OSAS is it true?

What these OSAS teachers fail to see is that true saving faith turns a person from sin and produc es good works. Jesus tells us that those that love Him are those that keep His commandments. John 14:15

Yet we have false teachers telling people that you can still love Jesus and not obey Him or keep his commandments. In fact acording to these teachers you not only don’t have to obey Him but you can turn your back on Him and even deny Him, and acording to these false teachers “Jesus will still not deny you”. Yet Jesus himself said, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 10:33

Today when any man or woman of God stand up and begin quoting scripture, warning the ungodly and disobedient professors of faith that they need to repent, and turn from there sins to be saved, all of a sudden you hear false teachers stand up and yell legalism. They will yell “we are saved by grace not by obedence or works”. Then they will go on to tell you how you are condeming people and bringing them into bondage. I thought when someone was living in sin they were already in bondage!

What these once saved always saved teachers fail to see is that true saving faith turns a person from his sins and to producing good works. We have to remember that there are “works of the law” which can not save you, “Works of the flesh” which will dam you, and works or fruits of the Spirit which is the evidence of saving faith. All three of these works are spoken of by Paul and we know what works he means by the context the word is used in. There is a world of difference between works and sin. Works is trying to earn your way to heaven by doing good deeds or obeying the cerimonial laws, like circumcision, holydays, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days. Colossians 2:14-16

I think this next quote will help clear things up a little better.

“Here we need to make a distinction between the Laws of Moses and the 10 commandment, moral law. Does the Bible lend itself to that perspective? Absolutely! The 10 commandments were written by the finger of God (Ex 31:18) on tables of stone. The ceremonial law, also called the “book of the law” (Deut 31:26), was written by Moses hand (Deut 31:9). The 10 commandments were in the Ark of the Covenant (implying that they should be internalized) while the ceremonial law was placed on the outside (Deut 31:26) (indicating that they were imposed in a civil manner, not as intrinsic moral issues). The ceremonial law was the structure for the theocracy of Israel. It was not moral law, but rules to support the nation. Many of them are not bad ideas, they are simply no longer binding for the Christian.” Patrick Fagenstrom, 10/03

Author David Hunt says, “Falling away” doctrine makes us worse off after we are save than before. At least before conversion we can get saved But after we are saved and have lost our salvation (if we could). We can’t get saved again, but are lost forever. Hebrews 6:4 declares, “If (not when) they shall fall away... it is impossible (vs. 4) ...to renew them again unto repentance.” That “falling away” is hypothetical is clear (vs.9): “But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak” so “falling away” does not “accompany salvation.” The writer is showing us that if we could lose our salvation, we could never get it back without Christ dying again upon the cross. This is folly.”

For David to say that that verse is hypothetical is ludicrist. The bible has many warnings about falling away that are very clearly not hypothetical, including the above one just quoted.

Lets look at the one above first,

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Hebrews 6:4-6

First the writer is not speaking hypothetical, he is giving a very clear warning. But then he goes on to say that he is persuaded of better things. Meaning “but I don’t think this applies to you”.

Here is the same verse in another translation for ferther clarity.

“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come — and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.” (Heb. 6:4-10 New Living Translation)

Someone that was once enlightened and has experienced the goodthings of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit would have to have been someone that was save. It is also obvious from the fact that they had already repented of their sins, for the word says “to bring such people back to repentance” proves that they had repented in the past. So Mr. Hunt is very wrong in this passage of scripture as I will show other scripturel warnings also.

Peter warns, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20

Breaking down this verse we can see that,

1. The person was saved because the scripture very clearly says that “they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” They were freed from their life of sin, for the word goes on to say, “they are agin entangled therein, and overcome,” speaking of falling back into a life of sin. The verse goes on to say it will be worse for them at the end than from the begining.

Now if they were hell bound sinners at the begining how could it be worse for them at the end if they could never lose their salvation. Think about this, what could be worse than going to hell a a sinner? The answer is going to hell as an enlightened sinner. Meaning you knew what was right and you rebelled against the truth of Christ. Those that resist truth will not only receive the greater damnation, but will also buy into the biggest lies. God will give those that want to believe a lie a strong delusion so that they may be damed. Rom. 1:18-32

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” God has writen his word so that a child if he want’s truth can find it. But many because of their love for sin, or for those that have loved ones in sin will suppress the truth in their own hearts so as to not to turn people off. They refuse to exept and read the scriptures for what they really say and twist and destort scriptures to fit their world veiws.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

No one will be able to pleade ignorant. History, science and Holy Scriptures have made it so very clear for those that wan’t truth.

vs.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Many people after holding on to sins for so long become dull to the Spirit’s convicting power. Eventualy if the sin is not confessed and forsaken it becomes such a strong hold that the person actually believes that God is aproving what he or she does. The mind at this point becomes very hard if not imposible to reach with the truth. For truth was rejected and because of this their mind became darkened and defiled.

vs.26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

This is were there is no more shame in sin. Men turn to men, women to women and eventually if sin is aloud to run it’s course these defiled adults will turn to children and animals. They do not see there wickedness for God has given them over to their lust and evil desires. Others may not turn to perversion but other sins. They may become thieves, slanders, trublemakers, athiest, drunkerds and the like. Sin has taken their souls. When they continue in sin when they know the truth is a very dangerous folly.

“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. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Heb. 10:26-29

This verse should strike terror into all those that are playing around with sin that are confessing the name of Christ.

