Bible Discussion Thread

Hello! I am doing a paper against OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) and I would just like some God given advice from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I go to a baptist church and am in a close friendship with a teenage preacher from the church. I am for some reason incredibly nervous about writing a paper on this topic and have put it off for months because of my fear of it. So if there is anybody here who has done something like this before or has had a discussion with a baptist friend, I would love to get some advice from you. Thank you! :)

Dear Faith

Let me give you some verses, I think they will be helpful in your research.

Ezekiel 18:21-22

"21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live."

Ezekiel 18:24

"24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

GBU

To Faith,

The change that takes place in a believer at salvation is irreversible. The old nature of the sinner before he was saved is completely replaced by the new nature of Christ. Jesus has promised to never leave a believer. Can a believer leave Christ? Not like some might think, because a believer cannot go anywhere without taking his new nature in Christ with him. A true believer, one that is truly born again in Christ, cannot sin by denying Christ like an unsaved person can because Christ in new believers cannot deny Himself.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Dear Faith , if you are writing against O S A S ,that must mean that you are against it ? If you are against it why are you against it ? Please forgive me if you think I'm being rude , I'm not , honest , I would ask you why you are against it ? Which scriptures have convinced you in your opinion ? If you are convinced and against it you must be firm in your conviction if you are going to stand up and give a lecture on it , if you are convinced you must know why you are convinced , if you know why you are convinced then you from your heart and from the scriptures that have convinced you , shouldn't need any one else's help . I have always believed that when Peter James and John saw Christ transfigured , that that awesome other worldly vision would have been an enormous comfort and strengthener to those three , it would have strengthened their faith to rock solid proportions , any tiny doubt or fear for themselves and their own lives would cease to exist when they closed their eyes and remembered that sight , it gave them so much conviction and they needed it , how can anyone convince another if they themselves aren't convinced ? If you are convinced in your belief then you must know why you are and if you know why you are you must be able to express your conviction with the help of scripture , if you need some one else's help to tell you what you are convinced of , are you really convinced ? Search your heart and the scriptures , convince yourself before you try to convince others , may God bless you in your search for truth .

Wow, thank you, Suze. This gives me some meat for thought. I have never been raised with a Baptist doctrine and was always taught that you can lose your salvation if you turn entirely away from God. Since I am now at a Baptist church, I get a little nervous whenever the subject comes up in either preaching or just talking with someone. I've always felt like a sheep that has joined another flock, but they haven't figured out yet that I'm not of their flock. I've heard the stories of how some Baptists will lift this doctrine up and look down upon everyone who says they don't believe in it. Thank you very much for making me think more about my convictions and less about the fears I have had during this time.

God bless you Faith , remember that you need to try to please God before trying to please any human , you are accountable to Him , not to any other human .

If your Bible has reference columns on each page (in the center or at the bottom of each page)

Those are references that will point you to other scriptures that give more information on your original verse.

So if your Bible doesn't have those, consider buying a KJV REFERENCE/STUDY BIBLE. It will really explain some passages.

Also, you can Google a scripture like this, to get to commentaries by Bible Scholars.

Sample:

John 3:16, commentaries, or history, or Meaning, or Teaching

I generally pick websites that have "Bible" within their Link. You have to be careful you're not reading something written by Jehovah witnesses or other cults.

If what others teach something that seems off, we as believers need to search it out. Put that Pastor on your daily prayer list. Ask God to reach out to him through the Word. Prayer goes places that we can't go.

Faith, This is one of many verses against OSAS. Romans 11:22 "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off". I don't know how long you have been converted, but if you are relatively young in the faith I would encourage you to take a simple approach by asking questions and talking about it with fellow believers. This is a topic that people on both sides are convinced they have the right interpretation. People do not change readily from strong held convictions, especially if someone teaching is young. I am greatly encouraged that you are trying to comprehend the Bible by what it says and not what I would like it to say to make me feel good. I picture that you are a careful reader with the faith to believe what it says. Another sobering topic is the teachings and parables about people when they stand before the King thinking they were saved and he "never knew them". May God Bless your understanding!!

Hello, I think every few days there's a discussion posted on that topic. You can try finding Bible verses by topic, an advanced search, or other resources. Many lists of verses have been posted a lot and it seems that few agree on it. God bless.

Hello Faith. I'm sorry that I'm not the one to help you in your quest to writing this article against OSAS, simply because I fully believe in it. But why I'm writing to you is in response to what you wrote, "I am for some reason incredibly nervous about writing a paper on this topic and have put it off for months because of my fear of it." This topic is a part of the major Doctrine of Salvation, and indeed, what we express in public (& particularly in the Church) can be very divisive resulting in some unwelcome feedback & personal treatment. I would suggest you continue to hold off from it until you are fully convinced in your belief, after examining all Scriptures pertaining to it (which I'm sure you've attended to). After fully learning about your subject, even with an examination of the 'other side's' beliefs, then hopefully your resolve to press on with the writing will not be hindered by such fears. All the best.

Chris,

I agree with the way you adressed this topic before. I believe you helped break down the biggest most divisive issue, when there is hypocrisy with abuses & blatant unrepented sins, there is accountability. I believe Jesus clearly taught accountability & old testament usually addressed as within Church / temple & leadership within, also: Isaiah 9:17, Matthew 20:1-19, Luke 20:45-47, Luke 11:39-54, Matthew 23, Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 1, Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 7:1-17, Jeremiah 22:3, Jeremiah 34:8-12 ._..

I believe you Chris or possibly someone else addressed the question we're they ever really saved?

I address this question as to answer the many outside the church who ask because of injustice etc. This site is for those, I believe most of all.

Faith Knight, I also agree with Adam & Chris this is an issue with disagreement. & hesitation is possibly warning. But, I included scripture covering love, meekness in the way, its addressed. John 15:18,24,25, Luke 21:17, Zechariah 13:6,

Count the cost? Luke 14:26-35,

Said in sincerity of Love, through the fellowship of Faith in Jesus Christ

Matthew 7, Matthew 25:31-46, Philippians 2, Romans 14:12, 2Peter 2, 2Timothy 2, whole chapters relevant

Also note 2Timothy 2:19, sealed, but commanded depart from iniquity

Hebrews 3:6-19,

John 13:34, Romans 12:10,

Hopefully these are helpful

My brother, our pastor is talking about this very subject right now. I too am going to a baptist college and would like to help you if I can. I'm sure my pastor would like to help if you would like, just let me know.