The Church believes that a member could fall from God’s grace if he or she backslides and abandons the faith (Heb 6:4-6). God is faithful and gracious to his people, earnestly desiring and providing for our salvation. It is possible, however, for a Christian to forfeit salvation by a willful failure to continue in faith and obedience.

Why is it necessary that we believe this? Many people think they can do what they like when they have become Christians because they are ‘saved’. This is a misunderstanding of Scripture and an insult to God. God has given us free will. He has not created us as robots. Therefore we have a responsibility to follow God’s ways and serve him. God has provided everything for us to follow him; his grace and the Holy Spirit, and he desires us to have a relationship with him. But a relationship is always two-way. If we fail and neglect God willfully, there is a danger that we break our relationship with him. This is the greatest tragedy.