Can We Lose Our Salvation In Extreme Cases?

Q

I recently presented the view of Hebrews 6 that you discussed in one of your articles but someone suggested that Hebrews 6 is for an extreme circumstance where someone completely throws it back in God’s face and says that they don’t believe anymore and wants nothing to do with God. They suggested that in such a circumstance, it was re-crucifying Christ all over again and they would be beyond salvation. I didn’t say anything because I’ve heard of people who became atheist but ultimately came back to God. I was wondering if there was some solid Scripture to back up either claim?

A

The person who holds to this position hasn’t thought it through. Ephesians 1:13-14 says at the moment of belief the Holy spirit is sealed within us as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. 2 Cor. 1:21-22 and 2 Cor. 5:5 confirm this. How could anyone with the Holy Spirit sealed within him deny Jesus and put himself beyond salvation? What becomes of the Holy Spirit in a case like that? Does He somehow “unseal” Himself and walk away? If so then He wasn’t really sealed, was He?

And what about God’s guarantee of our inheritance? Does He have to change His mind and rescind it? Then He doesn’t really know the end from the beginning does He?

And what about the Lord’s promise that He will never lose even one of all those the Father has given Him? (John 6:39) Does He fail to keep it? Then we can’t really trust Him can we?

And if eternal security can be lost in extreme cases, then it isn’t really eternal security is it? I could go on and on but you get the idea. Either a person is forever saved or else he or she was never saved. This person’s opinion is inconsistent with the promises of the Bible.