Specifically, the gospel is explained by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:1-4: "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." ...

 ..."According to the scriptures" doesn't mean "because the New Testament says so". Paul did not have the New Testament. What Paul meant was "Just like the old testament said, according to all prophecies concerning His Birth and Purpose."

     The gospel comes from God (Gal. 1:10-12), is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16), is a mystery (Eph. 6:19), and is a source of hope (Col. 1:23), faith (Acts 15:7), life (1 Cor. 4:15), peace (Eph. 6:15) and is a gift from God through faith by grace. Eph 2:8-9 says "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.

     Grace is undeserved favor. It is different than Justice and Mercy. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. In grace we get eternal life, something that, quite obviously, we do not deserve. But because of God's love and kindness manifested in Jesus on the Cross, we receive the great blessing of Salvation.
     Grace rules out all human works. It is the product of God that is given by God, because of who He is not because of who we are or what we do. It is the means of our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). We are no longer under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). (See 1 Cor. 15:11; Rom. 5:2, 15-20; 2 Cor. 12:9; and 2 Cor. 9:8).

And because I will spend most of this page supporting the idea that nothing we do can cause us to lose our salvation, I will start out first with the scriptures that some people use to support the opposite idea. The only bad thing about believing that you can lose your salvation is that Satan uses this idea to keep God's kingdom ineffective. Churches who believe that spend all their time trying to 'keep' their salvation instead of standing strong in their eternal security and going out and doing the work that He has for us.

Let me also say, that if we are living a Godly life- even if we are TRYING to live a Godly life, this should not really be an issue. It certainly should not be something that divides a church. The only time this topic of conversation has any weight to it is if we aren't living our life right. And if we aren't living our life right then the last thing we need to be doing is worrying about what someone else believes.

And finally- I have not prayed or read my Bible hardly at all in the last year. So this is not just an argument against what someone else believes, this is my experiment to decide if I am saved or not right now, because many would argue that I am not. And here are some of the scriptures they would use for their argument. but I will argue that this hard time has been a real blessing to me and necessary for me to grow- In other words I am still in His perfect Will for my life, the one that doesn't change no matter what I do...

If we DEFILE THE TEMPLE, THE BODY, HE WILL DESTROY US! (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; Heb. 12:15)

If we OBEY SIN we will DIE spiritually! (Romans 6:16-23).

By NOT ABIDING IN THE FAITH we shall be cut off! (Romans 11:11-32).

By being REMOVED FROM Christ! (Gal. 1:6-7).

By becoming ENTANGLED AGAIN with the yoke of bondage! (Gal. 5:1).

By FALLING FROM GRACE! (Gal. 5:4). CHRIST BECOMES OF NO EFFECT FOR US!

By WALKING AFTER THE FLESH and not the Spirit! (Romans 8:1; 8:4; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:10, 20).

By not keeping your body under and becoming a CASTAWAY. (1 Cor. 9:27).

By ERRING FROM THE FAITH. (1 Tim. 6:9-10, 21).

By DEPARTING FROM THE FAITH! (1 Tim. 4:1).

By having your faith OVERTHROWN! (2 Tim. 2:17-18).

By CASTING OFF your faith! (1 Tim. 5:11-15; 6:19-21; 2 Tim. 2:17;, 18; 4:10).

If we DENY HIM, HE WILL DENY US! (2 Tim. 2:12).

These are some scriptures referencing what one may or may not think is "loss of salvation". So in this writing I will start of by assuming that in order to discuss losing salvation, we must agree that one has actually been saved because that is often an argument I hear from people- "well they probably weren't really saved to begin with, that's why they never got baptized and continued in sin". So let us look at all the things that the Bible says we receive when we are 'saved'. Do we lose SOME of them, ALL of them?

