Question 227: a) Is salvation contingent upon continued belief? b) Can one be deceived from right doctrines into false doctrines? c) Can one lose salvation if he does not remain steadfast until the end? (Matthew 24:11-13).
Answer: Part a) Jesus in the parable of the sower gives us four types of soil which represents four types of believers (Luke 8: 5-8). Out of the four types of soil there was only one that was good soil and it took roots, while the others never got beyond a brief start and faded out. The Apostle John addresses this sad situation, “They went out from us, but they were not one of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us” (1 John 2:19). Theologians call our persevering until the end, the perseverance of the saints. However, our perseverance does not rest on our ability to persevere but on God’s promise to keep us. Paul writes to the Philippians, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Additionally, Paul gives us further testimony that it is God who keeps us, “And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those He justified He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). Paul goes even further with another great promise that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). However, our churches are loaded with people who are deceived with a false faith and will only realize it on Judgment Day when Jesus gives them the most terrible news they could ever hear, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23). Those people are people who thought they were believers, church people, but obviously were not true believers. It is vitally important to get it right. We must know that we are saved by placing our trust in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation. Our destiny depends upon on it!
Part b) In order to deal with this question, we must make a distinction between error and false doctrine. All of us make biblical errors. For example, we see numerous teachings on the end times, some of them could be right, all could be wrong but for certain some are wrong. All of them are not correct. Someone is making an error. But this does not necessarily qualify as a false doctrine. The denomination in which I was ordained states, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.” To be a genuine believer, there are certain essentials that we must live together in agreement. A short answer to part b of the above question is yes, a true believer can be deceived and fall for a season, but God the Holy Spirit will not allow a genuine believer to fully or finally fall away. Jesus in His high-priestly prayer stated, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, (Judas) that the Scriptures might be fulfilled” (Luke 17:12). The golden chain in Romans 8:30 affirms our assurance that God will finish what He started.
Part c) “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). The elect refers to true believers in Jesus. There are two reasons why the answer to this question is “no.” First of all, the parenthetical statement “if possible” strongly points to the fact that it is impossible for that to happen. God’s grace will prevail. His chosen ones will not be drawn away into deception. Secondly, Paul tells us that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4). If we are going to be presented in glory to God as holy and blameless, God will keep us until the end. God is our sovereign God and we can know Him through Jesus Christ and be with Him forever in heaven.