Studying the Bible -- Can A Child of God Sin and Be Lost?

Some people will teach that a saved person cannot be lost. What does the Bible say?

The Bible clearly teaches that a child of God can sin and be lost.
1 Timothy 4:1 Some will depart from the faith by following false doctrine.
Hebrews 4:1, 11 Some of these Christians might come short of the rest that is promised to them.
Hebrews 10:35-39 He urges his Christian audience to not cast away their confidence or draw back to destruction.
James 5:19-20 If any "among you" (Christians, James 1:1-2) wanders away from the truth and is restored, a "sinner" is saved from death and his sins are forgiven! He was part of the truth and wandered from it. 1 John 1:9 Jesus will cleanse the sins of His children who confess their sins.

Some may argue that it is impossible for the child of God to sin, I John 3:6-9. Yet, since the Bible says elsewhere that a child of God can sin and be lost, we must see if the phrase "he cannot sin" means "impossible to sin".

If you look at the word "cannot" in other scriptures you quickly find out that the word does not always mean something is impossible. In Mark 2:19 (the children of the bridechamber "cannot" fast) doesn’t mean that it is impossible for them to fast, but it is not proper. Luke 13:33 doesn’t mean that it is impossible for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem but that it was unlikely. Will anyone argue that Jesus did not have the ability to save Himself on the cross (Matthew 27:42)? The word "cannot" does not always mean that something is impossible and so it is an error to restrict it to this meaning.

The verse is saying "in harmony with other scriptures"that a child of God can sin, but he is not supposed to sin (see verse 7). He is not allowed or permitted to sin; it should not happen. Yet in the first chapter, as already noted, clearly teaches that a child of God will sin and must confess his sins.

But some may say, the devil cannot snatch the believer from the hand of God, John 10:24-30. A deeper study of this passage will show that this is in harmony with other passages that teach that a child of God can sin and be lost.

It is a great passage of comfort: if we are safe in the hands of Jesus the devil cannot overpower Him and take us back. We are kept by God’s power. However, Jesus was making a comparison between the Jews who didn’t believe and His followers. He said that His followers hear His voice and follow Him. Those who will not be snatched out of the hand of God are those who hear and follow.

What if we cease to hear and follow? Paul writes about some who quit hearing and became enemies of the cross, Philippians 3:17-19. Remember James 5:19-20 that urges us to restore those who wander from the truth--they cease to hear and follow! This was true in the Old Testament as well, Ezekiel 18:24-27.

Since we can wander from the truth and be lost, we must resist the devil (James 4:7 -- a useless admonition if he is completely powerless in relation to our salvation) He cannot snatch us away from God, but he can lure us away! (James 1:14-16)


References:  (King James Version)

1 Timothy 4:1   "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"

Hebrews 4:1   "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."

Hebrews 4:11   "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

Hebrews 10:35-39  "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

James 5:19-20   "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert (turns-NKJ) him; 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."

1 John 1:9   "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 3:6-9   "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Mark 2:19   "And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast."

Luke 13:33   "Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem."

Mathew 27:42   "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him."

John 10:24-30   "Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him."

Philipians 3:17-19   "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"

Ezekiel 18:24-27   "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."

James 4:7   "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

James 1:14-16   "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren."