I’m not going to mess around here…the answer is NO!

I do need to however define what it means to be a Christian.  I know people who call themselves Christians yet they bear no fruit and they haven’t given up their sinful ways.  They call themselves Christian simply because they were raised in a Christian family or somewhere along the line they said a “sinner’s prayer”.  This however; does not make you a Christian nor ensures your salvation.

A Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Because of this they have repented of their sins (and turned away from them) and has been born of water and of Spirit.

John 3:5
Jesus replied, ”The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

I think some people get confused because salvation IS a free gift from God however that does not mean your life can or should stay the same way it was before accepting Jesus.  God is very clear that you cannot serve 2 masters so you can’t say you believe in Jesus and are saved if you aren’t willing to change your life.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21
And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons.  You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too.  You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.

Since salvation is a foundational point I want to do is break this down so you can clearly see what Scripture says about this very important topic.

God’s Promises

Before we delve into the specific verses regarding God’s promises surrounding salvation let’s explore what God says about the promises He makes in the Bible.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, so He does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act?  Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

2 Timothy 2:13
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Psalms 119:90
Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.

Psalm 91:4
He will shield you with this wings, He will shelter you with his feathers.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Now that we’ve established that once God makes a promise He keeps it for all time; let’s go over some of the Scriptures that talk about the promises that surround salvation.

God’s Promises Concerning Salvation

This is probably my favourite verse around salvation:

Ephesians 1:13-14
And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.  The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify Him.

This is such a powerful verse…the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of our salvation!  The definition of guarantee is: a formal promise or assurance (typically in writing) that certain conditions will be fulfilled. This means we can never lose our salvation once we’ve received it!  Hallelujah!!  The KJV of the above scripture states that, “ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.

Just by this one verse for someone to lose their salvation it would mean:

• taking the Holy Spirit away
• revoking the guarantee
• breaking His promise
• keeping everything aka the inheritance
• cancelling the deposit since He already purchased us
• cancelling the praise and lessening His glory

Supporting the above verse is…

Ephesians 4:30
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

John 6: 37-40
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.  And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.  For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

John 10: 27-30
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.  No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.  The Father and I are one.”

Revelations 3:5
All who are victorious will be clothed in white.  I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and His angels that they are mine.

Titus 3: 5-7
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

When a Professor of Christ Turns Away it Shows That True Salvation Never Took Place

We need to be careful that we don’t compare ourselves to others.  No one knows someone else’s heart except God.  People may look Godly on the outside but on the inside they’re dead.  Not all people who claim to know Jesus have actually accepted him into their hearts and their lives.  There are also many false teachers, prophets and people who are purposely planted in our churches to cause discord and doubt in the Body of Christ.

Matthew 7:21
Not all people who sound religious are really godly.  They may refer to me as “Lord” but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

1 John 2: 19-20
These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

1 John 2: 3-6
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.  If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

1 John 3: 4-10
Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.  And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him.  Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.  But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.  Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.  So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

How Do I Know if I’m Saved?

This is very important especially during these turbulent times.  Unfortunately, I believe that if the rapture were to happen this coming Sunday you would find most of the Church left behind.

John 10: 27-30
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.  No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

James 1:22
And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to.  If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself.

Matthew 7:17-20
A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit.  A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.  So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.  Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.

Examine your life…what lifestyle are you reflecting?  Is there sin in your life that you aren’t willing to give up for Jesus?  What kind of fruit are you bearing?  How is your relationship with Jesus?

Obedience should be a natural second step after salvation.  Pray to God for an answer.

If you haven’t been baptized yet or been baptized as a baby or never really understood the spiritual significance of water baptism then please check out my post on water baptism and how critical it is in your journey and spiritual growth with Jesus Christ.

Your Sister in Christ,

Angela

Romans 8:38-39
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love.  Death can’t and life can’t.  The angels can’t, and the demons can’t.  Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.  Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.