<> Ask the Pastor Fr. Walter Snyder Q: Will God preserve the elect? If one does not believe that he will, how is one able to exist as a Christian--and to believe that God is love? A: Can one who truly has saving faith in Jesus at one point in his life lose his salvation and die in an unsaved condition? Or is it "once saved always saved" for all true Christians? Lutheran and Calvinist churches, especially, have debated these questions. Calvinism says one cannot lose salvation, Lutheranism says one can. The discrepancy lies in the fact that the Bible has two seemingly contradictory teachings. On one hand, the Scriptures clearly teach that it is possible for a true believer to lose his salvation. On the other hand the same Scriptures promise that God will preserve true believers in His grace from beginning to end. Both teachings must be further explored. The Scriptures clearly teach that it is possible for the believer to fall from saving grace and lose his faith. This conclusion we draw both from clear passages of Scripture that warn against such a falling away and from examples of it happening. "You are separated from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by Law, you have fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)" If falling away permanently is impossible then Paul's words have no meaning and his concern is misplaced. The Parable of the Sower (Luke 8) also shows believers falling away. Read also 1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 12:15; and 2 Peter 3:17 in their contexts. Other passages say that only those will be finally saved who continue to believe until the end. Examples are many. In Matthew 10:22, Jesus says to His disciples, "He who endures to the end will be saved." The context makes clear that it is a warning. Paul teaches the same Colossians 1:21-23. See also Hebrews 3:6, 12-14. If falling away is possible, what causes it? Technically speaking, only not believing in Jesus damns (cf. John 3:18, 36; Mark 16:16). However, the New Testament also tells us that both rejecting the Gospel and living in sin unrepentantly lead to falling away from the faith. Rejecting the Gospel can mean putting one's trust in persons or works of the Law in addition to Jesus Christ, such as in the Galatian congregation already mentioned. They, who had been taught to trust only in Jesus for salvation were beginning to trust in the works of the Law (circumcision) in addition to Jesus. Rejection may also be a total repudiation of Jesus and the Christian faith, as with Demas, "who having loved this present world" deserted Paul and returned to Thessalonica or Judas Iscariot. It can also be rejecting an essential doctrine of the Gospel. Included are those who denied the resurrection, such as "Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by holding that the resurrection is past already. They are upsetting the faith of some. (2 Timothy 2:17-18)" An traditional example of living in sin unrepentantly is King David. He committed murder and adultery and thus fell away from the faith (2 Samuel 11 and 12; Psalm 51). Many more examples could be found, but space draws to a close. In conclusion, we are concerned that fellow Christians who reject the possibility of falling away invite Satan's attacks. With good reason, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God to fight the devil (Ephesians 6:10-17); so also, Peter warns us to "be sober, vigilant, for your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)" The Scriptures warn us because Satan wants to steal away our salvation (John 10:10a; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Acts 26:17-18). He not only wants to cause us a discomfort, He wants to "devour" us. Those who naively assume that it is impossible for such a thing to happen to them, even if they are neglecting the Word, the Sacrament, and prayer, are left wide open for a faith stealing assault. Of course, as in the case of David, faith can be restored. And we still have the Bible promises of God preserving our faith, which we will look at next week as we study the puzzle of whether or not salvation can be lost. That's it for now. You can submit questions by mail to "Ask the Pastor," PO Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or just stop me on the street. Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1998 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.