WOW. this is a good question. Personally, I believe that once you are Saved you still have the choice to accept or refuse Christ. So, if you really fall back into a life of perpetual sin and truly do not follow him and reject him then I think that changes your status so to speak. Then again, I also believe if you accept him back into your heart again and do your best and follow his Love and Light then you will again be forgiven. For God will erase all of the things you did wrong from record if you truly are sorry and have accepted Jesus in your heart, but that cannot excuse further constant wrongdoing if it becomes more important than God. In a way, if you lead a sinful life and choose never to repent then how can you truly be forgiven?

You have opened up a very heavy question. Paul deals with the issue of continueing in sin in Romans 6:1-2. I personally believe if we are living for God we do not have to even be concerned about this issue. I agree with Azuremoon.

I am probably the last person who should answer this as I am not an expert on the Bible. I would think that being born again means you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and that you can enter the Kingdom of Heaven thru this belief. However, I don't think that gives anyone a free ticket to sin at their discretion. I being born again means not only saying you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior but LIVING your belief as well, each and every day.

I havent done much looking into this topic. But from the times that I have asked people who know their stuff, you are saved forever....unless you completely turn your back and deny the existance of God. So I dont know if that is the right answer, but it is what I have been told!

Charles Stanley has an awesome bible study book and CD called "Eternal Security" which I highly recommend.
The Biblical answer to your question is NO, and he explains why in his CD and/or Book.
It helped me immensely and once you hear what he has to say, you will see why it is not even possible and why legalists always worry about that topic.
I haven't read all the other replies to your question, but if you take any of them seriously, please let it be this one.
You will see why I say thid after you do it.
Prayers for you to find the Truth.

Can you elaborate more on the Eternal Security CD? Can you give a very brief synopsis of the material?

There are two teachings here. Calvinism and Arminianism. John Clavin's teaching was not new. Augustine a theologian of the fourth century taught it. It had to do with predestination. Since God predestined certain individuals to salvation, Christ died only for the elect, the atonement would fail were any to be lost for whom Christ died.

Arminianism was God will is for all men to be saved because Christ died for all men. While salvation is the work of God, absolutely free, and independent of our good works or merits, yet man has certain conditions to fulfill. Man can choose to accept God's Grace or he can resist or reject it. The power of choice remains.

Is salvation conditional or unconditional? The answer will depend on the way we can answer on whom does salvation depend? On God or man. It must depend on God and not our own strength. God will take us through no matter how weak we are. His grace is there to lead us through. But the scripture also teaches that man has a free will choosing between life and death and that power God will not violate.


We have to find a scriptural balance. People can if they put the emphasis only on God's grace it may lead to careless living. If a person believes that his conduct and attitude have nothing to do with his salvation. On the other hand overemphasis of man's free will and responsiblity may bring people under the bondage of legalism and rob them of all assurance of salvation.

It all comes back to this. The emphasis should be placed upon the means of security- the power of Christ as our Savior, His faithfulness. the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling with in us. Standing on His promises.

I don't believe in once saved always saved. I believe you can be forgiven again if you ask again but you must repent. There is no free tickets, you have to live right.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS SUBJECT.

I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOUR SAVED, YOUR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. GOD'S AMAZING GRACE COVERS THE REST. THE NEW TESTAMENT GOES BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN LAW AND GRACE. I BELIEVE THAT GOD DOES THIS BECAUSE HE CREATED PEOPLE TO BE MOTIVATED BY DIFFERENT THINGS, AND HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE COVERS BOTH. I DON'T BELIEVE GOD HAS AN ERASER.

I DO MY VERY BEST TO LOVE PEOPLE REGUARDLESS OF THEIR SIN AN WELCOME THEM WITH OPEN ARMS INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD. I BELIEVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE WILL HAVE A MUCH GREATER AFFECT THEN TELLING SOMEONE THEY SOULDN'T DO THAT OR LIVE THAT WAY. AND IT MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH WHEN BELIEVERS SAY, "AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN AFTER WHAT YOU JUST DID." I TRY TO LEAVE ALL THE JUDGING TO GOD AND JUST LOVE AS CHRIST CALLED ME TO LOVE. IF CHRIST DIDN'T DIE FOR "ALL" SINS, THEN HE MAY AS WELL NOT DIED FOR ANY.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HEART, AND ONLY GOD KNOWS IF YOUR WERE PUTTING ON A SHOW AT AN ALTER CALL, OR IF YOU MEANT BUSINESS. IT YOU CLAIM CHRIST IN ANYWAY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE MY BROTHER OR MY SISTER REGUARDLESS OF YOUR SIN OR LIFESTYLE.

