Expert: Paul Walker - 6/2/2004

Question
Hi Paul Walker,

I recently had a conversation with one of my cousins about what it means to be saved. I told her that when you confess Jesus as your savior and turn from your sins and get baptized then you're saved. She said saved from what? She said even after you do that there's no guarantee that you're going to get eternal life. She said you're not saved until after judgment day when God and Jesus ultimately decide you fate whether you go to heaven or not. Then when you're in heaven that's when you're saved. Then I started thinking well what if a person does go through the motions of getting saved and they do well for about a year and they backslide. And stop praying and going to church and maybe start cursing and gambling again. Did they lose their salvation and now they have to get saved again.

Write me back and let me know what you think and what the bible says about all of this.

~MM

Answer
Dear Maya,

If I understand your post correctly there are two question.

    1. Can you know you are saved?

    2. Can you lose your salvation?

The second one has been disputed for a long time. Can one lose their salvation. The short answer in NO, at least as far as my understanding of God's word, and I am quite sure on the point. Please go to my web site and read my study on "Faith". My site is in need of a lot of work, so please forgive the mess. Briefly, however, Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works, neither to obtain or maintain.

    Romans 11:6—And IF BY GRACE, THEN IS IT NO MORE OF WORKS:
    otherwise grace is no more grace. But IF IT BE OF WORKS,
    THEN IS IT NO MORE GRACE: otherwise work is no more work.

    Romans 4:16—Therefore IT IS OF FAITH, THAT IT MIGHT BE BY
    GRACE; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;
    not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
    is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

If I gave you a free gift and then made you pay to keep it, would it be free? Salvation is the free gift of God.

As far as knowing your saved, you either believe God or you do not.

    1 John 5:13  These things have I written unto you that
    believe on the name of the Son of God; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT
    YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of
    the Son of God.

Your cousin is confused about what salvation is, whether she cares or not is another matter. Read my study so you understand and then maybe you can help her and others.

Hope to hear from again.

Your Servant In Christ Jesus,

Paul Walker
www.aficj.org