Depending on what church denomination a person identifies, this question can go in several different directions. I will make the effort to share my own perspective regarding this question, of whom some will agree, some will disagree. The deciding factor on who is right or wrong will be determined at the judgement seat. Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
There really should not be any confusion to the passage in Matthew 7. It is making clear that there will be people that are out doing some good things for the Kingdom of God and Jesus, whose Kingdom these people were doing things, will say to them, "I never knew you. depart from me".
Some will argue that these people were never saved. Others will argue these people fell away from faith and though were doing godly things, lacked a relationship with Jesus. I believe Jesus in verse 23 identifies a truth of these people's individual hearts. They were self-serving, not truly serving Jesus. They were not obeying the two greatest commandments. What we don't know is the condition of their heart prior. Were some people walking in faith and then abandoned the faith? We don't know. The arguments are so strong on both sides of the issue, this will most likely come down to a personal conviction whether a person is once saved, always saved (aka. can I lose my salvation).
My personal conviction is that salvation is not unconditional.
Colossians 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight if indeed you continue in the faith
-- Note: This contains a conditional statement. IF indeed you continue in the faith
1 Timothy 1:18-19 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,
-- Note: rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith
Hebrews 3:12-14 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end
-- Note: This contains a conditional statement: IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
-- Let us be confident and lend ourselves to the teachings of Paul and work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Fear and trembling is really the fear of Lord. To fear the Lord is to obey Him, his commands and decrees.
God does the saving. We do our part by believing and putting our trust in Jesus. We are given a measure of faith and we have to exercise our faith in order to endure to the end of this life. Having a faith that can endure to the end is evidence we have salvation we can never lose. Not enduring questions whether we actually had saving faith.
There is a really good teaching done by Pastor Vlad that presents a case regarding "Once saved, always saved". Section 3 (https://pastorvlad.org/alwayssaved/) starts with "There is plenty of evidence that suggests that it’s possible for believers to willfully turn away from their faith in Jesus Christ."
God gives us the choice to accept Him or reject Him. It’s evident in the words: “whoever believes” found in John 3:16. But, we don’t lose our free will once we surrender to the preaching of the Gospel and to the Holy Spirit who leads us to repent and turn to Christ. Salvation is not an irreversible decision! Giving your life to Christ is not like joining a Colombian cartel with no chance of getting out. You can renounce your citizenship if you live in the USA. If you’re married you can break the covenant of marriage with your spouse. I am not saying that you would want to renounce your salvation, but you can. You’re not trapped.
My own life testimony, some may say God would have extended grace to me and saved me even though I was knowingly and willfully disobeying and rejecting God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. If what these people argue is true, then it seems plausible that none will ever go to hell because God loves us so much that even though I reject Him, He won't reject me. When I said I did not want to have anything to do with Christianity and turned my back on the church and on God, I meant what I said. Jesus words are true or they are not. Jesus words recorded in Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
I don't know that we "lose" our salvation. What I do believe possible is that we either never had true salvation or we willfully forfeited the free gift of God by purposely rejecting Jesus. I believe in the promises of God and when we are marked with the Holy Spirit by God when we come to salvation. Though marked, if we willfully reject God's grace upon our lives thereby rejecting our salvation, we put ourselves at risk of securely standing with Him.
The promise of abiding in Him, He will abide in us provides assurances that God's grace is sufficient to sustain us to the end.
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