OUT OF THE WOODS

by J.F.T. Woods

Q. If a believer stopped believing in Christ wouldn't he lose his salvation?

A. Our Lord said, "That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). "Has been born" in both instances is in the Greek perfect tense, speaking of an action completed in time past and having continuing results; "has been completely and permanently born." "Is" is in the present tense indicating linear, or continuing action; "continues to be flesh ... spirit." The fact is that I was born the son of J.F.T. Woods, Sr. If I stop believing that he is my father nothing changes ... he remains my father! Every believer has had two births, one fleshly and one spiritual. Peter says that the second birth, unlike the first, is "of incorruptible seed." If the second birth were "of the flesh" like the first birth, we would be born spiritually dead as we were the first time. Even if we could be born without spiritual death, we would die instantly when we committed our first sin as Adam did. God did not give us a second chance, He gave us a second birth making us dead to sin (including the sin of unbelief), and alive to God. Because death can never again have dominion over Christ it can never again have dominion over us. At the time of our new birth we received 36 things that we didn't have a minute before, such as justification, redemption, propitiation, regeneration, forgiveness, newness of life ... etc. All 36 are irreversible because they are wrought by God, in grace, and without regard to our merit or demerit. Nothing can undo our salvation, including our ceasing to believe (assuming that this is even possible), because it is a finished work of God. "Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost (completely and eternally) that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7: 25). The complete and eternal nature of our salvation is here, as elsewhere, seen to depend on His intercession and not on our faithfulness. God only saves completely. One who has been saved "completely" can never again be lost!