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Do we lose our salvation if we fail to tell others about Jesus (Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-9)?
Matthew 10:32-33 32"Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Luke 12:8-9 8"I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. New International Version
Matthew 10:26 - 33
ESV - 26 So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
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Asked October 31 2021
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
In my opinion, the cited passages are not referring to inaction (as in failing to tell others about Christ), but to active denial, as when an individual either publicly, through word or action, denounces or renounces Christ of his or her own volition, or when an individual is placed in a situation where he or she is required to self-identify as a Christian through word or action, but refuses to do so, and (in either case) does not subsequently repent of that behavior (as Peter did, for example, following his denial of Jesus).
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Matthew 10:32-32 states, 32 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Billy Graham used these verses or the ones in Luke 12:8-9 at the crusade I attended of his Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Tempe, Arizona, at Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium. They were part of the reason I got saved that Sunday afternoon at that full football stadium. I took Greek there at ASU (Arizona State University), at Arizona Bible College in Phoenix, AZ, and at Dallas Theological Seminary in Texas. The Greek here in Matthew 10:33 has an entry at “denies”: denies: ἀρνήσηταί (arnēsētai) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular This is the word for “disown: (“whoever disowns me”) is an aorist tense. Thus, Jesus isn’t speaking of a single instance of denial or disowning (as Peter did, who actually denied Christ 3 times—Luke 22:34), but is instead talking about life in its entirety. The aorist tense looks at a person’s life “globally”—a lifetime. Hence, the one who throughout his life denies or disowns Christ (as the Pharisees) will be disowned before the Father. (WBC). Luke 12:8-9 states, 8 “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” So, no, we don't lose our salvation if we fail to tell others about Jesus, based mainly on the Matthew 10 passage. However, we would lose a reward or rewards if we fail to witness when God gives us an opportunity to do so.
Mark Vestal
Supporter
When a person believes the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), they are sealed with the holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). If you could lose your salvation, how would you gain it back, when faith alone in Christ and His accomplishment for you on the cross is the only means of obtaining it (Ephesians 2:8-9)? Ephesians 1:12-13: "12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Jesus Christ from Heaven gave our apostle Paul the only gospel that saves today during this, the dispensation of God's grace (Ephesians 3:2). Paul's gospel: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" When you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and that He was buried, but rose again on the 3rd day, you are accepting God's free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). You have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior in doing so (Ephesians 1:13), and are instantly sealed with the holy Spirit of promise until Christ returns to redeem you (Ephesians 4:30).
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