Featured Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) and Eternal Security

Many believe this instead;

Chapter 17: Of The Perseverance of the Saints
1._____ Those whom God hath accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, whence he still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality; and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.
( John 10:28, 29; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 2:19; Psalms 89:31, 32; 1 Corinthians 11:32; Malachi 3:6 )
2._____ This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him, the oath of God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
( Romans 8:30 Romans 9:11, 16; Romans 5:9, 10; John 14:19; Hebrews 6:17, 18; 1 John 3:9; Jeremiah 32:40 )

3._____ And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their graces and comforts impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.
( Matthew 26:70, 72, 74; Isaiah 64:5, 9; Ephesians 4:30; Psalms 51:10, 12; Psalms 32:3, 4; 2 Samuel 12:14; Luke 22:32, 61, 62 )

 

"If you could lose your salvation, you would." John MacArthur.

 

POS...provides the complete definition from God's electing ,calling,gracing,the person with salvation from sin,to God's enabling grace in sanctification, through trials, that the person will continue on in faith and obedience. It spells it all out touching on every essential point.

Eternal security focuses on being kept by God, but many times does not focus on the sanctification aspect as if the person does not have to pursue holiness in the life by godly means.

Osas comes with baggage that those who believe the carnal Christian heresy teach and have posted even here on BB, that once a person has made a profession,they cannot lose that salvation even if they blaspheme and go into apostasy.

 

Perhaps some of the difficulty comes in from how the OSAS concept has been viewed and practiced, by some, who have clung to a decision they made or a baptism they had and then tell themselves they are ok no matter how wicked they are living. In other words, their faith is fire insurance. They are no different than the papist who goes to mass to "pay" for his sins so he may run out and sin all the more.

I think the 1689 confession states the Bible's teaching the best.

 

I've heard it said this way refer to those like myself who believes on OSAS... Why if I believe the way you all did I would drink my fill of sin. Why wouldn't I am glory bound?... My answer to them is this... YOU CAN TRY?... You see in my seventy year on this earth and over 50 years in church I have seen this occur... But be for warned you may be glory bound but you are bought with a price and as scriptures say It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God... The Lord can make it either heavenly here on earth for his children to some extent or he can put you through a living hell... Those who have been forgiven little and know little will be beaten with few stripes but those who have been forgiven and know much will be beaten with many... Sometimes they are given over to Satan to mend their ways... not that they ever belonged to him in the first place... God's children were bought by him with the sinless blood of his dear Son Jesus the Christ, on a cross he gave his life's blood for you... Never forget this you are God's property!... Brother Glen

 

AGREE!

 

The terms OSAS and eternal security are typically used interchangeably by non-Reformed Baptists and similar groups of Christians. The terms perseverance of the saints and preservation of the saints are typically used interchangeably by Reformed Baptists and other groups of Reformed Christians, and we find that to be the case in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith, Chapter 17, Paragraphs 2 and 3.

 

At this time in my life I have more or less dropped the OSAS position, not that I still don't believe it but it generates by its wording to many dumb questions... IMHO!... I go with Eternal Security or Preservation Of The Saints now!... Btw less questions... IMHO!... Brother Glen

 

In this verse, Paul is expressing his desire for these Christians; he is not promising them complete sanctification, Christian perfection, sinlessness, preservation, or anything else as is shown by his use of the verbs ἁγιάζωand τηρέω in the optative mood!