When we repent, it restores life.
So by the pattern of the first paragraph the repentant believer should be living longer and longer, yea even up to 900 years.
Obviously not. In fact God Himself limited the years of man because of the extent of the wickedness on the earth. My personal belief is that if Adam hadn't of sinned, his body would have never died. Obviously there is no scripture for that.
If we need cleansing as believers as say we don't we become liars. If we walk in the light as He is in the light we become cleansed and pure and holy.
No. As believers we HAVE BEEN cleansed by Jesus' Blood.
1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Yes, the OSAS people all believe this is the case. While some may believe in inescapable cases of where it's not "always" (Hebrews 6), it in effect is interpreted to say that you can sin (even grieviously and get away with it and still go to Heaven without repentance.
It says you stay cleansed because of what Jesus did, rather than what Jesus did and the state of your heart.
The big "IF" we walk in the light is the condition for staying cleansed.
OSAS believes that "in Him is no darkness at all" is pretty much a permanent state, even though that Jesus said that we are to abide in Him. It's a choice and it always will be. It's a choice to choose His Lordship and that means doing what He says.
At this point people rise up and point to the Law of Moses, but this is not the law we're obeying (howbeit fulfilling the Spirit of that law).
We obey the law written in our hearts. That is what the New Covenant is all about. He took away the first so He could establish the second.
Carefully now, without presupposition: v6 -- IF we say...but walk in darkness, then we are liars (and are not saved.) v7 -- IF we walk in the light ... we have fellowship and Jesus' Blood cleanses us from ALL sin.
People elevate being "saved" to some kind of thing whereby the covenant relationship is an accomplished thing that is always maintained. Our part being maintained by God rather than by us.
Covenant is a two party agreement for Jesus to Lord over your life. His one time sacrifice is enough for the repentant to approach Him for all times (while we live here) and receive cleansing as needed.
The shedding of blood is always necessary to cleanse sin. He doesn't have to come again and die, but we do have to apply the blood.
John talks about not doing the truth and walking in darkness. He is talking to believers. The epistles of John speak often of abiding and the conditions of God. It speaks of people saying one thing and doing another. He speaks of believers deceiving themselves.
You are either walking darkness (not saved) or walking in light (saved).
Really the "saved" thing (not at all what the evangelical church at large would have it to be) means that you are in covenant with God. If you miss it, He'll correct you. He'll strive with you. He has made a provision for your cleansing if you separate. His presence is always Here, but there is no longer agreement (with the separation). Nothing separates us from His love, but we can leave the place of agreement where the benefits of salvation only apply to those who walk in covenant.
It's not saying that He's casts you quickly into Hell, but rather attempts to lead you into repentance. You can still harden yourselves and perish. Sometimes He allows you to repent (as far as relationship goes without walking in His plan). He takes you home. Sometimes you become such an enemy of His that He lets you (with your own freewill) go to Hell (just like the devils will).
Freewill never stops and those who go to Heaven are those who yield to His Lordship. No doubt there are levels of obedience and blessing, but it is possible for believers to walk in darkness and if they stay there, to inherit the inheritance designated for those who leave their place in Him.
Here is another clarification to the thought:
Ephesians 5:8
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
He is talking to those who repented and are walking in the light. Believers are called the "light". They are called "Christ". They are called Sons of God. They are called children of Abraham.
Yet God is able to raise up children from the stones and the real sons of God are those who walk in the will of God. If we are children of Abraham, we are expected to do the works of Abraham (believe His testimony and obey His voice).
You (the believer) were once in darkness: NOW you ARE light in the Lord. Walk as the child that you are. (When you don't it does not change that truth that you ARE light in the Lord...
1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
He's talking to the "children". Those who made covenant with God. The reality is that you deceive yourself IF you walk in darkness and say you are light. It's easy to apply one scripture,
yet the intent of the entire passage is that you can walk either in the light or in darkness. You can't take one verse and negate what is being said in the whole epistle.
John 8:12
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
"He who follows Me..."
John 11:9-10
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.
The epistles of John are written to the children. They are 'called' children of light. It assumes this is the case. Remember the phrase talking about
one who is "called a brother", meaning they are of the flock of God. Yet being a brother and sister and mother and father are those who are doing the Word of God. It's a choice and it always will be.
Furthermore, if you hate your brother you have no eternal life abiding in you. That can take place in one day if you give in to the offense. You MUST guard your hearts every day because you flow in what you receive.
People cannot comprehend the "saved" thing because of the culture of many churches. Rather, it is being in covenant with God, which means all the good promises we know of, AND correction, and provision for return. Your part is to walk in love. It doesn't mean you automatically go to Hell, but it does mean that you could. The heart grows what is sowed into it. It must be guarded with diligence. We'll be judged by our fruit and if our fruit is hatred and murder (and a whole laundry list given to us in the Word), then you won't make it into the gates (unless He allows you repentance before you die).
Many do, but you cannot take the chance because I believe Hell has MANY in it who called themselves believers (who were really born again). Being born again and having the Spirit does not mean you'll walk in it. We'll be judged by whether we denied our flesh and choose the Spirit walk. If you walk in a certain level of darkness, you can fall away (completely backslidden) and that is a very dangerous place. MANY so called believers (they really were) are paying that price because nothing defiled is getting into Heaven.
