Essay:When Scripture Challenges What We Have Always Believed (Nehemiah Maxwell)

Introduction: What If He Really Was Saved?

Suppose a man gives his life to Jesus Christ.

He believes the gospel, begins following the Lord, and serves Him faithfully for many years.

But somewhere along the way, something changes.

His heart begins to grow cold. He stops praying. He loses interest in God's Word. Little by little, he returns to the life he once left behind.

Eventually, he turns his back on Christ altogether. He no longer believes, no longer follows the Lord, and dies in that condition.

What happens to that man?

Some Christians say that if he was truly saved, he could never be lost.

Others say that because he turned away and never returned, he must not have been truly saved in the first place.

But here is the question I want us to consider:

What if he really was saved?

What if he genuinely believed in Jesus Christ, experienced the work of God in his life, and later turned away?

Does the Bible teach that such a thing is impossible?

That is the question before us.

Christians have long disagreed about eternal security. Some believe that everyone who has genuinely been saved will certainly continue in faith until the end. This is commonly called the perseverance of the saints. Others hold that salvation, once received, cannot be lost, even if a person later abandons the faith.

I believe Scripture gives us serious reasons to reject the claim that a genuinely saved person can never turn away from Christ and be lost.

I do not reach that conclusion because I question God's power to save or preserve His people. I reach it because of what Scripture repeatedly says about unbelief, falling away, abiding in Christ, and remaining faithful until the end.

Before proceeding, let me make two things clear.

First, salvation is entirely by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot earn it through good works.

Second, I am not suggesting that every time a Christian sins, he loses his salvation.

Peter denied Jesus three times. Yet Jesus restored him.

There is a difference between a believer who falls into sin and repents, and someone who deliberately abandons Christ and persists in unbelief.

It is that second situation we are examining.

I am not asking you to accept my conclusion simply because I have presented it.

I am asking you to examine the Scriptures.

And I believe that when we consider both God's promises and His warnings, a clear and serious message emerges:

We must continue in the faith. Turning away from Christ is not something Scripture treats as impossible or harmless.

1. What Did Jesus Mean When He Spoke About Judas?

Shortly before His arrest, Jesus prayed to the Father.

In John 17:12, He said:

"While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."

The son of perdition was Judas Iscariot.

Judas was one of the twelve apostles. He traveled with Jesus, heard His teaching, and participated in the ministry.

Yet he eventually betrayed the Lord.

But we must be careful about what Judas' story proves.

John 6:64 tells us that Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him. John 6:70 records Jesus calling one of the Twelve a devil. John 13:10–11 also distinguishes Judas from the disciples who were clean.

These passages give us strong reasons to conclude that Judas never possessed genuine saving faith.

Therefore, I would not use Judas as proof that a truly saved person lost salvation.

But Judas' story does not settle the broader question either.

Can we assume that every person who later abandons Christ must have been like Judas—never genuinely saved?

That conclusion requires biblical evidence.

And the question must be answered from passages that speak directly about believers, unbelief, and falling away.

2. God Knowing the Future Does Not Settle the Question

Someone might say, "But Jesus knew Judas would betray Him."

Of course He did.

God knows the end from the beginning.

But God's foreknowledge does not, by itself, settle whether a particular person was ever genuinely saved.

Suppose someone follows Christ for twenty years and then abandons the faith.

One person says, "He was never saved."

Another says, "He was saved, but later turned away."

God knows the truth about that person's heart.

We do not.

We cannot determine the person's earlier spiritual condition simply by pointing to what happened later and assuming our theological explanation must be correct.

We need to examine what Scripture actually teaches about falling away.

And that brings us to one of the strongest promises Jesus ever made.

3. Can Anyone Take Us Out of Jesus' Hand?

In John 10:27–29, Jesus said:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

What a wonderful promise!

I believe every word of it.

No devil can overpower Jesus.

No enemy can defeat Him.

No created power is stronger than the Father.

And Jesus does not merely promise protection against enemies. He says of His sheep:

"They shall never perish."

We must give that promise its full weight.

But notice how Jesus describes His sheep:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

His sheep hear His voice.

They follow Him.

Now here is the question.

Does this promise mean that everyone who has genuinely believed is guaranteed to continue believing, regardless of what may happen later?

Or does Jesus describe the security of those who belong to Him as His sheep—those who hear His voice and follow Him?

Those who defend unconditional eternal security understand this passage as guaranteeing the final salvation of every genuine believer. That is a substantial argument.

But I believe the passage must be read alongside the warnings Jesus and the apostles gave about departing from God and failing to abide in Christ.

Notice carefully: John 10 does not explicitly say that a sheep can choose to leave Christ's hand. We should not put words into Jesus' mouth.

But neither should we assume that His promise, by itself, answers every question about a person later abandoning faith.

That question must be examined through the whole testimony of Scripture.

The same Jesus who promises to keep His sheep also commands His disciples to abide in Him.

And I believe both statements are true.

We cannot use one to silence the other.

4. Why Does Hebrews Warn Brethren About Departing from God?

Turn to Hebrews chapter 3.

Before examining the warning, notice whom the writer addresses.

Hebrews 3:1 says:

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

Notice those words:

"Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling."

Now look at Hebrews 3:6:

"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

Notice the condition:

"If we hold fast."

