Someone asked me once if it was possible for a person to ‘lose their salvation.’ Not understanding what they meant I had to ask them and they replied: Well, do you believe in the saying “Once saved, always saved.” or do you think we can lose our salvation?

I had to think about this for a moment because I hadn’t heard that saying before they quoted it to me and it sounded rather odd to me. Finally I answered . . . well, I suppose if a person chose to move in their thinking and life from believing in God, from believing in Jesus Christ, from believing in the Holy Spirit then they could certainly be at risk of losing their salvation. But I wonder what really causes people to stop believing and I keep coming back to the thought that it must be coming to a conclusion of some kind that God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, has no desire to be in relationship with you. What would make someone believe that? False teachings. Lies. False judgments.

There are some very important portions of Scripture that I think are good for people to reflect upon in their hearts and minds when it comes to the question of salvation. But before reflecting on the questions, I think it’s good for a person to ask themselves some questions.

1. What do I need to be saved from?
2. Do I want to be saved from it?
3. Do I believe I can be saved from it?
4. How can I be saved from it?

Generally speaking, we all need to be saved from perishing. John 3:16 tells us God’s son was given to us so that we would not perish. What part of your life is “perishing”? Which relationships are perishing? How can they be brought into fruition again? Do you believe they can be? How?

True loving relationships are not always easy – they are difficult and they are extremely important to God, to Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit. So important that the Holy Trinity is constantly pouring itself out upon us, seeking to be recognized, desiring to help us be in loving relationships with God and each other on earth.

The Apostle Paul understood this message clearly and took it very seriously. He writes about salvation and the ministry of reconciliation in 2nd Corinthians 5:4 – 6:8. Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church. Isn’t it sad that so many members of the church reject the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit in one another? Isn’t it sad that members of the church persecute one another? Isn’t it sad that much of the persecution happens because people are thinking more about themselves than they are about God or the other people? Isn’t it sad that so many people want things ‘my way’ instead of God’s High Way?

Relationships are difficult aren’t they? Have you ever been angry with someone? Of course you have, everyone has on occasion. What does Jesus say about anger?

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (Matthew 5:22)

The verse is much longer and when you continue reading you realize that reconciliation is so important to Jesus that he says before you should leave your gift at the altar you should go and be reconciled with your brother.

What is that ‘judgment’ bit about? I think it’s about Jesus wanting people to not let anger get a firm grip and kill our relationships with one another. Being angry with a brother, sister, mother, father causes us to judge them, wouldn’t you agree? And Jesus tells us that the way we judge others is the way we will be judged. We are in a world of hurt, aren’t we? We are in a world full of people making wrong judgments against one another. Exactly where the devil wants us . . . but not where God wants us . . . Reading Romans 5 and 6 we are told that the gift of God is not like the result of a man’s sin, but that God’s gift brought justification. Justification – not judgment. And so we are encouraged to stop sinning . . . to stop persecuting one another, stop making judgments and start loving more, to stop being slaves to sin and to be instead, “slaves to righteousness.”

I believe salvation is an on-going process and we have one lifetime on earth that needs constant salvation. One person, the person of Jesus Christ, can and will reconcile us to God and this same person, Jesus Christ calls us to be reconciled to one another. Once reconciled, always reconciled? I don’t believe that is true in our personal lives – I believe reconciliation is an on-going process because life is. When Jesus’ disciples asked him – How many times must I forgive my brother? Jesus answered with an eternal number, not so we could keep count, but so that we would continue to forgive. Jesus teaches us much about forgiveness and reconciliation in Matthew 18:15-35.

Let’s not be wicked unmerciful servants who don’t forgive ourselves and each other. Instead let us consider one another worthy of relationship, worthy of salvation and work on reconciling our relationships and making our lives fragrant and pleasing offerings to God, being reconciled through Christ always, in the power of the Holy Spirit who unites us.

Let us pray,

Lord God, you know the condition of our hearts and minds and relationships. Please give us your Holy Spirit to love one another and help us to reconcile our relationships that you may be glorified in our lives throughout the earth in this generation. We ask this so we may receive the inheritance of Peace that you desire to give us. AMEN