Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Crucial Questions #22

Can I Lose My Salvation?

Rate this book

Whether you can lose your salvation is one of the most pressing issues you can face as a Christian. In an uncertain world, painfully aware of the continued reality of their sin, and confronted by the Bible’s warnings about falling away, Christians can be tempted to think that true believers can lose their salvation.

In this helpful book, Dr. R.C. Sproul looks at the teachings of Scripture on the doctrine of eternal security or the perseverance of the saints. In looking at passages on the unforgivable sin, believers who have departed, and the continuing presence of sin in the lives of Christians, Dr. Sproul ultimately points to the promises of God, who has vowed to preserve to the end those who are in Christ.

45 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2015

599 people are currently reading
828 people want to read

About the author

R.C. Sproul

673 books1,997 followers

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
453 (63%)
4 stars
174 (24%)
3 stars
69 (9%)
2 stars
17 (2%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
Profile Image for Charles  van Buren.
1,910 reviews305 followers
June 13, 2019
Charles van Buren

TOP 1000 REVIEWER

5.0 out of 5 stars To the point discussion of a really crucial question

June 10, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Review of Kindle e-book
Publication date: March 14, 2019
Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing
Language: English
ASIN: B07NY399B5

This little book in Dr. Sproul's Crucial Questions series delves into one of the most profound and important questions in Christian life. A quick reading will give you Dr. Sproul's answer but this issue deserves more than a brief look. I will prayerfully reread this book and study the relevant scriptures because I am not yet sure of the answer though I lean toward a position compatible with Sproul's.

While delving into this question Dr. Sproul also addresses the unforgivable sin issue. As is usual with Dr. Sproul's writing, he states the issues, the scripture and his interpretations clearly. His views are generally defensible so I find him worth reading even when I disagree with him.

I grew up Methodist (pre United Methodist). We were taught that believers can fall from grace, lose their salvation. There was however hope for repentance and a return to grace. Many of our relatives and friends were Baptists who believed once saved, always saved. Believers could back slide and temporarily turn from Christ only to return later. The only difference I ever saw was the worry that a fallen from grace Methodist might die before repenting and returning to grace.

Two ministers in particular added to my attempts to understand this issue. One, Dr Thompson, was the pastor of our local Methodist church. He said that he honestly didn't know which view was correct but he did know that there wasn't a dime's worth of difference between a fallen from grace Methodist and a back slid Baptist. The other minister, one of my best high school friends, later became a Methodist minister. After ministering several churches he said that he believed that the once saved always saved doctrine was responsible for more people going to Hell than any other teaching. He believed that it could even be true but that it was misunderstood and misused to justify almost any behavior after baptism and that all of those who relied on the doctrine were not ever truly saved. I have much sympathy with this view but am not sure if a person who is really, truly saved can lose salvation or not. Dr. Sproul's short book is helping me to again wrestle with this question. I try to live as though losing salvation is possible.

Dr. Sproul was a noted reform theologian. Reformed Theology is not so much new as it is an effort to return to the principles of the Reformation. Among the theologians whom they hold in esteem are Martin Luther and John Calvin.

At this time, June, 2019, Amazon is offering a number of volumes of R.C. Sproul's Crucial Questions series free.
Profile Image for J. T. K. Tobin.
Author 0 books9 followers
January 29, 2023
Sproul does a fine job of addressing some of the common misconceptions about the permanence of salvation and arrives neatly at the biblical conclusion which I think is absolutely correct. This is a great little guide which is logically flowing and helpful as a quick reference.
Profile Image for Rene.
41 reviews2 followers
August 15, 2017
"We persevere because we are preserved, and we are preserved because of the intercession of our Great High Priest. This is our greatest consolation and our greatest source of confidence that we will persevere in the Christian life." That resumes the whole book. Great work from Sproul
Profile Image for Lula Lozano.
32 reviews4 followers
January 1, 2025
En un tema muy discutido, Sproul como siempre, brinda un estudio objetivo y claro. Recomendado.
Profile Image for Davidus1.
243 reviews
September 1, 2022
RC Sproul takes on this topic by examine the pertinent scripture. He does a good job and is easy to understand. Worth the read!
Profile Image for Chad.
1,257 reviews1,037 followers
June 24, 2018
A brief, biblical explanation of the preservation of the saints (that those who are truly saved can't lose their salvation). This booklet complements Can I Be Sure I'm Saved?

