Christians have disagreed about this for centuries, and the disagreement is real. In general, the traditions that teach a genuine believer can lose salvation include Arminian Methodist and Wesleyan churches, most Pentecostal and Assemblies of God churches, many Restoration Movement churches (Churches of Christ, Christian churches), Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, and some Anglican and Lutheran bodies that lean Arminian. The traditions that teach believers are kept by God and cannot finally be lost include most Reformed and Presbyterian churches, most Baptist churches, Reformed Anglicans, and confessional Lutherans who hold to the perseverance of the saints. Below is what each side actually claims, and the passages each side reads.
What is the difference between the two main views?
The two views are usually called perseverance of the saints and conditional security. Perseverance of the saints says that everyone God truly saves will be kept by God’s power to the end. Conditional security says that salvation is a gift received by faith, and that a believer can later turn away and be lost.
Both sides agree on several things. Salvation is by grace, not by works. Faith is the means by which we receive it. A person who never bears any fruit of the Spirit has reason to examine whether their faith was real. The difference is whether a true believer can finally fall away.
The Reformed and Baptist reading rests on passages like this:
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. — John 10:28-29 (BSB)
And this:
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. — Philippians 1:6 (BSB)
The Arminian and Wesleyan reading rests on passages like this:
They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either. — Romans 11:20-21 (BSB)
And this:
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 then have fallen away, to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame. — Hebrews 6:4-6 (BSB)
Honest readers on both sides have to deal with both sets of texts.
Which specific churches and traditions teach you can lose salvation?
Methodist and Wesleyan churches are the clearest example. John Wesley taught that a believer can fall from grace through willful sin and unbelief, and can be restored again through repentance. Most Methodist bodies still hold this.
Pentecostal and charismatic churches, including the Assemblies of God, generally teach that a believer can turn away, though they also stress that God keeps those who continue in faith.
Restoration Movement churches, such as the Churches of Christ and many independent Christian churches, teach that salvation is received by faith, repentance and baptism, and that a believer can fall away through sin and must remain faithful.
Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches teach that a person can lose the grace of justification by grave sin. Catholic teaching distinguishes mortal and venial sin; Orthodox teaching speaks of falling from grace and the need for repentance and confession. Both reject the idea that a true believer is unconditionally secure.
Some Anglican and Lutheran bodies that lean Arminian also allow that a believer can fall away, though this varies by province and synod.
Which traditions teach you cannot lose salvation?
Reformed and Presbyterian churches confess the perseverance of the saints. The Westminster Confession says that those whom God has accepted in Christ can never totally or finally fall away from the state of grace.
Most Baptist churches hold eternal security, though some Baptists hold a conditional view. Confessional Lutherans often say that faith can be lost, but they also insist that God preserves those who remain in the Word and sacraments, so the practical difference is smaller than it sounds.
Reformed Anglicans and many non-denominational churches that follow Reformed theology also teach that a true believer is kept by God.
This site follows the historic Protestant reading, which includes the perseverance of the saints, but we hold it gently. Faithful Christians who love the same Lord read these passages differently, and the difference should not divide believers from one another.
What does the Bible say about losing salvation?
Both sides quote Scripture, and both sides take the warnings seriously. The question is how the warnings function.
Those who hold to perseverance say the warnings are means God uses to keep His people faithful. A person who ignores the warnings gives evidence that their profession was not genuine. That is why Jesus said:
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. — Matthew 7:21 (BSB)
Those who hold to conditional security say the warnings are real warnings to real believers, and that a person can genuinely believe and later fall away. They point to Hebrews 6 and to passages about branches being broken off.
Both sides also agree that assurance is not presumption. James warns that a person can be religious and still deceive themselves:
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. — James 1:26 (BSB)
The practical question is not which side wins a debate. It is whether you are trusting Christ now, and whether your life shows that trust is real.
How should this affect your own assurance?
First, look to Christ, not to your performance. Assurance rests on His finished work, not on how strong your faith feels today.
Second, take the warnings seriously. They are given for your good. If you are drifting, repent and return to Him. If you are trusting Him, keep trusting Him.
Third, do not let this debate steal your peace. Paul wrote:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:38-39 (BSB)
Fourth, stay close to a local church. Read Scripture, pray, and talk with a pastor or trusted believer who knows you. If you are struggling with doubt or fear, that is not a sign you are lost. It is a sign you are awake.
If you are in crisis, please reach out for help. In the United States and Canada, call or text 988. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. In Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Anywhere else, visit findahelpline.com or call your local emergency number.
Common questions
Do Methodists believe you can lose your salvation?
Yes, most Methodist and Wesleyan churches teach that a believer can fall from grace through willful sin and unbelief, and can be restored through repentance. This comes from John Wesley’s teaching and is still the standard view in those traditions.
Do Baptists believe in eternal security?
Most Baptist churches teach eternal security, also called perseverance of the saints. They hold that a true believer is kept by God’s power and cannot finally be lost. Some Baptist groups hold a conditional view, so it is best to ask a specific church what it teaches.
What do Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe about losing salvation?
Both Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that a person can lose the grace of justification by grave sin. Catholics distinguish mortal and venial sin, and Orthodox Christians speak of falling from grace and the need for repentance and confession. Neither tradition teaches unconditional security.
Can a true Christian lose their salvation?
Christians have disagreed on this for centuries. Reformed and Baptist traditions say no, a true believer is kept by God. Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic and Orthodox traditions say yes, a believer can turn away. Both sides point to Scripture, and both call you to trust Christ and continue in faith.