Church of Pensacola
Church of Pensacola

Corrections to some misunderstandings in scripture concerning the false teaching of OSAS

John 3:36

 

"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.". This obviously is true, but some people don't know what the word for believe means. One of the things it means is be committed unto. Therefore, this believing in Jesus Christ is not a one-time deal and it's all over with. You must be committed unto Him or else you are no longer a believer. To believe also means used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul. That means when we believe in Jesus Christ, His power within us drives us to have a distinctively superior advantage of having our souls obey His moral law. But a Christian can stop believing. A Christian can wind up no longer committted unto Christ. For some have already turned aside after Satan - 1 Tim. 5:15.

 

It's the same word for believe in Eph. 1:19, where like above it is also in the present tense. God's great power of our final redemption will work not in those who once upon a time believed in Jesus Christ, but to those who continue to believe in Him. The words not believe here in the above Scripture John 3:36, and in Romans 15:31, means be disobedient or not to comply with. So we must keep believing and obeying Christ with a faithful, continuous action to be a true believer. So yes, believers have everlasting life, but if one walks away from obeying God and stops living a godly life by no longer being committed to Him, that person is no longer a true believer.

Romans 8:35-39

 

Where do you think this means eternal security? No where does this talk about you being safe from your own sin. The word nakedness in Romans 8:35 does not mean sin. The word occurs 3 times in the NT. In 2 Cor. 11:27, Paul speaks of being "in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." It has the same definition here. It is "nakedness of the body," which would bring physical suffering because of the cold weather. So that is what won't separate you from the love of God, it is not your sin. I've even seen someone write that the word death in v. 38 meant sin because the wages of sin is death. Death does not mean sin. Sin separates man from God. We have no license to sin. If you die in a backsliden state that is practicing sin again, then you will have a worse punishment in hell than if you never got saved to begin with (2 Peter 2:20,21). Death means death of the body. It's plain and simple.

 

John 6:35-37

 

Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." I already told you that to believe in Jesus Christ means that you keep believing and obeying Him with a continuous action of it. The s at the end of the word believe also shows that it is about presently doing it. Also, "who comes to Me" is about those who keep coming to Him, because it's in the present tense. That is when he won't cast you out. But if you stop obeying Him or stop coming to Him, it's a different story. The word comes also means to go, to follow one. Clearly, it's not a one time deal. It's with continuous action of it. The word come in "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me" also means to seek an intimacy with one, become his follower. But a Christian can stop doing that. This is not about apostate Christians who stop coming to and following Christ. Salvation is conditional. You must stay committed to Christ and keep the faith. Again, I tell you this Scripture: For some have already turned aside after Satan - 1 Tim. 5:15. Don't do it.

John 10:27-30

 

Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one"  This is for the ones who continue to follow Christ. But what does it mean to follow Christ?

 

The word for follow also means to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him, to join one as a disciple, become or be a disciple. Christ said what happens when we follow Him earlier in John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." The word for darkness also means the darkness due to want of light, metaph. used of ignorance of divine things and its associated wickedness and the resultant misery in hell. That means you do not practice sin. Those who do are not following Christ. So this 10:28,29 is for those who follow Christ. "neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." The word snatch also means pluck, to seize, carry off by force. This is talking about anyone besides yourself. When you lose something or give it away, it is not considered that you snatched or plucked yourself. It requires the action of someone else, besides yourself, to have something snatched out. But concerning our own actions, some have already turned aside after Satan (1 Tim. 5:15). Those people aren't following Christ anymore. They have condemnation because they have cast off their faith (1 Tim. 5:12).

