“If we are eternally saved, why then does the New Testament consistently warn believers against backsliding and falling away?”
Simple: so that we do not become USELESS! Christianity does not end with salvation from sin. We are saved to lead lives characterized by good works (Eph 2:8-10, Tit 2:11-14, 3:8).
Christ says that it is the Father’s desire that we bear much fruit (Jn 15:8). A backslidden Christian, who allows himself get distracted by the pleasures of this world (Mrk 4:18-19), would eventually become unfruitful (cf. 2 Pt 1:5-9, Tit 3:14). Such a life does not glorify the Father. It adds no value to His kingdom, and is unfit for His use (cf. 2 Tim 2:20-21).
Worldliness is actually a distraction. It takes our attention off divine purpose. For example, Demas became ineffective as a ministry partner to Paul because worldly affections distracted him (2 Tim 4:10). Now, he did not lose his salvation. He did, however, lose his USEFULNESS in the kingdom of God. This is the main issue with backsliding; a sinful lifestyle occupying our every thought and action, until we become unproductive Christians. A brother persistently indulging in sexual sin, for example, would not have the time to pray or preach Christ—sin distracts! There is a real threat of a believer becoming unprofitable, hence the warnings in the New Testament.
Not only that, a worldly/sinful lifestyle taints our testimony before the world. We are sent to change the world by our preaching of the Gospel (Matt 28:18-20). But doing so becomes difficult when we indulge in the same lifestyle as those we seek to change! Jesus likens such believers to salt which has lost its flavor and a lamp hidden under a basket (Matt 5:13-16). They add no value whatsoever to God’s mission.
An effective tool for evangelism is upright living. When our conduct is godly before a perverse world, it gives us enough credibility to confront their sin and present Christ to them. The dominant New Testament term for this is “shining as lights” (Philip 2:14-16, Rom 13:12-14, Eph 5:8-14, 1 Thess 5:4-8, cf. 1 Thess 4:9-12, 1 Pt 2:11-12, 15-16). James is clear that it is our works, not faith alone, that justifies us before men (Jas 2:14-26). Thus, even our conduct is a powerful medium for witnessing.
Christians living just like the world, however, are no longer effective witnesses of Christ. Just like the hypocritical Jews, “the name of God is blasphemed because of them” (Rom 2:17-24, cf. 2 Sam 12:14). That is, their poor conduct gives unbelievers an opportunity to mock the faith. Paul says it beautifully; our good conduct is like a beautiful ornament that adorns our preaching of the Gospel (see Tit 2:1-10). Good conduct makes our preaching more attractive to the world. Without same, we lose our moral high ground to preach (cf. 1 Pt 2:11-12).
And most importantly, backslidden/worldly/sinful Christians stand the risk of losing rewards (not their salvation) on the last day. The Bible is clear that while salvation is not earned by works (Rom 4:1-8, 11:6, Gal 2:16, Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5), rewards are (Matt 16:27, 1 Corin 3:11-15, 2 Corin 5:10, Col 3:23-24, 2 Jn 8, Rev 22:12)! Thus, although a backslidden Christian would not be cast into hell, he will forever bear the burden of having little to no commendation from the Lord for how he lived. That is a tragic way to finish the Christian race (cf. 1 Corin 9:24-27).
Thus, the New Testament texts warning against “falling away (from the faith)” (1 Corin 10:12, 1 Tim 1:19-20, 4:1, 6:10, 2 Tim 2:17-18, 4:3-4, 10, 2 Pt 3:17) and those admonishing Christians to “remain steadfast till the end” (Acts 13:43, 14:22, Philip 4:1, Heb 10:23, Rev 2:25, 3:11) are not to frighten believers with the possibility that their salvation could be lost, if they ever backslid. Rather, they are to prevent them from sliding into a life of spiritual lethargy, which has no positive impact on the Church, God’s kingdom or those around them.
Hence, a backslidden Christian has not lost his salvation, but he HAS lost his usefulness to God’s kingdom, he has jeopardized his testimony before the world and he stands the risk of losing eternal rewards on the last day. It is for these reasons that the New Testament consistently warns against falling away.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2026.
