Good day
In the previous messages we've taken a look at mankind's need for righteousness and also how we're made righteous. In today's message we're taking a look at the question, "Can I lose my right-standing with God?"
To answer this question, I'd like to start off by referring to the example of a marriage:
When a man and woman get married they enter into a covenant with their spouse. On the day of their wedding they would have a wedding ceremony and enjoy celebrating the occasion with friends and family. They would also receive a marriage certificate which serves as legal proof of their marriage. Now whilst all of this may have taken place, the couple would still need to put in the effort to sustain, grow and develop their relationship and prioritize the marriage. If not, their relationship may eventually grow cold and the couple could drift apart. At this rate, it could reach a point where one of them decides they no longer wish to be married to their spouse and may consider getting a divorce. Now in the same way, the Bible describes the relationship between Christ and the church to that of a husband and a wife (Ephesians 5:22-33) and just like that example of the couple, one could lose their gift of righteousness/right-standing with God if they chose to walk away from their relationship with Christ.
Now let's take a look at some scriptures highlighting this point:
(a) Colossians 1:19-23
"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight - if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister."
Notice the word "if" in the above passage (highlighted in red). This means everything mentioned before that, about how the Father has reconciled all things to Himself, made peace through the blood of Jesus, presenting us holy, blameless and above reproach in His sight - is conditional upon us continuing in the faith and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel.
This tells us that we can lose that place of right standing with God if we choose to discontinue in the faith.
A similar example can be found in Hebrews 3:12-14, "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ."
(b) 1 John 5:16-18
“If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death. We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.”
From the above passage we can see 2 categories of sin:
- A sin that does not lead to death (This is when a believer makes a mistake and asks God to forgive them and they're immediately forgiven).
- A sin that does lead to death (This is when sin is committed and a Christian refuses to receive the forgiveness that God offers. They don’t believe they need to ask for forgiveness and they want to continue in sin or make a practice of living a sinful life. Eventually, they could lose their right-standing with God).
However, a Christian who makes a mistake or the Christian who persists in living in sin can repent and be forgiven.
1 John 2:1-2
“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One who is truly righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation (payment) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”
1 John 1:8-10
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.”
As soon as we confess our sins, God forgives us and cleanses us of all unrighteousness, and we are once again presented before God holy, blameless and above reproach.
However, when a Christian does not repent of their sin and receive forgiveness, their sin remains and they become passive Christians. At this point, they are still a child of God, but they say, “I don’t need to repent, I haven’t lost my righteousness”. They are trying to convince themselves that there's nothing wrong with the sin they've committed/continuing to commit ... After a while, even though they may still be attending church, etc. they start to lose sensitivity to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This means that whenever the Holy Spirit prompts them to repent, they ignore His guidance and warning, even though they know the things that they're doing are wrong. This places that person on a dangerous path because they now lose the conviction of their sin and now it becomes easier to persist/continue in that sin, never asking God to forgive them, either because they do not feel they need to be forgiven or do not want to be forgiven. They then reach a place where they eventually want to live in their sin, all the while still assuming they're in right-standing with God, but before long, they will eventually continue to choose sin over the presence of God. That person is on the road of sin that leads to death (separated from the life of God / lose their right-standing with God).
(c) James 1:15-16
“These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.”
The above passage is written to Christians (mentions "brothers and sisters", other translations say "brethren"), and it says that when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
(d) James 5:19-20
“My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.”
Again, written to Christians, and emphasis on the fact that someone can wander away from the truth and slip into death (end up separated from the life of God / lose their right-standing with God)
(e) Hebrews 10:19-31
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Again, written to Christians, and mentions that someone who persists in sin/deliberately continues sinning can be considered an enemy of God and can expect God's judgement and punishment. Again, indicating that someone can lose their right-standing with God.
(f) Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].
In the above passage, Jesus says that to those who act wickedly (disregard His commands) / practice lawlessness, He will say to them, "I never knew you, depart from Me"
(g) Hebrews 6:4-6
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."
This passage describes a severe state of falling away, suggesting that those who fall away from the faith cannot be renewed to repentance, but again, the emphasis is on the point that someone can lose their right-standing with God.
(h) 1 Timothy 4:1-2
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."
Here the passage tells us that some will abandon the faith to follow deceptive teachings. In order to abandon the faith it means that you were once a part of it. Again, indicating that someone can lose their right-standing with God.
In conclusion, I believe the above passages have shown us that whilst losing one's right standing with God isn't an immediate process or event, it is however possible. That if a Christian persists in living an unrepented, sinful life, then after a period of time, they will eventually step over into death - and that this doesn't necessarily just happen by accident but that it's a conscious decision by a Christian to walk away from God and His free gift of righteousness.