Can I lose my way to heaven?<\/p>\n\t
Obviously, Paul thought that it was possible. \u201cNot that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus<\/i>\u201d (Philippians 3:12-14). In another letter, Paul wrote, \u201cDo you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified<\/i>\u201d (I Corinthians 9:24-27). Paul understood that if he did not give God his all, it was possible to be disqualified from inheriting eternal life.<\/p>\n
Paul not only had concerns about retaining his own salvation, he also told us about those who had lost their right to eternal life. Paul told Timothy that \u201chaving faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme<\/i>\u201d (I Timothy 1:19-20). Hymenaeus and Alexander were sailing the seas of faith, but they suffered a shipwreck \u2013 they had lost their faith. Peter warned that false prophets would arise from among the people of God in II Peter 2. He did not say they would enter from the outside, but that they would come from within the family of God. In II Peter 2:15, Peter states, \u201cThey have forsaken the right way and gone astray.<\/i>\u201d You cannot forsake a path on which you were never walked. Concerning these people and those they lead astray Peter warns, \u201cFor if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them<\/i>\u201d (II Peter 2:20-21).<\/p>\n
Often people will say about a fallen brother, \u201cWell, he never was really saved in the first place.\u201d Yet, it is clear that a person can know the way of righteousness and escape the pollutions of the world and then become entangled in the world of sin once again. This is why Christians must never let their guard down. \u201cBe sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour<\/i>\u201d (I Peter 5:8). If a Christian could not become lost, there would be no danger from Satan. But while we remain in this world, we must always strive to serve our Lord. We must not become complacent nor arrogant. \u201cTherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall<\/i>\u201d (I Corinthians 10:12).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Can I lose my way to heaven? Answer: Obviously, Paul thought that it was possible. \u201cNot that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[59,61,46,58,60,47],"class_list":["post-522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-calvinism","tag-falling-from-grace","tag-heaven","tag-once-saved-always-saved","tag-perseverance-of-the-saints","tag-salvation"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21972,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-paul-concerned-about-losing-his-salvation-or-being-rejected-by-men\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":0},"title":"Was Paul concerned about losing his salvation or being rejected by men?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In the verse where Paul says he could be disqualified, is he referring to being disqualified from having a home in Heaven, or from ministry? Some writers and commentaries think when he refers to being disqualified, that he\u2019s concerned about being disqualified from doing ministry work, instead of being\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46445,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/run-with-endurance\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":1},"title":"Run with Endurance","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 8, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dennis Stackhouse We have a wonderfully challenging statement given to us in Hebrews 12:1:\u00a0\"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Runner-180x300.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":86991,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-prize\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":2},"title":"The Prize","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Perry Hall \"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39454,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-difference-between-seeking-and-striving-to-enter-the-narrow-gate\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":3},"title":"What is the difference between seeking and striving to enter the narrow gate?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know in the Bible if say many shall seek but only a few shall find then it says to strive. So what's the difference between seeking and striving? What's the definition Bible-wise. Can give me an example? And the example can be about anything between a seeking person\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41353,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-advice-would-you-give-to-someone-who-cant-seem-to-love-herself\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":4},"title":"What advice would you give to someone who can’t seem to love herself?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What does it mean when the relationships you have with others always failed? What advice would you give to someone who can't seem to love herself? Answer: I hate to sound trite, but consistent failure means you are going about it the wrong way. Often we convince ourselves that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44379,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-father-just-died-can-he-be-in-heaven\/","url_meta":{"origin":522,"position":5},"title":"My father just died! Can he be in heaven?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have sad news, my father just died of an overdose! Are there any verses that you can point out to me that say he can be in Heaven! I'm so scared he is in hell because he said he was mad at God and all. Answer: I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}