Losing my Faith - Part I

Where Did My Faith Go?

March 6, 2007

I want to address the strength of our faith over the next three articles. Faith is not a one time receiving of Jesus and then we are good to go. Faith is measurable. Faith is either growing or shrinking. It is never stagnate. If you are like me there have been, and may be now, times when you feel as if your faith has failed you. You feel as if somehow you have lost your faith or are so weak that the next trouble which may be as weak as a soft breeze will break you. There is hope for those who fall into this trap. It is a trap that I believe we all experience from time to time in our lives. A time when God seems distant and we feel weak. A time when tomorrow appears to be without hope.

There are three important areas regarding faith that I will address through this and the next two articles. 1) Can I lose my salvation? 2) The measurable degrees of faith. 3) Multifaceted faith.

Can I lose my salvation?

I once believed that a person could lose their salvation. In the Scripture there are some verses that would initially lead a person to accept that as I had. After examining the whole counsel of God on the subject I have come to the conclusion that it teaches that you cannot lose your faith. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

1. You cannot be separated from the love of the Son or the Father.

Romans 8:35 tells us that we cannot be separated from the love of Christ by stating the following “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” As we go through these things Jesus still loves us. He knows that these events will wear on us and cause us to struggle like the Church in Smyrna where Jesus says to them “I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

How does this prove that you will not lose your salvation? It is a love never ending. It is a love that endures with us as we go through the battles of life. It is a love that brings a promise. Paul said earlier in Romans chapter 8 verses 28-34 the following that gives us assurance “and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

The last part of Romans 8 seals the deal. Paul writes “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are conquerors. That means we will win the race and overcome the battle. That means we cannot lose. This victory is not dependent upon you, but God.

            Some would argue that nothing can separate you from the love of God, but you can walk away. I will refute that shortly when we examine “saved by grace.”

2. You cannot be snatched from His hand.

Jesus makes it clear that once you are given to Him and become one of His sheep you cannot be snatched from the Father’s hands in John 10:27-30 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

You are forever His. The love and protection of God are not dependent on you. The troubles we face in life come as refining fire, discipline, or our battle with the enemy. Even in the darkest hour God is there and ready to put a stop to the events when the time is right. The key is learning to trust God through the storm instead of always wanting to be removed from the storm. The disciples taught us this lesson when the storm rose and they feared for their lives they called out to Jesus Who was sleeping. He was asleep because there was nothing to fear. He awoke and calmed the storm. Before calming the storm Jesus told the disciples the following “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" (Mat. 8:26).

You and I are secure in the Father’s hands. Trust in the heart and power of the Father. Once you are His He will not let you go.

3. If you were able to fall away there is no sacrifice left to bring you back.

The idea of losing our faith and then returning is not acceptable according to the teaching of God. <st2:bcv_smarttag>Hebrews 10:26-27 states “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” This verse is not an example of what will happen, but what would happen if it were possible. You see we are saved by grace, not works. We cannot fall out side of the love of God, nor can we be removed from His hand. If we were to be judged under sin we would deserve condemnation, but the Bible says that there is no condemnation for those found in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).

The verses are teaching us that if you could fall away there would be no redemption. We can learn from God’s treatment of Israel in the Old Testament and His future treatment in the end times. Israel disobeyed God on countless occasions and chased after false gods. God brought judgment upon them time after time in the form of discipline. When they would cry out He would restore them. Did they lose their relationship with God each time? Were they renewing their relation with God each time? No! Through it all they were, and are, God’s chosen people. They did not become un-chosen and then chosen, and un-chosen and then chosen. The core relationship did not change. The surface issues altered their relationship, but not to the point of exclusion from God. The nation of Israel will be dealt with in the future. We, the body of Christ, are not dealt with as a nation. We are dealt with individually. Our relationship with the Father is through the Son. Once that occurs the core relationship cannot change. You cannot become a child of God and then not a child of God. When a person experiences being “born again” it is the beginning of a new life. That new life is in Christ. As Nicodemus stated that he could not go back into the mother’s womb we cannot reenter the spiritual birthing phase. We are or we are not a child of God. We cannot be born again and become unborn to be born all over again. And we certainly do not lose our salvation once to be lost for eternity. If that were the case the grace, mercy and love of God would be silenced and inoperable.

The apostle Peter denied Jesus three times and was yet embraced by Jesus Himself. Was denying Jesus a sin? Did Jesus die for Him again? Then the sin didn’t remove Peter from the family of God. The fact that Peter denied Jesus three times is important. The number three in Scripture carries an emphasis of fact or meaning. Three denials would qualify as “continuing to sin” therefore according to some he would be lost and need salvation again, but there is no sacrifice left. Therefore, Jesus could not have embraced Him, unless he was never lost, just wayward.

4. You are saved by grace.

I have taught through the years that “we are saved by grace and maintained by grace.” Few dispute the teaching brought forth by Martin Luther that state's it is by “grace alone” that we are saved. Some churches have attached works. Some disguise this, but their teaching of salvation requires some form of works to be saved. The Bible says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9). The fact that salvation is by grace and not works is clear in the Bible.

The problem arises when we take the next step. What about after a person is saved? Then what? How does a person stay saved? Too many today teach either by design or in error that it is by works. They will not word it that way. They point you to the 10 Commandments. If you want to be saved you must live up to these. Come on! I could not get saved trying to live up to these. I surely will not remain saved if I have to live up to these. Same problem as before I got saved. My sinful flesh and my human weakness will fail again. Some will create a list of dos and don’ts. If you break this list you are a lost sinner. None of this makes any sense. Why would God save us by grace and require us to live under the law to maintain that salvation? He doesn’t. The whole Book of Galatians speaks to this issue. We are free from the law and live under grace. We live under the grace of God. We are saved by grace, and this not from ourselves. We are maintained, kept in salvation, by grace, and this not from ourselves. Anything else would make no sense and be inconsistent with our understanding of God and His Word.

Summary:

1. You cannot be separated from the love of the Son or the Father.
2. You cannot be snatched from His hand.
3. If you were able to fall away there is no sacrifice left to bring you back.
4. You are saved by grace.

I believe the Scriptures teach clearly that you cannot lose your salvation. Whether I am right or wrong, because this debate will not go away this side of heaven, is not the issue. The key is that if we are hungering after God and seeking to get closer to Him we will never be testing to see if there is a line in the sand that goes to far and then “oops” I’ve crossed over and am lost again. I think many ask “Can I lose my salvation” because they want to know how close to the fire can they play and still be saved. Stay away from the fire and draw near to God. In Him you find comfort, safety and love.

Lord Bless

Leonard Traina