I was involved in a discussion this week about whether true believers can lose their salvation, or “give away” eternal life after coming to Christ. As always, the question is, what does Scripture teach about eternal security in Christ? Can true believers lose their salvation? Let’s examine this carefully and biblically.
The Biblical Foundation for Eternal Security
Jesus Himself makes the nature of salvation unmistakably clear:
“I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:28, NASB)
The security of believers is not based on our ability to hold onto Christ, but on Christ’s sovereign ability to hold onto us. Eternal life is a gift granted by Jesus, it is not a contract maintained by human strength. Notice the emphasis: they will never perish. The guarantee is based on Christ’s power and promise, not our performance.
This truth is reinforced in the very next verse:
“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29, NASB)
Here we see that both the Son and the Father are involved in securing the believer. There is no loophole. No outside force, internal failure, or even our own weakness can separate us from Christ if we are truly His.
Can a True Believer Walk Away from Salvation?
Some will propose that while external forces cannot “snatch” us from Christ, we ourselves can simply “walk away.” Yet Scripture counters this idea directly.
Paul writes:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, NASB)
Paul explicitly says “no created thing” can separate us, and we are created things, so even our own rebellion cannot break God’s saving hold.
Scripture also explains why some appear to “walk away”:
“They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19, NASB)
We see here that apostasy is not a loss of salvation; it is evidence that true salvation was never present.
Paul also affirms:
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6, NASB)
God always finishes what He starts, and true believers are preserved by His faithfulness, not their own.
Why Eternal Life Cannot Be Lost
The very term “eternal life” (Greek: zoē aiōnios) means unending and irreversible life. If eternal life could be forfeited, it would not truly be eternal.
Our Lord Jesus further assures us:
“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day.” (John 6:39, NASB)
The believer’s perseverance depends not on human effort but on God’s unbreakable will.
Challenging the Idea That Salvation Can Be Lost
The burden of proof lies with those who deny what Scripture plainly affirms. Anyone who claims a true believer can “give away” or “walk away” from eternal life must provide clear, direct Scriptural support for that position. Any assertion without biblical backing is not sufficient. No passage of Scripture teaches that a genuinely saved person can undo the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In Conclusion
Salvation is God’s sovereign work from beginning to end. Believers are secure not because of their hold on Christ but because of Christ’s hold on them. Eternal life is not temporary. It is eternal.
Because salvation is God’s work from beginning to end, we can rest securely in Christ’s promise:
“I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:28, NASB)
Trust the One who saves you to keep you forever.