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For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. – Romans 8:29-30

The topic of the “Rapture” divides Christians into Camps concerning the “timing” of when Jesus will come for His Church … will it be pre-Tribulation, mid-Tribulation or post-Tribulation but the topic of whether you “Can Loose Your Salvation” CLYS or whether you are “Once Saved Always Saved” OSAS is a topic that also creates a deep divide within the body of Christ and can bring doubt to the assurance of our Salvation in Jesus and undermine our trust in Jesus and diminish our joy in Jesus. 

Salvation that can be lost is by definition NOT Salvation.

Eternal life that can be lost is by definition NOT Eternal.

(click here to watch Kay Tdid video)

Salvation that depends on your ability to do good works to “keep it” is a Salvation you are trying to earn by your works … this is NOT the gospel of Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

And if you want an even deeper divide than the “timing of the Rapture” or “eternal Security” then bring up the topic of predestination … but notice in Romans 8:29-30, where Paul is proclaiming the purpose and progression of our Salvation in Christ, the critical word is “foreknew” not “predestination”.  God is a good and all knowing God who knows who will accept His invitation of Salvation because He sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  God is offering the invitation of Salvation in Jesus Christ to everyone and God is pouring out His Grace upon everyone but Salvation can only be accomplished through belief in Jesus Christ!

God is not a cruel and unfair dictator who predestines some people to receive Salvation and withholds the gift of salvation from others … this is the twisted teaching of Calvinism.  God is not unwilling to extend His Grace to some people but some people are “unwilling” to receive His Grace.  It is man who is without excuse for rejecting God’s invitation to Salvation (Roman 1:20).  You must “believe” Jesus is able to save you from sin and you must “receive” Him as your personal Savior … you must be Spiritually “born again” to enter the family of Grace (John 3:3).

A profession of faith without possession of faith is not Salvation … you must be “born again”.  Salvation is based on birth (in Jesus) not behavior (by man).  OSAS is the gospel truth to those who are born again in Christ Jesus!  He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

But for those who do believe and receive Jesus as their Savior, God has predestined “the way” for that person to be saved from the gutter most to the utter most!  God predestined the way from eternity past … He planned to send His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sin by His Son’s death on the cross.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).  In other words, God has predestined the way through Jesus and all the steps along the way for a person to be conformed into the image of His Son … from being called … to being justified … and then finally to being glorified with a resurrected body.  Hallelujah! 

1 John 5: 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

I think the debate over OSAS is a healthy one that all Christians should participate in because it makes them think critically about God’s word and God’s promise and God’s purpose and what God is able to do!  However, most Christians don’t read and study the God’s word to know Him and know His promises and His purpose.  Also I have discovered that the Christians in the CLYS camp think a person can “Loose their Salvation” primarily because this is what “seems right” in order that only the righteousness and worthy ones will enter into Heaven.  Essentially, the CLYS camp accuses the OSAS camp of misinterpreting the scriptures that proclaim the assurance of our eternal security in Christ just so they can indulge in an unrepentant lifestyle of sin until Jesus takes them home to Heaven.

I could never either believe or preach a gospel which saves me today and rejects me tomorrow;  a gospel which puts me in Christ’s family one hour, and makes me a child of the devil the next; a gospel which first justified and then condemns me; a gospel which pardons me, and afterwards casts me down to hell.  Such a gospel is abhorrent to reason itself, much more is it contrary to the mind of the God whom we delight to serve. – Charles Spurgeon  (*Note* Spurgeon was not a Calvinist but a “born again” Christian!)

Those who bash the doctrine of OSAS think we who believe in this doctrine do so in order to justify living a life of sin. Those who believe it’s OK to continue in sin after Salvation are CINOs – Christians in Name Only … they are not saved and they are not living for Jesus Christ.  They do not have the Holy Spirit in them which convicts them of sin and helps them overcome sin in their life.  The Bible is clear that after Salvation we are to “press on” toward the upward calling to become transformed body, mind and Spirit into the image of Jesus Christ. 

