The OSAS (every version of that belief) falls apart on examination, and yet they still believe. They are trusting in their ministers who teach them OSAS more than they trust what God teaches them in the Bible. And, of course, they reject Tradition, in contradiction of the Bible.
Why do they call their churches “a Bible church”, when it’s so obvious that some of their beliefs contradict the Bible?
IMO, based on what OSAS believers have said on this forum, OSAS is believed out of fear. They’re fearful to trust in God. They have to have the final answer today. God doesn’t give them an answer–He will pass judgement when they die–so they make themselves judges. They judge themselves saved. They say that they put their faith in God, yet they are too fearful to believe that God will judge them at their death. They are afraid that God will not be merciful, so they judge themselves. They judge that because they are in a state of grace at one moment in time, they are “saved”. It’s all about frear, not trust. They know what the Bible says, but insist that those things (deadly sin, for example) somehow don’t count. They ignore what makes them afraid and judge themselves saved.
Where in the Bible does it say that we are our own judges?!
They say that they give themselves totally to God, yet they can’t relinquish control. They insist that they are the judge of their own salvation. Only God can save or condemn. He doesn’t condemn before we die. We have to persevere to the end. It’s in the Bible, but they ignore those pesky parts and construct a system that is less fearful to them. Fear comes from mistrust.
kalt,
You make very good points here. Having come from the Baptist Church, I know the passages of Scripture used to justify the OSAS doctrine.
Fear is truly an element on many levels. First, many are presented the “plan of salvation” in the context of a question: If you die tonight, do you know if you will go to heaven or hell?
In recent years, some evangelistic efforts steer away from the threat of hell, and point to the reward of heaven. Either way, it is a narcissistic approach to salvation. Accept Christ to avoid the horrors of Hell; or accept Christ to receive the reward of Heaven–not that we deserve any kind of reward, since there is nothing good or Holy or righteous within us that does not come from Christ.
When you are indoctrinated within this OSAS framework, you don’t realize the narcissism involved in this line of thinking. I think the OSAS doctrine must surely have been born through the unbearable fear of Hell. In our humanity, we want certainty. We want certainty so badly, we actually demand it of God. Of course, we have no right to demand any such thing from God.
Christ did atone for our sins; and by God’s grace we are reconciled to God through the atonement of Christ. Yet, salvation is not an “event,” which gives us a free pass to Heaven, regardless of the behavior that follows our acceptance of Christ as Messiah and Son of God.
Salvation is a journey with many twists and turns, as we are refined through Christ. Indeed, we would not be able to endure to the end without God’s grace. However, we are given free will to either accept that grace or reject that grace. We are given free will in our choices regarding sin, repentance, turning from sin, and keeping the commandments of Christ–which include loving God with all our heart, mind, and soul; and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Again, these things are accomplished through submission to Christ, and according to the measure of grace God bestows upon us.
Salvation is not contained in a few passages of Scripture carefully selected and grouped together to support one’s preconceived beliefs.
Salvation is revealed from Genesis forward. We must look to the Bible as a whole in order to even begin to understand the elements necessary for salvation. Still, we are limited in our human understanding, and fall into error by imposing finite limits on an infinite God.
I trust in God’s mercy and righteous judgment. I pray that I will have the strength to serve Him and endure to the end. I pray for God’s mercy, when I face Him on the day of judgment.
