My Answer: Nothing Can Take Away Your Salvation

By Billy Graham|Christian Post Guest Columnist

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Q: I asked Jesus to come into my life at a church camp this past summer, but I’m not sure if He’s still there. I haven’t lived up to what I know He expects of me, and now I’m afraid I’ve lost my salvation. How can I get it back? — J.R.

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A: One of the devil’s oldest tricks is to try to convince us that God doesn’t really love us, and that even if we have given our lives to Christ, God may change His mind and abandon us. In other words, Satan wants to rob us of our assurance and make us doubt our salvation.

But it isn’t true! If you sincerely asked Jesus to come into your life and save you, then He did — and nothing can ever change that. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). He also promised, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:26). Put your trust in what God has told us in His Word, not in Satan’s lies.

When you gave your life to Christ and trusted Him for your salvation, He adopted you into His family. Think of it: You are now His child forever! If you sin (and you will), your fellowship with God may be broken — but your relationship is unchanged, and you are still His child. The Bible says, “This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life” (1 John 5:11-12).

Never forget: Your salvation does not depend on you; it depends solely on Christ and what He did for you through His death and resurrection. Make it your goal to grow closer to Him through reading the Bible and prayer and fellowship with other believers. The closer we get to Christ, the stronger our faith becomes.

________________________________________________

Affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” for more than 60 years, the Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories — through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.

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feetxxxl »

Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:07 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

if i am guilty of saying such things why dont you also give the time and location of where i said them.
feetxxxl »

Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:04 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

itis interesting that one who believes so devotely in the rules of the old covenant has no fear of bearing false witness against his neighbor.
irenaeus »

Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:35 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

feet,

"i have yet to find a person who doesnt o believes homosexuality is a sin without also believing that somwhow he can lose your salvation by sinning or not repenting."

Of course, otherwise the convenient cheap-grace gospel goes away.
irenaeus »

Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:32 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

feet,

"in regards to salvation, it is my understanding that once having received christ by grace thru faith ,and in doing so, salvation.. we cannot loose it either by sinning or lack of repentence."

Quit spreading your antinomial gospel. For those who don't know feet, he believes that homosexual relationships and pre-marital sexual relationships are morally licit, (along with the possibility of incestuous and spouse swapping relationships provided they occur within the context of love and are non-abusive).
feetxxxl »

Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:05 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

i have yet to find a person who doesnt o believes homosexuality is a sin without also believing that somwhow he can lose your salvation by sinning or not repenting.

in other words if you believe in one you have to believe in the other as well.
feetxxxl »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:30 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

that being said.

in regards to salvation, it is my understanding that once having received christ by grace thru faith ,and in doing so, salvation.. we cannot loose it either by sinning or lack of repentence.

we did not receive it by not sinning, then how can we lose it by sin. paul says in romans " a righteousness apart from the law. "

repentence is works. works are whatever a man can credit himself. ephesians 2:8-9says that we dont receive it by works "so that no man can boast" therefore how can we loose it
by lack of works?

what other reason is there not to sin, other than the love of christ and love of his commandments. surely if we say" ill not sin so that i wont loose my salvation", are we not attempting to pay for it. cannot the same be said about repentence as well.

if there is a sin that can take away salvation, then it is not about what christ did. but the works we do in faith.
the same for lack of repentence.

the great thing about this is

now we are freed up from having to be obsessed with not doing this and not doing that. to be fully given to instead, to proactively loving god, loving ones neighbor as oneself, and loving one another as christ has loved us.

by doing so, instead of just following the law we are now fulfilling it ,and by doing so, we automatically follow it.

i"if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of christ purifies us from all sin.

trusting the holy spirit to convict us of any sin that we need to acknowledge in christ....... for sake of relationship.

i compare it to a son who has a wealthy father. his father says he loves him and regardless of their differences the son will be his heir. the son believes him. so that if and when he trangresses his father, he repents to his father not for the inheritance but for the sake of the relationship................................ for the love he has for his father.

if the son tries to be good around his father for the sake of receiving the inheritance, he allows his spirit of doubt and distrust to diminish their relationship.
feetxxxl »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:25 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

my apologies for the message, my intent was to send it to another page.
feetxxxl »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:49 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

still not working
cowboyfan88 »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:03 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