1.      Efficacious Grace:  God the Holy Spirit makes our faith effective for salvation.  Eph 1:13; 2:8-9; 2 Cor 6:1-2

2.     The Sealing Ministry of God the Holy Spirit: Eph 1:13-14

a.     Born of the Spirit: Joh 3:36

b.     Baptized with the Spirit:  Act 1:5; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:26-28; Eph 4:5

c.     Indwelt by the Spirit:  Joh 7:39; Rom 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor

d.     Sealed by the Spirit:  2 Cor4 1:22; Eph 4:30

e.     Given spiritual gifts:  1 Cor 12:11,27-31; 13:1-2

3.      An Eternal Inheritance: Heb 9:15; Eph 1:14; 1 Pet 1:4; Col 1:12

4.     Regeneration:  Joh 3:5-16; Tit 3:5; Joh 13:10; 1 Cor 6:11

a.     Born Again:  Joh 3:7; 1 Pet 1:23

b.     A child of God:  Gal 3:26

c.     A son of God:  Joh 1:12; 2 Cor 6:18; 1 Joh 3:2

d.     A new creation:  2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 2:10

5.     Eternal Life:  Rom 8:1,31-32,38-39; Gal 3:26-28; 2 Tim 2:11-13; 1 Joh 5:11-13; 3:15; 10:29-28; 20:31; Col 1:13b; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Pet 1:5; 1 Cor 12:21

6.     The Imputed Righteousness of God:  The believer is made acceptable to God:  Rom 3:22a; 2 Cor 5:21

a.     Made righteous (imputation):  Rom 8:15; 8:23 (future); Eph 1:5

b.     Sanctified positionally:  1 Cor 1:30; 6:11

c.     Perfected forever:  Heb 10:14

d.    Qualified for inheritance:  Col 1:12

7.     Resultant Justification: Rom 3:24; 5:1,9; 8:30; 1 Cor 6:11; Tit 3:7; Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16

8.     Reconciliation:  Barrier removed between God and man by means of the Lord Jesus Christ:  2 Cor 5:18-20; Rom 5:10; Luk 10:20; Eph 2:13-17,19; Phi 3:20; Col 1:20

9.     Beneficiaries of Propitiation:  Rom 3:24-25; 1 Jo 2:2; 4:10

10.  Unlimited Atonement:  2 Cor 5:14-15,19; 1 Tim 2:6; 4:10; Tit 2:11; Heb 2:9; 2 Pet 2:1; 1 Joh 2:2; Rom 5:6

11.  Beneficiaries of Redemption:  Eph 1:7; Col 1:14

12.   The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: 1 Co 12:13; Gal 3:26-28; Eph 4:5: Act 1:5

13.   Created a New Spiritual Species: 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15

14.   Entered into the Royal Family of God Forever: Rev 1:6; Act 1:5; Rom 6:3-4; 12:13; 6:19-20

15.   Equal Privilege and Equal Opportunity:  Gal 3:26-28

16.   Positional Sanctification: Heb 1-2

17.   Election: Rom 8:33; Col 3:12-17; 1 Thess 1:4; Tit 1:1; 1 Pet 1:2; Eph 1:3-4

18.   Predestination: Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:5,11

19.   The Royal Priesthood

a.     A holy priesthood:  1 Pet 2:5

b.     A royal priesthood:  1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; 5:10

20.   The Royal Ambassadorship: Phi 3:20; 2 Cor 5:20

21.   The Indwelling of God the Father:  Joh 14:22-23; Eph 4:6; Phi 2:13; 1 Joh 4:15; 2 Joh 1:9

22.   The Indwelling of God the Son: Joh 14:20; 17:22-23,26; Rom 8:10; 2 Cor 13:5; Gal 2:20a; Col 1:27

23.   The Indwelling of God the Holy Spirit:  Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16

24.   The Unique Availability of Divine Power: Eph 6:10; Act 1:8; 2 Pet 1:3

25.   The Unique Pre-designed Protocol Plan of God: Gal 5:16; Eph 3:18

26.   The Filling of the Holy Spirit:  Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16; Joh 4:24

27.   The Distribution of Spiritual Gifts: 1 Cor 12:7,11

28.   All Judgment Removed:  Joh 3:18; 5:24; Rom 8:1

29.   Deliverance from the Kingdom of Satan:  Col 1:13a; 2:15

30.   Transferred into the Kingdom of God:  Rom 6:4; Col 3:1; 1:13b; Eph 2:3

31.   We are a Gift from God the Father to God the Son:  Joh 10:19,29; 17:2,6,9,11-12,24; Rev 19:7-10,16

32.   We are Delivered from the Power of the Old Sin Nature: Rom 2:29; 7:14; Joh 8:34,36; 1 Joh 1:9; Phi 3:3; Col 2:11; Eph 4:22

