Understanding Eternal Redemption

Understanding Eternal Redemption

Is it really true that once you are saved, you can’t lose your salvation?
There is so much controversy in the Body of Christ about this topic. My prayer is that as you read this to the end, the Holy Spirit will bring you revelation that transforms your life.

We are going to focus on eternal redemption, and to understand that properly, you must first understand spirit, soul, and body—that you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body.

1. What Is Eternal Redemption?

Eternal redemption means that the price for your sins has been paid forever.

Many of us believe that Jesus died for our sins, and we get excited about that. But after that, we fall into all kinds of confusion about salvation. We hear teachings that make us feel as if we are constantly in and out of salvation—saved one moment, lost the next.

I grew up in an environment where I was told that if I sinned and Jesus came back at that moment, I would miss the rapture. People would tell you, “Remain rapturable,” meaning, “Make sure you are still qualified when the trumpet sounds.”

That produced so much fear in me. I loved God, but I didn’t understand what Jesus had truly done until God began to open up the book of Hebrews to me.

2. The Tabernacle: A Picture of What Jesus Did

The book of Hebrews uses the Old Testament tabernacle to help us understand what is happening now in heaven.

When God took Moses up the mountain for forty days, He showed him a pattern and told him to build the tabernacle in the wilderness according to what he saw in heaven. There is a real tabernacle in heaven.

Hebrews 8:5 (KJV)
“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

In the earthly tabernacle:

  • Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant was.

  • Secular Jewish history says the high priest went in once a year with a rope tied around his waist and bells on his garment. As long as the bells were ringing, the people knew he was still alive.

  • If he did something wrong in that holy place, he could be struck dead, and they would have to pull his body out by the rope because no one else could enter.

That’s how serious the presence of God was under the Old Covenant.

Now let’s look at Hebrews 9, where we’ll spend some time.

Hebrews 9:6–10 (KJV)
“Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.”

The Old Covenant sacrifices:

  • Could not perfect the conscience of the worshipper.

  • Dealt with outward rituals: food, drink, washings.

  • Were imposed until the time of reformation (that’s our time—the New Covenant in Christ).

3. Jesus, Our High Priest, Entered Once for All

Now the good news begins.

Hebrews 9:11–12 (KJV)
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

In the Old Testament:

  • The high priest entered once a year with the blood of animals.

  • Sacrifices had to be repeated every year.

In the New Testament:

  • Jesus entered once for all with His own blood.

  • He obtained eternal redemption for us.

Hebrews 9:14 (KJV)
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

The problem for many Christians is not that the blood is weak—it’s that our conscience hasn’t been purged. We are still more conscious of our sins than of Christ’s sacrifice. We still think it’s our works that make us acceptable to God.

But the Bible says:

Romans 6:23 (KJV)
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In the Old Covenant, animals had to die again and again because the wages of sin is death. Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice. He died once.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Your sins—past, present, and future—were paid for at the cross, before you were even born.

4. “Does This Mean I Can Just Sin?” – The Grace Question

Whenever you preach this kind of grace, people ask, “So are you saying people can just sin and God won’t be angry?”

The real question is: if you have truly received Jesus and been born again, do you want to go live in sin?
Doesn’t gratitude rise in your heart for what He suffered for you?

The Bible says:

1 John 3:3 (KJV)
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

If you have the hope of eternal life and know that you are a child of God, it leads you to purify yourself—not to live recklessly.

Titus 2:11–12 (KJV)
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

Grace does not give you a license to sin. Grace teaches you to say no to sin.

5. Sin Still Has Consequences

If you are a child of God, sin does not cause God to reject you—but it does have consequences.

Galatians 6:7–8 (KJV)
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

If you:

  • Commit adultery, you may reap divorce, pain, and brokenness.

  • Drive drunk, you may reap accidents, death, or harm to others.

  • Curse out your boss or behave badly at work, you may lose your job.

These consequences are not God “punishing you”; they are the natural result of sowing to the flesh.

Ephesians 4:27 (KJV)
“Neither give place to the devil.”