I understand and don't disagree with lovemedo2's notion that if you don't repent, even after being 'saved', you could lose your salvation.

However, I would like to expound on that premise with what I can only posit as MY OPINION.

It is my belief, that if a person is saved, they are going to experience a growing sense of conviction in the holy spirit. NOT condemnation, but conviction, and I hope that you understand the difference. Conviction is a good thing, and leads us into repentance. I'm not in a position to state as fact that if a person doesn't have a repentant heart, then they aren't truly saved, but as I understand salvation, it is brought on by an act and proclamation of repentance. Therefore, it is my opinion, that if a person has truly opened up and embraced salvation, they are necessarily going to find themselves with a spirit of repentance when they fall into post-salvation sin. Please forgive me if I am totally wrong! But I would wonder if a person who was utterly unrepentant had ever truly received their salvation. That doesn't mean that I don't think the salvation was available to them... but like any gift, we have to actively reach out to receive it before we can really know it as our own.

My own opinion here...

I believe that if you are saved, you are saved, unless you make a conscious decision to deliberately try to become unsaved, which most of us dont' even know how to do!

Having said that, it also needs to be said that becoming a Child of God means that you would naturally want to act like one, ... to BE one, so you would want to love others, be obedient to God, have faith that result in deeds, and so on. because Christ did so very much for his Children, his children would naturally want to be as obedient as they could.

just my thoughts though.

Page 139 through 144 of Charles Stanley's Handbook for Christian Living satisfied my soul with this topic. Study 1John 5:13 and be assured that once God adopts you, you are His child forever.

Assurance of Salvation
By J. Vernon McGee
We have a sure salvation, and Scripture is abundantly clear on that point. Paul said in Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

And, my friend, he expanded that great truth to the triumphant climax of such a bold statement as, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God�s elect? It is God that justifieth. (Romans 8:33)

The Throne of God is back of the weakest, humblest man who has come
to trust Christ, and there is not a created intelligence in God�s universe who can bring a charge against one of these who is justified through faith in His blood.

Paul continued in verses 34-37 of Romans 8: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead,
who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (v. 34)

Drink these verses into your very soul as the words of Paul build this mighty wall of assurance!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (vv. 35-37)

And if further assurance be needed, read verses 38 and 39:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here we are given the guarantee that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing that is seen, nothing that is unseen, nothing that is natural, nothing that is supernatural can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

The Lord Jesus Himself made this tremendous statement of our absolute security:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father�s hand. (John 10:27-29)

Thus it becomes a question, not of our ability to hold onto Him, but of
His ability to have secure hold on us. My friend, He said with the infinite wisdom and full authority of the Godhead that He can hold us and that
they who trust in Him shall never perish.

Is your hope fixed in a God who is all-powerful or in a God who may
suffer defeat?

I have heard boths sides but i looked it up and really like what
Hebrews 10:10,12 and 14 verses say...(Hebrews 10:14 says, because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy...
" those who are being made holy"... I'm not perfect just forgiven...

Assurance of Salvation
By J. Vernon McGee
We have a sure salvation, and Scripture is abundantly clear on that point. Paul said in Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

And, my friend, he expanded that great truth to the triumphant climax of such a bold statement as, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God�s elect? It is God that justifieth. (Romans 8:33)

The Throne of God is back of the weakest, humblest man who has come
to trust Christ, and there is not a created intelligence in God�s universe who can bring a charge against one of these who is justified through faith in His blood.

Paul continued in verses 34-37 of Romans 8: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead,
who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (v. 34)

Drink these verses into your very soul as the words of Paul build this mighty wall of assurance!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (vv. 35-37)

And if further assurance be needed, read verses 38 and 39:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here we are given the guarantee that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing that is seen, nothing that is unseen, nothing that is natural, nothing that is supernatural can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

The Lord Jesus Himself made this tremendous statement of our absolute security:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father�s hand. (John 10:27-29)

Thus it becomes a question, not of our ability to hold onto Him, but of
His ability to have secure hold on us. My friend, He said with the infinite wisdom and full authority of the Godhead that He can hold us and that
they who trust in Him shall never perish.

Is your hope fixed in a God who is all-powerful or in a God who may
suffer defeat?