You can't lose it but salvation is not attained by "asking Jesus into your life". That is not from the bible. Neither is asking Him into your heart. I did that for forty years but I was not saved. I knew Jesus died. I knew he died for me. I prayed the sinners prayer often. Only by faith can you have eternal life. The reason christianity is falling away is that feelings have overcome faith. It is what you believe that will send you to either heaven or hell. You have to put your faith in Jesus work of the cross as being your only means of salvation. Once you have it, you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Period. Grace levels the playing field.
anniefourjesus »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:19 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

Billy Graham is a brother in Christ; and while you may disagree with his viewpoint, let's not attack the man's character. This man is one of the finest human beings I have ever seen. Is he perfect no, but he is being perfected by Christ. He has lived his whole life for the Lord God and I have nothing but respect for him.
I would not believe much of what I read on youtube, consider the source.
Charles Stanley also teaches on not losing our eternal salvation.
When I surrender my life to Jesus Christ, I am adopted into God's family, I am a child of God, I am sealed by The Holy Spirit until Christ returns.
No one can snatch me out of my Father's hand, and nothing can take HIS love away from me!
If a person rejects the Lord, turns their back on God, rejects Christ's finished work on the Cross, Grieves The Holy Spirit, then I believe that they are chosing their fate.
It's not what God wants for anyone.

I know that I am eternally secure in my Father's love. I am HIS beloved child, and even when I sin(and this grieves my spirit when I do) fellowship with my Father is hindered until I repent and seek His forgiveness and because JESUS died for me, and I died with Him, and then when Christ rose from the dead, I rose with Him, my life is hidden with Christ, I sit with Him now in the Heavenlies.
I am in this world but I am not of this world. People need to believe that they are children of GOD and God is not going to unadopt us! Once I knew who I was in Christ, I have Freedom in Christ and I am secure in my eternal life. JESUS is my eternal life. HE lives in me, Christ in me The Hope of Glory! When HE lives in you, and HE abides in you, HIS love fills you and you are not seeking to sin (we have no license to sin) and when we do, Jesus paid for that, past, present and future sin.
I am justified by Christ and I am sanctified by Christ, past, present and future, "I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer LIVE, I am a new creation....NO ONE CAN TAKE ME AWAY FROM MY FATHER!!
HE never leaves us nor forsakes us. GOD will have mercy upon whom HE will have mercy!
THE KEY IS LOVE PEOPLE...AGAPE LOVE...even when HE knows the depths of our hearts, HE still loves us!!!!
JESUS restored our relationship with the Father, no one can undo what Jesus has done, BELIEVE In the ONE HE has sent! BELIEVE in the finished work of Christ! Thank you Lord!
IronPillar »

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:12 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

Regarding losing your salvation - http://members.tripod.com/~robertwells/losingsalvation.html - I encourage everyone to read this.
smithdl »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:38 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

I think if we were to think of it like a present, lets say a new watch. Now, instead of Christ giving you salvation for your faith in him, he gives you a new watch.

Now input "Nothing can take away your watch." We don't think that he is talking about us giving it back. These statement is based on the assumption we want the watch.

I think Billy understands this fact. If you don't want the watch, then yes, you can get rid of it. The statement howver is not about that. He is talking about nothing as in something else, sin, enemies, satan ect. ect.

I think in that light we can all agree that we all see eye to eye. Just needed clarification.
irenaeus »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:00 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

As I stated prior, I never meant to imply that that is how I would have responded to the person who submitted the question to Billy. I was primarily responding the presumption of some, and also what is implicit in the title of the article: "Nothing Can Take Away Your Salvation"

I suppose that's true if one is thinking of external forces, but one can clearly forfeit his salvation. Again, every NT book, with the possible exception of Philemon speaks of the potential for the Christian to lose his salvation. Now some could argue (and with some merit) that some of the passages may be referring to looss of rewards rather than loss of eternal life itself. But I find it hard to believe that this is true for all 30+ verses.

bigtex - how do you interpret 2 Pet 2:20-22?
1man »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:16 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

I luv you guys.
bigtex »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:03 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

I certainly don't agree with Billy on everything but I do on this issue of the security of the believer. If one is saved by God's grace, he is kept by God's grace. If Jesus said the he would give eternal life to those who believed on Him, I believe it.

Eternal life has both qualitative and quantitative qualities. Eternal life begins when one places his faith in Christ as Savior. Unfortuantley some teach that one inheritates eternal life upon death. That is just poor exegesis.

