Can salvation be lost?

Sometimes questions are asked that become the inspiration of an editorial lesson.  That provides me with a scriptural topic of study.  Such is the case today. 

The question for today is: Can a person once saved be always saved?  Well, first off, this belief, this doctrine, which by the way is false, is prevalent in several religious entities today.  It’s generally referred to as the “once saved, always saved” doctrine.

I suppose it could be asked in another way, IE: can a Christian be lost?  Can they lose their salvation?  My answer to both questions is - YES!  But allow me to tell you why I believe that answer to be the correct one.

There are many scriptural references citable to support that answer but, do to time and space constraints, I’m only going to use one of them here, but I believe it sufficient to make my point.  Our passage comes from Matt. 5:13, the “sermon of the mount,” where Christ is describing the makeup, the character, of His disciples. 

It’s the well-known “salt of the earth” passage, so let’s read it in its entirety and then see if we can’t apply it to our premise that one can be “unsaved.”  Perhaps it could be said in a more modern way of speaking, IE: can one be “connected” and then “disconnected?”  Again, my answer is “yes.”

In Matt. 5:13 Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”  Okay, let’s break that verse down, parse it so to speak, and see the application.

“Ye” = Christians, or Christ’s disciples.  The ones that He refers to as the “blessed” in the preceding verses.  “Salt” = what was known to be a good and useful commodity back then and still is today.  So good that some wages were paid with salt, hence the old saying: “He’s worth his salt.”

“BUT” if it has “lost it’s savour” (its flavor) then it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do.  If it has gone bad it won’t season anything nor will it preserve something.  In other words, it has no value.  If fact, not only does it not help, it can ruin whatever it’s put on or into.  Then since its not palatable nor will it preserve anything, it’s useless.  Or, as the verse reads “good for nothing,” and since it’s now in this state, it’s only use is to “be cast out and trodden underfoot.” 

Think for a moment about that.  When “salt” becomes unfit for its original usage, what was done with it?  They threw it on the roads and pathways.  Why’d they do that?  Because, rather than being of benefit for food, it’s now only good for just the opposite.  It’s destructive.  So much so that you don’t put it on fertile soil.  You put it where it will kill weeds or on the street where it would damage anything.  And that’s exactly why you get rid of it - because now it’s not only not good, it’s damaging.

So, pure “salt” still possesses its flavor, it’s still good.  Flavorless “salt” not only won’t help the cause, but rather, will hinder it.

Let’s go back to our starting point as we bring this lesson to a close.  Christ’s disciples are depicted metaphorically as “salt.”  As long as they are faithful to Christ and His teaching, then they keep their “flavor.”  They remain a useful commodity.

But, if they don’t remain faithful, not only do they become “not good” for their purpose, they become detrimental to it.  Thus, they will be “cast out.”  And that’s simply because, if we’re not helping His cause, then we’re hindering it and therefore unfit to remain with the “faithful” - the good “salt.”  Remember what He said in Matt. 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”  (Also Luke 11:23)

So, back to our question - “Can one be saved then unsaved?”  What Jesus teaches us with the “salt” is “yes, they can.”  In other words, if one is faithful (good salt) and then becomes “unfaithful” (“loses its favour”) they will be “cast out.” Seems pretty cut and dried to me.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey