While salvation is secured by grace through faith, Jesus gave a profound warning about denying Him publicly: “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Denying Christ, even for the sake of popularity or safety, is a sinful act of profound spiritual failure because it places temporary human approval above the eternal Lordship of Jesus. This act does not automatically remove salvation, but it wounds one's relationship with God, damages their witness, and demonstrates a severe lack of courage and trust.

When adult children reject the Christian faith, the primary biblical response for parents is to move from controlling the outcome to trusting God with the soul. This involves grieving the loss, continuing to model authentic, joyful faith (1 Peter 3:1-2), maintaining unconditional love and relationship, and committing to persistent, humble prayer (1 John 5:14). The focus shifts from correction to being a faithful, available witness to the transforming power of the Gospel.