Salvation 101 (Part 11) - Can the Gift Be Taken Back?

Can one born of water (the flesh) be unborn? No. One may die on this Earth, but one cannot be unborn. It is the same with spiritual birth. One born again cannot be unborn. (I shall paraphrase for clarity and emphasis.)

"No, Nicodemus, you cannot crawl back into your mother's womb. Don't be silly. But, just like you were born of the flesh you must be born in the Spirit. This is what I call born again. It's a one-time thing, never to be repeated, and there's no going back." (John 3:1-6)

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:1-6 ESV)

"Yes, Nicodemus, everyone is born condemned because of Adam. No one earns nor escapes condemnation. But, anyone and everyone who believes in the Son of God is no longer condemned. They are justified as of that moment. There is only one reason anyone would be condemned; they remain so because they refuse to believe in the Son of God." (John 3:16-18, 36, Romans 5:16-19)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (Joh 3:16-18)  

 

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:16-19)

• Because of Adam
• For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation
• because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man
• as one trespass led to condemnation for all men 
• by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners 

• Because of Christ Jesus
• And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. 
• the free gift following many trespasses brought justification
• much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
• one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
• by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 
• (Romans 5:16-19) 

"My dear Ephesians, and all those with whom this letter is shared, it is by grace, not effort, you have been saved, and this is through faith, turning away from yourself and believing in the Son of God. It is not by 'strength of faith' either, or else that would be your effort, not His. Believe as a child would believe. Salvation is a gift of God, given freely. Salvation is not a reward based on any work or works. 

It is not something you did, nor are doing or going to do, nor anything you are required to do as evidence. It is not a result of any kind of works, no matter how solemn, hallowed, or religious it may be. You cannot boast of any accomplishment, mindset, sincerity, sorrow for sins, or wholeheartedness. 

The Son of God completed 100% of the requirements for people to be saved. Only believe, and you will be saved. Then He will have 100% responsibility for the salvation of your soul. And that, my friends, is guaranteed, sealed by promised Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1:13-14)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

"See the blatant contrast between condemnation in the first Adam (Adam) and justification in the second Adam (Christ). We're talking death in the first Adam and life in the second. You only die once, but you have eternal life eternally. 

Be convinced no one can ever pluck you out of the Father's hand because no one is stronger than Him. Certainly not you or me. Be convinced that nothing in all Creation can separate us from His love. As Christ declared on the cross, 'It is finished.' The work for salvation is done, and He wants all people to be saved." (Romans 3, 4, 5, 8; John 10:28-29; 1 Timothy 2:4)

Please refer to your Bible for the chapters of Romans 3, 4, 5, 8. Here are a few samples: 

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. (Romans 3:10-11)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:23-24)

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (Romans 4:4-5 ESV)

But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, (Romans 4:23-24 ESV)

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:8-9 ESV)

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19 ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 ESV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:28-29 ESV)

[God] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV)

These are but a few of the many places in Scripture that clearly explain why salvation is not a two-way street. The Gospel of John was written so you may believe (John 20:30-31), and the letters of John were written so you may know you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31 ESV)

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13 ESV)

Salvation is not a behavior modification program. So then what is all the talk and warnings about working out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), or being disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the "prize" is not salvation)? It is not about losing your salvation; that's a gift that cannot be taken away nor lost. 

The fact of the matter is simple: your personal sins are not an issue in salvation and once you have eternal life you have it. There's nothing to prove. Nothing to live up to. There's no standard you need to achieve nor keep to maintain your gift. It's yours: freely and entirely yours. (2 Cor 5:17-21)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ESV)

Behavior, humility, study, etc., the things Paul stresses the saved Christian to do after salvation is about rewards for knowing God, learning and joining His eternal plan, voluntarily, or 'run with endurance' (Hebrews 12:1-2), and not under compulsion, in the work left to do while we here are on Earth. 

We have a wonderful opportunity after coming through the doors of salvation, to participate in God's gracious plan by sharing the gospel with others and then help leading them to all truth. (1 Tim 2:4; John 16:12-15) And know this: even if your works are not good (and be clear a steward of God's word is held to a higher standard), you are still saved. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

[God] who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV)

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12-15 ESV)

each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 ESV)

So, what do you think? For one, we can conclude that if there are verses that sound like you can lose your salvation after examining the concrete evidence for eternal security, those verses must mean something else, and they do. Let them. 

Most of the warnings about behavior is against losing effectiveness or losing focus. Perhaps, the simplest example is James 2:17. (So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.) He is not referring to salvation being lost or never without eternal life. 

Rather, James is addressing believers and encouraging them to do good works, which we were created in Christ Jesus to do as in Ephesians 2:10 (For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.) 

It's unfortunate we get confused when James uses the word "justified" (James 2:24). But, Ephesians 2:8-9 make the conditions clear: by grace, through faith, not of yourselves. Paul clearly teaches in Romans 3, you cannot accept a free gift of eternal life by working to earn it (quoted above). Besides, no one can do good works unless they are saved (also quoted above). And Paul continues in Romans 4 and 5 to clarify the sharp contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam (Jesus).

Lastly, all this is to show, and be convinced by, the abundance of the grace of God. He has overcome every obstacle to reconcile us to Himself, which is far more than we could ever have imagined. Why work against this grace? Why not accept it and be convinced in your heart by the Holy Spirit that through Jesus Christ we are children of God, our Father? 

Once we are saved, then, and only then, can we get on with the calling which have received, which is to know Him and Jesus. By this we can then do the good works we created in Christ Jesus to do and capture those heavenly rewards. We shall run the race as for a prize of eternal glory which does not perish.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ESV)

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3 ESV) 

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) Amen!