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Hello Everyone,
I know some of you are thinking, why are we discussing losing our salvation? Isn't that Christianity 101? Salvation is the most fundamental element of Christianity, so it is necessary to understand it fully, so let’s explore it.Jesus said:
And Paul said:
These verses remind us not to take our salvation lightly. They should be a wake-up call for us to approach God with genuine humility and reverence, trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide our journey of faith.
My Own Experience
I became a Christian in 1978. I belonged to a church that believed Jesus was our Savior, but that every time we sinned, we would lose our salvation, have to go back to Jesus, repent of our sins, and start over from scratch.
There was no fundamental understanding of grace in my old church. As I read my Bible, I began to catch glimpses of grace—something more profound than what I had been taught—but I was convinced this must be Satan leading me astray. I fought against it, determined not to understand grace, fearing it would undermine everything I believed.
Like everyone else, I sinned daily. For the next six years, I lived in a cycle of being saved, sinning, repenting, and then getting "re-saved." It felt like an endless exercise in failure, and I felt like a worthless Christian all the time. Eventually, I reached my breaking point. I told the Lord, "I love You, but I'm terrible at this. I’m failing as a Christian." And so, I decided to walk away, all the while loving our Lord with all my heart.
Thirty years later, I rededicated my life to Him, only this time, I understood that grace was not something designed by Satan to fool me but something intended by God that Satan hid from me.
This struggle led me to a deeper understanding of God's grace, which changed everything for me.
Understanding Grace
Grace is the momentum behind salvation. To understand salvation, we must understand grace. It works like this:
Since we cannot save ourselves, neither can we maintain our salvation. It is through the sacrificial blood of Jesus that we are saved—and it is through that same blood that we are kept saved.
This truth is what we call "God's grace."
” Hebrews 7:25 NLT
How Are We Saved?
Becoming a Christian is filled with common methods and procedures that have nothing to do with salvation. The ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ is one of them. It’s when we say a simple prayer asking Jesus to become our Savior. Another is when we ‘invite Jesus into our heart.’ These have nothing to do with salvation. It has nothing to do with how we are saved.
The process of salvation isn't about religious rituals but a transformation initiated by God:
The Father Draws Us
Salvation begins with God the Father, not us. Jesus stated in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” This means that salvation is initiated by God's divine grace, awakening a person's heart to recognize their need for Him. This drawing often happens through life experiences, hearing the Gospel, or an inner stirring that leads one to seek the truth.Conviction of Sin
Once drawn by the Father, the Holy Spirit convicts a person of their sinful nature. John 16:8 says, “When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” This conviction is not just about recognizing individual sins but understanding the depth of separation from God due to our sinful nature. It’s the realization that we are spiritually lost without Christ.Remorse
Conviction leads to remorse, or godly sorrow, which is essential for true repentance. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” This isn't just feeling bad about sin but a deep sense of brokenness that leads to a desire for change. Unlike mere regret, genuine remorse draws a person toward God rather than away from Him.Accepting the Sacrifice Made on Our Behalf
Once a person recognizes their sin and feels sorrow for it, they must make a conscious decision to accept Jesus’ sacrifice. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This acceptance means putting faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to be reconciled to God, believing that His death and resurrection provide forgiveness and eternal life.Born Again
When a person truly accepts Christ’s sacrifice, they experience the transformation Jesus described in John 3:3: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” This new birth is a spiritual regeneration where the believer is no longer defined by their old sinful nature but becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is a radical internal change that affects one’s desires, attitudes, and actions.Sealed with the Spirit of God
The final step in salvation is being sealed by the Holy Spirit, which is God’s mark of ownership and assurance. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” The Holy Spirit confirms our salvation and empowers us to live a transformed life, guiding us in truth and sanctifying us for God's purposes.
These six components outline the process of salvation—there is no other way to be saved. But what does salvation mean? Salvation is deliverance—being rescued from the power and consequences of sin. Sin brings destruction, bondage, and separation from God, but through Christ, we are set free. More than that, salvation also means being spared from the coming wrath of God (Romans 5:9), as His judgment will fall upon all who remain in their sins. Through faith in Jesus, we are redeemed from sin's grip and restored to a right relationship with God, secured by His grace and sealed by His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Intellectual Based Salvation
Some come to Christianity through intellectual reasoning—examining evidence like the Shroud of Turin, biblical archaeology, logic, and science—and conclude that Christianity is true. While reason and evidence can affirm the faith, intellectual agreement alone does not bring salvation. Salvation is initiated by God, not merely by human reasoning (John 6:44).True salvation involves more than acknowledging facts; it requires the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8), leading to genuine remorse (2 Corinthians 7:10) and the recognition of one’s need for Christ’s sacrifice (Romans 5:8). Without this, a person has not been born again or sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their redemption. Intellectual belief, without the transformation of the heart, is incomplete. As James 2:19 warns, “Even the demons believe—and shudder.” True faith is not just knowing the truth but experiencing the life-changing power of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Self-Preservation Salvation
Some people turn to Christianity out of fear—perhaps after hearing a fire-and-brimstone sermon that vividly describes the horrors of hell. Terrified by the thought of eternal punishment, they accept Christianity as a mere escape from damnation. However, just as intellectual assent alone cannot save, neither can fear. True salvation is not about seeking refuge from hell but about being drawn by the Father, convicted of sin, and brought to genuine repentance. Fear may awaken a person to the reality of judgment. Still, without genuine remorse, faith in Christ's sacrifice, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, it is not salvation—it is self-preservation. True faith is not just about avoiding hell; it is about being reconciled to God and made new in Christ.Finally, some people embrace Christianity simply because they want to go to heaven. While the promise of eternal life is a gift of salvation, seeking heaven alone—without true repentance and faith in Christ—is still a form of self-preservation, not genuine salvation. Jesus didn’t call people to follow Him just to gain paradise; He called them to surrender, be born again, and be transformed by the Holy Spirit. True salvation is not about securing a place in heaven but about being reconciled to God through conviction of sin, repentance, and faith in Christ’s sacrifice. Heaven is not the goal—Christ is. Heaven is simply the eternal joy of being with Him.
Understanding salvation is the first step in understanding whether or not we can lose our salvation. Next week, we’ll dive deeper into salvation and ask a crucial question: Can we lose it? Is salvation a permanent gift, or can it be forfeited? We’ll explore Scripture and different views on this important topic—don’t miss it!
God Bless!
Mark
Questions For Further Study
- What does the Bible say about the role of grace in salvation, and how does it differ from human effort?
- How do Jesus’ warnings in Matthew 7:21-23 challenge common assumptions about salvation?
- What is the difference between intellectual belief in Christianity and true, saving faith?
- How does the process of salvation—being drawn by the Father, convicted of sin, and sealed by the Holy Spirit—reveal God’s sovereignty?
- Can fear or a desire for self-preservation lead to genuine salvation, or does true faith require deeper transformation?
