Salvation and Grace

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“God Will Take Away from Him His Share in the Tree of Life”

How Revelation 22:19 refutes “once saved, always saved”

   Gary Hoge

At the very end of the Bible, in Revelation 21 and 22, the Holy Spirit describes our heavenly destiny, the New Jerusalem. Jesus himself says, 

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood (Rev. 22:14-15). 

A few verses later, the Holy Spirit warns us, “If anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city” (Rev. 22:19).

The Bible ends with this word of warning, and it contradicts the “once saved, always saved” doctrine. Obviously, the warning is not directed at unbelievers because they don’t have a share in the tree of life and in the holy city to begin with; there’s nothing for God to take away. The warning is directed squarely at believers. If you take words away from the book of Revelation, God will take away your share in the tree of life, and in the holy city. He will take away your salvation, and you will find yourself outside with the “dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

If you want an explicit teaching that it is possible for a believer to forfeit his salvation, there it is.