Then the writer reminds his readers of Israel in the wilderness.

God delivered the Israelites from Egypt. They witnessed His mighty works. Yet many hardened their hearts and refused to believe Him.

Because of unbelief, they did not enter the promised rest.

Now listen to Hebrews 3:12:

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."

I want you to read that again.

Who is being warned?

Brethren.

What is the danger?

An evil heart of unbelief.

And what can that unbelief lead to?

"Departing from the living God."

The writer does not treat unbelief as an imaginary danger.

He commands his readers to take heed.

He also urges them to encourage one another daily so that their hearts will not become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Then Hebrews 3:14 says:

"For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

There it is again.

"If we hold."

Those who believe in the perseverance of the saints argue that continuing in faith demonstrates genuine salvation and that God uses these warnings to preserve His people.

But the question remains: Does the warning describe a real danger for those addressed as brethren, or does it merely identify people who were never truly saved?

I believe the language of Hebrews demands that we take the danger seriously.

The writer warns his readers about developing unbelief and departing from God.

And Hebrews 3:19 tells us why the Israelites failed to enter:

"So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

Not because God lacked power.

Not because God was unfaithful.

But because of unbelief.

The lesson is clear: unbelief is not something God's people should treat lightly.

5. What About Those Who Experienced God's Power and Then Fell Away?

Now turn to Hebrews 6:4–6.

The writer describes people who had experienced remarkable spiritual blessings.

They had been enlightened.

They had tasted the heavenly gift.

They had become partakers of the Holy Ghost.

They had tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come.

Then he speaks about their falling away.

Now I want to ask you something.

Who are these people?

Are we simply talking about people who attended church?

People who heard a few sermons?

People who knew Christian language but never experienced anything real?

The writer describes much more than ordinary religious attendance.

He speaks about people who had experienced the things of God in a profound way.

Some interpret these descriptions as referring to people who experienced spiritual blessings without ever receiving genuine salvation.

But that explanation must account for the full force of the writer's language.

What does it mean to be enlightened?

What does it mean to taste the heavenly gift?

And what does it mean to become a partaker of the Holy Ghost?

These are not insignificant descriptions.

I believe they provide substantial reason to understand the warning as involving people who had genuinely experienced God's saving work.

But there is another part of this passage we must not overlook.

The writer says it is impossible to renew those who fall away to repentance.

Those are sobering words.

The passage is not describing an ordinary Christian who struggles with sin, falls, and later repents. It describes a decisive rejection of Christ after profound exposure to the blessings of the gospel.

The severity of the warning must be considered alongside the description of those receiving it.

And this is my concern.

If the writer is warning people who had genuinely experienced salvation, then the danger of apostasy—deliberately abandoning the faith—is real.

If someone believes these people were never truly saved, that interpretation must explain why the writer describes them in such remarkable spiritual terms.

We cannot simply assume the answer.

Hebrews 6 presents a serious challenge to any teaching that makes turning away from Christ an impossibility for someone who has genuinely believed.

And the next warning is even more direct.

6. He Was Sanctified by the Blood—and Yet Turned Against It

I want you to give this passage your closest attention.

Hebrews 10:28–29 says:

"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

There is a great deal in those verses.

The writer describes someone who has treated Jesus Christ with contempt.

He has trampled underfoot the Son of God.

He has treated the blood of the covenant as something unholy.

He has insulted the Spirit of grace.

But there is one statement I especially want you to notice:

"Wherewith he was sanctified."

Sanctified.

What does that mean?

To be sanctified means to be set apart for God. In the New Testament, the word often describes what Christ accomplishes for those who belong to Him.

Now look carefully at what Hebrews says.

The writer speaks about someone who was sanctified by the blood of the covenant.

Yet that same person is described as treating that blood with contempt.

How are we to understand this?

Before answering, let us examine the surrounding chapter.

Hebrews 10:10 says:

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Then Hebrews 10:14 says:

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Did you notice the repeated word?

Sanctified.

Now return to verse 29:

"Wherewith he was sanctified."

Here is my question.

When the writer says believers are sanctified through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in verses 10 and 14, we understand that he is speaking about Christ's saving work.

Why, then, should we automatically assume that the person described as sanctified in verse 29 was never genuinely saved?

Now someone may respond that the word sanctified does not always mean a person has experienced salvation.

That is true.

For example, 1 Corinthians 7:14 speaks about an unbelieving husband being sanctified in relation to his believing wife. Clearly, that does not mean the unbelieving husband has automatically been born again.

So the meaning of sanctification must be determined from its context.

But that brings us right back to Hebrews 10.

In verse 10, sanctification is connected to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In verse 14, sanctification is again connected to His sacrifice.

Then, in verse 29, the writer describes someone sanctified by the blood of the covenant who later treats that blood as unholy.

Shouldn't we consider how the writer has already used the word in this very chapter?

I believe we should.

Some understand the sanctification in verse 29 as an outward covenant relationship rather than personal salvation. But I believe the immediate context gives us compelling reason to understand it as referring to someone who had genuinely experienced Christ's sanctifying work.

And if that understanding is correct, the warning presents a serious challenge to unconditional eternal security.

Now someone may ask, "But doesn't Hebrews 10:14 say Christ has perfected forever those who are sanctified?"

Yes, it does.

And I believe Christ's sacrifice is completely sufficient.

