Is it possible...

...to lose your salvation?

This is one of those divisive subjects within the Christian ranks, where those on the outside (unbelievers) claim that brothers and sisters in Christ spend more time fighting against each other instead of promoting unity in Christ; and that, therefore, supposedly gives said unbeliever a wonderful reason to reject Christianity outright as a faulty religion.

That kind of situation brings to my mind thoughts of the presuppositions of the unbeliever in question about his/her thoughts on what makes a Christian a Christian. Apparently, this person thinks that when one claims to be a Christ follower that one suddenly is endowed with all knowledge and all sinlessness. Why do I say that? Well, this unbeliever sees/hears Christians debating points of Christianity and therefore feels that one or both of them are wrong in their beliefs. Granted, one or both of them could be wrong in their beliefs. But more than likely, both are Christians, to be sure, but either one or both of them are holding inconsistently to some part or parts of their Christianity.

As I have stated before, I do not believe that one's thoughts on the age of the earth are paramount to determining whether or not one is save or not. However, I will make the claim that if a Christian claims that the earth and universe are extremely old (millions and billions of years old) that he/she is holding inconsistently to parts of their Christianity. That in and of itself does not mean that one is not a Christian nor that one is not saved.

Back to salvation. Can a person who is actually saved by the blood of Christ ever become unsaved? I would think that one of the most used pieces of evidence for this would be Hebrews 6:4-6.

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame."

Well, let's consider the audience. If this passage is written to unbelievers, then the answer is clearly, "No, this passage does NOT teach that the saved can become unsaved."

If this passage were written to believers, then we have something to look at don't we?

Let me approach it from the point of view that this was written to unbelievers, first. "Once enlightened" must refer to some sort of instruction. Can unbelievers learn about God and Jesus? Of course they can. The demons know the ABSOLUTE FACT about God and Jesus, but are they saved beings? Hardly! So, what we have here is simple instruction and learning taking place. John 1:9 describes Jesus as "the true light that gives light to every man." If this is the case, then obviously this is not the light of salvation is it...because not all men will be saved. So again, "once enlightened" means some level of instruction.

What about "tasting the heavenly gift?" Well, what does tasting refer to? Tasting refers to a sampling, or a momentary experience. If we are to interpret that "tasting" meant forever and was transformational, then we must also assume that Jesus Christ is dead. Why? Look at Hebrews 2:9.

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

Jesus tasted death. But he is certainly not dead! So, those that have tasted the heavenly gift have some sort of momentary event, that's for sure! But saving grace? Saving faith? This is not what this passage refers to. Also, note that previous to this, on multiple occasions, the Hebrews in this book are also compared to the Israelites who, one could say, tasted Canaan. Tasting does not mean swallowing and digesting does it?

What about "falling away?" Clearly, these people have been given a revelation about salvation. Therefore, they have knowledge of the truth (enlightened), and have tasted the heavenly gift (had a momentary experience of the truth), but have not placed their complete trust and faith in Christ Jesus (fallen away). Scripture then claims that it is these that cannot be brought back. Scripture, here in Hebrews, basically states that these people are at the perfect point of repentance, and do not do so...they reject the truth claims of Jesus and therefore accept the truth claims of something else.

If this passage were referring to Christians, then once they "lost" their salvation, they could never regain it. There would never be any jumping in and out of salvation. However, in practicality, when you speak with people that believe in the willy-nilliness of salvation, they believe that you can get in and out and in and out. It is interesting that though they have this belief, they hold to it quite inconsistently! They claim the truth of Scripture in Hebrews 6:4-6 is that a saved creature can lose his/her salvation, but then turn right around and make the claim that one can get back in as well...clearly defying what Scripture states in the same verses!

Also. One of the hallmarks of proper exegesis is to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. The best way to interpret what a section of Scripture is saying is to compare it with the rest of Scripture.

John 10:27-29 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."

Romans 8:335-59 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1 Peter 1:3-5 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."

What do you believe? Are you a created thing? Romans 8:39 is pretty clear that "no created thing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus."