Rebuttal: You can loose your salvation. Beware of over-confidence!
What the Church Teaches
In his book The City of God, St. Augustine said, "Temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment." In 387 AD, he also said, “And yet no one should be confident that he has passed on from the one state to the other, until he has arrived where there will be no more temptation-until he has achieved that peace which is his aim in the many varied struggles of this present warfare, in which the desires of the body oppose the spirit, and the spirit fights against the body’s desires.”
What the Bible Says
In Other Words
Depending on how original sin is defined, dictates whether you can lose salvation. The Catholic Church describes original sin as an absence of God's divine life in a person. This is the reason baptism is so important. Baptism is the washing away of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and reconciling us to the Father. One can be confident of his / her present salvation only when God's life (sanctifying grace) is dwelling in them. If you willingly commit mortal sin after baptism, you are cut off from this grace once again. This is one of the chief reasons why God gave us the sacraments — to provide visible assurances that he is spiritually providing us with his grace. Upon receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and absolution, one can be certain that they are grafted back to God, his Son and their Church. Remember, if grave sin is present he / she must go and be reconciled to God and his Church through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which only can be achieved in the presence of a priests - the ministers of absolution. Indeed, the tests that John sets forth in his first epistle helps us understand whether we are abiding in God's grace are, in essence, testing the gravity of our sin. John says, "There is sin that is deadly...and sin that is not deadly."
The only absolute way to know that I’m going to heaven is if I’m living the Will of the Father and fully abiding in his sanctifying grace, now and continually until death. “I must be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect,” (Mt 5:48). Since I cannot predict the future, meaning, I don’t know how, when, or where I will fall into my weaknesses, worldly attachments, and distractions I cannot know with certainty if I am going to heaven. One exception is the present moment. If by examining my conscience it is found without guilt of grave sin, I can have a certain hope of salvation. It is my hope in Jesus Christ and his Resurrection that I do make it to heaven, by trusting in his mercy, His Church and His sacraments.
Titus 2:13 – “Awaiting our blessed hope.” You see, one does not hope for what he already has, so the idea you can know you are going to heaven is debunked here. One CAN NOT know if they are going to heaven. To quote Saint Paul, “Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are “mature” adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you…” (Philippians 3:13-15). Even Paul was in pursuit of salvation. He believed. He accepted; but, he did not know if he was going to heaven, for if he did, he would have stopped pursuing. So, if St. Paul was unsure if he was going to heaven, I highly doubt anyone else can KNOW they are going to heaven. We have all been ‘knocked off our horses’ (being saved); yet, we must still pursue God’s upward call, by our works in faith, hope and love (see James 2:18).
So ask yourself, am I worthy of salvation at every moment, at all times, until death? Do not be so confident. No one is perfect, but only the Father. It is actually quite sinful to think of yourself as worthy of heaven before the judgment - the Church calls this sin of presumption. Presuming that I am saved in the future, and so I can live the way I choose, and in God’s mercy he will forgive me, because I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. God is all merciful but don’t be a fool and forget about His justice. He lets us choose. If I choose to commit deadly sin, I choose to detach myself from the 'vine.' That which is detached from the vine, dies.
In his book The City of God, St. Augustine said, "Temporary punishments are suffered by some in this life only, by others after death, by others both now and then; but all of them before that last and strictest judgment." In 387 AD, he also said, “And yet no one should be confident that he has passed on from the one state to the other, until he has arrived where there will be no more temptation-until he has achieved that peace which is his aim in the many varied struggles of this present warfare, in which the desires of the body oppose the spirit, and the spirit fights against the body’s desires.”
- CCC 405: "Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence". Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle."
What the Bible Says
- 1 Cor 10:1-13 – To be taken possession of by Christ, does not mean that one has already arrived at perfect spiritual maturity, it means that we make the conscious effort day after day to choose Him over sin. Paul and the Philippians instead press on, trusting in God. Verse 12: "Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall."
- Phil 3:12-16 – “It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ [Jesus]. Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are “perfectly mature” adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you. Only, with regard to what we have attained, continue on the same course.*
- Ephesians 2:5 – "Even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ* (by grace you have been saved),"
- 1 John 5:16-21 – At some time in the future, we could fall into a sin that’s unto death. It is only through a reflection of the Son, who reflects the father, that we are able to be saved.
- Rom 8:24 "For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees."
- Phi 2:12 – "So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
- Question: If Paul was already 'saved,' why then would he be trembling over his salvation?
- Mt 24:13 – “But the who preservers to the end will be saved."
- 1 Cor 10: 11-12 – Those thinking that they are secure, should be cautious not to fall.
- Mt 10:22 – "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
- Mk 8:35 – "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it."
- Luke 12:59 – "I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
In Other Words
Depending on how original sin is defined, dictates whether you can lose salvation. The Catholic Church describes original sin as an absence of God's divine life in a person. This is the reason baptism is so important. Baptism is the washing away of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and reconciling us to the Father. One can be confident of his / her present salvation only when God's life (sanctifying grace) is dwelling in them. If you willingly commit mortal sin after baptism, you are cut off from this grace once again. This is one of the chief reasons why God gave us the sacraments — to provide visible assurances that he is spiritually providing us with his grace. Upon receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and absolution, one can be certain that they are grafted back to God, his Son and their Church. Remember, if grave sin is present he / she must go and be reconciled to God and his Church through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which only can be achieved in the presence of a priests - the ministers of absolution. Indeed, the tests that John sets forth in his first epistle helps us understand whether we are abiding in God's grace are, in essence, testing the gravity of our sin. John says, "There is sin that is deadly...and sin that is not deadly."
The only absolute way to know that I’m going to heaven is if I’m living the Will of the Father and fully abiding in his sanctifying grace, now and continually until death. “I must be perfect as my heavenly Father is perfect,” (Mt 5:48). Since I cannot predict the future, meaning, I don’t know how, when, or where I will fall into my weaknesses, worldly attachments, and distractions I cannot know with certainty if I am going to heaven. One exception is the present moment. If by examining my conscience it is found without guilt of grave sin, I can have a certain hope of salvation. It is my hope in Jesus Christ and his Resurrection that I do make it to heaven, by trusting in his mercy, His Church and His sacraments.
Titus 2:13 – “Awaiting our blessed hope.” You see, one does not hope for what he already has, so the idea you can know you are going to heaven is debunked here. One CAN NOT know if they are going to heaven. To quote Saint Paul, “Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are “mature” adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you…” (Philippians 3:13-15). Even Paul was in pursuit of salvation. He believed. He accepted; but, he did not know if he was going to heaven, for if he did, he would have stopped pursuing. So, if St. Paul was unsure if he was going to heaven, I highly doubt anyone else can KNOW they are going to heaven. We have all been ‘knocked off our horses’ (being saved); yet, we must still pursue God’s upward call, by our works in faith, hope and love (see James 2:18).
So ask yourself, am I worthy of salvation at every moment, at all times, until death? Do not be so confident. No one is perfect, but only the Father. It is actually quite sinful to think of yourself as worthy of heaven before the judgment - the Church calls this sin of presumption. Presuming that I am saved in the future, and so I can live the way I choose, and in God’s mercy he will forgive me, because I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. God is all merciful but don’t be a fool and forget about His justice. He lets us choose. If I choose to commit deadly sin, I choose to detach myself from the 'vine.' That which is detached from the vine, dies.