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It's been a great debate for ages--OSAS versus LOSE, or Once Saved Always Saved versus Lose One's Salvation for Eternity. So they formed two groups, each branding the other of being in grave error. If you're not in the present move of God, you'd tend to take either side.
Truth is, both sides are clearly in the bible. If you'd be honest to look into it, casting aside any presumptions, you'd easily see that there is indeed eternal life in Christ but continuing to live in sin can put you in a dangerous spiritual condition, even lose your ability to repent.
Eternal Life in Christ
"That whoever believes in (Jesus Christ) should not perish but have eternal life." It's clear, isn't it? And when we say "eternal," it means without end. Eternal cannot be cut short. If it can be, then it's no longer eternal. It's conditional. Then John 3.16 should read: "Whoever believes in him should not perish but have conditional life." Meaning, as long as you're living within the terms of the agreement you have eternal life.
But eternal is eternal. God is eternal, and it means he has no end. He goes on. And the life we have in Jesus has the same quality--eternal. It begins now and goes on and on, without end. God's Flesh believes that if you're genuinely born again--you really surrendered your life to Christ and received him as Savior and Lord--then you are saved forever. And once genuinely saved, you're always saved. What if you sin? Then you simply genuinely repent of it and ask God's forgiveness.
There are those who believe in so-called extreme grace--saying they can live in sin after getting saved, anyway, God loves and understands them and their special relationship with him exempts them from the dire consequences of sin. It also says believers need not repent from sin anymore. God's Flesh does not believe these silly trash. We believe in eternal security and living the holy Jesus LIFE daily.
Lose One's Salvation for Eternity
You have read Hebrews 10, of course. Here's how it goes:
Truth is, both sides are clearly in the bible. If you'd be honest to look into it, casting aside any presumptions, you'd easily see that there is indeed eternal life in Christ but continuing to live in sin can put you in a dangerous spiritual condition, even lose your ability to repent.
Eternal Life in Christ
"That whoever believes in (Jesus Christ) should not perish but have eternal life." It's clear, isn't it? And when we say "eternal," it means without end. Eternal cannot be cut short. If it can be, then it's no longer eternal. It's conditional. Then John 3.16 should read: "Whoever believes in him should not perish but have conditional life." Meaning, as long as you're living within the terms of the agreement you have eternal life.
But eternal is eternal. God is eternal, and it means he has no end. He goes on. And the life we have in Jesus has the same quality--eternal. It begins now and goes on and on, without end. God's Flesh believes that if you're genuinely born again--you really surrendered your life to Christ and received him as Savior and Lord--then you are saved forever. And once genuinely saved, you're always saved. What if you sin? Then you simply genuinely repent of it and ask God's forgiveness.
There are those who believe in so-called extreme grace--saying they can live in sin after getting saved, anyway, God loves and understands them and their special relationship with him exempts them from the dire consequences of sin. It also says believers need not repent from sin anymore. God's Flesh does not believe these silly trash. We believe in eternal security and living the holy Jesus LIFE daily.
Lose One's Salvation for Eternity
You have read Hebrews 10, of course. Here's how it goes:
"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." [10.26]. That's crystal clear enough to me. This passage was written to Hebrew believers, not unbelievers. It talks about we as believers. If we keep on sinning deliberately "there is fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire." Now, I'm sure there is no "raging fire that will consume the enemies of God" in heaven, and there's no such thing as purgatory. So where is this "raging fire" going to be? If you're honest, you'd admit this is nowhere else but hell.
Well, those who "received Christ" yet go on sinning deliberately probably never got saved at all. They never got born again. Genuine born again is a new creation, "the old is past." Remember? Many in churches today are far from being new creations. Often, they are a mix of the old and new.
Well, those who "received Christ" yet go on sinning deliberately probably never got saved at all. They never got born again. Genuine born again is a new creation, "the old is past." Remember? Many in churches today are far from being new creations. Often, they are a mix of the old and new.
So, you see that both teachings--OSAS and LOSE--are in the bible. So why debate over them? Only shallow denominationalism will. If you are a man of truth, you easily accept the bible passages and embrace them as your doctrinal belief. Why? Simply because they're both God's Word. And God's Word is flawless. It is perfect. You don't have to theologize or figure it out (human theology is trash). Just believe and live it daily.
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