Too often I’ve heard things like: “My sister Chrystal is addicted to drugs, has no interest in Jesus, and is completely promiscuous but I know she’s okay because she prayed the Sinner’s Prayer when she was twelve.”
Not!
Some of you might be thinking, “What!? Are you suggesting that someone can become a Christian and then lose her salvation?”
No, I’m not. I believe that the truly saved will continue through life truly saved. I believe that the truly saved will persevere to the end. But Chrystal isn’t doing that.
Consider the following scenario. Suppose a man who was formerly a drug addicted, adulterous, embezzler came to Christ, stopped his sinful behavior, read the Bible regularly, sang on the worship team, and regularly gave to Christian ministry. Then suppose this man one day quits reading the Bible, stops going to church, returns to a life of utter depravity, announces that he has decided that Christianity was silly after all, and, after years of debauchery, he dies rejecting Christ.
What would we say about such a man? Well, I’ll tell you what Calvin and Arminius would say. Arminius would say that such a man had become a true Christian but had lost his salvation. Calvin, on the other hand, would say that such a man was never saved in the first place.
But notice that for Calvin and Arminius the result is identical: both of them would agree that such a man was doomed to destruction.
So, back to Chrystal. Should we, in any way, have confidence that Chrystal, in her present state, will be saved? No, not at all. Zero. Zip. None. Nada. Both Calvin and Arminius (and just about any evangelical theologian you might name) would agree that unless Chrystal repents before she dies that she will be lost forever. The last thing we should do is reassure ourselves or Chrystal that she’s saved. Rather, we should tough-lovingly do everything we can to encourage her to repent—including warning her of hell. So the real question issue isn’t can Christians lose their salvation. The real issue is that whether you are a Calvinist or Arminian, if someone rejects Christ and they die in that rejection, then that person isn’t saved.
Thus, my friends, it is important that we do not pronounce that someone is saved only because he or she has prayed the Sinner’s Prayer. That prayer doesn’t save; faith alone saves. And we need to hold on to our faith, until we die, no matter how difficult our lives get (and they will get difficult—but that’s for another time). Those who are truly saved will live like it.
Matthew 24:9-13: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Amen.
Chrystal would definitely not enter into eternal life but judgement and eternal condemnation. Anyone who preaches differently, denies the words of Christ, of the apostles and believes and teaches that God will be mocked. God will judge and the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Great post, Dr. Jones.
Nicely done Clay
The one shot commitment and minimalist approach to salvation is certainly not reflected in scripture. The emphasis should turn from what is in it for me to relationship with God and entrance into His kingdom with its responcibilities and joys and difficulties. Thanks for this word. I certainly teach it in the litte church I pastor.
Another good posting. Short and to the point! One of the reasons I love King David so much is he truely understood the importance of repentance as seen in Psalm 51.
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
As always, thanks Dr. Jones!
Clay,
I am a little troubled by what I feel is a necessary inference from your article. You present a scenario of a man who was living a life of depravity, turned to Christ (at least allegedly) and then returned once again to his former depraved life. If I understand what you are saying, your belief is that he isn’t going to be saved. I agree. Where I have trouble is that I am assuming (admittedly my assumption could be wrong) you believe he was never truly saved. If that is true, isn’t it safe to say that none of us can ever rest peacefully assured of our own salvation? Couldn’t any of us decide one day that Christianity is “silly?” If not, why not? I just find it difficult to believe that a person can’t decide to reject Jesus. If we have the free will to accept him, we must also have the free will to reject him. If we don’t have the free will to reject him do we really have free will?
In Christian love,
Scott
That’s a very good and very important question, Scott! I want to answer it fully and will probably answer at least part of it in my next blog.
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