Nothing needs to be added to what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

But look at Hebrews 10:26:

"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins."

Notice the words:

"If we sin wilfully."

The writer includes himself among those addressed by the warning.

In context, he is not simply talking about a Christian who commits a sin, feels convicted, and repents.

He is warning about a deliberate rejection of Christ and His sacrifice.

Think about it.

If someone rejects the only sacrifice that can save him, where else can he go for forgiveness?

There is no other Savior.

There is no other sacrifice.

There is no other way to the Father.

Now let us return to the evidence.

The writer describes someone sanctified by the blood of the covenant.

That person later treats the blood with contempt.

And the writer warns of terrible judgment.

I believe Hebrews 10:29 is one of the strongest passages challenging the claim that a genuinely saved person can never turn away from Christ and be lost.

We must account for those words.

"Wherewith he was sanctified."

We cannot simply pass over them because they do not fit comfortably with what we have always believed.

7. Why Did Jesus Say, "Abide in Me"?

Now let us return to the words of Jesus.

In John 15:4, He said:

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

The word abide means to remain or continue. Jesus is the vine, and His disciples are the branches. A branch does not sustain itself; it receives life through its connection to the vine.

Now listen to John 15:6:

"If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

That is a serious statement. Jesus commands His disciples to remain in Him, and He describes the consequences of not abiding.

Some Christians explain that the branches thrown away were never genuinely saved. They may have appeared to belong to Christ, but they never possessed a true saving relationship with Him.

I understand that explanation. But may I invite you to consider a question?

Suppose someone believes the gospel, follows Christ for many years, serves faithfully, and demonstrates what appears to be spiritual fruit. Then that person turns away from Christ and never returns. Some would say that this final departure proves the person was never genuinely saved.

If someone can appear to be genuinely saved for many years, only for us to conclude later that they never were, how can a Christian know that their salvation is genuine today?

Those who believe God guarantees the perseverance of every true believer have an answer: they point to God's promises, present faith in Christ, the Spirit's work, and the evidence of a changed life. They do not necessarily believe Christians must live without assurance until death. I want to represent that view fairly.

But here is the answer I believe Jesus places before us, and it is wonderfully direct: Abide in Him. Continue trusting Him. Heed His warnings. Remain with Him until the end.

We need not spend our lives trying to prove that an experience from twenty years ago was genuine while neglecting our relationship with Christ today. Scripture calls us to a living faith, not merely a memory of faith.

Hebrews 3:14 says:

"For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

Notice those words: "If we hold."

John 15:2 also speaks of "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit." The words in me deserve careful consideration. Christians differ over whether this describes a saving union with Christ or an outward connection to Him. But we should not rush past Jesus' own command while debating the identity of the branches.

He said, "Abide in me."

Jesus also said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), and "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). The latter warning appears in a passage about recognizing false prophets, so it is not an infallible test by which we can judge another person's salvation. Nevertheless, Jesus' wider teaching connects discipleship with obedience and fruitfulness.

A believer may stumble and need forgiveness and restoration. That is different from deliberately abandoning Christ and refusing to return. Obedience does not purchase salvation, but neither should a past profession be used to excuse a settled life of rebellion.

Our actions give a voice to our choices.

I recognize that Christians who believe in the perseverance of the saints also call people to abide in Christ. They understand that perseverance as the result of God's preserving grace. My disagreement is not with their call to remain faithful; it is with the conclusion that someone who once genuinely believed could never later turn away and be lost.

Perhaps, then, we can begin where Jesus began. Before trying to settle every question about someone else's past, let us hear His words for our own lives today:

"Abide in me."

That is not a call to trust our own strength. It is a call to remain in the Savior who gives us life.

A past profession of faith must never become a substitute for a present, living faith in Jesus Christ.

8. Jesus Spoke to His Churches: Repent, Hold Fast, and Overcome

There is something I want you to see in the book of Revelation.

In chapters 2 and 3, Jesus Christ speaks directly to seven churches.

Notice that carefully.

He is speaking to His churches.

And what does He tell them?

He commands them to repent.

He commands them to hold fast.

He commands them to remain faithful.

And repeatedly, He speaks about overcoming.

These are not casual suggestions.

They are solemn words from the risen Christ.

The Church at Ephesus

In Revelation 2:5, Jesus says:

"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

This church had labored, endured, and stood against false teachers.

Yet Jesus told them they had left their first love.

He commanded them to repent.

The warning about removing their candlestick concerns the church's standing as a congregation. It does not, by itself, prove that an individual believer loses salvation.

But it establishes something important.

Jesus did not treat their past faithfulness as a reason to ignore their present spiritual condition.

The Church at Smyrna

In Revelation 2:10, Jesus says:

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

Then in verse 11:

"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

Notice the connection.

Faithfulness.

Overcoming.

The crown of life.

Deliverance from the second death.

Jesus calls His people to remain faithful even in the face of suffering and death.

The Church at Thyatira

Now listen to Revelation 2:25–26:

"But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations."

There it is again.

"Hold fast till I come."

And then:

"He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end."

Why does Jesus place such emphasis on holding fast and continuing until the end?

Why not simply tell them that because they once believed, their final condition could never be in danger?

Instead, He commands them to hold fast.

The Church at Sardis: What About the Rest?

