Expert: Rev. Stuart Woodward - 10/2/2011

Question
Thanks for your time,  my question is can a christian go to hell? Can one loose their salvation?

Answer
Hello Josh,
Thank you for your question. I must first point out that genuine Christians disagree about the answer to your question. There are a number of verses in scripture (especially Hebrews 10:26-31) that suggest the answer is yes but even those who take this view (or at least the biblically aware ones) believe it is not a matter of a Christian losing their salvation each time they sin. Rather they hold the view that it is possible to be apostate and deliberately choose to reject the Gospel even though a person once accepted it and still knows it to be true. Thus they choose to 'deliberately keep on sinning' to scorn their salvation.
Against this there is the general weight and tone of the New Testament in which Jesus clearly says that no one can luck His one from His hand and Paul in 2 Tim 1:12 reminds us that Jesus keeps or guards our commitment to Him until that day.
I confess my reasons for believing that I cannot lose my salvation theological, personal and experiential. Theologically the whole idea of new birth, being buried with Christ in baptism and raised to life in Him speaks of a permanency which is assured because His sacrifice and His grace is enough. It is personal because many years ago when I was teaching on the story of Peter walking on the water and I asked the question, 'Why didn't Jesus let Peter drown?' a 12 year old boy told me that if Peter had drowned that would have been Jesus' fault. When asked to explain His comment he told me that Jesus did not tell Peter to get out of the boat as long as he was sure he had enough faith to make it all the way. He just told him to come. The boy reasoned therefore that once Peter left the boat he was Jesus' responsibility. God spoke to me most powerfully through this and gave me such a confidence in the sufficiency of Jesus' faithfulness to me that I have lived without fear ever since. Also experientially the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart has brought me into such a relationship with Jesus that the idea that He would turn me away seems crazy. You must read the scriptures and seek the Lord for yourself on this matter but I believe that short answer to your question in both its parts is 'no'.
I hope these comments have been helpful.
Stuart Woodward.