Summary - Can You Lose Salvation

The Marriage Scenerio

Have you considered that our relationship with Jesus is like a marriage. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, and on the rare occasion this union can be Biblically dissolved. The church is the bride of Christ. For us to lose our salvation after we have become betrothed to Jesus, we would need a divorce.In the same way a marriage can be dissolved, so too can salvation can be lost. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a works-based salvation where you have to be fearful of constantly losing or earning salvation. God is not going to kick you to the curb when you fall short, it’s you walking away (abandonment) or giving yourself to another lover (spiritual adultery), that causes a separation.

The Bible says Joseph was a just man. He was planning on divorcing Mary when he found out she was pregnant (Matthew 1:19). Betrothal is a legal union. A divorce would be legal because she was thought to have committed adultery. By the law, Joseph had the right to divorce her. Divorce is allowed in two situations, adultery (Matthew 5:32) and abandonment (1 Corinthians 7:15).

Israel was the wife of God and he divorced her, because of her adultery with idols (Jeremiah 3:8). Idolatry is not just worshiping false statues of gods, but money can be an idol. It’s whatever you have fully given your heart to, that has taken the place of God.

God dissolved his union with Israel after they were in covenant with him. If you abandon God or have idolatry in your life after you are saved then God has legal grounds to dissolve his union with you.

The Book of Life and The IF Statements

Revelation 20:15, Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. To enter heaven, your name needs to be written in the book of life. 

Psalm 69:28, May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. This says a name can be removed from the book of life. For a name to be removed, it means it must have been written in the book. This verse evidences that salvation can be lost. You can find similar statements in Revelation 3:5 & Revelation 22:19.

These following verses promise salvation from Jesus, but they all have an “IF” statement. There are conditions to his promise we need to fulfill. 

Hebrews 3:14, We have come to share in Christ, IF indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 

1 John 2:24, See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. IF it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 

Colossians 1:22-23. He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation, IF you CONTINUE in your faith, established AND firm, AND do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. See also (Hebrews 3:14, & Revelation 2:10). If God did not spare the Jewish nation when they walked away from him, due to their lack of trust in him and their adultery, then why would he spare members of the church who do the same thing (Romans 11:20-24)?

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