Now we come to something I want you to examine very carefully.

In Revelation 3:1, Jesus tells the church at Sardis:

"I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."

Think about that.

This church had a reputation for being alive.

But Jesus knew its true spiritual condition.

He commanded them to be watchful, strengthen what remained, remember what they had received, hold fast, and repent.

But now notice something important.

In Revelation 3:4, Jesus says:

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."

A few.

Let that sink in.

Jesus identifies a few people in this church who had not defiled their garments.

And what does He say about them?

"They shall walk with me in white."

Now I want to ask you something.

If Jesus specifically identifies these few and promises that they will walk with Him in white, what about the rest?

What about those who had defiled their garments?

What about those who were spiritually asleep?

What about those who refused to repent?

Why does Jesus make a distinction between the faithful few and the others?

And notice what He says next.

Revelation 3:5:

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

There is that word again.

Overcometh.

Jesus promises white garments to the one who overcomes.

He promises not to blot out that person's name from the book of life.

And He promises to confess that person's name before His Father.

Now let us consider the evidence.

Jesus did not tell the entire congregation that they would walk with Him in white regardless of their response.

He singled out the faithful few.

He called the others to repent.

And He directed His promise to the one who overcomes.

Does this passage explicitly tell us that every unfaithful member of Sardis had once been genuinely saved? No.

Does it explicitly say that the names of genuinely saved people will be blotted out? No. The statement is a promise to those who overcome.

But neither does Jesus tell us that every unfaithful member of Sardis had never been saved.

What He does tell us is that their spiritual condition matters, repentance is necessary, and His promise is directed to those who overcome.

That is the testimony before us.

Someone may argue that everyone who ultimately fails to overcome was never genuinely saved.

But that explanation must be established from Scripture. We cannot simply assume it whenever we encounter a warning that challenges unconditional eternal security.

And here is the question I want to leave before the reader:

If Jesus distinguishes between those who remain faithful and those who do not, and calls the unfaithful to repentance, on what biblical grounds should we assure someone that permanently turning away from Christ can never endanger his salvation?

I believe the warning to Sardis gives us serious reason to reject that assurance.

The Church at Philadelphia

In Revelation 3:11, Jesus says:

"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

Again, notice the command.

"Hold that fast which thou hast."

Even to a church Jesus commends for its faithfulness, He gives a command to hold fast.

The Church at Laodicea

Jesus rebukes this church for being lukewarm.

In Revelation 3:19, He says:

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

Then in verse 21:

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."

Once again, Jesus speaks about overcoming.

Now Let Us Consider the Evidence

We have heard the testimony.

Jesus was speaking to His churches.

He commanded them to repent.

He commanded them to hold fast.

He commanded them to remain faithful.

He called them to overcome.

And He connected His promises to those who overcome.

Now here is the question:

If remaining faithful until the end is so important that Jesus repeatedly warns His churches about it, on what biblical grounds should we tell someone that turning away from Christ can never place his salvation in danger?

That question deserves a biblical answer.

Some argue that genuine believers will certainly overcome because God preserves them. They also point out that a church congregation can include people who have never truly believed.

But those observations do not remove the seriousness of Jesus' commands.

They do not erase His warnings.

And when we place these words beside Hebrews 3, Hebrews 6, Hebrews 10, and John 15, I believe the case becomes stronger.

Jesus tells His disciples to abide in Him.

Hebrews warns brethren against departing from the living God.

And the risen Christ repeatedly commands His churches to hold fast and overcome.

These passages belong together.

I believe they present a compelling biblical case that continuing in faith matters and that turning away from Christ is a danger no believer should dismiss.

I am not presenting this argument to frighten Christians who sincerely love the Lord and are struggling to walk faithfully with Him.

I am presenting it because we must take the warnings of Jesus as seriously as we take His promises.

The Lord who promises eternal life is the same Lord who commands His people to overcome.

We have no right to ignore either His promises or His warnings.

9. They Escaped the World—and Then Returned to It

Now consider 2 Peter 2:20–21.

Peter describes people who escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

But something terrible happened.

They became entangled in that corruption again.

Listen to verse 20:

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."

Notice what Peter says.

They escaped.

They became entangled again.

They were overcome.

And their final condition was worse than before.

Now here is the question.

How did they escape the corruption of the world?

Peter says it was through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Those are serious words.

We must also remember the context. Peter is warning about false teachers who exploit others and promote corruption.

He goes on to compare their return to corruption to a dog returning to its vomit and a washed pig returning to the mud.

Some understand those illustrations as showing that the people were never truly changed inside.

But we must account for Peter's earlier description.

They had escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of Christ.

Then they returned.

And their final condition became worse.

I believe this passage adds to the biblical warnings against turning away from Christ after experiencing the truth of the gospel.

A past experience with the things of God must never become an excuse for present rebellion.

10. Can Someone Really Fall from Grace?

Listen to what Paul says in Galatians 5:4:

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

Did you notice that?

"Ye are fallen from grace."

Paul was dealing with people being persuaded to seek justification through the law of Moses rather than through faith in Christ.

Earlier, in Galatians 3:3, he asked:

"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

Think about that question.

They had begun in the Spirit.

Now they were being tempted to turn away from trusting Christ and depend upon their own efforts.

Paul was deeply concerned.

Why?

