Let’s explore one of the most vital questions in our faith journey – the security of our salvation. This isn’t just theological theory; it touches the heart of our relationship with Jesus and our forever home. The beautiful truth is that God’s grace is incredibly secure for those who remain in Him, yet Jesus gave us two serious warnings about ways we can forfeit this precious gift. Let’s walk through this together with both the comfort of God’s amazing grace and the sobering reality of His truth.

Biblical Insight

The foundational truth of salvation security is powerfully expressed in John 10:28-29: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone 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.” This shows God’s tremendous power in keeping His children secure.

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The Apostle Paul reinforces this security in Romans 8:38-39, declaring that nothing external can separate us from God’s love in the Messiah. However, Jesus Himself gave four clear warnings about how a person can separate themselves from this security through their own choices. or free-will

Warning One: Denying Jesus

The first and perhaps most direct warning comes in Matthew 10:32-33: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

The gravity of this warning is powerfully illustrated through Peter’s story. When he denied Jesus three times, he placed himself in serious spiritual jeopardy (Luke 22:54-62). Yet Jesus specifically sought him out for restoration (over a charcoal fish breakfast), symbolically having him affirm his love three times to counter his three denials (John 21:15-17). This wasn’t merely an emotional reconciliation – it was a legal restoration before the heavenly court.

Warning Two: Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

Jesus gave this solemn warning in Mark 3:28-29: “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

This statement came after religious leaders attributed the Holy Spirit’s work through Jesus to Satan. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit isn’t simply a careless word, but rather the deliberate, persistent rejection of His testimony about Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s primary role is to testify about Jesus (John 15:26), and to reject this testimony completely is to cut oneself off from the very means of coming to salvation.

Warning Three: Lukewarm Faith

In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses the serious danger of casual Christianity and being ashamed of Him. To the Laodicean church, He warns in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

This connects directly with His warning in Luke 9:26: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory.” This isn’t about occasional struggles with boldness, but about a persistent pattern of choosing comfort and social acceptance over full commitment to Jesus.

Warning Four: Unforgiveness

Jesus gave a sobering warning about unforgiveness in Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

He reinforced this teaching with the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35, where the unforgiving servant’s previous forgiven debt was reinstated. This isn’t about struggling to forgive, but about willfully refusing to extend to others the same grace we’ve received from God.

Practical Wisdom

Understanding these truths should bring both comfort and holy reverence or as I like to say the F.O.G. We don’t need to live in anxiety about accidentally losing our salvation through regular struggles with sin or moments of doubt. The blood of Jesus continually cleanses us as we walk in relationship with Him, even when we stumble.

However, we must maintain a reverent awareness that deliberately denying Jesus – disowning Him as Lord and Savior – or persistently rejecting the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Him places us in eternal danger. The good news is that even if someone has denied Jesus, like Peter, restoration is possible through genuine repentance and reaffirmation of faith, hope and love in Him.

This understanding should motivate us to maintain our bold confession of faith in Jesus, even under pressure. As Romans 10:9-10 reminds us, salvation comes through confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, just like He will do for us. This statement of belief is not just a once-off event, but a lifetime commitment in faith.

Clearing up Misunderstandings

Many believers unnecessarily fear they’ve lost their salvation because of sin in their lives. However, the issue isn’t about moral perfection – it’s about our relationship with Jesus and our response to the Holy Spirit’s testimony about Him. If you are struggling with sin today, cast that burden onto Him because He cares for you and is waiting for you to ask Him for help.

Another common misconception is equating doubt with denial or blasphemy. Questions and struggles with faith are not the same as denying Jesus or blaspheming the Spirit. Read the Psalms and notice the gut-wrenching questions of faith, or think about Thomas who doubted but still acknowledged Jesus as “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

The final misunderstanding involves thinking that any denial or misunderstanding about the work of the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. Peter’s restoration proves that denial can be forgiven if followed by genuine repentance and return to faith in Jesus. Only continued blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and final, unrepented denial of Jesus are unforgivable and will lead to separation from Him.

Conclusion

Take heart in knowing that God’s grace is greater than our struggles, and Jesus is faithful even when we waver. The key is maintaining our confession of faith in Him while remaining sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. If you’ve ever denied Jesus in any way, know that like Peter, you can be fully restored through genuine repentance and reaffirmation of your faith in Him. Jesus and our Heavenly Father stand ready to welcome you back, just as He did with Peter on that beach.

Did You Know?

The Greek word “blasphēmia” used in reference to blaspheming the Holy Spirit comes from two words meaning “to injure” and “reputation.” In ancient Greek culture, this word carried the weight of not just insulting someone, but of deliberately attempting to destroy their reputation and influence – making Jesus’ warning about blaspheming the Spirit particularly profound in its original context.