You do not have to struggle with assurance of salvation—God offers no salvation that is not eternal.

Romans 8:38-39 KJV – “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But what happens when believers sin or backslide? Can a person’s sins or failures result in the loss of salvation?

First, we must know that our salvation is not dependent on our own efforts or ability to maintain it but on the finished work of Jesus and His faithfulness. Once a person genuinely puts their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are eternally secure in their salvation.

This assurance is based on the promises of God’s Word. Jesus Himself says, “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” (John 10:27-29).

It’s important to remember, however, that this assurance does not give license for believers to live in willful sin or to disregard their relationship with God. Anyone who treats the security of the believer as an insurance policy so they can sin without consequences probably does not know the Lord to begin with. That is simply not the heart of a born-again follower of Christ. As Paul said, if “we…have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:2) Or in James’ words, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). True faith results in a transformed life.

Critics of the Church point to those who say they are Christ-followers but continue in the way of the world. From the viewpoint of Scripture, their faith did not shift from themselves to the crucified Christ who died and rose again to give us new life.

A person who makes a profession of faith but continues along their current path with no change in life is in serious trouble. These people either did not hear the true Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) or, after hearing it did not genuinely turn to Christ for salvation. Repentance is turning from oneself (turning away from sin) to Christ.

• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
• “For ‘whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved'” (Romans 10:13).
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

God is faithful and committed to completing the work He has begun in us. It is the finished work that Jesus did on the cross and His great faithfulness that we are dependent upon for salvation, not our own efforts or abilities. Once trust is genuinely placed in Jesus Christ as Savior, eternal salvation is eternally secured.

David Jeremiah is an author, the founder and host of Turning Point for God, and the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church.