Secondly, eteranal life is the quality of life described in Galatians 6. Eternal life is living out our remaining days on earth with a confidence in Christ's saving power and conforming our life to his.
smithdl »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:10 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

1man,

I was rude and sharp with my tongue, and no, it was not justified. I am sorry.
1man »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:11 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

Concerning Billy Graham, don't take my word for it. .....the quickest way to find out if I'm correct in my assumptions...look on youtube for Billy Graham/CNN interview around 1997. . . . . . . There are a lot of things that can be researched and be found to be true, but I'm not hear to just bash people.
1man »

Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:28 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

smithdl,
So to spout off all this doctrine about salvation and how we must stay true to the faith by doing the exact thing God calls us not to do(gossip) is kinda frustrating.

But then I guess it is ok to be disrespectful and rude when your behind a computer. I mean, know the doctrine but don't live the life right?
This is exactly what I did, if mine wasn't justified is yours. . . . Sorry about the pot and kettle comment.
God will not reject you. You however, can reject him. If you don't, your salvation is sealed. And if you do but repent, look at peter. Christ will take you back. . . .
This was my point....the comments on salvation are to open-ended and not clarified
"Your salvation does not depend on you" you have clarified that in certain instances it requires our involvement. That was the main issue of my point.
irenaeus »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:23 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

smithdl,

You are correct, and I never meant to imply that that is how I would have responded to the person who submitted the question to Billy. I was primarily responding (knee-jerk perhaps) to the way some presume upon God's love and mercy to the point of abusing God's grace. I certainly do not believe that was this person's intent, particularly being such a new Christian.
Prophet »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:17 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

That's Satan's oldest trick. It's his first trick too...still used today and just as effective.
"DId God say?"
and
"Did God mean?"
smithdl »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:05 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

irenaeus,

And I figured that you felt that way, but I must make a plea to you. The power that a confident Christian holds over the views a weaker Christian has is strong. I wish it was not so, I wish it were Christ. But often those weaker in the faith, or those in sin, look to other Christians for guidance because shame has hindered there faith. Shame and sin has made them doubt Christs view towards them.

So with that being said, be VERY careful with verses like that one or the one from hebrews. As mature Christians we see these for what they are. Not people who sin, but people who give up on Christ. However, men of a weaker faith will beat themselves over the head with scriptures like these until they no longer visit the throne of God and then they fall away from Christ.

my personal opinion, I would never use those verses unless I made it clear that Christ will ALWAYS take back a sinner. Let a Christian or a prodigal doubt the degree of his faith. Let him see the true error of his ways. let him realize the damage his sin does. Show him it can turn his heart from God.

But irenaeus, never NEVER let a man doubt the love God has toward him. Never let the seed of "Im not good enough" be sown.

All that to say...

Your right, just not right enough, if that makes sense.
The0ph1lus »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:05 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. <i>[Jas. 5:19-20]</i>
irenaeus »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:51 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

smithdl,

I never stated that Christ would leave you or that forgiveness is beyond Christ's reach for those who repent. When I am speaking of a Christian losing his salvation, I am speaking of one who forfeits his inheritance; i.e., One who is entangled again in sin, who rationalizes and/or is unrepentant of his sin, persists in sin after having knowledge of the truth, etc.
smithdl »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:09 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 0

No, those verses don't say you lose your salvation, they speak of giving it up. And my friend there is a big difference. Christ will never walk away from us, he will never leave us or forsake us. However, if a man choses this world over Christ and is tangled again in the love of sin, Christ is in him no more.

Furthermore, any mature Christian who has dealt with backslidden Christians who are looking for confirmation that they CAN repent, sound just like this young man up here.

His question is not can he lose his salvation. His question is, in seeing his error, will Christ forgive him. In situations like this I recommend doing just what billy did. Reaffirm that Christ WILL NOT LEAVE YOU. The reason those footnotes say it is not speaking of a brother who sins is because its not. Need I tell you of peter and his denial of Christ??? Do you forget what happened??? Did not Christ say he who denies me before men I will deny before the father??? yet what happened to peter???

So, to those who are frustrated or confused by the cherrypicking of scripture to prove that salvation can be "lost" listen carefully.

God will not reject you. You however, can reject him. If you don't, your salvation is sealed. And if you do but repent, look at peter. Christ will take you back.
irenaeus »

Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:32 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

Every NT book, with the possible exception of Philemon, warns the Christian (and sometimes in quite severe terms) about the possibility of losing one’s salvation. Many of these verses are so obvious that, almost without exception, the footnotes authored by those from the ‘eternal security’ camp will state that that is NOT what the verse is saying. My question is: Why do you have to give a commentary on what a verse does not mean?

