Can salvation be lost? This question is more pertinent for us today because we are surrounded by a false Christianity. Salvation can be lost if you never had it in the first place. Pastors and preachers must take every opportunity to preach the true gospel to their congregation, and not assume that everyone in the congregation is truly born again. The concern is very real. Do not take one’s salvation for granted.

Life before salvation reminded (Gal 4:8)

The word “knew” in Galatians 4:8 refers to head knowledge. Before salvation, the people (they might know the Old Testament scriptures) did not even know God in their heads because they were slaves to their idols, whether tangible (eg: statues, loved ones) or intangible (eg: worship of oneself). Life before salvation is motivated by worldly pursuits, and one’s confidence is based on material things.

Life after salvation contrasted (Gal 4:9-10)

The word “known” in Galatians 4:9 refers to experiential knowledge of God, i.e. to have a close, intimate relationship with God. This life after salvation is motivated by the love of Christ. It can so motivate a believer that he will give every ounce of energy to please his Lord and Saviour, even when no one is watching, for he knows that God is always watching. We must check our lives. Is there a contrast between our life before salvation and our life after salvation? If our life is not one of obeying God’s Word perfectly (based on what we have learnt from His Word), we have not experienced salvation in Christ. With experiential knowledge of God, we will apply God's Word in our lives. It is important that we know (i.e. experience) God, but it is more important that God knows us (Gal 4:9).

The “beggarly elements” (Gal 4:9) refer to God’s ordinances which do not have the power to save, eg: circumcision, the Passover, other feasts. These ordinances are fruits of salvation, not ways of salvation. Likewise, our church attendance and our partaking of the Lord's Supper do not, and cannot, save us. Only an experiential knowledge of God and an intimate relationship with Jesus can save us.

Fear of no salvation intimated (Gal 4:11)

To believe that the Bible has mistakes is not a small matter, because it means that we believe God makes mistakes. This can be the difference between heaven and hell. The anti-VPP advocates call those who believe that the Bible is perfect heretics. Beware of false teachers. They may look like us and behave like us, but they are deadly and dangerous.