There are a list of several questions that are big with me, may not have any effect on your family member…
If OSAS is true…
Then why does Paul say we must persevere to the end, shouldn’t there be no need once we are ‘saved’?
Why does Paul frequently talk about hoping? How can you hope for something you already have?
Why does Jesus talk about being cut off from the vine? Once you are part of the vine, how can you ever be cut off?
Why are their references in both the Old and the New of people’s names being blotted out from the Book of Life? How can that happen since once they are in the Book of Life, no one can be removed?
Why does Paul frequently talk about holding fast to the Traditions that we have been taught either by letter or word of Mouth? It shouldn’t matter once you are saved?
Why Do all of the gospel and letter writers all talk about adhering to the faith in both heart and in actions lest they fall away? How can you fall away if you are saved for all time?
How come you can’t test yourself to know if you are saved? It is impossible to know simply because there will always be people that truly do follow Christ, but later fall away. If the answer is “they were never true Christians to begin with” then that means it is impossible to test your self, and therefore, opposed to scripture since scripture says you CAN test yourself.
Why wasn’t it taught by anyone prior to Calvin?
Why wasn’t it ever taught by Judaism. (remember, god doesn’t change)
I can keep going, but you get the drift…
You will undoubtedly get something like. But the bible says anyone in him is saved for all time. If I follow his word, and have faith, am I ‘in him’? Yes… If I later fall away, and I still in him? ‘No’
You may also get… But we are a new creature in Christ…
Yup we are, but doesn’t the bible also talk about those that return to the slop.
“But john 3:16 says who so ever believes in him will have eternal life”… John 3:22 (i believe) also clarifyes that in order to have this eternal life, you must do good deeds for Christ, (not for yourself lest you boast)
…
OSAS is a byproduct of a bad definition of the word faith…
This modified and distorted understanding of the word faith has caused to many problems. IF someone ever tells you that you can not use the ‘dictionary’ definition, but one that is revealed by god, but you still have to be told what it means, this is nothing short of Gnosticism. Faith simply means "to hope for a thing not yet seen.
Hope that helps :tiphat:
In Christ