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:14

Both OSAS and CLYS camps agree that we are to press on to be like Christ.  Both camps agree that we are to “die to self” and “die to sin” in order to be “filled with Christ” and “have Christ live is us”.  The difference is that Legalistic Christians in the CLYS camp are motivated to be press on “in a state of reverent fear of Christ … “anger” … doing good works, trying not to sin and constantly repenting of sin so they don’t loose their Salvation in Christ” while Liberty Christians in the OSAS camp are motivated to be press on “in a state of thankful submission to Christ … “joy”… abiding/resting in His Grace, doing the good works He has prepared for them and telling others of the love of Christ that He began and has promised to complete in them“.  

The OSAS Christian wants to “know the love that caused Christ to die for them” so he denies his sinful passions and his own reasoning in order to seek and know the will of God and be transformed by “doing God’s will”.  In contrast, the CLYS Christians wants to “avoid knowing the wrath of God” so he denies his sinful passions and does some good work of his own reasoning hoping to keep his Salvation.  The CLYS Christians thinks that God is always slightly ticked off at them and ready to drop the hammer if they mess up and sin, while the OSAS Christians understand that God is pleased with them because they are in Christ and if they confess their sin, God restores their fellowship but nothing can separate them from the love of God (not their part, present or future sin)!

Those in the CLYS camp live as though they are standing before the God who came down upon Mt Sinai with fear and trembling to pronounce the judgement of a Law we are unable to keep but those in the OSAS camp are standing in victory “in Jesus” who rose from Mt Zion to give us joy and assurance though a covenant of Grace!

This is really the crux of the issue for a CLYS person, they think if a person doesn’t have the “threat” of loosing their Salvation hanging over their head, then that person will view the gift of Salvation as a “license to continue to sin” instead of as a “life long mission” to know the One who set them free from sin.  Whereas fear is a powerful motivator to control behavior, serving God out of “fear” is not the kind of relationship that Christ died to bring us.  Jesus’ motive for taking our sin was in order that we might know God and receive His love (John 3:16) and likewise our motive for denying our sin nature and obeying the Holy Spirit should be to know God and receive His love. 

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6

Yes, it’s as clear as that … the good work God started in a believer by Grace, He will finish in the believer by Grace.  

Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Grace and Truth is the person Jesus Christ.  Grace is the free gift from God and so is Faith and Salvation but man must willingly to believe the gospel in order to receive these gifts that give eternal life.  And this is the gospel: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)”. 

When a Christian obeys God out of fear of receiving God’s wrath, this causes a person to do works of “self righteous” that can distance the believer from God and make them think they are Sanctifying themselves.  This can lead to the believer thinking they are better than other believers who are not doing the works that that are doing … i.e pride (like Martha accused Mary of doing).  The issue is that “our motive” for obeying God should not be to avoid His wrath but to receive His love.  It is the love of Christ working through the power of the Holy Spirit that is able to overcome a believer’s sin and enable them to do the good work that God has prepared for them.  When you confess your sin and surrender your sin to God because you want to draw close to Him, this “builds up” a relationship of love which is the  whole reason Jesus died for us … so we would be free from sin and know His love, His long suffering everlasting love.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Yes, there are some believers who do abuse their gift of Salvation and they continue in sin after being saved but God knows how to deal with those who are His own.  God “disciplines” His own children who continue in unconfessed sin … but this is not to be confused with God’s wrath … although God’s discipline could result in the early death of His child, in order to save his soul.  I think in most cases those who continually and willfully sin and have no remorse have never been saved, they are CINO – Christians in Name Only.  They do no have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ … they play Church and do good works but they are not concerned about sin and righteousness of Christ and the word of God … they are not born again and they are not sealed by the Holy Spirit .. they do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.   To these people Jesus will say “I never knew you”.