 

John 14:16

 

Jesus said, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever." The word may is NOT will. There is the possibility of it not happening. Plus when Jesus started with "and I will" means there is a condition for us found in the previous verse. "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15). So if we keep His commandments, then He will pray for us that the Holy Spirit may abide in us forever. All the exhortations in Scripture for us to live right are not there for nothing. If we are OSAS, then there is no need for most of God's word. Scripture shows we can stop doing His commandments, and we can grieve or quench the Holy Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 3:13-15

 

"...each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. This is not about sin nor the backsliding Christian who is back being a slave to sin again. This is about bad works that some do in trying to witness for Jesus Christ. But this doesn't include OSAS preachers who refuse the truth, and want to contradict God's word with their false teaching. 1 Timothy 6:20,21 says they could stray concerning the faith just because of this "Once Saved, Always Saved" idle babbling. And that's besides the fruit of that belief that could easily lead to the practice of sin again can bring a loss of salvation. I'm not saying that every act of sin makes you lose your salvation. It's the willfull practice of sin that makes one an unbeliever. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God (1 John 3:10). It does not go both ways. One is either practicing righteousness or they are practicing sin. Are you set free from sin, and are you still set free from sin? It's ridiculous to think this Scripture means OSAS because it's about works, not about sin. Yet, perhaps you should check out Revelation 3:1-5.

 

Hebrews 7:25

 

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. The word come is not a one time deal and it's over with. It also means to come to, approach, draw near to, to assent to. This means that Jesus saves those who keep coming to God through Him. But one can stop doing that, like the people in 1 Tim. 5:15.

Hebrews 10:10,14

 

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. This is true for those who are being sanctified. But if a servant of God starts beating people up and getting drunk, then that is not being sanctified, and that person will be punished by perishing with the unbelievers (Luke 12:46,47).

 

1 Peter 1:5,9

 

"...who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time... receiving the end of your faith -- the salvation of your souls.  The key point here is through faith. The word for "through" also means by, by the means of, the reason by which something is or is not done. So that's how we are kept but some will depart from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1), cast off their faith (1 Tim. 5:12), or stray concerning the faith (1 Tim. 6:10,21). So this Scripture actually shows our responsibility to have the faith. In verse 6, Peter was talking about enduring through trials we get tested by and having our genuine faith glorify God at the end. The word for trials also means adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character, faith, and holiness. This is like the chastening that God does to us found in 1 Cor. 11:32.

 

We must persevere through whatever comes our way, all the way until the end; then we will be found good enough to be saved. The phrases to be revealed in the last time and receiving the end prove that we really don't have this salvation yet. It's in the future. The chance of losing faith is here and then those who do will not be saved. Salvation here means the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly life, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God. So you don't have it yet, you must keep the faith!

 

2 Timothy 2:10

 

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ~ Note: The word for may also means to chance to be. This is not a definite given. There is the possibility of it not happening. This is more proof that the elect don't have salvation yet. Does God's will always happen? Answer: No Even though He may have elected someone to be saved, does not mean that person will definitely be saved at the end.

 

2 Peter 3:9



 

The Lord is... not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ~ But this will of the Lord is not going to happen because He explained to us in Matt. 7:13,14 that most people are not going to heaven, even though He is not willing that any should perish. So being set free from sin now doesn't mean that you will definitely end up that way. Gal. 1:4 and 1 Thes. 4:3 also prove that the will of God is not always done. It is possible that the elect can be deceived (Matthew 24:24).

 

2 Timothy 2:11-13

 

This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. ~ Note: The word for if is a primary particle of conditionality. Clearly, this makes our final salvation conditional. The word  endure means to preserve under misfortunes and trials, to hold fast to one's faith in Christ, bear bravely and calmly ill treatments. We must endure through whatever comes our way all the way until we die with Him in our lives, then we will live and reign with Him. "he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13). If we wind up denying Him before the time of our death, you can't get around the word of God here, He will also deny us. At the end here in 2:13 where it says He remains faithful, that is not meaning He remains faithful to those who are faithless and denying Him. It means He remains faithful to His word, you can't get around it, because He cannot deny Himself. People should not water-down the word of God by saying that this means He remains faithful to the faithless or to someone who does not endure with Him till death. It does not say that. He cannot deny Himself, is what it says, not He won't deny you if you are faithless.

