The Spiritual Life #34 - When a Christian Turns to a Sinful Lifestyle

Eternal life is the free, irrevocable gift of God granted to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior (John 3:16; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). It is not earned, maintained, or forfeited by works or behavior—it rests solely on Christ’s finished work and is received by faith alone (Rom 4:5; John 5:24). Discipleship, on the other hand, is the lifelong call to follow Christ through obedience, service, sacrifice, and spiritual growth (Luke 9:23; Rom 12:1-2). A believer who turns away from that call and embraces a life of sin does not lose eternal life, but they do lose fellowship with God (1 John 1:6), damage their Christian testimony (1 Cor 3:1-3), forfeit eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:15), and place themselves under divine discipline, which can be both painful and severe—even to the point of physical death (1 Cor 11:30; Heb 12:6). God never revokes salvation, but He does take discipleship seriously.

Dr. Steven R. Cook