I think the biggest reason why born again Christians struggle to overcome a sinful habit is that they don’t receive the follow up teaching they need to grow in Grace to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The Church has failed to teach about the love relationship that we are to develop with Christ and the rewards that are promised if we abide in this relationship.  To a large extent the Church has failed to teach about the “die to sin – live in Him” lifestyle that a believer must follow to become a disciple of Jesus “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).  The Church is good at winning souls for Christ but they are poor at teaching them to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

And the Church has failed to teach about the “reality” of how we will reign and rule with Christ in the Millennium Kingdom based on our faithfulness to live a life of Grace on earth during the Church Age.  This world is a training ground, a wilderness experience where we are to rely on our daily bread, the word of God to feed us and grow us by Grace into the person God created us to be.  And by abiding in Grace now, we will reign and rule in Grace with Christ in His Kingdom.  But at this time we are not to rule over others like those in the “Dominion and NAR camp” teach but we are to rule over our sinful self, allowing the Grace of God to have it’s way with us. 

If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right.  A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God.  But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.”  When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light.  Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it.  If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.  (taken from My Utmost for His Highest – daily devotion by Oswald Chambers – Are You Carnally Minded).

Doing what “is” right according to God’s word is always right but doing what “seems right” is never a good test for determining how God deals with man because we naturally judge by human standards of good … what seems good to us.  When a murderer says he has repented of his sin and accepted Jesus as his Savior, many Christians are applauded of the idea that God could allow such a vile sinner entrance into His Kingdom.  Yet, when these same Christians sing “Amazing Grace” they must be mindlessly mouthing the words “that saved a wretch like me” instead of thanking Jesus for saving them from their wretched sin since “all” men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  It is our sin that murdered Jesus and God doesn’t grade our sin based on a curve of our good works but based on our believe concerning the cross!

Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed ascrucified? 2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

It doesn’t “seem right” that I have to come to God as a sinner deserving death in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, especially when I try to live a good life.  And it also doesn’t “seem right” that if a person doesn’t live a good life after receiving Salvation that they should still be allowed to “enter” into Heaven.  It just doesn’t seem right … but are you trusting what seems right according to your standard or according to God’s word?

“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” – Jeremiah 17:9

You don’t want to be trusting your human reasoning and your emotions when you are dealing with issues of Salvation and Sanctification because your heart is deceitful and desperately sick!  The truth is that everyone is “dead” in their sin before God and only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is there life!  We don’t need rehabilitation we need rejuvenation … we need to be “born again” with a new heart, the heart of Jesus … sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption!

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.  – Ephesians 1:13-14

When you believed in Jesus you were “Born Again”, made a new creature in Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, which is a pledge of inheritance towards the redemption of what God made you to be, a person of praise of His glory!  But like a man who forgets what he looks like when he leaves the mirror, a believer forgets God’s truth and doubt sneaks in.  Doubt is really a temptation to sin from the old natural man who is trying to ruin your relationship with God that is established in the new born again man.   Doubt, if it is not “rebuked in Jesus’ name” can lead to sin … wait a minute … I don’t think I am really Saved because I still have a desire to sin … as a matter of fact I did sin … the God who Saved me must not be able to keep me saved … I have un-believed what I first believed … I have been Unborn Again …. I have become unsealed by the Holy Spirit … the pledge of assurance God gave me has been taken from me and God has abandoned me … woe is me.  But wait … I repent of my sin and I believed again … I am born again … I am sealed again … and the whole process stars over … leading to confusion and anxiety and frustration to the soul.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness – 1 John 1:9