This booklet isn't as strong as some of the other Crucial Questions booklets.

Notes
"When Paul handed Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan, he still held out hope that through such a disciplinary process they would come to their senses and be restored once again to the fellowship of Christ." See 1 Tim 1:18-20.

Some professions of faith are false (Matt 13:1-23; 1 John 2:19).

The unforgivable sin (Matt 12:31-32) is when someone "knows for certain through the illumination of the Spirit that Christ is the Son of God, but he comes to the conclusion and makes the statement verbally that Christ was demonic." See Heb 10:26, 29.

A person who fears they've committed unforgivable sin probably hasn't, because a person who did commit that sin probably wouldn't be concerned about it.

Explanation of Heb 6:1-6: "When a person turns back to keeping the law as the primary mode of relating to God, rejects the work of Christ … he in fact condemns Christ as been justifiably killed on the cross and makes himself complicit in the death of Christ. Such a person takes the curse upon himself again and cannot be saved. Thus, we see how the author of Hebrews uses the argumentum ad absurdum to demonstrate the folly of his opponents' position. Since the Judaizers' argument that the law should still be observed leads to the repudiation of Christ's work and the loss of salvation, their argument should be rejected. The author is likely using this argument hypothetically, to show what would happen. But this could never actually happen in the case of someone who has truly been converted. … When he says, 'we speak in this way,' he is saying that he's writing in a manner of speaking, that is, for the sake of argument."

Phil 2:12 ("work out your own salvation") means "that our obedience … plays a role in our sanctification. In turn, our sanctification plays a role in our persevering." V 13 shows that God works in us to persevere. The passage "calls us to labor because God is working in us and with us; thus, the whole process of persevering is a synergistic action, not a monergistic one. I am called to work, and God is working as well."

We can be assured, as Paul was, that the God who initiates salvation will finish what he starts by preserving those He redeems (Phil 1:3-6).

God seals the promise of salvation "by giving us the Holy Spirit, who is the present, personal indwelling certification of the fullness of redemption that God has wrought within each believer." See Eph 1:13-14.

Rom 8:28-30 says all whom God predestines will be finally saved.

Assurance of salvation comes from knowing Jesus intercedes for us (John 17:1-12, 20-21; 10:28).
Profile Image for Trevor Lynn Tomlinson.
6 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2020
We need hope and the fear of God

A small book but one that is helpful to those asking this question of themselves. Those who are doubting their faith need hope and assurance. This is most needed from others in the church who come along side and affirm the work of God in the lives of thier brother or sister. And who confirm the scripture by proving its truths in regard to their lives. Thos who are doubting also need the fear of God to help put their life in the proper perspective. God is the only one who can save you. You cannot save yourself. If you are his as your brothers in Christ affirm with you then God is at work in you both to will and do according to his good pleasure. Trust in God. He will save you still. You are never too far gone that God cannot find you.
Profile Image for Shawn Durham.
136 reviews7 followers
May 26, 2018
I love Sproul.
If you’re wanting in depth/theological writings, the. You will be disappointed with this set.

But I love these books. They’re very simple and easy to read. They’re not scholastic but for any lay person.
Profile Image for Sheila Myers.
Author 16 books21 followers
December 29, 2016
Short, simple, and to the point. RC Sproul always does a wonderful job answering the question posed in the title in words that even the newest Christian can understand.
Profile Image for Andy Treece.
84 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2025
4.5 stars. Excellent and fair treatment that covers most of the debate on this issue.

