As a follower of Jesus I believe that if you are called by the grace of God to be a believer and you are saved by your faith, his holy spirit “seals” you. That means for me that the laws of sin and death have been conquered through his death and resurrection. I have faith that although I am as like a filthy rag, the act of Jesus as being my advocate has declared me “not guilty” in front of the Father. Jesus is my super Lawyer and advocate. I will not be re-tried by a technicality.As others have pointed out in various threads, the Once saved always saved principle is in direct conflict with the parables of matthew ch. 25. In these, Jesus tells that actions affect eternal states. Please reconcile these parables with the OSAS or faith alone theories.
I respect that Traillius. May God be with you and keep you.I was never a filthy rag. I have always been a beloved creation of God. I may have some dirt on me, and even perhaps a few rips. But God always washes me and repairs those tears. I am cloth, continually being restored to the original state of good repair and cleanliness that God intended for me in the beginning. Still, its my job to make sure the tears and stains don’t make me completely ruined and unusable. That will get me thrown into the garbage bag that is hell. I may need to go through purgatorial washing machines and seamstresses, but I will go to heaven, if the damage I do to myself is not too great, and I keep myself as clean and as rip-free as possible.
I have been saved and ransomed. In heaven a crown of righteousness awaits me and will be given to me the day the Lord returns on the seventh trumpet.There’s a difference between being saved and a conversion experience.
No one is really saved until he has passed beyond sickness, death, judgement, and Resurrection, and hears that His most joyful voice, “Come, O blessed of My Father. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
THEN you are saved.
James 2:24 “Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?”As a follower of Jesus I believe that if you are called by
the grace of God to be a believer and you are saved by your faith…
Yes indeed. The gospel according to James brings great accountability to the Christian who is saved and seeks the Lord’s face. I can say “I’m Saved” till I’m blue in the face and have not the works to back it up then my faith is dead. It is by ONLY the Holy Spirit that brings us to good works as a Christian.James 2:24 “Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?”
You have correctly stated that works are a necessary part of your salvation. Therefore it is not faith alone. We are saved by Grace, and the evidence of that grace is faith. Faith is an act of will, your will.(and we both know that salvation is a gift of God not an act of our will) You chose to believe. It was not predestined, You chose it freely. At any time you can freely choose to abandon that faith. Many do. Salvation then is a process not a one time event. I’m sure it was just a typo, but St James wrote epistles, not gospels.Yes indeed. The gospel according to James brings great accountability to the Christian who is saved and seeks the Lord’s face. I can say “I’m Saved” till I’m blue in the face and have not the works to back it up then my faith is dead.
I will be fine on “Faith Alone”
It is by faith that you are saved. The works will come after you have been sealed. It is faith alone that saves. I do respect your opinion. Be well my brother. We both love and serve our Lord. We are both trying to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and for that regardless of which comes first, the chicken or the egg…we celebrate each others passion to understand the ways of our God!You have correctly stated that works are a necessary part of your salvation. Therefore it is not faith alone. We are saved by Grace, and the evidence of that grace is faith. Faith is an act of will, your will.(and we both know that salvation is a gift of God not an act of our will) You chose to believe. It was not predestined, You chose it freely. At any time you can freely choose to abandon that faith. Many do. Salvation then is a process not a one time event. I’m sure it was just a typo, but St James wrote epistles, not gospels.
Philippians 2 :12 “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.”
Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God.”It is by faith that you are saved. The works will come after you have been sealed. It is faith alone that saves. I do respect your opinion. Be well my brother. We both love and serve our Lord. We are both trying to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and for that regardless of which comes first, the chicken or the egg…we celebrate each others passion to understand the ways of our God!
Salud!
Amen!Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God.”
So you agree then. that OSAS is false teaching?Amen!
Preach it! My Catholic Brother!
No. I believe that once the spirit enters you, you are sealed for salvation.So you agree then. that OSAS is false teaching?
Keep in mind that while Christ can live in us, it’s possible for us to reject and evict him from his living quarters.No. I believe that once the spirit enters you, you are sealed for salvation.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Once saved always saved
That is the Jesus I worship
I was born a Lakers fan everything you say is therefore Heresy! Haha just kidding!Keep in mind that while Christ can live in us, it’s possible for us to reject and evict him from his living quarters.
That’s what makes me a weirdo Christian. To be honest with you. I never studied the theology of early reformers nor do I want to. I never look to a religious organization to define what they seem right or how they interpret for me. I can not put my trust in man whatsoever. I find my answers in the word of God. There are somethings that I have to “shelve” because I don’t know the answer to nor will I ever pretend to. But I make sure that the simple plan of salvation is etched in my heart.I think if we understood what the Reformers believed about justification, you will see that they did not believe in the modern version of OSAS. All Christians including Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants would fall away and apostate apart from the grace of God. Maybe the real question is how a Christian receives the grace of God, and through what means. In addition, historic protestant theology teaches that justification is declared at the beginning of the Christian life which is based solely on the righteousness of Christ that is credited to the sinners account through the instrument of faith alone. I believe a Catholic understanding of justification is declared at the end of the Christian life. Is my understanding correct? The Catholic understanding is by grace alone through a cooperative sense between God and man to receive final justification based on personal righteousness done through graces dispensed by the Church, correct?
The Epistle of ST Paul to the Galatians which you quoted explains how we live new lives in faith in Christ, and that we should not cast away his grace by relying on the law. It does not tell us that we **cannot **disregard or throw away his grace, and our faith… Indeed by warning us it must be because we have the free will to do so. If anything this scripture is a good testimony against OSAS.No. I believe that once the spirit enters you, you are sealed for salvation.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Once saved always saved
That is the Jesus I worship
I think the problem with American Christianity is that we tend to think it is an individual event between God and us personally. However, Christianity did not start with you and God and your personal reading of the Scriptures. Historic Christianity is God’s story of redemptive history throughout the ages. I think modern Christianity have turned professing Christians into Gnostics in a way. So, in your own beliefs, tell me why you are right with God. Christianity is really one body made up of redeemed sinners where there is no individuality. Christ is the head and believers are His body (the church).That’s what makes me a weirdo Christian. To be honest with you. I never studied the theology of early reformers nor do I want to. I never look to a religious organization to define what they seem right or how they interpret for me. I can not put my trust in man whatsoever. I find my answers in the word of God. There are somethings that I have to “shelve” because I don’t know the answer to nor will I ever pretend to. But I make sure that the simple plan of salvation is etched in my heart.
I can put my trust in the word of God and I’m perfectly comfortable with it. I try to emulate how the apostles went about having a relationship with God. That’s why its kind of weird when I’m referred to as a “Protestant” because I don’t recognize any formal religion that sets up laws and by-laws to conduct themselves.
Now to be honest with you, its hurting me not to be plugged into a gathering of like believers and I’m seeking out a gathering to fellowship with. But if it’s law’s and by-laws they want to preach. I will move on.
I’m a weirdo…lol