WHAT DID OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST SAY ABOUT THIS in the GOSPELS?
Matthew 24:13 - "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." ~ Note: Part of the meaning of the word "saved," from the Greek word "sozo," is "to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgement." The word that Jesus Christ spoke will judge in the last day (John 12:48). That hasn't happened yet, so technically we are not saved from that yet. This being saved is clearly conditional. We must ENDURE to the end, and then we will be saved.
Let's look at the same story in the gospel according to Luke. After that I have much more SCRIPTURAL PROOF.
Luke 12:45,46 - "But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the UNBELIEVERS." ~ Note: That's plain and simple. One can be a servant of Christ, start the practice of sin, and not be ready for eternal life when Christ comes back again. This person will go where the unbelievers go. I don't think you need me to tell you where that is. SO WATCH OUT.
JESUS THEN EXPLAINED THE PARABLE of THE SOWER
Luke 8:11-15 - Jesus said, "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (note: these people don't become believers to begin with after they hear the word of God, but the others next do believe and get born again because they had overcome, but they lose their life in Christ and fall away because of sin). But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while (note: They were born-again believers, but they had no root because they were not strong "in Christ."
They should have learned the word of God better. But even if they would have had some root, God still could have cut them off because of unbelief, just like you'll see it is in Romans 11:17-22) and in time of temptation fall away (note: They had been set free from sin, but they didn't resist the temptation of sin when the devil brought it. The Greek word for "fall away" is "aphistemi." It means they "depart, desert, withdraw, fall away," whichever definition you choose to use, from having life in Christ. They no longer have belief which means they "become faithless" because they fell for the temptation of sin).
Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (note: Sin destroyed these lives as well. The sin of greed. I will also show you later that you need to bear good fruit). But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it (note: The Greek word for "keep" is "katecho." It means "hold fast, keep, stay" in regards to "from going away." Clearly this is our personal responsibility to continue to believe the word of God and to remain faithful to Him) and bear fruit with patience." ~ Note: The Greek word for "patience" is "hupomone."
It more correctly means "enduring, perseverance, the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings." To be saved at the end, you must persevere while bearing good fruit. Jesus made it clear that a true believer produces good fruit, and that the human will is involved IN REMAINING A BELIEVER, since He says we must "keep it" and "persevere." Christ proves here that no one is eternally secure no matter what they do.