Because the gospel is not about earning our way to heaven.

It is about what Jesus Christ has done for us.

Now, falling from grace in this passage is not simply another way of describing an ordinary Christian committing a sin.

Paul is warning about abandoning reliance upon Christ and seeking righteousness through the law.

That distinction matters.

But so does the warning.

What happens when someone turns away from trusting Christ and begins looking somewhere else for salvation?

Paul does not treat that as a small matter.

Neither should we.

11. Paul Said, "You Stand by Faith"

Now turn to Romans 11:20–22.

Paul says:

"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear."

Then he warns:

"For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee."

And he continues:

"Toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Notice those words.

"Thou standest by faith."

"If thou continue."

"Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Paul is discussing Israel and the Gentiles in God's saving plan. The branches represent groups within that larger discussion, so we should not automatically treat this passage as a direct statement about an individual losing salvation.

But the warning remains important.

Paul tells his readers not to become proud.

He reminds them that they stand by faith.

And he warns them about the danger of unbelief.

That is entirely consistent with the warnings we have already examined.

The biblical message is not that we should become careless because of what happened in the past.

It is that we should continue trusting in the Lord.

12. What Happens When a Righteous Person Turns Away?

There is another passage I want us to consider.

This one is in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 18:24 teaches that a righteous person who turns away from righteousness and practices wickedness faces judgment.

God was speaking to Israel about righteousness, wickedness, repentance, and judgment.

We must remember that this passage comes from the Old Testament and does not directly settle how New Testament salvation works.

But notice the principle.

God speaks about a righteous person turning away from righteousness.

His former righteousness does not give him permission to live in rebellion without consequences.

Ezekiel 33:12–13 gives a similar warning.

I am not presenting Ezekiel as proof, by itself, that a Christian can lose salvation.

I am pointing out a consistent biblical concern.

God repeatedly warns people against trusting in their past while turning away from Him in the present.

And that principle deserves our attention.

13. What About Those Who "Went Out from Us"?

Now we come to an important passage often used to defend eternal security.

First John 2:19 says:

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us."

John is speaking about people who left the Christian community and opposed the truth about Jesus Christ.

He says their departure revealed that they were not truly part of the believing community.

That is what the passage teaches about those particular people.

But here is the question.

Does this mean that every person who ever turns away from Christ was never genuinely saved?

That is a broader conclusion.

Those who defend the perseverance of the saints understand John's words as expressing a principle that applies to everyone who finally abandons the faith.

But I do not believe this passage requires us to apply John's explanation of those particular opponents to every possible case of apostasy.

John tells us why the people he is describing went out.

Hebrews warns brethren against departing from the living God.

We must allow both passages to speak.

We should not take an explanation given about one group of people and automatically assume it settles every warning about falling away found elsewhere in Scripture.

The Bible must be allowed to explain itself.

14. If God Keeps Us, Why Are We Warned to Continue?

Someone might ask me:

"Are you saying that keeping our salvation depends upon our own strength?"

No. Absolutely not.

We are saved by God's grace, and we depend upon that grace every day.

Listen to Philippians 1:6:

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

What a wonderful statement of God's faithfulness!

But now look at Philippians 2:12–13:

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

Notice how these truths go together.

God is working in us.

And we are called to respond to His work.

God gives us grace.

And we are called to walk in faith and obedience.

There is no contradiction between depending upon God's grace and taking His warnings seriously.

Now this brings us to something important.

Christians who believe in eternal security often say, "All true believers endure to the end."

But that does not answer the question we are examining.

The question is not whether Christians must continue in faith.

The question is whether everyone who has genuinely believed is guaranteed to continue, or whether someone can later turn away through unbelief.

Those are two different things.

Some Christians believe God guarantees that every truly saved person will continue.

I believe the warnings of Scripture show that continuing in faith is necessary and that turning away is a real danger.

That is where the disagreement lies.

What About the Great Falling Away?

Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:3:

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."

Paul describes a falling away as part of his warning about deception and the events associated with the day of the Lord. First Timothy 4:1 likewise warns that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith."

These passages do not expressly say that every person who departs had previously experienced genuine salvation. The falling away in 2 Thessalonians may describe a wider rebellion against God. We should not make the passage say more than it says.

But its warning belongs alongside the repeated calls to remain faithful. If someone teaches that a genuinely saved person can permanently reject Christ and still be certain of heaven, we ought to ask: What eternal danger does that teaching recognize in deliberately abandoning the faith?

There can certainly be serious consequences of apostasy beyond the question of salvation. Yet the warnings of Hebrews, the commands of Jesus to abide, and Paul's calls to continue in faith require more than a casual assurance that a past experience makes our present response irrelevant.

The great falling away is not, by itself, proof of my position. It is another reason to take departure from the faith seriously and to consider the full testimony of Scripture.

15. Can Anything Separate Us from God's Love?

Now let us consider another wonderful promise.

Romans 8:38–39 says:

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I love this passage.

It reminds us that God's love is greater than anything this world can bring against us.

No enemy can overpower Him.

No hardship can defeat His love.

No created power can force God to abandon His children.

Those who believe in eternal security point to this passage, along with the rest of Romans 8, as strong evidence that God will bring every truly saved person safely to the end.

That is a serious argument, and it deserves to be considered in its full context.

But here is the question I would ask.

