April 27, 2025

YOU ASKED FOR IT: CAN SALVATION BE LOST?

April 27, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

We are beginning a new series today, with five weeks of questions from the congregation. Today’s question, ‘Can Salvation Be Lost,’ is very pertinent. Most people have asked themselves, upon an occasion of sin, if they are truly saved. Scripture has multiple assurances for anyone who genuinely desires to be a ‘saved’ child of God, loving Him as a Father. As we study this important sermon, come with a willing heart, not being swayed by fallible men, and be satisfied by the promises of God, illuminated by the presence of God the Holy Spirit, as He indwells your life. He’ll never let you go.

Focal Passages: John 10:22-30; Romans 8:37-39; Ephesians 1:9-14; 2 Peter 2:20-22; Galatians 5:19-21; Matthew 24:3-13.

The Promise of the Savior:

  • When did God first promise a Savior to man? What were the circumstances? Read Rev. 13:8. When did God determine Jesus would be sacrificed for man’s sin? When did God write our ‘books’ and know us intimately? (Psa. 139).
  • Why did Jesus come to the earth? (Jn. 3:16). What are some verses you know describing Jesus’ advent? (Heb. 10:5, Mark 10:45, Jn. 3:13, Heb. 10:10). Why did men refuse to believe He is the Son of God? (Jn. 6:41-42)
  • Read John 10:22-25, 1:5. What were the Jews complaining about in vs. 24? In Jn. 10:1-18, what had Jesus told them? Read Lk. 19:10. Who did Jesus come to save? Read Rom. 3:23. Who is lost? Who can be saved?
  • Read Jn. 10:26-30. What happens when we ‘hear His voice’ and ‘follow Jesus’? Why does Jesus say “My” sheep—do we already belong to Him when we hear and follow? In vs. 25, what does He give us? In vv. 28-29, can we be removed from His hand? What did the Father do? Did we initiate this? Read Jn 1:11-13.
  • Salvation is in Christ alone, through faith alone: if we are ‘in Christ,’ and cannot be taken out of His hands, why do we worry? Will He ever let us go?

The Power of the Promise:

  • Read Rom. 8:37-39. Throughout history, who have been some conquerors who defied all the odds? What does it mean, to be a conqueror? How do you know you are a super-conqueror? What cannot separate you from the love of God in Christ? What all does ‘things present or things to come’ encompass?
  • What has God promised when we repent? (Isa. 1:18, 38:17, 44:22; Jer. 31:34, 50:20; Psa. 51:7, 103:12; Micah 7:19).
  • Read Rom. 6:4. Whose power are we utilizing when we walk in newness of life?

The Permanence of the Gift:

  • Read Eph. 1:9-14, 3:1-6, and Col. 1:24-27. What was Paul speaking of as being a mystery? How was God going to bring this about (vs. 10)? How are we ‘sealed’? When did this happen? Will He ever leave us? How does vs. 14 refer to Him?
  • If God initiated salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone, giving us a gift of salvation as a free gift, and keeping it by His power so that nothing can remove it from us, why do we fret about whether we are saved or not?

The Problems You May Hear:

  • Read 2 Pet. 2:20-22. Who is Peter speaking of? People heard the gospel and it sounded good. They wanted to try it. Is this how we come to Christ? Did they repent of their sins? Were they saved? What is the cost of following Jesus?
  • Who can you think of who heard Jesus’ preaching but never made a commitment to love Him, forsaking their sinfulness? Can you make a plan to live right, without the power of God? Read 2 Cor. 5:17. How can you liken this to a ‘diet,’ or new eating plan, like Weight Watchers, Keto, Carnivore? Why do some think the cost is too high?
  • Read Gal. 5:19-21. Why are these fleshly lifestyles listed? What are ‘such things’? What is the keyword in vs. 21? Which will keep us from God: an act of sin or a habit of sin?
  • Read Matt. 24:3-13. Why are these things so scary? Is it because we are afraid we may give in? What does vs. 13 say? What is meant, ‘They didn’t get saved because they endured, they endured because they were saved’?

The Protection of the Father:

  • Read 1 Pet. 1:3-5. What is the difference between ‘hope’ and a ‘living hope’? What if Jesus had just ‘hoped’ God would resurrect Him? Is that the depth of our hope in God?
  • Are we able to understand the words ‘imperishable, undefiled, unfading’? If our eternal inheritance is described with those words, how unfathomable is that? The only One who could do something like that is God—who created all things.
  • God, who is the ‘sustainer’ of everything, guards our inheritance; is His power adequate for such a thing? Why can we rest in Him?
  • What are the two words used over and over in these passages that should give us the full assurance that everything in God’s hands will be okay?

CLOSE:

What an amazing amount of comfort, reassurance, hope, and security—and hundreds of other synonyms—are contained in this sermon! All of us have doubts at one time or another, but hopefully they have been given a rest, never to be pulled out in the daylight and fretted over again. Has this made peace in your heart? Don’t let Satan destroy your faith.

If, by chance (or the predetermined will of God!), you heard the service and questioned your salvation, don’t stop until you have come to a firm knowledge that you prefer God over the silver and gold of the world. May you seek to draw near Him until your soul is satisfied.

By Sandy Day

April 27, 2025

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