 

Ephesians 2:8-10

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. That is not talking about sin. Again, works does not mean sin. True, we are saved by grace, not by works. That means we don't work our way into being good enough to be saved. By faith in Him, God implants His Spirit into us and makes us born again when we truly surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That is when Jesus sets you free from sin (John 8:36 and Romans 6:22)... Doing good works (like trying to do the OT law of works) is not what gets us saved. It is by grace through faith. We're saved through faith. You gotta keep the faith; but be on guard, because the word of God says that some will depart from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1), some have cast off their faith (1 Tim. 5:12), and some have strayed from the faith (1 Tim. 6:10,21). With no more faith, someone will no longer have grace to be saved. Surely, the condition for grace is to have faith.

 

Ephesians 1:11-14

 

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the councel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. ~ Note: This starts off with In Him also. That means this is in addition to what Paul had just previosly said. Don't take it out of context. Eph. 1:4 states - ... that we should walk holy and without blame before Him... ~ So it's already implied that this Scripture here, Eph. 1:11-14, is for the people who walk holy and without blame before God...

 

Rearding Eph. 1:11,12 - ... being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the councel of His will (but God's purpose and will clearly does not always happen. I've already mentioned that with Matthew 7:13,14 and 2 Peter 3:9 ; Gal. 1:4 ; and 1 Thes. 4:3 ; or else we would all be saved) that we who first trusted in Him should (that word is not would. There is the possibility of it not happening) be to the praise of His glory.

 

Regarding Eph. 1:13,14, true, the Holy Spirit of promise is the guarantee of our inheritance, but that doesn't mean God won't take the Holy Spirit from you, by you forcing Him out. One who continues to walk holy and blameless, as we just saw this ties to from Eph. 1:4, has the Holy Spirit and the guarantee. The sealing here refers to our salvation if we have the Holy Spirit. It is NOT the Holy Spirit that is sealed, just like the lid to a jar is not what's sealed. The contents of the jar, like our salvation, is what's sealed. But the lid is not sealed forever no matter what, just like the Holy Spirit can be forced off. With the Holy Spirit, the sanctified Christian is sealed and has the guarantee, but if one starts to walk unholy and full of blame, that person has driven out or quenched the Holy Spirit with the practice of sin. I know from experience. I backslid after I became a real born again Christian. I was full of blame, but I did not care. I did not have the Holy Spirit convicting me because I was in flat out rebellion. No longer was I surrendered to God, even though I told people I was a Christian. Then I came to my senses and I knew I was lost again needing the Lord and I had to repent and turn to God again for help, or else I would still be lost in sin. That's like The Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:11-32. The father said he was dead and lost. That's how I was and that's how any backslider is. It comes down to this. IF you walk holy, which is a result of the Holy Spirit in your life, THEN you have the safety of a guaranteed inheritance.

1 Thessalonians. 5:19

 

Do not quench the Spirit. Basically that means do not resist His influence in your life. That's a fundamental rule of walking with God. The word quench also means to extinguish, to go out, to suppress of divine influence.

 

2 Timothy 1:12

 

"... He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.  Paul wasn't talking just about his salvation; and a backsliden, apostate Christian cannot rightfully claim this. Paul was certain that God would keep his deposit, his life and the eternal rewards of his ministry. Paul was preparing for his imminent death, but in spite of this he was hopeful. He had spent his time, resources, and even his life on proclaiming the gospel, and this investment in Christ's kingdom will bring him an abundant reward in eternity. But if you want to just think this is about his salvation, and you want to claim it too, OK look here: The word able is NOT will. Able leaves the possibility that it could or could not happen. He is able to, but that doesn't mean He definitely will. God gave us a free will to serve Him or not. We are not robots after we get saved. Some Christians turn aside after Satan (1 Tim. 5:15).