Sin gives the devil a launching pad in your life.
He is the one who comes to destroy:

John 10:10 (KJV)
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

God loves you deeply—even when you are foolish—but sin will harden your heart, steal your boldness before God, and hinder your ability to walk in faith and enjoy His blessings.

6. What Is Sin, Really?

Many Christians think sin is only the “big” things: adultery, fornication, stealing, cursing, homosexuality, and so on. The Bible gives broader definitions:

James 4:17 (KJV)
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

If you know you should share the gospel and you don’t—that’s sin.
If you know you should obey something God told you to do and you refuse—that’s sin.

Romans 14:23 (KJV)
“…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Anything you do outside of faith is sin.

Romans 3:23 (KJV)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

If salvation depended on confessing every single sin or achieving perfection, none of us would make it. That’s why Jesus had to be the perfect sacrifice.

7. Do I Have to Confess Every Sin to Stay Saved?

Some people are taught that if they sin and die without confessing that sin, they will go to hell—even if they are Christians.

If that were true, God would have to kill you immediately after you confess, before you commit the next sin.

Many Christians pray like this before everything:
“Lord, if I’ve done anything knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me.”

Imagine if your child came to you before every request and said, “Mommy, Daddy, I don’t know if I’ve done anything wrong, but please forgive me before I ask you for school fees or food.”

Wouldn’t that break your heart? You would want them to be secure in your love.

Jesus has already paid for your sins. Confession and repentance are important—for your heart, your conscience, your fellowship—but not because God is waiting to withhold blessings until you’ve named every sin.

8. Can You Lose Your Salvation?

Now we come to the big question: Can you lose your salvation?

Hebrews 9:12 says:

Hebrews 9:12 (KJV)
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Eternal means eternal.
The sacrifice of Jesus is not repeated. He is not going back to the cross. He is not re-shedding His blood.

The debate usually shifts to passages like Hebrews 6 and Jesus’ warning about blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31–32 (KJV)
“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

Paul himself said:

1 Timothy 1:13 (KJV)
“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

So what is Hebrews 6 talking about?

Hebrews 6:4–6 (KJV)
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

This is not talking about a baby Christian who gets angry or confused and says, “God, I don’t want you anymore,” and later repents. This is describing mature believers who have:

  • Been enlightened

  • Tasted the heavenly gift

  • Partaken of the Holy Ghost

  • Tasted the good Word of God

  • Experienced the powers of the age to come

…and then willfully and knowingly reject Christ, trampling His blood underfoot.

This is a deliberate, hardened, final repudiation—not a moment of weakness, fear, or pain.

A baby Christian who comes under pressure and says something foolish is like a little child who runs away from home and shouts, “You’re not my parents anymore!” The police don’t say, “Okay, you’re not their child now.” They take the child back home.

But a fully mature adult who goes to a court, signs documents, and legally renounces family and inheritance—that is different. They know what they’re doing.

In the same way, a young believer who is confused, hurt, or misled and later wants to come back has not committed the unpardonable sin. The very fact that they want to come back is proof that the Holy Spirit is still drawing them.

9. My Testimony: Walking Away and Coming Back

When I was about twelve, my cousin shared the gospel with me. I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I remember the prayer clearly.

Later, in secondary school (what we’d call middle school), the environment was very legalistic:

  • Christians can’t wear high heels.

  • Christians must cover their hair.

  • Christians can’t wear trousers.

  • “If you do this, you’ll go to hell.”

I became tired and frustrated. Religion felt harsh and condemning. I remember even writing to my sister, saying I was going to backslide and no longer be a Christian. And I walked away.

For about two years, the enemy tormented me:
“If the rapture happens now, you’re going to hell. You denied Christ. You can’t come back.”

But deep inside, I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart. I felt conviction, not just guilt. That conviction was a sign of hope.

At seventeen, after finishing high school and preparing for college, I attended a meeting, determined to be restored to God. On July 7, 1984, during the altar call, I went forward, lifted my hands, repented, and surrendered. The Holy Spirit filled me, and my life has never been the same.

If you are reading this and you feel that tug in your heart, hear me: you have not lost your salvation forever. You walked away, but the Father’s arms are still open. The fact that you feel sorrow and desire to return is proof that your heart is not reprobate.

