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Answer
The question of whether a believer can become an unbeliever typically arises when trying to explain perplexing situations involving acquaintances. Someone who previously professed faith now denies it. Outwardly, they appeared to be a believer actively engaged in church life and possibly even ministry. So, what transpired? Is this a scenario of a believer turning into an unbeliever?
There are several notable skeptics who initially identified as believers. For instance, Dan Barker, an atheist and president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, began his journey as a minister and Christian musician. Charles Templeton (now deceased) was an evangelist who once traveled with Billy Graham but later embraced agnosticism openly. Bart Ehrman, a bestselling author for The New York Times and a well-known skeptic, consistently raises doubts about the credibility of the New Testament. Ehrman refers to himself as a former born-again fundamentalist who studied at Moody Bible Institute and graduated from Wheaton College.
Beyond these well-known instances, there are countless individuals, perhaps millions, who professed faith, often during childhood, but later abandoned their faith in Christ. Whether identifying as atheists, agnostics, or simply disinterested, they have departed from the faith. How should we interpret their situation? Were they once born-again believers but are now unbelievers?
Various possibilities are frequently proposed.
The initial possibility is to assert that these individuals were and remain saved, born again, incorporated into the Body of Christ, and inhabited and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Given that God’s salvation is permanent, once a person is saved, they will always be saved regardless of any subsequent disbelief or disobedience. This notion often brings solace to parents, as even if a child strays far from the Lord, the parent clings to the belief that the child remains in God’s hands.
To a specific time and place where the child “accepted Christ.”
The second possibility is to agree that these individuals were once genuine believers but that, upon ceasing to believe, they forfeited their salvation. All of God’s blessings have been reversed. The former believers have transitioned into unbelievers and are now unsaved.
The third possibility is that, despite outwardly displaying genuine faith, these individuals’ subsequent choices and statements indicate that they were never authentic believers. Regardless of their claims, they were never truly born again and sealed by the Spirit. Genuine believers may encounter periods of doubt, uncertainty, disobedience, and temporary unbelief, but they will never disavow their faith. This concept is known as the perseverance of the saints—all who are genuinely saved will persist (continue) in their faith, upheld by the power of God. The authenticity of a “decision for Christ” can only be determined by the fruit it bears. This perspective is most strongly supported by Scripture.
Scripture and history abound with instances of individuals who initially responded positively to Christ only to later drift away. In the parable of the sower and the seed, some of the seed sprouted quickly, only to wither or be choked by weeds. “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:20-22). However, the seed (the gospel) sown on good soil yields a fruitful harvest. Initially, distinguishing which plants will thrive can be quite challenging. Time unveils the reality.
In John 6, Jesus refers to himself
If the Bread from Heaven and makes some statements that were very hard to understand. Verse 66 says, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” There were people who had identified themselves as followers of Jesus, but they turned back when Jesus said something they disliked. It was not that they lost salvation; they never had it to begin with, and this incident is what showed their true colors.
Next in John 6, Jesus comments on Peter and Judas Iscariot. “Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.’ He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him” (verses 67–70). At the time Jesus spoke those words, Peter and Judas looked very much alike—both were disciples. On the night that Jesus was arrested, Peter and Judas looked very much alike—both denied the Lord. A few days later, however, they showed themselves to be very different. Judas, overcome with remorse, did not seek repentance and forgiveness but committed suicide «And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. », (Matthew 27:5). Peter was filled with shame and wept «And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.», (Matthew 26:75). Three days later Peter is still with the disciples and becomes an apostle of the Risen Lord.
Neither Judas nor Peter lost his salvation. Judas’ true nature was that of an unbeliever. He liked Jesus well enough and dabbled with fFaith for a while, but he never truly believed—we might say he only pretended to be a believer. Judas was the treasurer for the disciples, and John 12:6 tells us that he was misusing the money for himself. Peter, on the other hand, for a brief period, “pretended” to be an unbeliever, but eventually his true, redeemed nature revealed itself.
First John directly addresses the issue of professing believers who appear to become unbelievers. Some false teachers, who had seemed to be genuine believers previously, were causing trouble in the church. First John 2:19 explains, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” Even though those who left the faith seemed authentic, John clarifies that they had never truly been “of us”; one of the signs of a believer is that he “continues with us.” People may be able to “fake it” temporarily, but they cannot keep up the act indefinitely. The truth will eventually expose their deceit. First John 3:9 says, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” A genuine believer is prevented from falling into continuous sin because he has been born of God—God protects him.
A true believer may stumble into disobedience and wrestle with doubt, but a true believer will never disown Christ. A person who has disowned Christ through words or actions has not lost salvation; instead, he is revealing that he never had genuine faith. This is one reason why church discipline is crucial. In Matthew 18, Jesus outlines the steps. If a person in the church sins, he should be confronted and given the opportunity to repent. If all the steps in the process have been followed and there is still no repentance, then the unrepentant sinner is to be expelled from the church and treated as an unbeliever (verses 15–17).
This process is designed to help the sinner make a decision. Either they will recognize their mistakes and come to their senses, or they will conclude that the church and the Christian life are not significant and leave—either way, church discipline reveals a person’s true character.
A true believer can never turn into an unbeliever as they have been spiritually reborn by God’s Spirit. It is not one’s faith that ensures safety but God’s power that sustains ongoing faith.
