Once saved always saved !!!

I see your point. But you could help yourself.Most SBC churches have Sunday evening and Wednesday evening services.Many have Tuesday or Thursday night visitation.There are also many other functions taking place in most SBC churches you could join in. You could make friends with some of the folks at church, invite them out for lunch after church and give them a chance to get to know you.People have a hard time second guessing others and thier needs or desires. There are some who come to church and Sunday school who do not want to be bothered during the week and consider it intrusive to be called or visited during the week.If there is a coffee or fellowship time after church you might want to start there.In any event you are always welcome here on the board.

 

OSAS is not a minor theologigal issue. You mentioned being concerned about a fellow Christian's daily walk. That's basically what OSAS is NOT concerned about. We're talking about whether or not you will enter the kingdom of heaven. Is that important to you?

 

I don't know how one could compare Once Saved Always Saved with lack of fellowship. Perhaps I don"t understand the problem.

Are you concerned because no one calls you during the week? Or visits you during the week?

Do you think that they are demonstrating that they are not saved if they don't visit others?

If a person is concerned all the time about whether they are saved or not, then they probably would be more concerned about themselves than others.

I think I may have missed the point of the OP.

 

I don't buy into the whole OSAS argument and I don't beleive that one can really know if someone is really saved or not. Only God knows our hearts. I think what you should concern yourself with is how is your brothers and sisters walk with God. Are they reading the bible, attending church, bearing the correct fruit(yes I mean works) these are the outward signs of salvation. If you see someone going to the wayside it is our job to encourage hem and pray for them.

 

I believe that OSAS is important because it directly reflects on the character of God.

In Mt. 7:11 Jesus says that human parents are "evil" in comparison to God. Yet many still claim that He dispossesses His children for some infraction.

Also having real security of salvation is important. Not the false security that the unsaved religious person has. But rather good death-bed security that the Lord is coming for us some day.

And I disagree with the above poster. I know that I have eternal life. 1 John 5:12-13.

And Rom. 8:14 and 1 John 3:14 are other tests for one's self and others concerning the born again experience. And at our church we ask for a testimony from anyone that wants to join our membership. 2 Cor. 5:17

 

It sounds like you have become a firm believer since your original post.

Sunday school is for learning theology. Fellowship, Christian brotherhood, may be subjects but nothing is as important as salvation and subjects related to salvation.

It sounds like you want to be in charge of what the class learns and foceses on. The teacher is that athority in the class room. I would submit to his athority and learn what he has been led to teach.

As for nobody stoping by and calling, they should be. But what I would do is look for things you can do for people in your class. Model the behavior you want to see in them. Call one of them now and ask how they are doing. Bake cookies and bring it to them. In other words treat them how you want to be treated. Don't wait for them, take the initative in the relationships.

 

Fatbacker wrote,

I believe that modern theology contradicts the Word of God and that it is therefore an abomination. Therefore, I believe that the doctrine of OSAS is a doctrine from hell.

I also believe that OSAS is a doctrine from hell because the Bible not only does not teach it—the Bible teaches conditional security so very clearly that conditional security was the universal belief of the Church for 1500 years! Anyone who has studied New Testament theology is very much aware of this fact and it is no wonder that those who hold to the OSAS point of view are extremely defensive about their position and insist upon teaching and preaching it no matter the cost to their brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is, of course, a place for theology, but when that theology is limited to text books and sermons and is not lived in the lives of people it is next to worthless. Indeed, I very seldom talk about theology with my Christian friends because both of us have needs and interests that transcend religious dogma.

Some Baptists are so wrapped up in Baptist theology that they care more about the mode of baptism than they do about their Christian friends who have been baptized but who are in need of the loving support of their Christian friends. Christians do not commit suicide because their doctrine regarding the mode of baptism is a bit off, but Christians do commit suicide because their friends are so wrapped up in Baptist dogma that they don’t even notice the pain and loneliness in their brother’s or sister’s face.

