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John 14:23 is my favorite atm
Some confusion from the OSAS camp could be due to the fact that we're all sinners regardless, so people think it's okay to double down (idk). It is a spirit of laziness for people to not so much as try to live the way Christ instructed us to live. It's true we will never come close to achieving perfect adherence to the Law, but a stark lack of effort does not show respect to Christ for his sacrifice.
You are most welcome.
Let me begin by saying I do not want to prove any point of view. When I want to know the true interpretation of a controversial theology, I read both sides. It upsets me when one side is clearly argumentative and trying to prove that they're right instead of considering both sides of the argument.
So I have read both sides thoroughly, and the problem is this: the side that believes "once saved always saved", I think, has the superior holistic view of all Scripture. The problem is that there are so many people convinced that believing in OSAS will result in many people going to hell, so the risk of believing OSAS is the greatest so you'd better be right. The other problem is that no matter how you feel about what God should do - it's irrelevant - whether you think something is right or not doesn't make it true. If you are confronted by God and God tells you you're wrong, you do not have the luxury of arguing with Him. Too many people believe in an interpretation based on what they feel is right.
Lastly: people need to realize that whatever you believe is just an interpretation of the Word - it doesn't mean it IS the Word, even though you quote the Bible. Both sides of the debate quote the SAME VERSES, but have different interpretations. It disappoints me when I read a website quoting all these verses as if their interpretation is correct without bothering to address the other side's interpretation of those same verses (and acting as if the other side has never seen those verses before).
I believe this is a difficult subject and therefore we must carefully and prayerfully ask God to give us the complete understanding of salvation.
So what do I want? I want a careful discussion of the controversial verses of salvation and whether you can lose it. And by careful I mean - let's not approach this with a presupposition and refuse to budge from it. Let's approach it from an attitude of seeking the truth realizing that we may be on the wrong side of it.
I think this is the most important subject in this entire site. There's no point in debating theology if we're not truly saved, therefore we should really really get this theology right.
I will begin stating my opinions in the next post. Thanks.
I have never seen the other "camp" get past Jesus' own statement that He would not lose a single one of those that God has given Him. Nor do they seem to be able to grasp what it means when the scriptures tell us that the man who 'builds on the foundation' laid by Christ with 'straw' will himself be saved, but as one escaping through the fire as his works will be burned up.Start with the unanswerable verses in Hebrews 3:1,6,12. The OSAS camp cannot get past this section of scripture. i have never heard any escape the consequence of this, Many have tried and tired to say this is not talking about believers, but the verses speak for themselves, and are as clear as day to the unbiased reader,
"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;...6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end...12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God....14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;" ( Hebrews 3:1,6,12,14 KJV)
Also consider the holy angels who were created perfect in all their ways and abode in the truth, who some of them sinned and fell and did not abide in the truth and so are headed for the lake of fire. Peter warns if God spared not the angels that sinned...warning all who read.
But stick with hebrews 3:1,6,12,14 for now
But let's get to Hebrews. There is something that you leave out of your red lettering that is very important. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief...
How does one come to salvation? By believing on the name of the one and only begotten Son of God. If you have a heart of unbelief, then you don't believe. The author even makes that clear at the end of the chapter where he says "so we see that they could not enter because of their unbelief."
Belief is tested by how we respond to God's will and God's calling. Just as the children of Israel were condemned for their unbelief, so those with unbelieving hearts who act the part of the Christian are condemned for their unbelief.
But when it comes to it, only God knows who has the unbelieving heart and who is the one who will himself be saved, even though his works are destroyed by the fire.
Show me where he includes himself in that warning. You claim it, but it's not there.You are not accurate here , the writer includes himself in the wArning of being hardened through sin and having a evil heart of unbelief . The writer says take heed brethren, speaking as in the beginning vetsescto the holy brethren in Christ . You are two sting the scriptures here to try and escape the coesrvearningvto believers . Sin hardens the heart if men continue in it and this can lead to an evil heart of unbeliefbun DEPARTING from the living God. You cannot depart from God unless you were oncecwith him and the people he speaks to are holy brethren on Christ.
Hete it is you correction verseShow me where he includes himself in that warning. You claim it, but it's not there.
Once again, the exact words he uses are "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief."
And in his second warning, "lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
While there could be a second discussion on whether these two warnings actually pertain to the same thing, in both cases the writer does not include himself.
These verses are not part of the warning. He says "we are made partakers of Christ..." not "take heed, lest there exist in any of us...." big difference. On the one hand, he is including himself in those who are made partakers of Christ. On the other, he is warning that they must be watchful in case any of them have an unbelieving heart. The verses are there, and they are clear.Hete it is you correction verse
"14 For we [speaking of himself as well ] are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;"
And
"; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
No you are wrong the verses are clear to the unbiased reader he is speaking that any believer, who is a holy brethren in Christ, can be hardened through sin and then have an unbelieving heart and depart from God. None could depart from God unless they were once in Christ. He also says that we (all who he speaks to including himself) are made partakers of Christ IF they hold the beginning of their confidence unto the end . This shows that continual faith is neededThese verses are not part of the warning. He says "we are made partakers of Christ..." not "take heed, lest there exist in any of us...." big difference. On the one hand, he is including himself in those who are made partakers of Christ. On the other, he is warning that they must be watchful in case any of them have an unbelieving heart. The verses are there, and they are clear.
