JeffreyLloyd said:
I caught up with a friend I knew back in High School. We were in the same bible study group together and went to the same baptist church. He, like myself was a hardcore Christian back then.
Now, today he is not a believer. He said he doesn't believe in God anymore. How does the doctrine of "Once Saved, Always Saved" work for him?
I gave two extreme examples, just to see what it would be in those cases.
He was saved, he had Jesus in his life. We went door to door passing out tracts, if you'd have asked me 7 years ago was he "saved" I would have said of course he was.
I used to believe in OSAS when I was baptist, that's why I'm asking here
I have seen many people saved after years and years of church going. I know one man that was a youth minister.
The bible tells us that there is a strange attraction to Christianity. We know it's Christ and not us. We can also know that many will hear or see what they want to hear or see. But in a time of testing they will fall away. This is not a lost salvation, they never had the root in the first place.
Read this: (most leave out the important first part)
LK 8:9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
" `though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.'
LK 8:11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Jesus tells us about 3 types of followers. Those on a rock are those that will not stay through the first trial. Those in the thorns will go a bit farther along but will fall away. Those that are good soil will produce and retain the Word (salvation).
God get's the glory in salvation, it's His word not ours.
The answer to your question is in the bible, we can know we are saved.
I am saved, I know others that are saved. I will not lose my salvation, that's not pride, it's blessed assurance.
A saved person is God's witness to a lost world, God's word is the seed, the Christian is the result. A Christian is not saved for His personal good or benifit, it's for God's purposes that we are saved. Salvation can't be earned, given away or sinned away. There is only one hiding place for us.
A good bible study is to find all the means by which we are protected and kept as Christians.
Jesus is my Shepherd.
Jesus gathers.........
Jesus tucks.......
Jesus died for............
Jesus is my.............
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (wow) He leads (who leads?) me to sill water, He restores my soul.......(I can't fix or replace a soul)
Saved forever,
Eldermike
