I do see exactly where you are coming from. It's crystal clear now.
Your posts explain to me why you have taken this thread (which asks about only a few being saved) to a discussion of why OSAS is incorrect and dangerous and why it is necessary to believe in sinless perfectionism.
However, I thought you said before that you believed in overcoming sin? Did you change your position on this? It sounds like you are speaking negatively against such a position now.
As for the narrow way: Matthew 7:14 is in context to Matthew 7:21 where Jesus says to a certain believer to depart from Him because this believer is working iniquity (sin) along with them doing wonderful works. Ezekiel 18:24 explains why Jesus said to this believer that He never knew them. For Ezekiel 18:24 says that if one does wickedness all their righteousness they did before will not be remembered. In addition, Matthew 7:26-27 adds further weight to the idea that Jesus desires believers to obey Him as a part of the narrow way in Matthew 7:14. In verses 26-27, Jesus says that if any man does not do what He says they are like a fool who built their house upon the sand and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house. Jesus's point in Matthew 7 was not OSAS but it was about doing what Jesus says.
You said:
From what you said - you believe that we as believers are in exactly the same condition that Adam was in in the garden. Nothing at all has changed since God became man, lived among us, overcame sin, gave His life for us, was resurrected and was seated on High at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the children His Father gave to Him.
Well, without Jesus going to the cross, even those in the Old Testament would have been doomed.
However, God knows all things and He promised the Messiah before the creation.
For the Lamb was slain since the foundation of the entire world (Revelation 13:8).
Many things within the Old Testament points to Jesus and the sacrifice that He would make for us.
There are the Messianic prophecies, the Typifications of Christ, and the Pre-Incarnate Appearances of Christ. The Scriptures testify of Jesus (John 5:39). Jesus is the source of a person's eternal life (1 John 5:12). For there is no other name under Heaven whereby men can be saved (Acts of the Apostles 4:12). Jesus was always the Savior for all men who would exist through out all time. Jesus saves in Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification. All glory, honor, and power goes unto Jesus.
A part of how you recognize how Jesus is good is by His love for us.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).
Love is just another way of talking about God's Eternal Moral Laws (See Romans 13:8-10).
God's loving guidelines for man have always existed for man since His creation (and were always known by God before the foundation of the world).
The Old Covenant was a temporary covenant with a different priesthood and different laws (i.e. different ceremonial laws and judicial (civil) laws). But God's goodness and love for how He wanted man to obey has never changed after Adam's fall. At the heart, God wants man to obey Him. Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). A lack of obedience to God (sin) is what separates man from God. This truth has not changed even though the covenants have changed and we are now under the New Covenant. The only way even the OT saints could be saved was by what Jesus (the Messiah) was going to do for them. But make no mistake. If Christ did not physically go to the cross, die for our sins, and raise from the dead three days later, and then ascend to enter the Holy Temple by His blood (So as to be our mediator between God the Father and man) then we would all be doomed.
You said:
You believe that Jesus Christ did not bear the sins of the world once for all.
You are bearing false witness of me. Of course I believe Hebrews 10:10. I believed Jesus died for the sins of the entire world and accomplished this task one time. However, just because Jesus died for the sins of the entire world, does not mean everyone is saved. A person has to receive the free gift of salvation by faith and then continue to be responsible with that gift by faith. The gift of course is Jesus Christ (John 3:16) (2 Corinthians 9:15).
You said:
You do not believe that we have been raised up and are seated with our Lord in glory.
Again, you bear false witness against me. Of course I believe Ephesians 2:6 for my life. I believe a faithful saint can have an assurance of knowing Jesus by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3); And as a result, they would be the type of believer who can rest on the promises of being seated with Christ in Heavenly places with Him.
Judas (who was one of the original twelve) was once a sheep sent among wolves.
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying .... go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ...Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves...” (Matthew 10:16).
Yet, Judas fell by his transgression.
“That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell “ (Acts of the Apostles 1:25).
We see the 70 disciples return to Jesus.
