The Bible says, “Without faith it’s impossible to please him [God]” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is one of the most important parts of our relationship with God. Christians all over the world agree that a person must “have Faith in Jesus” in order to be saved. But when you ask Christians the question of: “Can a believer lose their salvation?” or “How do you know you are saved?” you will usually hear inconsistent answers.
When I joined my first church, the teachers taught me that I couldn’t lose my salvation no matter what I did. They said, “It’s not by works, but by Faith that I was saved”; I had become “eternally secure” and could never go to Hell. Later, in another church, I heard teachings that were contrary: that I could lose my salvation and that works were important. Both sides had scriptures to apparently support their arguments. I later learned that the Body of Christ has been separated on this matter for centuries.
I wanted to know the truth. Naturally it mattered to me if I could live a Christian life but end-up in Hell instead. I couldn’t just pick a side that I was comfortable with; what if the other side was right? According to what I was taught about salvation, I began to study the scriptures for myself and the Bible supported both arguments yet contradicted itself at the same time (so I thought).
I discovered (probably inspired by God) that the contradiction was caused by a misunderstanding of Faith itself. So, Faith in Jesus must not mean what those preachers and teachers understand it to mean. Scriptures like John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8 all point to Faith as the conduit to salvation. But what is this Faith? What kind of Faith must it be? I had to know.
Frustrated and trusting no pastor, or teacher to tell me the truth, I asked the writer of the Bible himself. I said, “Jesus, what does it mean to have ‘Faith in you’, what does ‘Faith in you’ really mean?” He answered me that same evening as I rested on my bed. What I’m about to share in this book won’t feel good to some at first, but it is the truth; and the truth hurts. Can you handle the truth? The great thing about Jesus’ explanation is: all the scriptures that seemed to contradict themselves before now complement one another.
Because Faith is the very conduit through which we are saved, the complete and true understanding of Faith in Jesus is imperative because it leads to our salvation. To misunderstand what Faith in Jesus means puts a person in a dangerous position. Certainly Jesus doesn’t want us to perish from ignorance on a matter such as this.
As far as: whether a Christian can lose their salvation or not, this book discusses that; but the focus is about the great understanding of Faith in Jesus and what this really means for every born again believer. With the truth, there can be no more debate or division; and all that will be left is God and us.
Next chapter: Legalists & Liberals