Salvation for the True Believer

This week I want to continue with a question concerning the salvation of a true believer in Yeshua. There are several views on this, as we talked about last week. I do not believe that a true believer can lose his salvation, and these past two articles are giving my views on this from the scriptures. I’m sure some of you may disagree, and that’s alright. This is how I see it.

Yeshua is the author of “eternal salvation” (Heb 5.9, John 10.28, 3.15-16,3.36). I Cor 5.17 says that once we believe we are “new creations” and the old things have passed away. If one believes that you can lose your salvation, you will have to redefine what Yeshua meant by “eternal” and “they shall never perish” and so on. Losing your salvation reflects on Messiah’s power and would be admitting that sin is more powerful than grace. Initial salvation is not “repeatable”.

If one has genuine salvation, born of the Spirit, they will produce genuine works of righteousness (Mt 17-18,Mt 7.20, Rom 3.12). In the epistles, we are exhorted to live a righteous life based upon what G-d has done and what he has promised to do, not on a fear of losing salvation. Sin severs fellowship with the L-rd, not the relationship. If your child sins, he doesn’t cease to be your child, but your fellowship together has been affected. We probably deserve the loss of salvation, but G-d does not operate this way (Isa 55.7-8). Perfection will never be achieved in this life. No man could keep his salvation because we could not do enough. The closer we get to the L-rd, the more we become aware of our sinfulness (Job 42.5-6, Isa 6.5), There is a difference between the spiritual “position” of a believer and his daily walk. Practice does not determine position. Israel did nothing but complain in the wilderness, rebelled, over-indulged with the quails, worshipped idols, tempted G-d, murmured, did not trust the L-rd, didn’t believe, were chastised for 40 years.

Yet, Balaam prophesies about Israel that “He has not seen iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen perverseness in Israel”. Balaam was describing the position of Israel not it’s daily walk. (Num 23.19-21). If works are needed to keep salvation, then this concept is the same as becoming saved in the first place. The faith needed for salvation isn’t even from us, it is the gift of G-d, and the calling and gifts of G-d are irrevocable (Rom 11.29). The faith that saved you continues to trust. That is the essence of saving faith. It cannot be turned off and on at will (John 1.13). True, we all know people who professed to be saved, and eventually turned away from G-d again, but they never had genuine salvation to begin with. You cannot return to the “unborn” position spiritually no more than you can physically. All your sins, past, present and future have been forgiven. Either we believe that or we don’t. Man can do nothing to earn his salvation and he certainly can’t do anything to keep it. A believer has been “quickened” to life by the Spirit in the same way Yeshua was “quickened” to life from physical death.

He can never die again, and neither can we. Remember, there is a difference between this initial “judicial” cleansing and the daily cleansing we need as we walk in this world. It is the L-rd that keeps us, not the other way around, If He can save His enemies, He can keep His friends. I have looked at this question for over 24 years and I don’t struggle with it anymore. I am a child of the Most High G-d, and I want to act like it. I believe that Yeshua is the Messiah and I believe in keeping the commandments (Rev 12.17, 1John 2.1-4). I want to love the L-rd with all my heart, soul and strength, and love my neighbor as myself. The rest is commentary. I hope this helps and thanks for the question.