Yes, the seventh Article of Faith in the Nazarene Manual states in part: “We believe that all persons, though in the possession of the experience of regeneration and entire sanctification, may fall from grace and apostatize and, unless they repent of their sins, be hopelessly and eternally lost.”

Most TV and radio preachers and many books sold in religious bookstores teach just the opposite. Sadly, some Nazarenes have been influenced by the unsound doctrine that a person who has once accepted Christ can never be lost. Concerning evidence of persons who once were exemplary believers and have fallen away, the usual response is, “Well, they were never saved in the first place.” That is a convenient dodge, since it can be neither proved nor disproved. But biblical statements cannot be dismissed so glibly (see Mark 4:16-19; Luke 9:62; 1 Timothy 5:15; 2 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:1; Revelation 2:2-5).

Certainly one cannot “lose” salvation as one might unknowingly lose a hat. But we still have free will after we believe. Although Christians continually need forgiveness for what Wesley called “involuntary transgressions,” the New Testament is clear that a believer may forfeit salvation by willful disobedience (see 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Ephesians 5:6-7; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 4:6; 10:26-27; 1 John 3:24).

Our final destiny is not sealed merely by exercising saving faith one time. Salvation is contingent on our continuing in faith (see Matthew 10:22; Romans 11:22; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; 1 John 2:24). Of course, as the above-quoted Article of Faith suggests, one who has fallen from grace may be restored by sincere repentance. But one must not presume by taking sin lightly.—rls

Yours is a common question from those from a Reformed or Baptist tradition. The logic goes like this:

1. God is sovereign, and humans are powerless to resist what God wills.

2. God has chosen beforehand (predestined) who will be saved.

3. Since God’s will is irresistible, those chosen will be saved.

4. The saved are eternally secure and cannot undo what God has done. Thus, once saved, always saved.

Nazarenes begin with the holiness of God. Our logic goes like this:

1. God is holy, and fallen humans are unholy.

2. In Christ, God has moved lovingly toward fallen humans, offering a covenant relationship we could never merit.

3. All are made capable of responding to God’s gracious offer and are called to repentance. (To study the issue, look at the overwhelming use of the word all in the salvation texts of the New Testament.)

4. God has chosen/elected/predestined to save all who come in faith through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).

5. The relationship established by grace and experienced through faith is maintained in obedience. As covenant people, we remain capable of willful defiance through sin and can resist the life and activity of God. The relationship can be destroyed. We are, however, also capable of holiness as the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in us.

To speak of “losing salvation” is a poor choice of words. I lose my car keys. Did they slip through a hole in my pocket? Did I misplace them? I was fully in control of them, and then they were gone. I’ve got to get them back. To think of salvation like this is to imagine I am in control: “I found my salvation, and I can lose my salvation.” This is not biblical. God found us. God saved us. We do not find and lose salvation. We are the lost and found.

The marriage covenant offers another way to think of this issue. Marriage is intended to be a relationship of mutual love, respect, and loyalty. I can destroy it by willful, sinful behavior. If I live selfishly, chase other lovers, neglect my wife, I destroy the fabric of the covenant. Divorce may occur. Due to our capacity for hard hearts, God permits the divorce. We are not held captive in a relationship that is being destroyed by sinful behavior.

Two final notes:

1. Those who “backslide” or willfully disengage from the life of God are still loved by God. In the Old Testament, God initiates divorce proceedings against His people when they chase after other gods, but in love He still pursues them.

2. We Nazarenes sometimes have been guilty of embracing a doctrine of eternal insecurity. When we suggest that relationship with God is as fickle as the slip of a tongue or a really bad day, we fill our people with spiritual anxiety.

Can people who once truly experienced God’s saving grace destroy the covenant relationship that binds them to God? Yes. But I could count on one hand those I have known to do so. God’s love must be awfully stubborn—almost irresistible.—db