Is Paul assuring believers that no power can defeat God's saving love?

Certainly.

Does that assurance also establish that a person who genuinely believes can never later abandon faith in Christ?

That is the disputed question.

I do not believe Romans 8 should be separated from the warnings elsewhere in Scripture about continuing in faith.

God's promises are wonderful.

His warnings are serious.

And both come from the same Lord.

We should not ignore either one.

16. Salvation Is by Grace—And Faith Calls Us to Continue

Someone may say, "If you believe a Christian must continue in faith, aren't you teaching salvation by works?"

No. Not at all.

Ephesians 2:8–9 says:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

We cannot save ourselves. We cannot earn forgiveness. We cannot work our way into heaven. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and what He accomplished on the cross is sufficient.

But the fact that Christ has accomplished salvation does not mean everyone is automatically saved. Scripture calls people to respond to the gospel in faith. Paul wrote that it pleased God "by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Here is the question: If we are called to respond to Christ in faith, why should we assume that continuing to trust Him no longer matters after our conversion?

In Colossians 1:21–23, Paul speaks to people reconciled to God through Christ's death and then says:

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel."

Notice those words: "If ye continue in the faith."

Paul does not say that we must earn salvation through good works. He speaks about continuing in faith. There is a difference.

A Relationship We Are Called to Continue

At the heart of the Christian life is a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus says, "Abide in me" (John 15:4). He also says, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

I believe that God's call to faith invites a genuine human response, and that our responsibility to respond does not disappear after we first believe. We continue to face choices about trusting, obeying, and following the Lord. Christians differ about how God's preserving grace and human freedom work together, but the biblical commands to continue, repent, and remain faithful are unmistakable.

Joshua called Israel to choose whom they would serve (Joshua 24:15). That passage was addressed to Israel in its own covenant setting, not as a direct explanation of New Testament salvation. Still, it illustrates the seriousness of responding to God's call.

Our choices matter. Our actions give a voice to our choices.

This does not mean a Christian who sins has no hope. Peter denied the Lord and was restored. A person who has wandered for years may repent and return. We should welcome the repentant, not pronounce them beyond God's mercy.

But what of the person who knowingly abandons Christ, settles into unbelief, and refuses to return? I do not believe Scripture authorizes us to assure that person of heaven merely because of an earlier profession or experience.

The issue is not whether Christ is strong enough to keep His people. He is. The issue is whether His promises of protection should be interpreted as removing the responsibility to continue in Him.

Jesus said no one could pluck His sheep out of His hand (John 10:28–29). That is a promise we should cherish. But the passage does not explicitly settle whether a believer can later choose to abandon faith. That question must be considered with the commands and warnings elsewhere in Scripture.

The message I want believers to hear is not, "Live every day terrified that one mistake will destroy you." It is this: Love Christ. Trust Him. When you stumble, repent and return. Heed His warnings, depend on His grace, and remain with Him until the end.

Salvation is by grace through faith. And the call to continue in that faith is not a denial of grace.

17. What Do All These Warnings Tell Us?

We have examined many passages.

Now I want us to consider what they say when we put them together.

Hebrews 3 warns brethren about an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God.

Hebrews 6 describes people who experienced remarkable spiritual blessings and then speaks of falling away.

Hebrews 10 speaks about someone who was sanctified by the blood of the covenant and later treated that blood with contempt.

Jesus tells His disciples to abide in Him.

And in Revelation, the risen Christ speaks directly to His churches.

He commands them to repent.

He commands them to hold fast.

He calls them to overcome.

In Sardis, He identifies a few who have not defiled their garments and promises that they will walk with Him in white.

Then He promises the one who overcomes that his name will not be blotted out of the book of life.

Peter describes people who escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of Christ but became entangled again.

Paul warns about falling from grace.

He warns against unbelief.

And he tells believers to continue in the faith.

Now I want to ask you something.

Can we explain all these warnings simply by saying that anyone who finally turns away from Christ was never saved in the first place?

I do not believe that explanation adequately accounts for the full testimony of these passages.

The warnings are directed toward people spoken of as brethren, partakers, and those who have experienced the work of God.

Jesus Himself speaks to His churches about repentance, faithfulness, and overcoming.

And the writer of Hebrews warns about departing from the living God.

We cannot simply dismiss these warnings by assuming that every person who falls away must never have been saved.

I believe Scripture gives us compelling reason to conclude that a person who genuinely believed can later turn away from Christ through settled unbelief and be lost.

That is why I reject unconditional eternal security.

Not because I doubt God's power.

Not because I believe we can earn salvation.

And not because I think every Christian who struggles with sin is lost.

I reject it because I believe the Bible warns that turning away from Christ is a real danger, even for those who have genuinely believed.

That is the conclusion I have reached from examining these passages together.

But there is something else we must consider.

It concerns not only what we read in Scripture, but how we understand what we read.

18. Knowing the Words of Scripture Is Not the Same as Understanding Their Meaning

There is something I want us to consider carefully.

Is it possible to read the Bible, quote its words accurately, and still misunderstand what those words mean?

I believe it is.

And I want to give you a simple illustration.

The Same Words, But Different Relationships

Suppose someone sees me embracing a woman on the street and hears me say, "I love you."

Later, that same person sees me embracing another woman and saying the same thing.

