problem with these objections lies in the assumption that everyone who identifies as a “Christian” has truly been born again. The Bible clearly states that a genuine Christian will not live in a state of continual, unrepentant sin (1 John 3:6).

Additionally, it says that anyone who departs from the faith is demonstrating they were never truly a Christian (1 John 2:19). While they may have been religious or put on a good show, they were never born again by the power of God. As the Bible puts it, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). The redeemed of God belong “to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4).

Nothing can separate a child of God from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38–39). No one can snatch a Christian out of God’s hand (John 10:28–29). God guarantees eternal life and upholds the salvation He has given us. The Good Shepherd searches for the lost sheep, and when He finds it, “He joyfully puts it on His shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5–6). The lamb is found, and the Shepherd gladly carries the burden; our Lord takes full responsibility for bringing the lost one safely home.

Jude 1:24–25 emphasizes the goodness and faithfulness of our Savior: “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”