Can believers lose fellowship with God?
Some say that we need to confess our sins or ask for forgiveness in order to stay in fellowship with God. But the false idea that Christians can lose fellowship with God is based on a low view of God’s punishment. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), not a lesser punishment—like loss of fellowship.
We can be confident that God is not punishing Christians any longer because all the punishment for our sin was taken by Christ on the Cross (Romans 8:3). The wages of sin is death, Jesus died and took our punishment, so that we would not have to. For this reason, there is “now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
This “no condemnation” is not based on how well the believer lives, but on the total forgiveness of the believer based on the work of Christ. Put another way, we are free from condemnation because of Jesus, not because of how we perform. And since we are free from condemnation, we are free from punishment, which means God is not going to punish us by leaving us.
Connected Forever
Our connection with Christ is never lost. Christ is within us, every moment of every day. This is why we cannot lose fellowship with God. Our fellowship is permanent. He will never leave us.
Hebrews 13:5 reads, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” How we understand fellowship with God must be based on the fact that God will never leave us for any reason.
Those who say we can lose fellowship with God say sin is the reason. But what did God do with our sin? He took it away, forever. Therefore, God will never leave us or forsake us.
Another key verse that is crucial to understanding our connection with God is 1 Corinthians 6:17 which says, “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” We are one with Christ. Can we get any closer than that? God cannot distance Himself from us because He has chosen to unite Himself with us.
It is also worth noting that there is no verse in the New Testament that speaks of believers going in and out of fellowship with God. Further, all verses simply say we have fellowship or do not have fellowship. It is black or white. You are either saved and have fellowship with God or are lost and do not have fellowship with Him.
You Cannot Lose It
Fellowship with God is talked about most in 1 John 1. In this chapter, we see that you are either saved and in fellowship or lost and out of fellowship. In 1 John 1:3, John reveals the purpose of his writing and the fact that he has fellowship with the Father and the Son.
John’s purpose in writing this letter was for his audience to enjoy the same fellowship with the church and with God that he and the apostles enjoyed. To John, fellowship with believers also means fellowship with God.
John then reveals that those who walk in darkness are liars and do not have fellowship with God (v. 6). He contrasts this in verse 7 by saying if we walk in the light, then we have fellowship with one another. It is crucial to see here that fellowship is not talked about as an “in and out” concept. Rather, fellowship is related to our union with Christ that is only possible through salvation. Put simply, if you are saved, you have fellowship with God.
Although Christians who walk in the light do sin, this does not prevent our fellowship with God because He has removed our sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). And He chooses to not hold it against us (Hebrews 10:17).
John reveals in verse 7 that the conditions necessary for fellowship with God is fulfilled by the death of Jesus Christ. We have fellowship with one another (which means we have fellowship with God) only because we are cleansed from all sin. Our fellowship is both initiated by Christ and sustained by Him. He brought us into fellowship with God through His blood. And He will keep us in fellowship with God.
Think about it. What is the one thing that caused us to lose relationship and fellowship with God? Sin. What did Jesus do with our sin? He took it away forever. Consequently, we can enjoy fellowship with God forever. The take-away of our sins means we are in fellowship with God, forever.
God promises us that “nothing can snatch us from his hand” (John 10:29), and that we are “seated with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6) in heaven, making us as connected to God as we will ever be.
Paul goes even further to say that we have been “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13), not by our behavior or performance. God has “called us into the fellowship of his Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9), and He is faithful to keep us to the end (Philippians 1:6; Jude 24).
This means that when we sin, God goes with us. This is why sin is no longer fun for the believer. We have died to sin and become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:11). If we lost fellowship with God every time we sinned, then how could God promise us that He would never leave us or forsake us?
Jesus became our sin so that we could become His righteousness and never lose fellowship with God. Christians cannot lose fellowship with God because our sins have been taken away, our punishment for our sins have been poured out on Jesus, and God promises to never leave us. Even “when we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13).
In regard to our fellowship with God, the Cross worked.
The Cure for Loneliness
We all feel lonely. If you are like me, I feel loneliest after I sin, or after a rough day at work. Whatever the case may be, we have all felt lonely and will all feel lonely.
We often base truth on how we feel. But just because we feel or don’t feel something, does not mean it isn’t true. I know that gravity is keeping my feet on the ground, but I don’t know if I feel that or think about it, do you? Do you feel the earth spinning? I know I don’t. But I know it is true.
God can never leave us. He cannot lie. And since He cannot lie, He will not leave us, no matter what. This is good news. No matter how lonely we will, God is always with us. No matter how dark our circumstances get, God is within us.
It is not about feeling the presence of God within you. It is about knowing that no matter what you feel, God is fully present—all the time.
We can be confident that God is with us because He has taken away our sins, forever. You are safe in the Father’s hand. You are united with Christ. And the Holy Spirit is living within you. The entire Trinity is with you, no matter what. God has cleared out His entire schedule just to be with you. You do not have to feel the pressure of “making time for God.” He has made time for you and will be with you all day.
You are never, ever alone.
We can be confident that God is not punishing Christians any longer because all the punishment for our sin was taken by Christ on the Cross (Romans 8:3). The wages of sin is death, Jesus died and took our punishment, so that we would not have to. For this reason, there is “now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
This “no condemnation” is not based on how well the believer lives, but on the total forgiveness of the believer based on the work of Christ. Put another way, we are free from condemnation because of Jesus, not because of how we perform. And since we are free from condemnation, we are free from punishment, which means God is not going to punish us by leaving us.
