CatholicChristian10 said:
On another board, I received this explanation on OSAS...
If you're truly saved, then yes you can commit any sin you want. Paul wrote all things are lawful to me, but not expedient. We're not under the law anymore, but under grace. What a Christian should comprehend is that true Christians don't live in sin. And it doesn't matter whether it's murder or sexual immorality or theft or selfishness - it's all sin, whether in your opinion one sin is bigger than the other.
Is this accurate?
Actually it's a red herring. Which is to say, an argument that has nothing to do with the argument.
Whether or not you sin constantly has nothing to do with Eternal Security. The common argument that I hear against Eternal Security is this exact thing, "So I can just do whatever I want and be saved?" And really that argument has nothing to do with Eternal Security at all.
The problem in the above quote is an issue of sanctification not salvation.
Salvation is an immediate act of God that forever places you into His family, you are changed in position, in view, in status in God's eyes. You are adopted, cleansed and glorified (more comment on glorified in a minute).
When you are saved there is a three-fold miracle related to you and sin.
1. Saved - freed from the penalty of sin
2. Sanctified - freed from the power of sin
3. Glorified - freed from the presence of sin (future event, after death/rapture)
The first part is immediate and based upon the propitiation of Christ's blood. Henceforth, when you enter into the "beloved" (a cool word that!) you are seen through the covering of Christ's blood (read Hebrews 10).
The second part is an ongoing process. Sometimes it's faster for some people than others, but it doesn't mean that it isn't happening. When I was saved I dropped drinking, cussing, fighting all kinds of stuff immediately and never looked back. This was God's power working to sanctification in me. I've known others who are just as saved as me who have had to work on these things. Doesn't "mean" anything about their salvation, rather it tends toward their sanctification. With this comes Holy Spirit conviction. To move onward and upward in sanctification there are some things that you should be doing; God is not going to instantly make you perfect. There is a process involved. You WILL sin, because you live within a body of sin - your flesh.
The third part is a future event, but it is as good as done! Consider that God says you
have been glorified though we understand that we have not yet. This is only hard to understand if you do not comprehend that God, who is eternal in nature and vision, "...even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. " Says a thing as though it had come to pass though it has not because when He says a thing it is a sure promise and as good as done!
So then also when God says you are saved and you have eternal life, He looks toward the future that you can't even fathom and sees that the thing is as good as done. A Christian, a true Christian, cannot lose his/her salvation. All you ever lose are your rewards! And though that might seem like a small thing to you now (because of a lack of eternal perspective and right understanding of God) it will be a huge thing to you in eternity. So no, you cannot lose your salvation but you can lose something precious!!
1 Corinthians 3:13
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try
every man's work of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:14
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:15
If any man's work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.