I have friends in many different denominations, but we don’t care nearly so much about our personal theologies as we do about each other and our relationship with God. Indeed, compared to our relationships with each other and with God, theology is of little importance. God does not care so very much about the details of our theology, but He cares very much about the details of our relationships.

Fatbacker, do you have any needs that you would like for me to pray about? Is there anything that you would like to talk about or share with me? There is something that I would like to share with you.

There is a very needy family living in my vacation home because they can not afford a place to live. Their kids are now going to really good charter schools nearby and are making rapid progress academically. And most important of all, this family is now going to church and growing in Christ. And along with their growing in Christ, God is blessing them with opportunities to be lifted out of poverty! But of course, they are finding some resistance from the enemy, and they would be pleased if you would pray for them.

 

From hell, this is like calling everybody you dont agree with politicaly nazi. Just because you dont agree with a doctrin does not mean it is "from hell". I am sure you disagree with this doctrin based on the mis-reprisentation of it by its critics. That mis-reprisentation of " you can do anything you want because you are already saved"

This is not the doctrin of OSAS and nobody who beleves in OSAS would say that. But you seem to have your mind set in stone about the issue, so no need to discuss it here. You disagree with my doctrin notice I do not say you or your belefes are "from hell".

This applies to some people of any group and religion. But you seem to have a grudge against Baptists for some reason. I find most Baptists to be extreamly careing and loving of one another. Maybe I am blessed with an increadable church, but I have seen great love shown to each other especaly in some hardships some members have had reacently. I pray you will find a church with members as careing as I have been blessed with.

 

fatbacker I know it is very frustrating to not have Gods family respond in the way you expect them to, to not reach out and show they care.

I have learned through my many years of being a christian that when I do this i do not have my focus where it should be on God and serving others. it is on myself.

We are living in a day where people do not trust each other as much and where people are so caught up in their own little world, tv's,computers, kids and thier activities, families, jobs etc. that we have lost what it means to be a community and putting relationships first and foremost.

When I grew up we actually knew our neighbors and did things with them. camping, fishing, parties, dinners, cup of coffee. Kids all got together and played ball and a lot of out door sports. someone would move in and you would be greeted or you would greet them with a pie and a friendly hello. Not anymore. now that i am older, I find I would still try and be the friendly one even when it was us who move in, but it doesn't happen the otherway around hardly at all.

Another problem is everyone is so transet these days no one stays in a community for very long anymore. that doesn't help.

My suggestion would be, as i have done that you be the one to do the outreaching. Always be friendly and serve as unto the Lord. That is what is really going to count in the end. Us glorifying God and serving him. Anything we do in the flesh and out of selfish motives will all be burned up. What is done through Christ will be what matters in the end.

 

1. It's not "Baptist doctrine" it's "Bible doctrine".

2. Comparing the two is kind of like apples and oranges.

They are both very important. Bad doctrine can lead you into all sorts of problems.

 

I believe once you are saved you are always saved. Your life should reflect your development and relationship to Christ.

I find it intersting that I have never met anyone that beleives you can lose your salvation that has actually lost it and then got it back. No one can provide any Scriptural evidence of what would constitute a loss of salvation. Is it any sin? (I sin, I repent, I get saved again. . . .)Additionally, these folks don't require baptism "again" that is supposed to follow salvation. Why the difference?

I know there are more inconsistencies but I thought I'd givea quick response.

To answer the OP, discipleship is something severely lacking in the church today. It is up to all of us to maintain accountability with each other.

 

No where in the Bible is the word "trinity" used, but it is a Bible Doctrine.
No where in the Bible is the word "rapture" used, but it is a Bible doctrine.

We have a lot of words and phrases we use to describe doctrines that are in the Bible.

If you want to learn about the doctrine of eternal security, I would love to discuss that with you.

 

As soon as someone can figure out how to change the past then I might consider the idea of losing your salvation. I can't change last Thursday. I can't change November 26, 1971. No one has the power or ability to not drop the bomb on Hiroshima in 1945.