33.   We are Given Access to God:  Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; 3:12; 1 Joh 1:9; Eph 5:18; Heb 4:14,16; 10:19-20

34.   Removal of the Scar Tissue of the Soul:  Isa 43:25; 44:22

35.   Escrow Blessings:  Eph 1:3

36.   We are on a Secure Foundation:  1 Cor 3:11; 10:4; Eph 2:20

37.   We are Related to God the Son by Biblical Analogy

a.     The last Adam and the new creation:  1 Cor 15:45; 2 Cor 15:17a

b.     The head and the body.  As body of Christ, we are in union with the head, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Col 1:18a; 12:13

c.     The great shepherd and the sheep:  Heb 13:20; Joh 10:27-29

d.     The true vine and the branches:  Joh 15:5

e.     The chief cornerstone and the stones in the building: Eph 2:20-22; 1 Pet 2:5-6

f.       The great high priest and members of the royal priesthood: Heb 4:14a; 1 Pet 2:9a

g.     The groom and the bride.  Our wedding occurs at the second advent:  Rev 19:6-8; 21:9; Eph 5:25-27

h.     The King of Kings and the royal family of God:  Rev 19:14-16

39.   Recipients of Eternal Security:  Rom 8:1,6,38-39; 6:23; Joh 3:36

40.   Beneficiaries of the Problem Solving Devices

a.     Rebound:  1 Joh 1:9

b.     Filling of the Holy Spirit:  Eph 5:18

c.     Faith-rest Drill:  Heb 4:1,10-11

d.     Orientation to Grace:  Jam 4:6

e.      Orientation to Doctrine: Rom 12:2

f.       Personal Sense of Destiny:  Phi 1:21

g.     Personal Love for God the Father:  Deut 6:5; 1 Pet 1:8

h.     Impersonal Love for all Mankind:  Jam 2:8

i.       Sharing the Happiness of God,  Joh 5:11

j.       Occupation with Christ:  Eph 3:19

 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {principles...: or, word of the beginning of Christ} (KJV)

1 dio ajenteV ton thV archV tou cristou logon epi thn teleiothta jerwmeqa mh palin qemelion kataballomenoi metanoiaV apo nekrwn ergwn kai pistewV epi qeon (Textus Receptus)

So this is a good verse me me to start on because, this is precisely where I stated I wanted to start. To ASSUME that one is actually saved and baptized and all that jazz. Verse 2 goes on to reiterate that we are moving past issues of salvation, which is technically the same statement so why this has become a separate verse is beyond me...

Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (KJV)
2 baptismwn didachV epiqesewV te ceirwn anastasewV te nekrwn kai krimatoV aiwniou (TR)

So as we move on assuming one is saved, the very next thing the writer says is that it is impossible to be RE_saved, and the key is verse 4...

Heb 6:4 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,

Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (KJV)
Heb 6:6 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.

Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: {by: or, for}

Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

4 adunaton gar touV apax jwtisqentaV geusamenouV te thV dwreaV thV epouraniou kai metocouV genhqentaV pneumatoV agiou (TR)

apax jwtisqentaV , or 'once enlightened' is in the Aorist Participle Passive, which basically tells us that this verbage is  referring to a simple action as opposed to a continuous action, more like "once and for all" as opposed to "once upon a time" which is how most of us read this statement. Now a Greek word in the Passive voice means that the subject receives the action of a verb- i.e., It was nothing we did to become once-for-all enlightened, God did everything. In other words there is nothing we can do to gain salvation, and in turn nothing we can do to lose it, right?

But let's look at "if they shall away", and let us look also at the expression, "it is impossible" which is linked to the verb anakainizw which is translated "to renew" in verse 6. In other words it is safe to say that the intention here is to proclaim that "it is impossible to renew if they shall fall away". So we must conclude here that either (1)there is NO HOPE for coming back into salvation, or that (2)the writer here is stating an understood impossibility from the onset, he is essentially saying 'from false assumption we deduce absurd conclusions'. And the writer is about to expound on that false assumption through the end of verse 8...

Then in verse 9, he states ...

