Theology Response (Jacob Gulka)

1) Can someone lose their salvation? If so, what would make them lose it? Select a few Bible passages that address this subject and briefly (1-3 sentences each) explain how the verse speaks to this question.

I would like to make the statement that God pursues us and we are to also pursue Him. Being a relationship, we are to be in continual communion.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you,” (James 4:8a).

Knowing God, the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son is eternal life (John 17:3). Understanding that salvation is a person is vital. We are saved for God and not just for us to be in paradise.

“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God,” (John 1:13).

Receiving and believing are in tandem. We are to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our Shepherd and everything He is. He is our everything. He sustains us. But if we do not receive Him we are not children of God and are children of wrath.
When a person simply wants a “get out of Hell-free card” they are receiving one part of Christ and not all of Him, rejecting Him essentially. They are seeking the Father’s hand and not his face.
If I am seeking the Father’s hand as opposed to His face, was I really saved in the first place? I didn’t lose my salvation, I was following pleasures and not God.
I believe a person isn’t truly saved if they reject transformation. They have dissected the gospel for the parts they want and rejected the rest of Jesus and consequently all of Him.
However, I believe there is a extremely rare possibility when those who pursue Jesus holistically somehow end up on the playing field where they've given satan authority in their lives. I believe if that goes unchecked they could fall out of communion with God.

Yes you can lose that salvation, but it's not a route you want to test.

2) If someone asked you, “What does it mean to be saved?” what would you say?

My response would be that I am saved from destruction and for God. That I am no longer an enemy of God and I have been reconciled to Him and He’s my Father now. Jesus has restored me to right standing with Him, given me a relationship, transformed my heart and given me a perfect destiny.

I get to know and experience my Creator and know what true intimacy is. As I interact with Him, He transforms my heart and conforms me more and more into the image of Jesus—the perfect Man. He shows me how to live and gives me a purpose in His grand story.

I am saved for something and not just from something. I am saved to love others as Jesus loved me and proclaim reconciliation to a dying world that is void of hope. I have a life full of hope and it is not dependent on my circumstances, whether lack or abundance, but on the victory of Christ and I am not defeated but victorious in my life through knowing Jesus. I am saved for God and He is my beginning and end.

2) If someone asked you, “What does it mean to be saved?” what would you say?

My response would be that I am saved from destruction and for God.  That I am no longer an enemy of God and I have been reconciled to Him and He’s my Father now.  Jesus has restored me to right standing with Him, given me a relationship, transformed my heart and given me a perfect destiny.  

I get to know and experience my Creator and know what true intimacy is.  As I interact with Him, He transforms my heart and conforms me more and more into the image of Jesus—the perfect Man.  He shows me how to live and gives me a purpose in His grand story.  

I am saved for something and not just from something.  I am saved to love others as Jesus loved me and proclaim reconciliation to a dying world that is void of hope.  I have a life full of hope and it is not dependent on my circumstances, whether lack or abundance, but on the victory of Christ and I am not defeated but victorious in my life through knowing Jesus.  I am saved for God and He is my beginning and end.

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I really enjoyed this explanation, Jacob. I like how you really drilled it in that we are not just simply being saved from something, but that we are being saved for something, and what we are being saved for is far more wonderful than we could ever imagine. It is unfortunate that so many people live their lives in fear of hell, which can become the main motivation for coming to Jesus. He offers so much more than that. It is incredible that not only do we simply get to survive when we accept Jesus, bet we get to thrive and flourish. Heaven is not just a far away place that we only get to celebrate once we are saved from Hell one day, but it is a place that is here among us today! Jesus brought it here, and because of Him we get to live in the already-not-yet reality and share it with others as well. Jesus is so good!