I used to be firmly opposed to Eternal Security/OSAS(once saved always saved), I thought I had all the passages of scripture in the NT(especially in the book of revelation) to refute it, but after reexamining the word of God and gleaning from my own walk with the lord, I started to repent of my old position. Its a severely misunderstood subject, because it assumes that everyone who initially prayed the sinners prayer and made the profession of faith was ever saved to begin with.. Thats false, and I would contend that these Christians who started the race, but later fell away back into carnality were never even saved to begin with... They went out from us, but THEY WERE NOT OF US; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that THEY WERE NOT all of us. (1 John 2:19) In fact, Jesus had around 72 disciples when he initially started out... All but 12 had fell away and abandoned him, but we get from the scriptures that they never even TRULY believed to begin with.... But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING who they were that BELIEVED NOT, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:64-66) The scripture says that if you believe on the lord Jesus Christ you shall be saved, but there is a TRUE belief and a FALSE belief that needs to be distinguished. True belief(genuine repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ) always leads to spiritual rebirth, regeneration... False belief does not.... These false disciples of Jesus who had fell away and departed, they NEVER truly believed to begin with.... In fact, if you read through the book of Jude, it goes on to describe the type of carnal Christianity we see today(Jude 1:4). It says that such false practitioners are those who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit[Jude 1:19]. Notice what it says, having NOT the spirit. Revelation keeps making mention of enduring until the end, it keeps making mention of the NEED to overcome, but what do we read of those born of the spirit of God? For WHATSOEVER IS BORN of God OVERCOMETH the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4) I do believe in the doctrine of preservation of the saints, and IMHO to not believe it is a serious offence to Gods love for his children, and his faithfulness. You can only overcome the world, sin, and the devil through the spirit of God anyways. You cant even keep the two most important commandments without the spirit of God. What makes people think they can overcome without God? You think that as a child of God, hes just going to let those weaker in the faith perish into hell? If you are a child of God, the love that the father has for his children will not suffer them to perish... His love will sustain them to the end. The spirit of God will strengthen and establish them... They are BORN of GOD. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6) There are quite a bit of other passages that affirm preservation of the saints. The fact that real saints dont want to sin anymore is a sole work of God. The fact that they want to obey God is a sole work of him. Everything that you become after conversion is a SOLE work of God. Being grieved over sin, being led into repentance when backslidden, its a SOLE work of God through regeneration. All these preventative measures are a sole work of God... These are all evidences of true sonship... One doesnt overcome anything outside of God... Anyone who truly has the spirit of God in them, the father chastises them as a son if they get out of line(Revelation 3:19, Hebrews 12:5-11). He goes after them like the 1 out of 100 sheep(Matthew 18:12-14). They are terribly grieved with Godly sorrow and remorse over their sin(2 Corinthians 7:9-11)... Now, ask yourself this... As a child of God, who has been born of the spirit of God... Can you ever see yourself just up and walking away from the lord? You think you can just walk away, knowing how terrible it feels to be convicted and grieved over sin? Knowing you will be chastised by God for your rebellion? Knowing how you are always brought back to your knees? That is regeneration, that is God... Nobody who is TRULY born of God can just up and walk away from him, because they are indwelt with new affections for him through the holy ghost. The father promises to go after his children when they stray like the 1 out of 100 sheep... Everytime when I was backslidden, every time I fell back into sin, I was always brought back, whether it was through the heavy conviction I felt and Godly sorrow, whether it was God seeking me and revealing his great love, mercy, and grace, or whether it was from him flat out afflicting my health or causing me to fear.... I just began to realize it was impossible to walk away... The agony I felt from my sin, the chastising of the father, him coming for me like the 1 out of 100 sheep... This is Gods faithfulness... If someone is able to just up and walk away from the lord like its no big thing, with ease, then they were NEVER a true son or daughter, because God would have gone after them... Do you think you can really resist the chastising of the lord, the godly sorrow over sin, and him coming after you? I dont.... Now I caught myself in a rant, but OSAS is a severely misunderstood subject, because it presumes everyone who ever said a prayer and made a profession of faith was saved... Consider Gods faithfulness towards king Solomon... I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy SHALL NOT depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. (2 Samuel 7:14-15)
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 04:35:14 +0000
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