Can a backslider regain their salvation?

The question of whether a backslider can regain their salvation is a deeply significant topic within Christian theology. It touches on the nature of salvation, the security of the believer, and the grace and forgiveness of God. A backslider is generally understood to be someone who has once professed faith in Christ but has fallen away into sinful behavior or unbelief. To address this question, we will explore biblical teachings on salvation, repentance, God’s grace, and the possibility of restoration for those who have strayed from their faith.

Understanding Salvation

Salvation in the Christian context is the deliverance from sin and its consequences, granted by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Key passages in the New Testament outline the nature of salvation:

• Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
• John 3:16 (NKJV): “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

These verses emphasize that justification is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ, and not something earned by human effort. But Justification is followed by sanctification which takes place when the believer yields daily to the converting work of the Holy Spirit in his life.

The Concept of Backsliding

Backsliding refers to the act of falling away from one’s faith or turning back to sinful behaviors after having experienced a genuine relationship with Christ. The Bible acknowledges the reality of backsliding and provides guidance on how to address it.

• Jeremiah 3:22 (NKJV): “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” This Old Testament call to repentance shows God’s willingness to restore those who return to Him.
• Hosea 14:4 (NKJV): “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him.”

Repentance and Restoration

The New Testament similarly emphasizes repentance as the path to restoration. Repentance involves a sincere turning away from sin and turning back to God.

• 1 John 1:9 (NKJV): “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• Acts 3:19 (NKJV): “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

These verses indicate that God is willing to forgive and cleanse those who genuinely repent and seek His forgiveness. The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 is a profound illustration of this principle. The son, who strayed and squandered his inheritance, is welcomed back by the father with open arms upon his return and repentance. This parable demonstrates God’s readiness to restore those who come back to Him.

Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Security

The question of whether a backslider can regain their salvation often intersects with the theological debate over the security of the believer—whether salvation, once received, can be lost. The New Testament provides several assurances of the believer’s security in Christ:

• John 10:28-29 (NKJV): “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
• Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV): “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

These passages suggest that those who are genuinely saved are kept secure by God’s power and love. However, they do not provide a license for willful sinning or backsliding, as genuine faith produces a transformation that seeks to live in obedience to God.

The Call to Persevere

The New Testament also contains numerous exhortations to persevere in faith and not to fall away:

• Hebrews 10:26-27 (NKJV): “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”
• 2 Peter 2:20-22 (NKJV): “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

These warnings emphasize the seriousness of turning away from the faith after having come to the knowledge of the truth. They serve as a sobering reminder of the consequences of backsliding.

Biblical Examples of Restoration

Several biblical figures provide examples of restoration after backsliding:

1. Peter: The apostle Peter denied Jesus three times, a serious act of betrayal (Matthew 26:69-75). However, he was restored by Jesus after His resurrection (John 21:15-19), demonstrating that repentance and return are possible even after significant failures.
2. David: King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the murder of her husband (2 Samuel 11). When confronted by the prophet Nathan, David repented deeply (Psalm 51). God forgave David, although there were consequences for his actions.
3. Jonah: The prophet Jonah ran away from God’s command to preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:3). After being swallowed by a great fish and repenting, Jonah was given a second chance to fulfill his mission (Jonah 3:1-3).
4. Paul: Paul spent the first part of his life hating, imprisoning, persecuting and even killing Christians, but when the Lord Jesus appeared to him and changed his life, he became one the Lord’s great disciples. God wants all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and none to perish (2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:32).

These examples show that God’s grace is sufficient to restore those who genuinely repent, no matter how far they have fallen.

Practical Steps for Restoration

For a backslider seeking to regain their salvation, the Bible provides clear steps:

1. Acknowledge and Confess Sin:
   • 1 John 1:9 (NKJV): “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We need to accept forgiveness by faith. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV also Acts 16:31). And God will cover us with the righteousness of Christ the moment we accept His atoning work for us (Romans 3:22).
2. Repent and Turn Back to God:
   • Acts 3:19 (NKJV): “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Repentance and conversion is the basis of a genuine Christian experience where a man turns away from his old life of sin.
3. Seek Forgiveness and Restoration:
   • Psalm 51:10-12 (NKJV): “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”
4. Commit to Obedience and Growth:
   • Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV): “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Conversion and change is the work of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit cannot do His work until a man is willing to let God take hold of his life. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

Conclusion

The question of whether a backslider can regain their salvation is ultimately answered by the overwhelming testimony of Scripture to God’s grace, mercy, and willingness to forgive. While backsliding is a serious matter, the Bible provides numerous examples and promises of restoration for those who genuinely repent and return to God. Salvation, as a gift of grace, is secure in Christ, but it also calls for a response of continued faith and repentance.

• James 5:19-20 (NKJV): “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

The process of regaining salvation involves acknowledging sin, repenting, seeking God’s forgiveness, and committing to a renewed life of obedience and faith. Through this process, the backslider can experience the fullness of God’s redemptive grace and be restored to a right relationship with Him.

In His service,
BibleAsk Team