Hello
@alllivesmatter, if someone claims to have become a Christian, but continues on or quickly returns to living life like they did as an unbeliever (cf in unrepentant sin), chances are more than just good that their "claim" amounts to nothing more than that.
So, for someone to be ALWAYS SAVED, they must be ONCE SAVED (
truly justified/saved by God) first
Biblically, when God saves us, He gives us "
eternal life" (not temporal or probationary life), and that from the very moment that we first believe
As the Lord Jesus told us plainly,
John 5
24 Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, HAS eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
That said, here is a good explanation of what I believe OSAS should be teaching (if it is not), the
perseverance of the saints.
Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints
The 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith
1. They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.a
a. John 10:28-29; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:5, 9; 2 Pet 1:10; 1 John 3:9.
2. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father;a upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ;b the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them;c and the nature of the covenant of grace:d from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.e
a. Jer 31:3; 2 Tim 2:18-19. • b. Luke 22:32; John 17:11, 24; Heb 7:25; 9:12-15; 10:10, 14; 13:20-21; Rom 8:33-39. • c. John 14:16-17; 1 John 2:27; 3:9. • d. Jer 32:40. • e. John 10:28; 2 Thes 3:3; 1 John 2:19.
3. Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;a and for a time continue therein:b whereby they incur God’s displeasure,c and grieve his Holy Spirit;d come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts;e have their hearts hardened,f and their consciences wounded;g hurt and scandalize others,h and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.i
a. Mat 26:70, 72, 74. • b. Psalms 51 title with v. 14. • c. 2 Sam 11:27; Isa 64:5, 7, 9. • d. Eph 4:30. • e. Psa 51:8, 10, 12; Song 5:2-4, 6; Rev 2:4. • f. Isa 63:17; Mark 6:52; 16:14. • g. Psa 32:3-4; 51:8. • h. 2 Sam 12:14. • i. Psa 89:31-32; 1 Cor 11:32.
--David
p.s. - the Lord Jesus had many other things to say about this topic, including,
John 6:37-40 (excerpt)
ALL that the Father gives Me will come to Me and .. of ALL that He has given Me, I LOSE NOTHING, but raise it up on the last day.
John 10
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give ~eternal~ life to them, and they will ~never~ perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
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