Bible Study: AG 101: Can You Lose Your Salvation? What the Assemblies of God Believes About Eternal Security
- Boundless Team
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
Salvation is not a fragile thread held together by human performance. It is a living relationship with Jesus, secure in His hands, yet never meant to be treated as permission to abandon Him.
Can you lose your salvation?
The Assemblies of God teaches that salvation is received by grace through faith and is secure as we continue trusting Christ. A believer does not lose salvation through every stumble, but Scripture warns that persistent, willful rebellion and complete abandonment of faith can result in forfeiting salvation.
That answer holds together two biblical truths:
God is faithful to save and keep those who trust Him.
Our response to Christ matters, and Scripture calls us to continue in faith.
The Assemblies of God rejects both careless presumption and constant spiritual panic. Its official position is commonly described as conditional security: salvation is entirely by grace, but the believer must continue in a living relationship with Jesus.
Read the Assemblies of God position paper on assurance of salvation for the denomination’s fuller explanation.
What does “eternal security” mean?
Eternal security is the belief that a person who has genuinely received salvation can never ultimately be lost, regardless of whether that person later rejects Christ or abandons faith.
Some Christians summarize this view with the phrase “once saved, always saved.” The Assemblies of God does not affirm unconditional eternal security. Instead, it teaches that believers are genuinely secure in Christ as they continue in faith, while also recognizing the biblical warnings about turning away.
This is not salvation by works. Paul clearly says:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works.” , Ephesians 2:8–9
Grace is the foundation from beginning to end. Our obedience does not purchase salvation. Rather, genuine faith produces a life that continues to follow Jesus.
What does Jesus teach about security?
Jesus gives some of the strongest words of assurance in Scripture:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” , John 10:27–28
This passage reveals the Shepherd’s heart. Jesus knows His people, gives them eternal life, and protects them. No outside power can steal a believer from Christ.
At the same time, notice the description of Jesus’ sheep: they listen to His voice and follow Him. The promise is not a license to reject the Shepherd while claiming the benefits of belonging to Him. It is assurance for those who remain in a living relationship with Christ.
Colossians 1:21–23 makes a similar connection. We are reconciled through Christ, and Paul urges believers to continue in faith, established and firm, without shifting from the hope of the gospel.
What is apostasy?
Apostasy is a deliberate, settled abandonment of faith in Jesus Christ after previously identifying with Him. It is more serious than doubt, temptation, spiritual dryness, or a season of failure.
Scripture presents apostasy as a determined turning away from Christ, not an accidental loss of salvation.
Hebrews 6:4–6 describes the sobering possibility of people who have experienced profound spiritual realities and then deliberately turn away. Second Peter 2:20–22 likewise warns about those who escape the world’s corruption through knowing Christ and later become entangled in it again.
These passages should not be used to frighten tender believers who are struggling. They should be heard as loving warnings against hardening the heart, resisting the Holy Spirit, and finally rejecting Jesus.
What is perseverance?
Perseverance means continuing to trust Jesus, follow His teaching, remain responsive to the Holy Spirit, and hold firmly to the hope of the gospel.
Perseverance is not perfect performance. It is ongoing dependence.
A persevering Christian may still face temptation, grief, questions, weakness, and failure. The difference is that the believer keeps returning to Christ in repentance and faith rather than choosing a permanent path away from Him.
The Bible repeatedly calls believers to endure:
Hebrews 10:23 urges us to hold firmly to the hope we profess because God is faithful.
1 Corinthians 9:27 shows Paul taking his spiritual life seriously and refusing to live carelessly.
Ezekiel 33:18 warns that past righteousness cannot be used as an excuse for later rebellion.
John 10:27–29 assures us that Christ faithfully holds those who hear and follow Him.
These verses do not compete with one another. Together, they teach us to rest in God’s faithfulness while taking our discipleship seriously.
What do these passages teach us?
Verse | What it teaches | How it helps |
Ephesians 2:8–9 | Salvation is God’s gift, received through faith, not earned by works. | It protects us from legalism and self-salvation. |
John 10:27–29 | Jesus securely holds those who hear His voice and follow Him. | It gives confidence when fear tells us God has abandoned us. |
Colossians 1:21–23 | Reconciliation in Christ calls us to continue grounded in faith. | It encourages steady, lifelong discipleship. |
Hebrews 6:4–6 | Deliberate rejection of Christ is spiritually serious. | It warns us not to treat grace casually. |
2 Peter 2:20–22 | Returning to bondage after knowing Christ brings grave danger. | It calls us to leave sin and pursue restoration. |
1 Corinthians 9:27 | Paul practiced spiritual discipline and refused careless living. | It reminds us that faith should shape our habits. |
Common misconceptions about losing salvation
1. “One serious sin means I am no longer saved.”
No. Christians can stumble badly and still find forgiveness through repentance. Peter denied Jesus, yet Christ restored him. David committed grievous sin, yet he returned to God with a broken and repentant heart.
The issue is not whether you have ever failed. The issue is whether you are turning from sin toward Christ or hardening yourself against Him.
2. “If I have doubts, I must have lost my salvation.”
Doubt can be painful, but doubt is not the same as apostasy. Many faithful believers have wrestled with questions. Bring those questions honestly to God. Read Scripture, pray, and seek wise Christian community.
A person terrified that they may have rejected Christ is often demonstrating that their heart still cares about Him. That concern should lead to pastoral conversation and renewed trust, not despair.
3. “God is waiting for a reason to remove me.”
The gospel reveals a Father who receives repentant sinners, a Savior who seeks the lost, and a Holy Spirit who convicts and calls us back. God is not eager to cast away those who are reaching for Him.
Jesus said:
“Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” , John 6:37
That promise is an invitation. Come to Jesus honestly. Confess your sin. Receive His mercy. Begin again.
4. “Because salvation is by grace, my choices do not matter.”
Grace is not permission to remain enslaved to sin. Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives, as Titus 2:11–12 explains.
We do not obey in order to make God love us. We obey because God has loved us and is transforming us.
How can you walk securely with Jesus?
The life-changing takeaway
The Assemblies of God answer is neither “you are saved one moment and lost with every mistake” nor “nothing you do afterward matters.”
The biblical invitation is stronger and more balanced:
Trust Jesus completely. Follow Him faithfully. When you stumble, return quickly. Never treat grace casually, and never doubt the welcome of a repentant heart.
God’s faithfulness gives us assurance. His warnings give us sobriety. His Spirit gives us power to persevere.
Are you carrying fear about your salvation, or have you been drifting from Christ? Your next step does not need to be dramatic. Open the Bible. Pray honestly. Confess what needs to be confessed. Ask another believer to walk with you.
For readers in Memphis, Cordova, Arlington, Bartlett, and the 901, faith is not meant to be lived alone. And if you are outside Tennessee, homebound, traveling, or searching from another country, you can still pursue Scripture and Christian community through Boundless.
Take your next step
Join a Small Group: Connect through Life Groups at FA Memphis and find a place for honest questions, prayer, and spiritual growth.
Download a Study Guide: Use the Scripture table and reflection questions in this article as a printable AG 101 study guide for personal devotion or group discussion.
Submit a Prayer Request: Visit the FA Memphis prayer page and let us know how we can pray with you.
We’d love to connect with you. Visit www.boundlessonlinechurch.org to join our community from anywhere, or if you’re in the Memphis area, find us at www.famemphis.org.
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You are not alone. There is grace for the returning heart, strength for the next step, and a faithful Shepherd who calls you to keep following Him.
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