One, could you please spell check as your answers can be very hard to read. Two, no matter how you try to frame it, the fact is that in the warnings he uses the word "you," not "us." It's clear that the warning of falling away was for "them" while the promise of being confirmed in Christ was for him and them. It's what the verses plainly say.No you are wrong the cersesate clear to the unbiased reader he is speaking that any believer who is a holy brethren in Christ can be hardened through sin and then have an unbelieving heart and depart from God. None could depart from God unless they were in Christ. He also says that we (all who he speaks to including himself) are made partakers of Christ IF they hold the beginning of their confidence unto the end . This shows that continual faith is needed
The writer is writing to the believers , holy brethren in Christ so he is not saying words of warningbto them . But he adds himself in the overview.
I marvel at how some as yourself can twist scripture so much tI try and escape the clear rebukevto the false doctrine of eternal security hat many teach . These verses are very ver clear.
The context is also clear. We which have believed in Chapter 4 is again speaking to the HOLY BRETHREN in Christ as he said earlier. The ones he is speaking to are Christians who are of Jesus household as he was. There is no way to avoid this reality in the verses, no matter how you spin it.One, could you please spell check as your answers can be very hard to read. Two, no matter how you try to frame it, the fact is that in the warnings he uses the word "you," not "us." It's clear that the warning of falling away was for "them" while the promise of being confirmed in Christ was for him and them. It's what the verses plainly say.
But you have demonstrated that you only like context as far as it agrees with you, because if you expand the context out to include the whole chapter, even, then the meaning becomes clear.
This chapter is talking about the people of Israel, who were promised the "land flowing with milk and honey." Yet the generation that saw the deliverance from Egypt was never able to enter that land. Even though they saw God, through great wonders, work his deliverance from Egypt, they hardened their hearts every time there was trouble, because of their unbelieving hearts. That is why that warning is there. The author of Hebrews is saying to take heed - that is, to take a warning from the people of that time - and not persist in unbelief despite seeing God's wondrous deeds. That is why he talks about their heart of unbelief, and adds at the end that the reason they could not enter His rest was because of their unbelief. He wants to stress that unbelief will result in death.
The next chapter then makes it clear. He says in Hebrews 4 (beginning in verse 1):
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Again, here the author includes himself ("We which have believed do enter into rest"). It is all about belief and unbelief. Those who do not enter God's rest do not enter due to their unbelief.
I'm not spinning it. You are. He says "we who believe are entering into the rest." The true believers are entering into the rest. He is writing to a church. Every church body from the beginning has numbered at least some who persisted in unbelief. I have laid out the text and the context, which you continue to ignore. It's not about works. It's about belief.The context is also clear. We which have believed in Chapter 4 is again speaking to the HOLY BRETHREN in Christ as he said earlier. The ones he is speaking to are Christians who are of Jesus household as he was. There is no way to avoid this reality in the verses, no matter how you spin it.
The story and warning of the Ot saints who did not enter in because of unbelief is used to reinforced the danger of becoming hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and then having an evil heart of unbelief.
Lets examine the clarity of this section before all who read here and see that it is unescapable.One, could you please spell check as your answers can be very hard to read. Two, no matter how you try to frame it, the fact is that in the warnings he uses the word "you," not "us." It's clear that the warning of falling away was for "them" while the promise of being confirmed in Christ was for him and them. It's what the verses plainly say.
But you have demonstrated that you only like context as far as it agrees with you, because if you expand the context out to include the whole chapter, even, then the meaning becomes clear.
This chapter is talking about the people of Israel, who were promised the "land flowing with milk and honey." Yet the generation that saw the deliverance from Egypt was never able to enter that land. Even though they saw God, through great wonders, work his deliverance from Egypt, they hardened their hearts every time there was trouble, because of their unbelieving hearts. That is why that warning is there. The author of Hebrews is saying to take heed - that is, to take a warning from the people of that time - and not persist in unbelief despite seeing God's wondrous deeds. That is why he talks about their heart of unbelief, and adds at the end that the reason they could not enter His rest was because of their unbelief. He wants to stress that unbelief will result in death.
The next chapter then makes it clear. He says in Hebrews 4 (beginning in verse 1):
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Again, here the author includes himself ("We which have believed do enter into rest"). It is all about belief and unbelief. Those who do not enter God's rest do not enter due to their unbelief.
no you are wrong here read this verse that sums it upI'm not spinning it. You are. He says "we who believe are entering into the rest." The true believers are entering into the rest. He is writing to a church. Every church body from the beginning has numbered at least some who persisted in unbelief. I have laid out the text and the context, which you continue to ignore. It's not about works. It's about belief.
I never say it is about works, but rather unbelief is how men depart from the living God. The heart gets hard through continual sin and can become an evil heart of unbelief that is that danger for all believers.I'm not spinning it. You are. He says "we who believe are entering into the rest." The true believers are entering into the rest. He is writing to a church. Every church body from the beginning has numbered at least some who persisted in unbelief. I have laid out the text and the context, which you continue to ignore. It's not about works. It's about belief.
you may want to read this also in Hebrews 10I'm not spinning it. You are. He says "we who believe are entering into the rest." The true believers are entering into the rest. He is writing to a church. Every church body from the beginning has numbered at least some who persisted in unbelief. I have laid out the text and the context, which you continue to ignore. It's not about works. It's about belief.
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