Come back to the Father’s house.

10. The Veil Was Torn: Access to God Is Open

When Jesus died on the cross, something powerful happened:

Matthew 27:50–51 (KJV)
“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.”

That veil separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple. History says that veil was extremely thick—no team of horses could tear it. But when Jesus died, God Himself tore it from top to bottom.

Hebrews says that veil represents the body of Christ.

Hebrews 10:19–20 (KJV)
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.”

Because His body was broken, the way into the presence of God is open forever. Jesus is the final and ultimate sacrifice for your sins. He has obtained eternal redemption for you.

11. You Are a New Creation, Not “Just a Sinner Saved by Grace”

You were born with a sin nature. That is why you needed to be born again.

John 1:11–12 (KJV)
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

You are not a pig that God just washed up a little.
You are a new species of being that never existed before—born of God.

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

You were in darkness. Now you are in the light.
You are not a “sinner saved by grace” as your identity. You were a sinner. Now you are a saint, a child of God, made righteous in your spirit.

12. Spirit, Soul, and Body: Which Part Is Born Again?

1 John 3:9 (KJV)
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

This confuses people. They know they still sin in thought, word, or deed—so what does this mean?

It means this: the part of you that is born of God—your spirit—does not sin.

You are:

  • A spirit

  • You have a soul (mind, will, emotions)

  • You live in a body

Your spirit is born again, sealed, and made righteous.

1 John 4:17 (KJV)
“…because as he is, so are we in this world.”

Your soul (mind, emotions, will) is not instantly changed. It must be renewed.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 8:6 (KJV)
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

As you renew your mind with the Word, your soul acts like a valve that opens to allow the life of God in your spirit to flow into your body and your daily life.

Jesus said:

John 6:63 (KJV)
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

The more you feed on the Word, the more the life in your spirit flows out and transforms you.

13. The Prodigal Son: Remember Who You Are

Think of the prodigal son:

Luke 15:17–20 (KJV)
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father…
And he arose, and came to his father…”

He was living with pigs, eating what they ate. But when he came to himself, he remembered: “I am my father’s son. I don’t belong here.”

As long as you keep believing, “I’m just a sinner,” you will live like one. But when you truly believe, “I am a child of God, a son/daughter of the Most High,” you will rise up and return to the Father’s house.

Some of you have been living beneath your identity—eating with pigs while you are a prince or princess in God’s house. It is time to come home.

14. So, Does Sin Change Your Nature Once You’re Born Again?

Romans 6:20–23 (KJV)
“For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Just as good works cannot change the sinful nature of a lost person, your failures cannot change your righteous nature once you are born again. Salvation is based on whose child you are, not on a moment-by-moment performance score.

This is why we say:

  • Being born again doesn’t set you free to sin; it sets you free from sin.

  • Sin can affect your life, health, relationships, rewards, and testimony, but it does not erase Christ’s finished work.

15. Why Live Holy, Then?

If God doesn’t reject me every time I sin, why should I live holy?

Because:

  • Sin hardens your heart.

  • Sin gives place to the devil.

  • Sin steals your boldness and confidence before God.

  • Sin damages relationships, finances, health, and reputation.

  • Your life is a testimony; people’s destinies are connected to your obedience.

God does not take away your blessings because you sinned, but sin can draw you away from faith so that you cannot receive what God freely gives.

Being born again means:

Romans 6:14 (KJV)
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Grace doesn’t tell you, “Go ahead and sin.” Grace tells you, “Sin shall not rule you anymore.”

16. Final Encouragement

Your salvation is not fragile. It is anchored in the finished work of Jesus Christ, who obtained eternal redemption for you by His own blood.

Hebrews 9:12 (KJV)
“…by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

If you have walked away, you can come back right now:

“Jesus, I come back to You today. I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I receive Your forgiveness and Your righteousness. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I surrender my life to You. Teach me to walk with You. Amen.”

Heaven is not a reward for perfect behavior; it is a free gift for those who receive Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

You are deeply loved. You are called, chosen, and invited to live as the child of God that you already are in Christ.

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