The answer is simply no. If you are one of God’s elect nothing can separate you from God:

 

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)

 

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.” (Matthew 24:24)

 

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written -For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'” (Romans 8:35-39)

 

To argue that the elect could fall away is to again argue that it is all about our choice and not God’s.

 

However, we cannot afford to deceive ourselves into thinking that we are free to live our lives as we choose.  "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God?  You are not your own, you were bought at a price.  Therefore honour God with your body." (1 Cor. 6:20) 

 

If we continue to deliberately sin are we truly God’s elect?  

 

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

 

The truth brings assurance and comfort but we should be watchful so that our assurance doesn't turn to complacency.  We should never allow ourselves to become so comfortable, that our assurance in Christ to turns into arrogance. 

“Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.” (Romans 11:20-21)

 

The elect will bare good fruit.

 

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19)

 

Consider Judas Iscariot, he was counted among the Lord's disciples.  From outward appearances, it would have seemed to men that he was one of the elect, but his motives are revealed by God:  "'Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?  It was worth a years wages'.  He did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:5-6)  And his end was made known to all.  When it came time to replace Judas, the apostles made it clear that they were not qualified to judge or approve a man for the job.  "They prayed, 'Lord, you know everyones heart.  Show us which of these men you have chosen to take over the apostolic ministry, which Judas left, to go where he belongs.'" (Acts 1:24-25)  The replacement for Judas was "chosen" by God, not by man.  So are God's elect.  Was Judas one of the elect?  Clearly not, because we are told he left his ministry "to go where he belongs".  The Lord was aware of all this before it took place.  He said, "one of you will betray me." (Mark 14:18)  The apostles, on the other hand, did not know what the Lord was talking about until after the event.  

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So what should our judgement be in this matter?  Consider the parable of the sower:  "The farmer sows the word.  Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown.  As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like the seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time.  When trouble and persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.  Still others, like the seed sown among the thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come up and choke the word, making it unfruitful.  Others, like the seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." (Mark 4:14 - 20)  What would our judgement be in these situations?  Isn't it true, that even those described by the Lord as "rocky places" and those "among thorns" would be accepted as saved in most churches?  Wouldn't the pastor tell them that as long as they had "received the word" and said the 'sinners prayer', that they are eternally saved?  Yet the Lord tells us that they fall away! Only the "good soil produces a crop". The truth in this matter is that we should not judge at all: "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.  He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts.  At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Cor. 4:5) 

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We need to heed the warnings that are written in Scripture - they are written for our benefit.

 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.  We have come to share in Christ, if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first.  As has just been said:

 

           'Today, if you hear his voice,
             do not harden your hearts
             as you did in the rebellion.'

 

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?  And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert?  And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?  So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief." (Heb. 3:12-19)

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For it is written, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30). We must listen to the voice of the true Shepherd and follow him.  

  

Peter warns us, "Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." (2 Peter 3:17)  Why are we asking if the elect can fall away?  We are simply warned to be on our guard so that we will not fall!  God's elect are the ones who will heed these warnings. 

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"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Phil. 2:12-13)