John and Paul both spoke about the sin nature in the believer that constantly nags and hinders a believers walk with Christ and John gave us the remedy for how to deal with it (1 John 1:9).  Jesus also gave us the example of how to deal with ongoing sin in the life of the believer when He washed Peter’s feet.  Note, Jesus told Peter he would have not part “with” Him if he didn’t confess his sin (which means no fellowship with Jesus and loss of inheritance in Heaven).  Jesus did NOT tell Peter that he would have no part “in” Him (no Salvation in Jesus, no entrance into Heaven).  Water baptism is a picture of “Salvation”, being dunked under the purifying water and raised from the dead to a new life in Christ (no water baptism is not necessary for Salvation but it is the way that you demonstrate to the world that you identify with Jesus) but having your feet daily washed with water is a picture of “Sanctification”, that if you confess your sins, you return again to walk in fellowship with Jesus.  Remember Jesus told his disciples to “shake the dust off their feet” to those who don’t receive the gospel message … the dust of others who sin against you is something that God will deal with (Matthew 10:14).

John 13: 5Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?”7Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

It is a sad commentary that many who come to the altar for Salvation in Jesus Christ have been there 20 times before.  This is because some Churches teach that you can “loose your salvation” and you have to be re-born again.  But how to your become “un-born” in order for you to be “re-born”?  It is a logical impossibility.  How do you un-believe and then re-believe?  The words “un-born”, “un-believe” and “re-believe” do not even make sense.  How to you deny what you once knew to be true?  If you believe Jesus rose from the dead according to the scriptures to pay for your sin and you asked Him to be your Savior and pay your sin debt, how can you un-believe what Christ has done for you and in you?  

Hebrews 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 

Let’s evaluate the scripture above … how can a person who knows the joy that he is set free from from the penalty of his sin and knows the joy of Heaven that is set before him because Jesus has paid His price for sin, at a later time “deny the truth of the Salvation that brought him this joy?”   They can’t … and that is what Paul is telling us in Hebrews 6:4-6.  It is impossible to “renew someone to repentance which leads to Salvation” because once you are Saved you are Always Saved, OSAS.  It is impossible to be renew someone to repentance because it is impossible to change your mind “again” … once it has already been changed when you were saved by Jesus Christ.  How can you “unbelieve” what you have once believed concerning Jesus … you can’t …. it’s a logical impossibility.   You can’t be born over and over again Spiritually (this is a Spiritual impossibility), anymore than you crawl back into your mother’s womb and be born over and over again (this is a physical impossibility)!

This scripture in Hebrews is what many in the CLYS camp point to as proof that you can loose your Salvation.  They say that Hebrews 6:4-6 teaches that if you are “fallen away” or back-sliden in sin then you have lost your Salvation and it is impossible for God to save you again.  But what Paul is saying is that once you are born again it is impossible for you to repent and be born again over and over again, for this is like trying to crucify Jesus over and over again.  Jesus died once on the cross at Calvary for all our sin, past, present and future!  He is able to save all people from all of their sin (past, present and future) but not all “choose” to be saved.  Remember God is the Know Man, He knows the kind of job He’s taking on when you receive Jesus as your Savior … the past, present and future you … especially the future you that is redeemed by Jesus Christ!

Legalism – prove your love or lose His love (Works righteousness)

 

Liberty – lose yourself in His love, the love of Christ (Grace assurance)

 

“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. – Matthew 10:39  Die2Live

Will you commit sin after being saved and doubt your Salvation and still desire sin and be disappointing with yourself?  Yes, everyone has experienced the disappointment of failing Jesus, like Peter did to some extent or another but Jesus didn’t condemn Peter for denying Him and Jesus is not condemning those who have put their trust in the Good Shepard to bring them safely home.  Peter eventually understood that his Salvation in Christ wasn’t dependent on his ability to be obedient or prove his love for Jesus but upon the ability of Jesus to “perfect him in love by grace through faith”.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30

Look, I am not mocking Christians who are convicted by sin and feel unworthy and fearful toward God.  Sin is no joke, God hates sin and we should feel convicted of our sinful nature at all the time and deny our sin nature at all time and take up our cross of responsibility in this world that God has placed upon us (Luke 9:23) … but God loves the redeemed nature that He has put in us because of Christ Jesus and God sees born again children wearing Christ’s robe of righteousness before Him.  Our feelings of inadequacy before a holy God should cause us to be humble about our inability to do the works that merit our Salvation or complete our Salvation but our feelings of inadequacy should not cause us to deny the power of God that Saved us and works in us to complete the good work of our Salvation.  We should be aware of our inability to save our self but we should be more aware, awakened and assured of Christ’s ability to Save us and keep us Saved.  

