Scripture Reading: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation…” (Psalm 51:12) 

Notice, it was not his salvation, but only the “joy” of it that David had lost. Contrary to popular opinion, it is impossible for us to forfeit by our unrighteousness what is unobtainable by our righteousness. If the latter (our righteousness) cannot make us deserving of it, how can the former (our unrighteousness) deprive us of it?

No false doctrine is more easily refuted with the Scripture than the erroneous belief that a Christian can loose his salvation. If, as the Bible clearly teaches, salvation has nothing to do with our works, but everything to do with God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), then, how can it be lost by our works. All who believe such a scripturally untenable proposition believe in a salvation by works, not a salvation by grace through faith. Although they may deny that our works have anything to do with obtaining our salvation, they nonetheless teach that our works have everything to do with retaining our salvation.

If it is up to us to keep what God gives us by grace through Christ, then, how does this exclude “boasting” from our salvation (Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:9)? Will we not be able to strut up and down Heaven’s golden streets bragging to everyone we pass about how we were able to keep our salvation? 

If “eternal life” (salvation) is “the gift of God” (Romans 6:23), then, how does God take it back without becoming an Indian giver? Furthermore, what assurance can any child of God have of their salvation if our Heavenly Father may revoke it at anytime over the least little sin on our part?

If salvation is a promise, a promise God not only makes but vows to keep (Hebrews 6:13-20), then, how can we lose our salvation without God, who cannot lie, breaking His promise and failing to keep His vow? If salvation can be lost, then, God can’t be taken at His Word. His promises cannot be trusted and we are adrift on the sea of life without any sure anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19).

“The doctrine of [eternal] security is…set forth in the New Testament in the most absolute terms and is there seen to be an indivisible feature of that which God undertakes when a soul is saved…a justification before God…which is not subject to human merit could hardly be subject to human demerit.” (Lewis Sperry Chafer)