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Can you lose your salvation?
Lets look at where the idea came from, and what God has to say about it.
The OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) doctrine, and Balaam connection.
Balaam was a prophet who was considered someone who could bless or curse someone in God's name. So here he is ask to curse God's chosen people.
Nu 22:5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
Nu 22:6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
Nu 22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination (other idols or tools that are believed to give them power) in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Nu 22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
So Balaam prays and speaks with God about this situation.
Nu 22:9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
Nu 22:10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Nu 22:11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
Nu 22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
God gave Balaam specific command. Not to curse them, and not to go with those who have come asking these things. Now we will see the greed of Balaam, a prophet of God, make Balaam ask God again.
Nu 22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
Nu 22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
Nu 22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
Nu 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
Nu 22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
Nu 22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
Nu 22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
Balaam prays again.
Nu 22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
The Lord gets mad at Balaam. And here we see where Balaam is even blinded by his greed to the point that even when he speaks to his ass (donkey), he does not realize what it is he is doing.
Nu 22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
Nu 22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
Nu 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Nu 22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
Nu 22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
Nu 22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
Nu 22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
Nu 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Nu 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
Nu 22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
An here we see Balaam speak to the Angel of the Lord. For now his eyes have been opened. And Balaam is warned once more to only speak what God tells him to. But just as before, Balaam has it in his heart to be greedy and to do whatever it takes to get his earthly reward. This is why God sent the Angel, for he knew what was in Balaam's heart. And when Balaam fell upon his face, he did not make a repent of what was in his heart, but instead made an excuse as to why he smote his ass.
Nu 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
Nu 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
Nu 22:33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
Nu 22:34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
Nu 22:35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
And here we see where Balaam meets with Balak, the King, and Balak temps Balaam with honour and with gifts.
Nu 22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
Nu 22:37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
Nu 22:38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Nu 22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.
Nu 22:40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
Nu 22:41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
Here we see Balaam making sacrafices unto the Lord. Why only now? This is because Balaam wants the honour and gifts Balak has promised. Balaam hopes to appeal to God to change His will, to be his own will. For it is his greed which guides him. Did you know that it is a sin to pray about the known will of God?
Nu 23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Nu 23:2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
Nu 23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
Nu 23:4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
Nu 23:5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
God gives Balaam the message to speak unto Balak. Balak is now mad and ask why he blesses them instead of curse them?
Nu 23:6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
Nu 23:7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
Nu 23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
Nu 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Nu 23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
Nu 23:11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
Nu 23:12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
And Balak tries to tempt Balaam again. He shows Balaam his fear of this great multitude of people. Balaam prays again, and the Lord puts more words into Balaam mouth.
Nu 23:13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
Nu 23:14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
Nu 23:15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
Nu 23:16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
Nu 23:17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?
Nu 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Nu 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Nu 23:20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
Nu 23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
Nu 23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
Nu 23:23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
Nu 23:24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
But Balak, is not a man of God, and does not want to accept the word spoken from Balaam's mouth.
Nu 23:25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
Nu 23:26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?
Balak makes another attempt to convince Balaam to do his evil bidding against God's people, even though it is against God. Balaam's mistake is that he does what Balak asks. When he should just walk away. But Balaam wants that honour and money. So he sticks with Balak and tries to figure away to do Balak's bidding and recieve his reward.
Balaam tries again to change the Lords mind by making even more sacrafices.
Nu 23:27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
Nu 23:28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
Nu 23:29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
Nu 23:30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
In chapter 24, The doctrine of Balaam is revealed. But what is this doctrine?
Here we see where Balaam even see's the Lord pleased with the blessing of his people. But Balaam turns away and looks towards the wilderness. This is a refernce to Balaam turning away from God.
Nu 24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
After words are spoken, Balak again is mad with Balaam.
Nu 24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
Nu 24:11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
And Balaam temptation now reveals itself. His mind is still on the gold and silver and honour, even though he makes it not look that way.
Nu 24:12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,
Nu 24:13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?
Now the doctrine is revealed. Notice in verse 15, it says that he took up his parable, meaning that what is said here is not of the Lord, but of his own mouth.