 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. (KJV)

pepeismeqa de peri umwn agaphtoi ta kreittona kai ecomena swthriaV ei kai outwV laloumen (TR)

A better translation of the word peiyw (inward certainty) would be that they are convinced or certain of something better than that false assumption he described previously and of the things that come with salvation. He then goes on to say that God is not unjust or forgetful of all the good things we did in the past and says they (the apostles?) desire that we continue through faith and patience to do those good things in the future according to (or because of) THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE (plhrojorian thV elpidoV) and  immediately I question what full assurance there is if we have to worry about losing our salvation. Where is the full assurance in that if it depends on what we do? None- in fact, you can have full assurance we will screw it up if it depends on us just like I have, right? The Greek word for full assurance is made of of two other Greek words. I digress but do want to throw in some information on those two words...

plhroforia, from plhrhv ( replete, or covered over; by analogy, complete:--full) and  forew (to have a burden, i.e. (by analogy) to wear as clothing or a constant accompaniment:

If we lose our salvation at any point then that's not full assurance, that's ZERO assurance. It is nothing more than work your butt off so you don't lose it. At best it is assurance that depends our thought and actions that none of us can always contrlol. And then the writer goes on to talk about the unchangeability of God, the power and the promises, seemingly as argument that God cannot save you and then decide you are not saved- the things He does are immutable, never-changing.

So let me run away from the desire to visit more scripture to support this and get back to what we wanted to start with- scriptures that say we are in danger of losing our salvation...

If we DEFILE THE TEMPLE (THE BODY) HE WILL DESTROY US. (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; Heb. 12:15).

    We always have to look at scripture in context, and never take it out of context. That is the major reason we have many denominations of Christianity. So to study this first verse, we have to look at the whole chapter. Now the first thing that pops in my head is actually 2 things. One, is that this to me is the ultimate chapter and book to describe what really happens we we become lost in sin as believers. It is simultaneously describing what most Christians today are missing the most. I think for the sake of brevity, I will only address it's point in the argument and revisit this later.

1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. {defile: or, destroy} (KJV)

 ei tiV ton naon tou qeou jqeirei jqerei touton o qeoV o gar naoV tou qeou agioV estin oitineV este umeiV (TR)

 First of all, this is the only KJV example of 'destroy' being translated from this Greek word, every other translation is "corrupt " , but does God corrupt us? No. And notice that these words in the Greek for corrupt and destroy are exactly the same in the Greek. I cannot stress enough the benefits of familiarizing yourself with Greek. You can see the dichotomy of this statement and admittedly I don't understand the Greek enough to know for sure how this should be correctly translated.. should we say, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God defile", or "If any man destroy the temple of God, him shall God destroy"

And look just two verses prior when Paul says, ...

1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (KJV)

So if anyone thinks I should take a closer look at this scripture I certainly will, but I am sufficiently convinced that this scripture cannot be used to suggest I have lost my salvation.

If we OBEY SIN we will DIE spiritually! (Romans 6:16-23).

Now I copied this list of scriptures from a website saying that I lost my salvation as a point of reference, But just simply reading these scriptures warrants no rebuttal so I will just paste the scriptures for you to read and you can decide for yourself. Again, if you would like me to revisit it let me know. The only thing that I WILL say is that all three previous chapters are talking about our freedom, our righteousness and our grace from the penalty of sin. This verse comes in after a huge dissertation on eternal salvation and it is meant in my opinion to  warn us against taking our eternal salvation for granted.

Ro 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

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

By NOT ABIDING IN THE FAITH we shall be cut off! (Romans 11:11-32).

Again this seems to need little commentary

By being REMOVED FROM Christ! (Gal. 1:6-7).

By becoming ENTANGLED AGAIN with the yoke of bondage! (Gal. 5:1).

By FALLING FROM GRACE! (Gal. 5:4). CHRIST BECOMES OF NO EFFECT FOR US!

OK, I love this one, because first of all, this guy is saying

By WALKING AFTER THE FLESH and not the Spirit! (Romans 8:1; 8:4; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:10, 20).

By not keeping your body under and becoming a CASTAWAY. (1 Cor. 9:27).

By ERRING FROM THE FAITH. (1 Tim. 6:9-10, 21).

By DEPARTING FROM THE FAITH! (1 Tim. 4:1).

By having your faith OVERTHROWN! (2 Tim. 2:17-18).

By CASTING OFF your faith! (1 Tim. 5:11-15; 6:19-21; 2 Tim. 2:17;, 18; 4:10).

If we DENY HIM, HE WILL DENY US! (2 Tim. 2:12).