In 2 peter 2:21 goes on to say that , “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”

Common sense tells us that if someone does not know the way of righteousness he does not know Jesus. How can this verse say that it would be better to have never known Jesus or the way of righteousness then to turn from the commandments that were given to them. This vers very clearly teaches that a person can turn away from Christ and be lost.

Paul warns in Romans that if we do not continue in Gods goodness that we could be cut off.

“For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:21,22

If we could never lose our salvation, why would Paul warn the Christians in Rom about the dangers of falling or not continuing in God’s goodness.

Satan has succeeded in making many people that have no heart for the things of God, to believe they are still saved. Many think just because they said a prayer many years ago they will never lose there place in heaven. Yet they have no desire for the word of God, no desire to obey the Lord and no desire for prayer, and yet they think they will be welcomed in heaven. Some of the arguments that once save always saved proponents are,

1. Jesus saves and forgives us all our sins. “and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

But this vers they take out of context for their is a condition to the above verse. That condition says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” vs.7 This is the condition, meaning if we don’t walk in the light (obeying what you know), the blood of Jesus will not cleans us from our sins.

What does it mean to walk in the light? This is walking in truth or walking in the Spirit, for it says we have to walk as Jesus does. This is why John goes on to say that, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he (Jesus) walked. 1 John 2:6

When we walk in the light as he is in the light, we will walk even as Christ walked. What are these verses saying? We will follow Jesus, we will obey him, live like him.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27,28

Who has eternal life? Those who hear his voice and follow (obey) him. The once saved always saved teachers say that “you don’t have to follow Christ, just believe in him”, or “You don’t have to obey, just believe.” They will quote Colossians 2:13 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[a] God made you[b] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” The OSAS teachers will say “you see all our sins are forgiven past, present and future.”

If that is true why do we have 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Seems like this verse is just a wast of space if we don’t need to repent of anything anymore. They say that “God has cancelled their sin debt completely.” God has even coverd there “falling away” sins or backsliding. Of course these false teachers can not back up their doctrine with sound scriptures. They must twist and ignor mountains of opposing scriptures to make the word say what they want it to say.

Colossians 2:13 can not mean that all sins no matter how you live are forgiven, because in the very next chapter Paul warns the same people he was just writing to that if they don’t put to death the deed of there flesh, they will receive the wrath of god.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Col. 3:5,6

2. Another argument that OSAS use is that they say we can never lose what God gave us. The verse they stand on are,

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28 This verse again, they take out of contet for the verses right above it states that true christians hear Gods voice and they follow, or in other words obey him. vs. 27

So these verses are conditional. Meaning if you will turn from your sins trust in Christ and follow Him instead of your sinful nature you will be saved. Many OSAS teachers will scream “that is legalistic you are trying to be saved by obeying the law.”

Here are a few analogies to help you see what true love for Christ will do. If a man marries a woman and vowes to honer her, and protect her, love her and to be with her his hole life we call that true love. Yet when a Christian follows and obeys Christ because of a stronger love, the OSAS teachers cry out “your trying to win your salvation by works” and yet if you see a man cheating on his wife, beating his kids and cheating on his taxes as long as he says he believes in Christ, these same teachers will say “He’s trusting in God’s grace.” How blind can people be?

We consider ourselves free here in America, yet we have all kinds of laws in our country to keep us safe. Yet I don’t see Americans yelling and saying to there government, “we don’t need laws against murder,” or “we don’t need laws against rape.” Why don’t we see this? Because the laws are not there for the law abiding citizen, but for the law breakers. If someone were to stand up in our country and yell, “those laws are to confining,” how much do you want to bet he is planning on, or would like to break one of those laws. The 10 commandments only feel legalistic to those that want to break them, not to those that walk with them in their heart. A true Christian loves the law of God, he delights in it.

“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8 He obeys it not out of legalistic motives (If I don’t do this I go to hell) but because he loves God and wants to please Him.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” John 14:21

“He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:24

It is very clear that those that love Jesus obey Him, and those that don’t love Him don’t. Just like the man that really love his wife will not cheat on her, if he does not love her, he in all likely hood not be faithful to her.

We are faithful to Christ by abiding in Him through His word, prayer and obediance to Him.

3. Another thing that OSAS proponents will stand on is “It’s a free gift and it can’t be earned.” another scripture they will misquote is, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

So they say if it’s free, then there’s nothing you can do to earn it and nothing you can do can cause you to lose it.

The question is what is the gift? Everyone would agree it is eternal life. What then is eternal life? Is it a passport to heaven with the same demonic dna that you had to begin with? The Word tells us that if we are born of God (or born again) we will not live in sin anymore. The old man has died, the new man is born. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Someone that is truly born again will begin to walk with God’s nature in him. He will turn from all known sin.

“We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.” 1 John 5:18

Hebrews 5:9 tells us that eternal life or salvation is to those who obey Christ. Romans tells us God will render to every man according to his deeeds. To those who obey and do well will receive eternal life. Again, this is not works that we are talking about, but real fruit of a blood bought child of God. There are so many scriptures that speak of obeying God. The word says if you don’t obey you will receive indignation and wrath. Romans 2:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:8. The word tells us that judgment is to begin in the house of God, and if it starts with us what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel. 1 Peter 4:17

I have never seen a person that smokes be fully baptized with power yet. The word says the the Holy Spirit is given to thos that obey him. Acts. 5:32

Evan though the OSAS say that eternal means no begining and no end, just remember that Lucifer had eternal life in him and he turned away. Remember God word says that, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that naturea will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:7

The word is clear, if we sow or walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galations 5:16

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:14

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24