Nu 24:14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
Nu 24:15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:
Nu 24:16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
Nu 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Nu 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
Nu 24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
Nu 24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
Nu 24:21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
Nu 24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
Nu 24:23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
Nu 24:24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
Nu 24:25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
It is not quite known what was meantt until you read what happens in the next chapter to God's people.
Nu 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Nu 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
Nu 25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Balaam told Balak that he could make Israel curse itself by making them think that they could follow God and rebel (sin) at the same time. By letting his people mingle with Israel and tempt them to do evil. And in numbers 25:3, we see that this has angered the Lord. And we see that the doctrine of Balaam at work and what it has done.
And the Lord payed back Balaam for what he did.
Nu 31:7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
Nu 31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
Nu 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
And because of what they did, here is what was done to purify themselfs before the Lord. They commited a tresspass sin.
Nu 31:17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
Nu 31:18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
Nu 31:19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
Nu 31:20 And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
Did Balaam do it for greed?
Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
And did Balaam do all that he is accused him of? And was what he did considered a doctrine? For where else would these ideas from? For it was read it in God's word.
Re 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who "taught Balac" to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
So did a parable spoken from the Lord through Balaam cause this? No. Did the parable direct this? No. For how can God do this thing? He cannot. The parable was from Balaam. To say other wise is to say God had his own people sin aganst Him, and taught a doctrine aganst Himself.
Now we have the condition for salvation:
| That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. |
| For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
And if you do not confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, then you are denying Him. So what happens when Christ is denied? Can you be denied of something that you did not already have or was a choice?
| But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. |
But what if someone backslides from the truth?
| Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; |
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Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death*, and shall hide a multitude of sins. |
| For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, |
| Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. |
| And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. |
Now we have a listing of sins, and those who commit them will not inherit the kingdom of God. So who does this apply to, the sinner or the saved? Only the saved can inherit the kindom, for the sinner fate is already sealed if he dies, without God, and the repentance of his sin.
| Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, |
| Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, |
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Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. |
Then we have verses that show Christ actually has an option to cast someone out, even though they were of Him at one time.
| But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. |
| All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. |
The flow chart below is for the saved. It does not apply to the sinner. This judgement that is explained by this flow chart is a left hand, right hand judgement.
I put this in a flow chart for better understanding. Because it seemed to me, this was hard to understand.
Green: is where you want to be. This makes it sure where your going.
Yellow: Is where you don't want to be.
Yellow with heavy black border: These are some of the sins that will put you there. They are attached to the box the says lukewarm. The reason the bible uses the word lukewarm, is because drinking lukewarm water will make you sick. Which leads to the action of being spued from the body of Christ. Being lukewarm is everything you have done summed up into one word, a word that makes Christ sick.
Yellow with red border: This is where you end up upon being spued from the body. You are still in the hands of God the father, but, your no longer in the body of Christ. Being spued means you have fallen from the new covenant to the old. And upon doing so, you have become a goat. Because the old covenant requires a goat for sin atonement. Problem is, the old covenant is no longer in effect. So as long as you stay there, your in danger of hell fire.
heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Also notice the box that says secure. You cannot fall any further.
jn 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Which allows God to call you back when you backslide. But that decision is your choice. If you decide to stay in that backsliden state, and die, your fate will be sealed for damnation.
gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Grey boxes: These are the boxes that will lock a Christian into a fate that is eternal damnation. These boxes are the illustration of dying while out of the body of Christ. Once done, there is no turning back.
Green box with heavy black border: This is where it is shown that you have a chance. But again, it's your choice.
The reason the phrase spued is used, as the action of Christ. It is because of this verse:
Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Christ is not a fool that He would return to what he has spued. You have to return to Him.
My mother's prayer,
O lord my God, to thee I owe my being. Such as it is, some others think it is nought. But I know that you have bought me from a life of degradation. To place me in your service. To serve you all my days on earth. May I find ways with your guidance to fulfill all my duties. Strengthen me so that you will be pleased. Without you I can do nothing. Cause me to humbly bow and worship you. May I even be in thy will. And when my work is done and my days are full, my I rise to meet thee in the air and see thee on thy throne. These things I ask in Jesus name and for his sake, Amen.
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