Eternal Security?

CoreyZallow said:

I know that Calvin taught Eternal Security, but is there any biblical basis for it? to me it makes no sense. Why would God send to Heaven some ex-religious christian who went back and became a rapist and a murderer? but according to that I assume that because he was a religious Christian he was already saved.

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Actually Calvin taught the perseverance of the saints. If you read Calvin on the verses that give warnings to believers about falling away, you will see that he takes those warnings very seriously.

Calvin did believe that all who are predestined to eternal life will persevere in the faith, but much of what he says would surprise some modern Calvinists who believe more in a “once saved always saved” position than in the more traditional Reformed position of Perseverance of the saints.

I hope that helps.
Kenith

CoreyZallow said:

I know that Calvin taught Eternal Security, but is there any biblical basis for it? to me it makes no sense. Why would God send to Heaven some ex-religious christian who went back and became a rapist and a murderer? but according to that I assume that because he was a religious Christian he was already saved.

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I think your understanding of Eternal Security is a little off, personally. I know a few people would hold to what you described, but a majority would deny that. That is not what OSAS is truly about.

But, we teach Perseverance of the Saints, not OSAS. My understanding is that if you are Elect, you WILL pesevere in your faith to the end. You may backslide, but your faith will never truly leave, and you will repent and go back to God before you die. My feeling is that there is a reason that some backslide, and it's not *just* because we are weak in the flesh, but that God has a reason for it all. God never abandons anyone of His children. He is the AUTHOR, PERFECTER, and FINISHER of our faith. Amen and praise the Lord for that.

"an ex-religious christian who went back and became a rapist and murderer" does not qualify, UNLESS he truly repented and went back to God before his death. (this is such an unlikely scenerio....)

Honestly, I hate hypothetical questions like that.....

I'm too new to say I know, so I would definitely like to hear more about the "traditional Reform" positions, however...
It seems to me, that OSAS is obviously true from scripture.
What was decided about whom to place "in Christ" before the foundation of the world, didn't need to necessarily "make sense" in the traditional way sense is made, to any of us. So for a once saved man to turn back to sin without repentance before death, may be jumpimg to conclusions if you equate that with damnation. It wastes the blood of Jesus Christ for one thing, and it implies we are capable of some impressive omniscience for another.
Sinful behavior can be due to many things, medical infirmity being just one, and that isn't hard to imagine in today's degenerated & toxic environment. But spiritualy speaking, it could be God's way of denying that person an opportunity for spiritual pride that wouldn't wear well in heaven, or it could be a way of granting him suffering as judgement for something we'll NEVER know about, until all is made clear 'on that golden shore'.
As I understand it, we don't lose our salvation onced gained, we simply lose rewards TO BE gained that await us in heaven. God doesn't save ya, then throw ya back.. not spiritualy. I mean Lazarus was physicaly resurrected, but he died again, right? Not right away, but eventualy. That doesn't imply he went to hell.

School me.