Connected Forever
Our connection with Christ is never lost. Christ is within us, every moment of every day. This is why we cannot lose fellowship with God. Our fellowship is permanent. He will never leave us.
Hebrews 13:5 reads, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” How we understand fellowship with God must be based on the fact that God will never leave us for any reason.
Those who say we can lose fellowship with God say sin is the reason. But what did God do with our sin? He took it away, forever. Therefore, God will never leave us or forsake us.
Another key verse that is crucial to understanding our connection with God is 1 Corinthians 6:17 which says, “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” We are one with Christ. Can we get any closer than that? God cannot distance Himself from us because He has chosen to unite Himself with us.
It is also worth noting that there is no verse in the New Testament that speaks of believers going in and out of fellowship with God. Further, all verses simply say we have fellowship or do not have fellowship. It is black or white. You are either saved and have fellowship with God or are lost and do not have fellowship with Him.
You Cannot Lose It
Fellowship with God is talked about most in 1 John 1. In this chapter, we see that you are either saved and in fellowship or lost and out of fellowship. In 1 John 1:3, John reveals the purpose of his writing and the fact that he has fellowship with the Father and the Son.
John’s purpose in writing this letter was for his audience to enjoy the same fellowship with the church and with God that he and the apostles enjoyed. To John, fellowship with believers also means fellowship with God.
John then reveals that those who walk in darkness are liars and do not have fellowship with God (v. 6). He contrasts this in verse 7 by saying if we walk in the light, then we have fellowship with one another. It is crucial to see here that fellowship is not talked about as an “in and out” concept. Rather, fellowship is related to our union with Christ that is only possible through salvation. Put simply, if you are saved, you have fellowship with God.
Although Christians who walk in the light do sin, this does not prevent our fellowship with God because He has removed our sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). And He chooses to not hold it against us (Hebrews 10:17).
John reveals in verse 7 that the conditions necessary for fellowship with God is fulfilled by the death of Jesus Christ. We have fellowship with one another (which means we have fellowship with God) only because we are cleansed from all sin. Our fellowship is both initiated by Christ and sustained by Him. He brought us into fellowship with God through His blood. And He will keep us in fellowship with God.
Think about it. What is the one thing that caused us to lose relationship and fellowship with God? Sin. What did Jesus do with our sin? He took it away forever. Consequently, we can enjoy fellowship with God forever. The take-away of our sins means we are in fellowship with God, forever.
God promises us that “nothing can snatch us from his hand” (John 10:29), and that we are “seated with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6) in heaven, making us as connected to God as we will ever be.
Paul goes even further to say that we have been “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13), not by our behavior or performance. God has “called us into the fellowship of his Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9), and He is faithful to keep us to the end (Philippians 1:6; Jude 24).
This means that when we sin, God goes with us. This is why sin is no longer fun for the believer. We have died to sin and become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:11). If we lost fellowship with God every time we sinned, then how could God promise us that He would never leave us or forsake us?
Jesus became our sin so that we could become His righteousness and never lose fellowship with God. Christians cannot lose fellowship with God because our sins have been taken away, our punishment for our sins have been poured out on Jesus, and God promises to never leave us. Even “when we are faithless, he remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13).
In regard to our fellowship with God, the Cross worked.
The Cure for Loneliness
We all feel lonely. If you are like me, I feel loneliest after I sin, or after a rough day at work. Whatever the case may be, we have all felt lonely and will all feel lonely.
We often base truth on how we feel. But just because we feel or don’t feel something, does not mean it isn’t true. I know that gravity is keeping my feet on the ground, but I don’t know if I feel that or think about it, do you? Do you feel the earth spinning? I know I don’t. But I know it is true.
God can never leave us. He cannot lie. And since He cannot lie, He will not leave us, no matter what. This is good news. No matter how lonely we will, God is always with us. No matter how dark our circumstances get, God is within us.
It is not about feeling the presence of God within you. It is about knowing that no matter what you feel, God is fully present—all the time.
We can be confident that God is with us because He has taken away our sins, forever. You are safe in the Father’s hand. You are united with Christ. And the Holy Spirit is living within you. The entire Trinity is with you, no matter what. God has cleared out His entire schedule just to be with you. You do not have to feel the pressure of “making time for God.” He has made time for you and will be with you all day.
You are never, ever alone.
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You're Not LukewarmAs Righteous As JesusThe Resurrection Worked, TooDraw Near to God?You Cannot Lose Your SalvationGod's Grace Is Not A License to SinForgiven of All SinsIf a Christian commits suicide, are they saved?Saints Not SinnersDo we have to give (tithe) 10% of our money?What about 1 John 1:9? Do we need to confess our sins daily?Does Science Point to God?What About the Violence in the Old Testament?Can believers lose fellowship with God?Do Believers need to ask God to forgive them each day? What about the Lord\'s Prayer?Is there historical evidence for Christ and His resurrection?What Does It Mean to "Fear God"?Does God cause suffering?What is God's Will for My Life?Is Jesus the Only Way to Heaven?What Does the Bible say about Depression? Is it wrong for a Christian to be depressed?Does the Holy Spirit Convict Believers of Sin?What is God's Discipline?You Are Not Under the LawWill Believers be Judged for their sin?
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What did Jesus mean when He said, “I never knew you. Depart from me”?Does Hebrews 6:4-6 mean we can lose our salvation?Did God Kill Ananias and Sapphira?Will we have to give an account for our sins?The Unforgivable SinWhat does it mean to Grieve and Quench the Spirit?What Does it Mean to take Communion in an Unworthy Manner?
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