 

Matthew 28:20

 

Jesus said, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." The key is to observe His commands, then He is with us always, but we can't rebel against God and honestly think we're still going to heaven. That would be living in a dreamworld, and not according to the truth.

 

Philippians 1:6

 

"...be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ~ Note: You can't take this out of context to try and say that this always happens. You have to look at the few previous verses, 1:3-5, and then you find out Paul was praying for those Philippians who had fellowshipped in the gospel with him. This verse, 1:6, is actually Paul telling them what he was praying for them about. Obviously Paul was confident that he was praying God's will for their lives. But God's will doesn't always happen. That's why we need people praying for us. If "Once Saved, Always Saved" was true, then Paul was needlessly praying for them. But I already showed you with earlier Scriptures that Paul knew that one could lose faith.

 

Hebrews 12:1,2

 

"...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith". Now He's not the finisher of our faith no matter what. This is conditional. We must be looking unto Him and laying aside sin. Why do you think the writer of Hebrews put this instruction in the word? It's because he knew the danger of sin that can get our eyes off of Jesus and make us fall short of the grace of God, as he mentioned in Hebrews 12:15 "...He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" Hebrews 5:9.

 

2 Corinthians 5:5

 

"Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee".  Just like in Eph. 1:13,14, the Holy Spirit is the guarantee IF you still have Him. He is not guaranteed to stay in a rebellious child. God just might cut you off like Paul states in Romans 11:17-22. The presence of the Holy Spirit assures us believers that God has purchased us. We know that we have the Holy Spirit when we are not slaves of sin, but slaves of God that obey Him by living a holy, godly life. 1 Thes. 5:19 tells us to not quench the Spirit. Don't stop and have a misunderstanding belief from this verse (2 Cor. 5:5) alone. Keep reading the word of God there and you will see some important warnings and truths. If someone's life does not line up with the word of God here, then they may not have the Holy Spirit.

 

2 Corinthians 5:10,11

 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...  Knowing that in the future we will stand before Jesus Christ and face a review of our lives should motivate us to live righteously and faithfully in the present time, continually. The word persuade means to induce one by words to believe.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. The word in in in Christ also means by, with, among. Passed away also means of persons moving forward in regards from their old life or condition. The phrase have become means to come into existence. That means you ARE new. It's a continuing state of being, so you keep on being new. Someone who falls back into the bondage of sin is NOT in Christ anymore, because they didn't continue being new. A believer's life changes because he or she is being transformed into the likeness of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). So we really do, literally get better. Some people think this just means we are figuratively a new creation, but that's not right. Christ literally changes us for the better.

 

2 Corinthians. 6:1

 

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ~ Note: That's what believers do when they don't have a changed life by being a new creation in a continuing state. You must continue being a new creation. If you backslide, you are dead and lost, just like Jesus said in Luke 15:24. The word vain also means empty, devoid of truth, without a gift, destitute of spiritual wealth, of one who boasts of his faith as a transcendent possession yet is without the fruits of faith.

 

Calvinist's who deny that salvation can ever be lost, reason on the subject in a marvelos way. They tell us

They use reams of paper to argue that if one ever got lost he was never found. John 17:12; that if one falls, he never stood. Rom. 11:16-22 and Heb. 6:4-6; if one was ever “cast forth,” he was never in, and “if one ever withered,” he was never green. John 15:1-6; and that “if any man draws back,” it proves that he never had anything to draw back from. Heb. 10:38,39; that if one ever “falls away into spiritual darkness,” he was never enlightened. Heb 6:4-6; that if you “again get entangled in the pollutions of the world,” it shows that you never escaped. 2 Pet 2:20; that if you “put salvation away” you never had it to put away, and if you make shipwreck of faith, there was no ship of faith there!! In short they say: If you get it, you can’t lose it; and if you lose it you never had it. May God save us from accepting a doctrine, that must be defended by such fallacious reasoning!” - Attributed to John Wesley 

Print | Sitemap
© Tom Heiden