Group Think | Salvation Cannot Be Lost

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

I am the not-so-proud owner of a 1962 Ford F250. It came to me a year ago by way of New England where it was a plow truck. To describe it as rusty is like saying “water is wet”, and claiming it “runs” redefines that term rather loosely. In my efforts to get this wreck roadworthy, I joined several Facebook groups where like-minded tinkerers share wisdom, experience, and frustrations. Receiving such valuable input, I promptly then joined several Christian groups which discussed other topics dear to me.

Did you know Facebook groups are a great place to lose your mind. 😂

I recently challenged one such group of Christians who believe that salvation can be lost to provide the two most compelling scriptures supporting their position. Though some claim many such verses, narrowing it down to the two most prominent should be an easy task. And since I already wrote an article explaining how salvation is permanent, let’s examine the two scriptures they proffered to see if the verses support their beliefs, or whether their arguments, like my antique jalopy, struggle to make forward progress.

But first, when considering the meaning of any scripture:

1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth regarding the scripture in question. Believe Him for it (James 1:5-8).

2. Read surrounding context. Outside of context, scriptures are easily misinterpreted.

3. Answer the question, “Specifically what is this scripture declaring?” Many scriptures used to proclaim that salvation can be lost instead describe Christians who stray, or those who claim (or believe) they are Christian but are not.

4. Understand that sanctification is the race we are all running. Salvation merely gets us onto the track. Many verses purported to imply that salvation can be lost instead describe a stumble in the marathon of sanctification.

Hebrews 3:6, 12, 19

Since these three verses lie close to each other, and since the context leading up to them is the same, I considered them as one submission. Even so, we’ll look at them individually.

Preceding Context: The first two chapters of Hebrews describe Christ, and how He ranks higher than angels, yet was made lower than them by becoming human like us, so that He might taste death for everyone and bring us to glory. Chapter three continues this progression by describing Christ as the builder of “His own house”.

Hebrews 3:6

“…but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”

It is the conditional “if” statement some proffer as proof that salvation can be lost. They say, “If we don’t hold fast to the end, we are not of Christ’s house and therefore lose our salvation.”

However, in context, does this verse speak of a Christian’s ability to lose salvation? No! Not even close. Instead, it simply defines Christ’s house. After all, that is the topic at hand. His house is those who, “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” So, instead of indicating salvation can be lost, it defines what salvation looks like: holding fast to the end. After all, Scripture says of such people, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19).

Hebrews 3:12

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God…”

Here, those who proport salvation can be lost claim it is possible for a Christian to depart from the living God, thereby losing their salvation. However, “departing from the living God” is predicated by “an evil heart of unbelief”. In the preceding verses, this evil heart of unbelief is exampled in the Israelites who refused to enter the promised land because they didn’t believe God. Instead, they embraced fear and died in the wilderness. These are non-Christians, people who hear God’s truth but don’t receive it in belief. Thus, this verse does not describe Christians who lose salvation, but rather those who never become Christian in the first place.

Hebrews 3:19

“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Here, we apply the same interpretation as in verse twelve. Those Israelites who did not enter the promised land can be likened to unbelieving non-Christians. They never believed God in the first place.

None of these three verses, taken separately or collectively, address salvation being lost. Forward progress? Chugga, chugga, clunk. 🛻

Hebrews 10:26-31

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Preceding Context: Hebrews chapter ten expounds upon how Christ’s death makes us perfect. Believers are exhorted to hold fast to our faith without wavering.

This passage (verses 26-31) does not address a Christian who loses their salvation, but the rotten fruit and consequential judgement of rejecting Christ’s truth. We are warned away, in strictest terms, to not sin willfully. To do so is a trampling of Christ underfoot and results in judgement and fiery indignation. Those who sin willfully after hearing the truth of Christ are judged and placed into the hands of God. Remember, knowledge of truth does not save us. Demons have this, and tremble (James 2:19). Belief is what saves (Romans 10:9-10). And belief that accompanies a saving faith evidences itself through the fruit of good works. (James 2:14-26). Thus, continued willful sin is a rotten fruit evidencing a rejection of Christ, an unbeliever. Instead, a believer in Christ will produce the fruit of obedience.

Salvation is Permanent

I can’t help but offer to those who believe salvation can be lost the shining gem of Hebrews 10:14. It was sitting right there, in the middle of the context of the verses you provided, and it clearly evidences salvation is permanent. “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Consider each of those words. We who believe in Christ’s truth are being perfected forever and sanctified. Again, sanctification is the race we are running, and salvation merely gets us to the starting line.

And “running”, some days, is more than I can say for my pickup. 🛻😄

Praise God who has perfected us, and is perfecting us, forever, in sanctification! Amen.