Question
According to Scripture, is it possible to lose your faith?
Answer
This is a most controversial question although the Scriptures are plain. Yes, even though we have become Christians if we are not careful, we can lose our faith, live in such a way that we can be lost after once being saved. The Scriptures teach that faith is an obedient response to the word of God that displays trusting in God.
ROM 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
HEB 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
But, faith is something that we do and then God responds to us according to what He has done for us – Jesus shedding His blood for our sins. It is our choice as to how we will live and there are many warning to Christians about not going back to the old way of life, that is a life that is not of faith, leading to destruction. Here are just a couple of passages.
1CO 10:6 Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved.
1CO 10:7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”
1CO 10:8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.
1CO 10:9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.
1CO 10:10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
1CO 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1CO 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1CO 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.
1CO 10:14 ¶ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
2PE 2:20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
2PE 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.
2PE 2:22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,”and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
HEB 3:12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God.
HEB 3:13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,”lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
HEB 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;
HEB 3:15 while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.”
HEB 3:16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
HEB 3:17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
HEB 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
HEB 3:19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
HEB 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
HEB 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
In all of these passages, Christians are warned not to follow examples of those who became disobedient after they once had been acceptable to God. The results would be to their destruction.
We should be secure in our faith, as long as we are striving to serve the Lord by obeying Him. And, when we fail to obey, we must repent and confess to Him those sins so that we might be forgiven. As long as we humbly walk with the Lord, we can be secure in Christ. Faith involves our continuous response to His word. Note the following passage especially verses 13 and 15.
LUK 8:11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
LUK 8:12 “And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.
LUK 8:13 “And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.
LUK 8:14 “And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
LUK 8:15 “And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.
Act 8:9 Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;
Act 8:10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”
Act 8:11 And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.
Act 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
Act 8:13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
Act 8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
Act 8:19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Act 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
Act 8:21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
Act 8:22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
Act 8:23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
Act 8:24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
1Jn 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;
1Jn 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
1Jn 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
2Pe 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
2Pe 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
2Pe 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
2Pe 1:6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
2Pe 1:7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
2Pe 1:11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
By Gary Hunt
