A Christian’s potential to fall from grace is a concept that runs contrary to many in the religious world today. Challenging certain pre-conceived doctrines (e.g Reformed/Calvinism), a fall from grace suggests that a person who had at one time believed and accepted the gospel of Christ, could ‘fall from grace’ at a later time in life. Indeed, the Calvinistic doctrine of “once saved, always saved” or “eternal security” can’t be true if a Christian can fall from grace. So which is it?
How Scripture answers "Can one fall from grace?"
Yes, the Christian can fall from grace just as Paul plainly states1, and even strives personally to avoid6. God’s grace has always been conditional3,5, and as part of His unchanging nature, it remains so given the persistent warnings1,2,3,4,6 to the New Testament Christian. The consistency is striking:
- God says the righteous will “die” if they turn to “injustice”5,
- Paul, an apostle, strives to keep his body “under control” so as not to be “disqualified”6,
- The children of Israel not entering the Promised Land due to disobedience is compared to the threat of a Christian not entering heaven3
In each of these cases, God’s grace was freely bestowed, but a fall from grace was possible due to disobedience.
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