"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." (Luke 10:17).
Jesus tells them to rejoice that their names are written in Heaven.
"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20).
Yet, we learn in John 6:66 (Which is not a good number), that they stopped following Jesus.
"From that
time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:66).
John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"
They followed Jesus for a time, but then they stopped following Him. So they were sheep for a time. Their names were once written in Heaven, but at the point in time they stopped following Jesus, their names were then no longer written in Heaven anymore.
I mean, how do you think a name can be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life if a believer is forever saved?
You said:
You do not believe that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise against the day of judgment.
Again, you bear false witness against me. Of course I believe Ephesians 1:13. However, one has to make sure that they have the seal according to Scripture, though. John 6:27 says that God the Father places His seal upon those who labor for the food that does not perish. Also, Abraham had been circumcised which was a seal of righteousness of faith (Note: Circumcision began with Abraham under the Old Covenant). But it was a seal at that time. At that time, if you were a breaker of the law, your circumcision was made uncircumcision (See Romans 2:25).
You said:
You do not even believe that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Again, you bear false witness against me. Of course I believe Hebrews 12:2. I believe Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus saves us in Justification, Sanctification, and in Glorification. But this is a cooperation with Jesus. Jesus does not force save anyone into the kingdom. A person chooses of their own free will to accept Jesus as their Savior and they also choose to continue in His good ways or not. But all good is done by the Lord through the believer. The believer merely chooses to cooperate with the Lord's plan of salvation (i.e. the gospel) and the good deeds He wants to work in their lives.
You said:
You do not believe that He is sinless
Again, you bear false witness against me. Of course I believe Jesus is sinless (1 Peter 2:22) (2 Corinthians 5:21) (Hebrews 4:15).
You said:
...in that He has kept and will continue to keep His promise to God to not lose any of the children God has given to Him, drawn to Him, and is now indwelling.
Jesus has no trouble keeping up with his sheep, he simply does not force save them against their own wills. Notice the word "should" in vese 39 within John 6,
John 6:39 says,
"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I
should lose nothing, but
should raise it up again at the last day."
For example: If I said to you that I "should" be over your house tomorrow, but I have a lot of work to do, you would not take that as a guaranteee that I was coming over to your home.
You said:
You do not believe in salvation as I see it in the scriptures. Jesus is in your religion for sure. But, as they say in the vernacular, "close but no cigar".
I can say the same for you, but the real proof is: "What does Scripture say?"
So far you have not addressed all of the verses I have brought forth.
You also seemed to dodge my pointing out to you that you believe that a saint can abide in sin and still be saved (When you appeared to be denying that before).
You said:
I know that we are not saved by having all of our doctrinal ducks in a row.
But I fear that you are close to, if not over, the line which separates saving faith from a false gospel of keeping the law.
Again, you are confused about the Law. Please, the next time you read your Bible take note of every time the word "circumcision" appears near the word "law" referenced in the generic sense. Paul was not speaking about ALL Law. Paul was talking exclusively about the Law of Moses. This is why Paul said, "...what profit
is there of circumcision?" (Romans 3:1). "I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." (Galatians 5:2). Obviously circumcision is a part of the Old Testament Law and it is not a part of New Testament Law. So Paul was condemning believers in trying to go back to following the whole of the Old Law to be right with God. Paul was condemning the following of the ceremonial laws from the OT as a means of salvation. Paul did not condemn anyone for following God's Eternal Moral Laws as a part of the salvation process. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:3-4 that if any man speaks contrary to the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of Godliness, he is proud and knows nothing. James says that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Obviously if somebody is preaching a sin and still be saved type belief, they are going against Godliness as taught in the Holy Scriptures.
You said:
I sincerely hope that you are not planning on telling the Lord about all of your overcoming works when or if He asks you why you should be allowed into His presence.
Not sure what Bible you are reading,
But mine says,
"His lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:23).
You said:
I will continue to pray for you and I wish you the best of luck with your religion.
Why would you wish me luck for something you believe might be false?