God-Sent – 2 Pet 2:20-22 is another good one, although Gratus will probably say that it is not addressing the believer.

2 Pet 2:20-22 - For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
Strudelcookies »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:35 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

Lol...I can't imagine this advice was real helpful to the poor kid.
1man »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:38 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

hey pot this is kettle. . . or smith if you prefer....what I am talking about is an interview with Billy Graham that was done on t.v.... he told the whole world...I don't consider that gossip...please understand the difference between gossip and warning of false doctrine.
smithdl »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:39 pm Agree: 3 Disagree: 0

1man,

I am quite frustrated that you quote scripture like you do but yet you gossip about another believer?!?!?!?!

I have a question for you, did billy graham tell you that he believes suicide bombers will go to heaven? I think not. Did he personally sit down with you and tell you that muslims don't need Christ? I think not.

So to spout off all this doctrine about salvation and how we must stay true to the faith by doing the exact thing God calls us not to do(gossip) is kinda frustrating.

But then I guess it is ok to be disrespectful and rude when your behind a computer. I mean, know the doctrine but don't live the life right?
Gratus »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:36 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 0

1man -- I agree with you that we must continue to the end. This will prove our initial salvation. Many will fall off and show their true colours. But the elect of God -- those saved by his grace -- will remain true. This is a great comfort for us when we are assailed on all sides: By our own sinful weaknesses and by the ungodly, and by Satan and his demons.
Gratus »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:25 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

God-sent -- Hebrews 6 and Ezekiel 3 do not speak of saved people, but hypocrites like Judas, whose 'love' for Jesus had cooled down. The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven (Mark 3:29). If God's grace should depend on us, it is not grace anymore.
1man »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:24 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

God-sent...thanks....to everyone else...I am not a Billy Graham supporter, I like his son a lot more than him on biblical views...By the way the initial work of grace I agree with as stated, salvation is a constant and ongoing process which requires my participation, ever read revelation....he that continues to the end shall be saved.....he that is faithful to the end....he that overcometh shall inherit.....he that is afraid to confess me before men....
God-Sent »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:41 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

Here is a verse that can not be refuted about being able to lose salvation.
For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
Again, When a righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous [man], that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. (Ezekiel 3:20-21)
Gratus »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:29 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

1man - You ask:If my salvation isn't dependent on me why make it a goal to fellowship?
We do not make it a goal to fellowship in order to get saved, but because we are already saved.
What we do as believers, rests on the salvation that we received through grace. The ten commandments, you will notice, begins with our salvation, and God expects us to obey these commandments because we are saved by grace through the blood of Jesus: Exo 20:2 I am Jehovah your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
TerryH »

Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:39 am Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

1man, That is the whole gospel. Paul said to work out your salvation implies you have it in order to work it out. He did not say work for it. The only thing that can remove our salvation is a conscious choice to reject Christ. Apostasy. Not some things, but only one thing. The story of the prodigal son will help you to see this. God Bless,
RainForestMissionary »

Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:28 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

"Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith" If Jesus authors our faith He will perfect it, so, if our salvation is begun by Christ... we can not lose it.

"Php 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Again, if Jesus begins a work in us, He will perfect it! Lets face it folks, if you say a a truly converted person can lose His salvation, you are saying that these scriptures are untrue.
1man »

Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:11 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 2

MNever forget: Your salvation does not depend on you; it depends solely on Christ and what He did for you through His death and resurrection. Make it your goal to grow closer to Him through reading the Bible and prayer and fellowship with other believers. If my salvation isn't dependent on me why make it a goal to fellowship?
1man »

Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:09 pm Agree: 2 Disagree: 5

Sorry Billy, that's not the whole gospel. . . Paul said to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, in hebrews it says that some have counted the blood of the covanant a common or onholy thing and deserve a sorer punishment. . . there are some things that people though born-again can do to remove themselves from salvation. . . . By the way salvation doesn't come by asking Jesus into your heart.....it comes by believing the gospel about the person of Jesus the Christ and accepting Him as Lord by a work of grace from the Father in heaven to give you the gift of faith......the "world's preacher" also doesn't believe that muslims will miss heaven.
Joe12234 »

Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:02 pm Agree: 0 Disagree: 0

Excellent!
Thanks, Billy!!

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