Can I lose my salvation?

Why has this question been so difficult to answer and yet, when answered, too easy to accept?

Perhaps it is because we are asking the wrong question. This question presumes an individualistic view of salvation as a static possession rather than a dynamic and ongoing relationship with God.

This is a significant departure from how the Bible positions a relationship with God through Christ and how the early Church would frame and address the issue.

Are you not taught that you are on a journey? Salvation comes exclusively through Christ: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6.

If Christ is your guide on this journey and you decide to depart from Him, will you get to your destination on your own??

Quick history:

The question of losing salvation is a Western theological concern, emerging primarily from debates during the Protestant Reformation and later emphasized in evangelical movements.

The Great Awakenings in the United States, with their emphasis on personal conversion and individual assurance, further popularized the notion of salvation as a one-time event. Evangelical crusades and altar calls reinforced this understanding, often unintentionally reducing salvation to a transaction rather than a transformative relationship.

Salvation as Synergy and Process

The Bible does not teach salvation as a possession but as a dynamic process of theosis — the gradual transformation of a person into the likeness of Christ through cooperation with His grace. Without this grace and your faith there is no journey.

This perspective stems from Scriptures like Philippians 2:12–13: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” As well as, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2, John 15:4–5, Ephesians 2:8–10, 2 Peter 1:5–7, Matthew 24:13, Hebrews 12:1–2, Luke 9:23–24, Matthew 7:21, Matthew 7:13–14, James 2:26.

Salvation involves a synergy between God’s grace and human free will. Grace is unmerited and freely given, but humans must respond in faith, repentance, and obedience. Therefore, the question of “losing” salvation is somewhat misplaced, as it reduces salvation to an object one can gain or misplace, rather than a lifelong journey with Christ.

Perhaps this is why so many struggle in their faith. They have this misplaced idea while ignoring the responsibility of having a relationship with the living God.

Free Will and Apostasy

The early Church Fathers, such as Irenaeus, Cyprian of Carthage, and John Chrysostom, emphasized human free will in the context of salvation. While God’s grace is always at work, they affirmed that humans can reject or abandon their communion with God. We see this all the time in our church.

John Chrysostom writes:

“God never draws anyone to Himself by force. He provides sufficient grace for everyone, and those who follow Him do so because they respond to His call.”

This means that while salvation cannot be “lost” in a casual sense (like losing one’s keys), a person can willfully turn away from God through persistent sin, pride, or neglect of their spiritual life. This rejection is not God removing salvation, but the individual choosing to sever their relationship with Him. God never abandons you. He is always faithful. It is man that abandons God.

The Role of the Church

The Bible communicates that salvation is inextricably tied to life within the Church — the Body of Christ- His bride– as we proclaim on Sundays. Participation in the good habits of the Church (baptism, Lord’s supper, prayer, etc.) is essential for remaining in communion with God.

Cyprian famously wrote: “He cannot have God as Father who does not have the Church as Mother.”

This ecclesial dimension of salvation means that separation from the Church — either through heresy, schism, or grave sin — endangers one’s relationship with God. However, the Church also provides the means of restoration through repentance and reconciliation.

Assurance of Salvation

The Bible does not share this modern concept of “once saved, always saved,” nor does it embrace constant fear of “losing salvation.” [Derived from Calvinism which used John 10:28–29, Romans 8:38–39, Eph 1:13–13, etc to support this concept].

Instead, it emphasizes hope and trust in God’s mercy while maintaining vigilance over one’s spiritual life. As the Apostle Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians 9:27: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

This vigilance is not born of fear but of love for God and a desire to remain in communion with Him.

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ- rather than asking, ‘Can I lose my salvation?’ — a question that often stems from a desire for certainty — let us take on responsibility and accountability and instead ask ourselves:

“How can I grow in communion with God and remain faithful to Him?”

“Am I cooperating with God’s grace in my journey toward Christlikeness?”

“How can I guard against spiritual complacency and remain steadfast in the faith?”

The focus would not be on losing salvation as a possession, but on nurturing and deepening one’s relationship with God, remaining vigilant against sin, and trusting in His mercy.

Salvation, from this Biblical perspective, is not static but a lifelong pilgrimage — one that culminates in eternal union with God.