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

There are so many scriptures, like the one above that give a believer the assurance of their Salvation in Jesus Christ.  Once you are born again, you can’t be plucked out of Jesus’ hand or the Father’s hand (John 10:28-29).  Nothing can separate a believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, not even your own rebellious will … because in Salvation you have a permanent change of mind concerning who you believe Jesus to be (your personal Savior).   Once you have come to the cross of Jesus Christ, you have crossed over from death to eternal life and you cannot cross back (John 5:24)!

Hebrews 10: 26For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” 31It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Here is another scripture that the CYLS Camp frequently quotes as proof that you can lose your Salvation … if you willfully sin after you are saved.  All sin is done willfully … the devil didn’t make you do it, he may have tempted you but you took the bait willfully.  Don’t fool yourself, even after you are saved and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you … you will continue to sin, either by commission or omission … to say otherwise is to call God a liar (John ).  Paul, is not talking to born again believers in this passage but he is talking to his Jewish brothers by natural birth … from one of the 12 tribes of Israel (sons of Jacob).   

Paul is telling his Jewish brothers that he has told them the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul is saying they have all received “the head knowledge of the Truth” but they have not all received Jesus into their heart and they therefore aren’t all born again.  He is warning them if they ignore the gospel Truth concerning Jesus Christ and go on sinning then their heart will be hardened and they will not be able to be saved.  Then comes death and God’s fiery judgement against all who deny the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.  

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Romans 8:1

Why do some people want to build a doctrine of fear that a believer can lose their Salvation, based on a few hard to understand scriptures when there are many scripture that clearly teach we receive the righteousness of Christ when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior … this is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!  Yet, I guess it’s just human nature or sin nature to doubt that we are really born with a broken Self Indulgent Nature that we can’t fix … we really need Christ to be made whole!  Only Christ is worthy, and we must receive Him to be made worthy.  Jesus has to promised to start the work and finish the work of Salvation, giving us a resurrected body of glory one Blessed Day (1 Corinthians 15:35-58)!

Do you wonder what motivated Jesus to go to the cross … it was joy!  It was the joy of being united one day with His Bride of believers in the New Jerusalem!  And do you know what motivated Abraham to be obedient to the Lord?  It was the joy of being with Christ’s in “the New Jerusalem City”.  In the same way a believer’s motivation to trust and obey Jesus should be out of the “joy” of knowing Jesus now and being united with Him in Heaven as the Bride of Christ!  

Hebrews 12: 1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Hebrews 11: 8By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

One last thing, the difference between “enter” vs “inherit” the Kingdom is perhaps the most helpful teaching I have learned in my Christian walk.  It answers the question about the security of my salvation in Christ and the walk of my sanctification in Christ.  Click her to read this article I have written on this topic.  

Blessings and Maranatha!  – Rogersings   

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Here’s a comment I left on the above video.  I’ve also heard it called “Sloppy Agape”.  A profession of faith without possession of faith is not Salvation … you must be “born again”.  Salvation is based on birth (in Jesus) not behavior (by man).  OSAS is the gospel truth to those who are born again in Christ Jesus!  He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.” – John 6:47

Dave Hunt defends the doctrine of OSAS against Dan Corner 

Do my good works determine if I am taken in the Rapture?  No: 

This is a good article about what it means to be born again … sealed for the day of redemption to Jesus. https://www.unsealed.org/2019/03/blessed-assurance-guide-to-rapture.html