Then, on another occasion, the person sees me embracing a third woman and again hears me say, "I love you."

Now imagine that person begins telling others that I must be having affairs with several women.

But what if I told you that the first woman was my mother, the second was my sister, and the third was my wife?

Suddenly, everything becomes clear.

The person accurately heard my words.

The person accurately witnessed my actions.

But the conclusion was wrong.

Why?

Because the person did not understand the context.

The words "I love you" were spoken on all three occasions.

But the relationships helped explain what those words meant.

The words themselves were not the problem.

The problem was the conclusion someone reached without understanding the circumstances.

Now think about that in relation to the Bible.

Is it possible to quote a verse correctly and still misunderstand what God is communicating?

Of course it is.

That is why context matters.

And that is why understanding Scripture involves more than simply knowing its words.

What Does It Mean to Understand Scripture?

There is a beautiful passage in the Old Testament that illustrates this principle.

Nehemiah 8:8 says:

"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."

Notice those words:

"And gave the sense."

What does that mean?

It means they helped the people understand what was being read. They made the meaning clear.

The people were not merely hearing the words of God's law. They were being helped to understand what those words meant.

Now think about that.

If simply hearing the words were enough, why was there a need to help the people understand the reading?

Because hearing and understanding are not always the same thing.

And this is not the only passage that makes that distinction.

In Matthew 13:19, Jesus said:

"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart."

Notice that the person heard the Word but did not understand it.

Jesus was explaining the parable of the sower and why the Word failed to take root in some hearers.

The passage is not specifically about disagreements over Bible doctrine, but it clearly shows the importance of understanding what we hear.

And in Luke 8:18, Jesus said:

"Take heed therefore how ye hear."

What a serious statement!

Jesus was teaching about receiving and responding to God's Word. His warning reminds us that hearing God's Word is not something we should approach carelessly.

We must pay attention to what God is saying.

And we must seek to understand it.

Now Let Us Return to the Promise in John 10

Someone who believes in unconditional eternal security may quote the words of Jesus:

"And they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

And then say, "There it is! Jesus said it. You either believe His Word or you don't."

But wait a moment.

I believe those words too.

I believe Jesus said them.

I believe His promise is true.

The disagreement is not about whether Jesus spoke those words.

The disagreement is about what those words mean and how they should be understood alongside the other Scriptures.

Does Jesus mean that no enemy can overpower Him and take His sheep away?

His words certainly teach the security of His sheep in His powerful care.

But does the promise also mean that someone who genuinely believed can never later turn away from Him through unbelief?

That is the question we are examining.

And repeating the words "They shall never perish" does not, by itself, settle the disagreement.

Why?

Because both sides already believe those words.

The question is how they should be interpreted.

And this is where the rest of Scripture becomes so important.

We have Hebrews 3 warning brethren about departing from the living God.

We have Hebrews 6 describing people who experienced remarkable spiritual blessings and then speaking about falling away.

We have Hebrews 10 describing someone who was sanctified by the blood of the covenant and later treated that blood with contempt.

We have John 15, where Jesus commands His disciples to abide in Him.

We have Revelation 2 and 3, where the risen Christ repeatedly commands His churches to repent, hold fast, and overcome.

Shouldn't these passages be considered when we seek to understand the promise in John 10?

I believe they must be.

And the same principle works in the other direction.

When I quote Hebrews 3 or Hebrews 10, I must also consider John 10, Romans 8, and the other wonderful promises God has made concerning His power to keep His people.

I cannot simply quote a warning and assume that my interpretation settles everything.

Neither can someone else quote a promise and assume that their interpretation settles everything.

We must allow Scripture to help us understand Scripture.

The Difference Between God's Word and Our Interpretation

Here is something I believe every Christian should remember.

God's Word is true.

But our understanding of God's Word is not always perfect.

Two sincere Christians can read the same passage, believe that every word is inspired by God, and yet reach different conclusions about what it means.

That does not necessarily mean one person believes the Bible and the other does not.

It means they disagree about its interpretation.

Now, both interpretations cannot be correct in every respect if they directly contradict one another.

So how do we determine which understanding is faithful to Scripture?

We examine the context.

We consider what the writer was addressing.

We look at the people being spoken to.

We examine the words and their meaning.

And we compare the passage with other Scriptures that speak about the same subject.

We must also remember that not every passage addresses the same question in exactly the same way. A promise about Christ's power, a warning against unbelief, and a command to remain faithful may each contribute something important to our understanding.

We must not force them to say more than they actually say.

And we need humility.

Because sometimes the greatest obstacle to understanding Scripture is not that the words are difficult.

Sometimes it is that we have already decided what those words must mean.

We Need the Holy Spirit's Help

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:15:

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Notice that Paul emphasizes handling God's Word correctly.

And in 2 Timothy 2:7, he writes:

"Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things."

What a beautiful combination.

Consider what is being taught.

And look to the Lord for understanding.

We need careful study.

But we also need the Holy Spirit's help.

We should never approach the Bible as though understanding spiritual truth is merely an exercise in human intelligence.

At the same time, we must be careful not to assume that our interpretation is correct simply because we believe the Holy Spirit has guided us.

That is another reason humility is so important.

We must continually examine our understanding in the light of Scripture.

The Whole Counsel of God

In Acts 20:27, Paul said:

"For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."

