Why Salvation Cannot Be Lost and Grace Cannot Fail
By Dr. Robert c Crowder
Anchor Verse:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Introduction: Holding Fast to What God Holds Secure
Every believer, especially early in their Christian Walk, wrestles at some point with the question, “Am I really saved?” Perhaps the question arises after a season of failure or spiritual dryness. Others ask, “If I were truly saved, would I have done that?” or “Why do I not feel saved anymore?” These are honest questions and good ones. But they must be answered, not by emotion or experience, but by Scripture.
As a pastor and teacher, I’ve often counseled Christians through such seasons. And over the years, I’ve come to realize this: most doubts about salvation stem from either a misunderstanding of what salvation is or a confusion between grace and works. This article is designed to clarify both.
I. What Is Eternal Security?
Eternal security is the biblical doctrine that once a person is genuinely saved: born again by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, they are forever saved. Salvation is not temporary or probationary. It is eternal because it is secured by the eternal God who cannot lie, cannot fail, and cannot be overthrown.
Key Texts:
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Titus 1:2 (KJV) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
1 John 2:25 (KJV) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
When God promises eternal life, He is not speaking of a life that can be lost tomorrow or revoked the next time we stumble. He is speaking of a life that is anchored in the finished work of Christ and upheld by His divine power.
II. God Promised, God Produced
God’s promises are not like ours: subject to change, failure, or emotion. “His Word is settled forever” (Psalm 119:89), and when He says something, He fulfills it. Eternal life is not just a hopeful wish; it is a divinely secured reality for every believer.
1 John 5:11-13 declares,
1 John 5:11-13 (KJV) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
We are not meant to guess. We are meant to know.
III. The Basis of Our Security: Grace, Not Works
The root confusion for many Christians comes from mixing grace with performance. Paul settles the matter decisively in Ephesians 2:8-9:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) 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.
Salvation is not based on our good behavior, regular devotions, or church attendance. These are important for our fellowship with God and our usefulness to others for sure, but they do not secure salvation. Only the grace of God through the shed blood of Christ can do that.
To suggest that a believer can lose salvation because of sin is to say that sin is more powerful than Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross: and that is a theological impossibility.
IV. What About Willful Sin and Apostasy?
This is where some stumble. They ask, “Can a Christian lose salvation through willful sin?” Scripture makes clear that sin affects our fellowship with God, not our relationship as His child (1 John 1:6-9). Like a disobedient son, the believer may suffer chastening (Hebrews 12:6-11), but never disownment.
There are passages (e.g., Hebrews 6, Hebrews 10) that warn against apostasy. But these are not contradictions to eternal security. They serve to warn pretenders, not to frighten genuine believers. 1 John 2:19 shows those who permanently depart from the faith were never truly saved.
The unpardonable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, was a unique rejection of Christ’s work during His earthly ministry. No truly saved believer can or will commit it, as they have already believed on the Son and been sealed by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
V. Feelings Versus Facts: Trusting God’s Word, Not Emotions
There is a difference between “feeling saved” and “being saved.” Feelings fluctuate, especially when we’re tired, discouraged, or convicted. But the truth does not change. Romans 8 assures us:
Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) 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.
Resting in God’s promise is not arrogance, it is obedience. When you trust Christ, you are saved, not because you held on tightly to Him, but because He is holding on tightly to you.
VI. Our Position in Christ Is Secure
Jesus said in John 10:27–29,
John 10:27-29 (KJV) 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.
We are doubly secure: in the hand of the Son and the hand of the Father. If a believer could fall from grace, then the promise of eternal life would be a lie. But God does not lie.
VII. Living Securely: Assurance Fuels Holiness
Some fear that eternal security leads to careless living. Not so for the truly born again. Gratitude, not fear, becomes the motivation for holy living (Romans 12:1–2). Security does not produce license, it produces love, devotion, and obedience.
Conclusion: Eternal Means Eternal
Salvation is not a fragile hope: it is a finished work. Eternal security is not a theological luxury, it is the natural result of trusting a Savior who cannot fail. Jesus Christ did not die to offer us a temporary reprieve from condemnation, but to give us life, eternal life, rooted in His own unchanging nature.
When God saves a man, He does so with full knowledge of who that man is, what he’s done, and what he will yet struggle with. Grace is not given because we are good, but because Christ is sufficient. His death paid for every sin. His resurrection declared victory over the grave. His intercession keeps us secure even when we stumble.
To say a believer can lose salvation is to call into question the sufficiency of the cross, the reliability of God’s promise, and the power of Christ’s ongoing priesthood. But the Scripture speaks clearly:
Hebrews 7:25 (KJV) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
The doctrine of eternal security is not an excuse to live carelessly. Rather, it is a call to live gratefully. A settled heart produces a sanctified life. We obey not to be saved, but because we are saved. We persevere not to earn His favor, but because His Spirit enables us to walk in victory.
So let the doubter take courage. Let the weary believer return to the truth of God’s Word. If you have truly trusted Christ, your salvation is not in your grip, but in His. And no one, not even you, can pluck you from His hand.
Philippians 1:6 (KJV) 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:
Bibliography
Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Systematic Theology. 8 vols. Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 1947. —A classic dispensational framework supporting eternal security based on grace, not works.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. The Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events. Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1982. —While eschatological in focus, Fruchtenbaum reinforces the permanence of salvation for the Church.
Geisler, Norman L. Systematic Theology, Volume 3: Sin and Salvation. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2004. —A well-reasoned defense of eternal security from a non-Calvinist evangelical scholar.
Hutson, Curtis. Salvation Crystal Clear. Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1990. —An accessible and pastoral treatment on the assurance of salvation, often cited by Baptist pastors.
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1995. —A verse-by-verse commentary that defends eternal security and grace-based salvation.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. Things Which Become Sound Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1965. —A concise study on the doctrines of the Christian life, with emphasis on grace and security.
Ryrie, Charles C. So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1997. —A vital defense of salvation by grace through faith and the believer’s security in Christ.
Showers, Renald E. There Really Is a Difference: A Comparison of Covenant and Dispensational Theology. Bellmawr, NJ: Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, 1990. —Provides theological clarity on dispensational distinctions, including the assurance of salvation in the Church Age.
Toussaint, Stanley D. Essays in Honor of J. Dwight Pentecost. Edited by Stanley D. Toussaint and Charles H. Dyer. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1986. —Contains valuable dispensational insights, especially on the believer’s position in Christ.
Walvoord, John F. Major Bible Themes. Revised by Roy B. Zuck. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1974. —An enduring doctrinal guide, with clear teaching on the eternal security of the believer.