Sproul, of course, believes the answer to the question is no. He deals with the key passages that some believe to teach against eternal security, especially Hebrews 6, of which he devotes an entire chapter. He provides a couple of explanations on Hebrews 6:1-9. One is that the author is making an absurd argument to show the absurdity of a truly converted person losing his salvation. Another option is the passage isn’t speaking about a converted person but a false convert.

One area that Sproul doesn’t cover that I believe are some of strongest Scriptural support for eternal security are the passages in John 6 and 10. He does, however, cover these indirectly by looking at John 17, which closely ties to the themes in chapters 6 and 10.
12 reviews
April 28, 2020
Just because we can't go to church...because corona...doesn't mean we can't do anything...we should spend time with our family...we should encourage everyone...to neighbourhoods...to family...to friends...to everyone...who agrees? Now I love this book it is a great way to learn! I'm going to see if there are any other books by R.C. sprout!
Profile Image for Raphael Dantas.
10 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2020
Excelente livro e há exegese de textos que pra mim eram muito difíceis de entender e o Dr Sproul simplificou. Recomendo a todos, até mesmo para quem já sabe que não podemos perder nossa salvação, este livrete é riquíssimo em teologia e nos faz crescer muito espiritualmente.
Profile Image for Erin.
337 reviews
March 20, 2025
Not gonna lie, I feel like I left this book with more questions than I started with. I hope to do a little more research on the topic and come back to it. On the plus side this is very short and readable, so reading it for a second time will not be a hardship.
Profile Image for Kathryn Spurgeon.
Author 17 books259 followers
April 26, 2022
Clear

Simple, understandable answers to questions we all ask. A great study based on truths from the Bible. It was worth reading.
369 reviews4 followers
November 9, 2016
This is a clear and concise treatment of a question that plagues many believers. Sproul briefly and expertly engages the major texts that relate to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, or the preservation of the saints, which he offers as a better way of understanding the doctrine. Of course, there is much more that could be written, but there is not enough room in a booklet to cover everything thoroughly. This is an excellent introduction, though, and gives the Christian reader peace of mind.
Profile Image for Bro. Austin McCormick.
28 reviews14 followers
November 24, 2018
Great devotional reading on the topic of eternal security. This book only has 7 chapters but there is great content found within these 7 chapters. It is a great thing to know that our salvation is not of human works, and our keeping of our salvation is not by human works!

I got this book for free via Logos Bible Software. If you’re interested in reading this book, download a Logos account and then download this free book!
Profile Image for Rebecca Ray.
972 reviews21 followers
August 16, 2019
I'm researching the ordo salutis for a piece of writing, and decided to read this book to start warming up to the topic of salvation. This book is not at all scholarly, so it's great for the beginner.

He is at his best in the chapter on Hebrews 6, and his chapter on preservation. Both were very fruitful for me, so even those who are familiar with the doctrine of salvation can gain from reviewing eternal security in this book.
Profile Image for Paul Halbeck.
Author 9 books10 followers
September 11, 2015
Addressing bible questions with down to earth teachings.l

Common questions to several questions are addressed in brief,telling of their various beliefs over history, allowing with using scripture to clarify the Truth. This is a God teaching book to read for anyone interested in the Bible.
533 reviews4 followers
December 27, 2017
Good. Clears up some things for me, namely about Judas and Peter and why one was an apostate from the beginning and never knew Christ in salvation and why one was restored. Also, the meaning of perseverance as endurance, and it is a work of God, not a human work. RC Sproul died shortly before I began reading this book.
6 reviews
August 14, 2019
Very thoughtful and concise

This is the first book of Brother Sproul that I have read. I was expecting a predetermined viewpoint but what I found was a deep Biblical approach. I will read all of his books I can.
Profile Image for John Yelverton.
4,438 reviews38 followers
January 15, 2018
R.C. Sproul does a fantastic job addressing this delicate issue by looking at both sides fairly and honestly, and basing his response on what the Bible says.
Profile Image for Gavin Felgate.
713 reviews4 followers
September 3, 2021
The idea of being able to lose your salvation after becoming Christian is one that has caused a lot of debate in the church throughout history, and R.C. Sproul provides a comprehensive answer here, using Judas Escariot as a prime examples of someone who ended up "falling away".