Notice those words:

"All the counsel of God."

That is a principle I believe we should take seriously.

We should not build our understanding of a doctrine by selecting only the passages that appear to support our position while neglecting others that seem to challenge it.

When studying eternal security, we must consider both the promises and the warnings.

We must consider what Jesus said about His sheep never perishing.

And we must consider what He said about abiding in Him.

We must consider what Paul said about nothing separating us from God's love.

And we must consider what the writer of Hebrews said about departing from the living God.

We must examine the passages carefully, in their proper context, and seek to understand how they fit together.

And here is the point I especially want to emphasize.

Knowing what Scripture says is essential. But understanding what Scripture means is just as important.

That is why I believe Nehemiah 8:8 is so meaningful.

They read the Word.

They gave the sense.

And they helped the people understand.

That should be our desire whenever we open the Bible.

Not merely to repeat its words.

Not merely to defend what we have always believed.

But to understand what God is actually teaching us.

And that brings us to one final question.

Are we willing to let Scripture correct us?

19. Are We Willing to Let Scripture Correct Us?

Now I want to return to the question with which we began.

What do we do when Scripture challenges something we have believed for many years?

Perhaps your pastor taught you a particular doctrine.

Perhaps your parents believed it.

Perhaps you have heard respected Bible teachers explain it for decades.

And perhaps you have never seriously questioned it.

But what happens when you come across passages that seem to challenge that teaching?

Do you examine them carefully?

Or do you immediately look for an explanation that will allow you to keep believing exactly what you have always believed?

I believe that is a question every Christian should ask.

I am not suggesting that everyone who disagrees with my conclusion is refusing to follow Scripture.

But sincerity alone does not make an interpretation correct.

We must examine God's Word.

Acts 17:11 tells us about the Bereans.

They listened to the message being preached, but they also searched the Scriptures daily to see whether what they were hearing was true.

What a wonderful example!

They did not simply reject a message because it challenged them.

But neither did they accept something merely because a respected teacher said it.

They examined the Scriptures.

And that is what I am asking us to do.

No pastor knows everything.

No Bible teacher is right about everything.

No denomination has a perfect understanding of every passage.

And neither do I.

That is why we must remain willing to learn.

If what we believe is true, careful Bible study should strengthen our confidence.

But if we discover that something we have believed is not supported by Scripture, we should be willing to change.

Our loyalty must be to the Word of God, not simply to what we have always been taught.

Conclusion: Remain in Christ Until the End

We began with a question: What if someone genuinely believed in Christ, followed Him for years, and then deliberately turned away and never returned?

I have not tried to answer that question with a familiar saying. I have asked us to listen to the Scriptures.

Hebrews warns brethren about departing from the living God. Hebrews 6 describes people who have experienced profound spiritual blessings and then speaks of falling away. Hebrews 10 warns about treating the blood of the covenant with contempt. Jesus tells His disciples to abide in Him. In Revelation, He commands His churches to repent, hold fast, and overcome. Paul calls believers to continue in the faith.

I believe these passages, considered together with God's wonderful promises of security, give compelling reason to reject the claim that someone can genuinely receive Christ, permanently abandon Him through settled unbelief, and nevertheless be assured of eternal life.

That is my conclusion. I recognize that other Christians interpret these passages differently. I am not asking anyone to accept my conclusion merely because I have stated it. I am asking readers to examine the biblical evidence and its context.

The Answer Is to Abide

There is a positive answer at the center of this discussion.

If someone asks, "How can I know that I am genuinely connected to Christ?" my answer is not to spend a lifetime trying to reconstruct whether a past experience was real. It is to look to Christ today: trust Him, love Him, obey His Word, heed His warnings, and continue in Him.

Jesus said, "Abide in me" (John 15:4). Hebrews says we are partakers of Christ "if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14). Jesus said, "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13). That last statement appears in a discourse about coming trials and must be understood in that setting, but it belongs to the wider biblical call to endurance.

This is not salvation by our own strength. Our hope rests in Jesus Christ, who saves by grace and is faithful to those who call upon Him. A struggling Christian should not despair. If you have fallen, repent and return. If you are weak, seek His help. Do not give up on the Lord.

But neither should anyone use God's grace as permission to abandon the Savior. A past decision must not become an excuse to disregard Christ's call to remain in Him.

Present the Case and Leave the Response to God

When the Sadducees challenged Jesus about the resurrection, He answered them from Scripture. He said, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:32). Matthew records that His answer astonished the crowd and silenced His opponents, but does not tell us whether those Sadducees ultimately believed.

The truth of His teaching did not depend on their acceptance of it.

In the same way, I do not expect every reader to agree with this essay. My responsibility is to present the case faithfully, examine the Scriptures carefully, and leave the response to the reader's conscience and the work of the Holy Spirit.

As Nehemiah 8:8 reminds us, we must not merely read the words of Scripture; we must seek to understand their meaning. And we must remain willing to let God's Word correct our long-held assumptions—including my own.

The question is not whether we have successfully defended a doctrine. The question is whether we have faithfully listened to the Word of God.

And the encouragement I leave with every believer is simple:

Stay with the Lord. Love Him. Trust Him. Heed His warnings. Depend upon His grace. And remain in Christ until the end.

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Author: Nehemiah Maxwell

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV).