When Is a Person Lost?
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Text: Jude 3-10
I. I sometimes find myself in a quandary
A. I will present the biblical evidence for salvation and then I’ll be asked “Do you think my mother is lost?”
B. The first thing that comes to mind is that even Michael would not condemn Satan in Jude 9
1. The phrase literally means “a blasphemous judgment”
2. It was not Michael’s place to pronounce eternal condemnation on even one so obviously condemned as Satan
3. That right belongs to God alone - Romans 12:17-19
C. This is not to say that evil cannot be condemned or rebuked
1. Paul plainly rebuked Elymas - Acts 13:8-10
2. Yet Paul did not sentenced him to Hell. He stated that he was traveling the wrong road in no uncertain terms.
3. Such is a duty of preachers - Titus 2:15; II Timothy 4:2
D. Does this mean I can’t say that certain people will be lost?
1. Not at all, the Scriptures do teach that people having or lacking certain traits will be condemned to Hell
2. What it does mean is that I must be careful not to take the judgment seat.
3. So if you what to say “My mother lied like it was her second language. Are you telling me that when she died, she went to Hell?” The proper answer might be, “God said that all liars will be condemned to Hell (Revelation 21:8)”
4. This acknowledges what God has declared without displacing God from His Judgment Seat.
E. It is the wicked who have no fear of condemning others - II Peter 2:9-11
II. What does God say can cause you to be lost?
A. Wickedness
1. Those who hate righteousness - Psalm 34:21
2. The wicked will perish - Psalm 37:20
3. Men who intend evil will be condemned - Proverbs 12:2
4. Those who act without authority - Matthew 7:23
B. No love of the truth
1. Those who do not know God and those who will not obey - II Thessalonians 1:8
2. II Thessalonians 2:8-12
a. For many truth is not nearly as important as having fun
b. But without a strong desire, a love, for the truth, we cannot be saved.
3. Those who reject the message have made their own decision - Acts 13:46
C. Unbelief
1. Hearing the message must be united with faith - Hebrews 4:1-2
2. Unless you believe that Jesus is “I Am,” you will die in your sins - John 8:24
3. With belief we should not perish - John 3:16
4. Disbelieve causes condemnation - Mark 16:16
5. Even acting in doubt will condemn - Romans 14:22-23
6. Lack of belief leaves a person far from God - Psalm 73:27
D. Unrepentant
1. Unless you repent, you will perish - Luke 13:3,5
a. In other words, you cannot be saved while far from God.
b. You have to turn around. You have to return to God.
2. God doesn’t want to condemn anyone, but He will - II Peter 3:9
3. God will judge us by our conduct - Ezekiel 18:30-32
4. Romans 2:3-8 - Repentance is shown in what we do
E. Unconverted
1. Must be born again - John 3:3
2. Cannot enter without being changed - Matthew 18:3
F. Cowards
1. If we deny Christ, we will be denied - Matthew 10:32-33; II Timothy 2:12
2. Our words can condemn us - Matthew 12:36-37
3. The cowardly listed among those going to the second death - Revelation 21:8
G. Disobedient
1. Disobedience goes hand-in-hand with disbelief - Hebrews 3:18-19
2. Without obedience we cannot enter the promise rest - Hebrews 4:5-6
3. We too can fail to enter - Hebrews 4:11
4. Being judged by our deeds, those not found in the book of life are destroyed - Revelation 20:11-15
a. Those who cause defilement are not in this book - Revelation 21:27
III. But one doesn’t have to be lost
A. You can desire to do good
B. You can desire to learn the truth
C. You can believe what God has told you
D. You can change the way you behave
E. You can be bold and confess Christ before others
F. You can be obedient to God’s laws
G. You can be converted
H. I was presented with the argument that salvation is by faith alone because only the lack of faith condemns.
1. I hope you see that such is not the case
2. “But, but, but ... It doesn’t say if you are not baptized you will perish, so baptism is not essential.”
a. Ah, but sinners cannot be saved and baptism washes away sins - Acts 22:16
b. The unforgiven cannot be saved and repentance with baptism brings the forgiveness of sins - Acts 2:38
c. The unconverted cannot be saved, but baptism brings a new life - Romans 6:3-4
d. And don’t forget Jesus said we must be born of water as well as of the Spirit to enter the kingdom - John 3:5
3. Those who deny the necessity of baptism still admit that it should be done out of obedience as an outward sign of an inward grace.
a. Can you be saved without obedience?
b. If I refuse to partake of the Lord’s Supper, would I be saved? - John 6:53-54
4. What Christian in the New Testament was saved without baptism?
a. Paul said they were all baptized - Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27
b. So what about you? Do you think you will stand uncondemned before God if you do not obey?