Having known some Christians who have left the church, and not (to my knowledge) returned, I was intrigued by how the book would answer this, and one of the answers seemed to be that maybe these people never truly believed in the first place. I was a little surprised that the book did not mention Jesus' Parable of the Sower, which mentions some people who do hear the word, and then get distracted by the worries of the world.

Most of this book instead was an essay on how God gives us perseverence, and at the end it raised the most important part of Christianity: Jesus as "our Great High Priest".

Overall, the book felt a little theologically heavy, but I loved it.
Profile Image for Silvio  Quental.
63 reviews
January 11, 2025
Even as an Arminian, I found his approach respectful and logical way

In Can I Lose My Salvation?, R.C. Sproul offers a thoughtful and well-reasoned defence of the Reformed doctrine of eternal security, asserting that once saved, a person cannot lose their salvation. He defends this position with clarity and precision, drawing on Scripture and systematic theology. While his arguments strongly reflect his Calvinistic vision, they are presented in a balanced way, avoiding extremism. Even as an Arminian, I found his approach respectful and logical, acknowledging the complexities of salvation without resorting to oversimplified claims. Sproul’s ability to articulate his views in a non-combative manner makes this a valuable read for those interested in exploring this theological topic, regardless of their position.
Profile Image for Daniely.
57 reviews
February 2, 2023
Not to much to say, Sproul was explaining what is in the bible. Excellent book for the people that live scared to lose their salvation.

Some of my favorite phrases:
"While some will return after a serious fall, some will not, because they never actually had faith. They made a false profession of faith; they did not possess what they professed."

"Jonathan Edwards once said in a sermon that seeking the kingdom of God should be the urgent, primary business of the Christian."

"Therein lies our confidence and our security: the God who has initiated a person’s salvation is not going to allow that redemptive work to be an exercise in futility. God finishes what He starts in His redemptive work in us by preserving those whom He redeems."

5/5
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
20 reviews3 followers
June 1, 2024
Sproul argues here for the P in TULIP, the perseverance of the saints. Even though there are some interesting observations, the book fails to go into enough depth to really understand the passages dealt with. Often, the context of the verses are neglected, such as in 1 John 2:19 which doesnt talk about 'normal church members' leaving church, but about antichrists (gnostics).

Then, solving Heb 6 by simply calling it an argumentum ad absurdum and calling it a hypothetical situation that cant actually happen, seems a too easy and ungrounded escape.

Fortunately, Sproul teaches that sanctification is a synergistic work, though it is unclear to me how that idea is compatible with the other letters of the TULIP.
Profile Image for Sergio Illanes.
24 reviews
March 22, 2019
Claro como el agua

Con una teología justa y necesaria, en una lectura profunda pero accesible para todo lector, el Dr. Sproul argumenta y clarifica las razones de porque “nuestra” salvación no se puede perder. Tratando pasajes que han estado en el debate por siglos, una hermenéutica sólida deja al descubierto el mensaje redentor de cada uno de ellos. Gloria a Dios por su salvación!
7 reviews
January 18, 2021
This is from the series, Crucial Question Books by Dr. R. C. Sproul. This is one of those questions that Christians at times wrestle with as they grow. I found this book very well put together. I appreciate that Dr. Sproul presents each side of things and scriptural references. His view is provided but it is written where you can examine and chew on things yourself.
As I read I made several notes and intend to reread and study in greater detail.
1 review
July 7, 2022
Perseverancia

Excelente revisión de un tema que, aunque puede parecer claro en la enseñanza bíblica, no por eso deja de tener su lado misterioso. La doctrina de la perseverancia de los salvos surge de una clara compresión de los alcances de la obra de salvación realizada por Cristo en la cruz del Calvario. Y es una fuente inagotable de consuelo y esperanza para todos los que hemos nacido de nuevo y tenemos por tanto vida eterna. Gracias Dr. RCS.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.