We're grafted into the body.
Rom 11:19-21 You will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
I think God is a God who keep His promises. Jesus says he will keep us.
It's not a question of God keeping His promises; He always does.
It is a question of believers staying the course.
The OSAS, Preservation of the Saints, eternal Security, or whatever name that malarkey is given are all based in the assumption that, one a person makes a decision, he surrenders his free will and no longer has the ability to become apostate.
But Hebrews specifically states that is not the case. A born again believer can commit apostasy.
Heb 6:4-6
For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.
Why would the writer of Hebrews make such a comment if it were not possible for a believer to commit apostasy? Was he not telling the truth?
Scripture says that we will be saved IF we continue in the faith.
Definition of the word “if” per
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
a : in the event that
b : allowing that
c : on the assumption that
d : on condition that
The word “if” introduces a potential outcome based on a condition.
Ex: “If (
in the event that, allowing that, on the assumption that, on condition that) you eat that mushroom (
the condition) you may die. (
the potential outcome)
Ex. “if (
in the event that, allowing that, on the assumption that, on condition that) any one's name was not found written in the book of life, (
the condition) he was thrown in the lake of fire. (
the potential outcome) (Rev 20:15 RSV
Ex: if (
in the event that, allowing that, on the assumption that, on condition that) Christ has not been raised, (
the condition) then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (
the potential outcome) (1 Cor 15:14 RSV)
It logically follows that the failure to meet the condition will result in the potential outcome not coming to pass. So, with reference to the first example, if you do NOT eat the mushroom you will not die from the effects of eating it.
COL 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight —IF YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
The outcome of being “
reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” is contingent upon the condition that “
YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”
It follows logically that is one does NOT “
YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel,” (fails to meet the condition) then the potential outcome of of being “
reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” will not become a reality.
HEB 3:14 We have come to share in Christ IF WE HOLD FIRMLY TILL THE END THE CONFIDENCE WE HAD AT FIRST.
The logically inferred opposite outcome of the opposite condition: If we DO NOT hold firmly then we HAVE NOT come to share in Christ.
2 PE 1:5-10 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For IF you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU WILL NEVER FALL,
The logically inferred opposite outcome of the opposite condition: If you DO NOT DO these things the possibility of falling is a reality.
True faith in Christ always leads to a changed life.
Yes, I've heard that exercise in circular illogic more times than I can count.
A - "He had faith at first but he fall away."
B - "If he fell away then her really didn't have "true faith."
A' - "How do you know that?"
B' - "Because if he had "true faith," he wouldn't fall away."
B' is NOT a proof of B. It is merely a restatement of B. It is an exercise in gibberish.
John MacArthur speaks against easy believism and yet is outspoken on eternal security.
I find John McArthur's apologetic lacking in several areas.
A person cannot pray a prayer and then call themselves a believer and that's it. If they don't show fruit of repentance, the repentance is false. If a person claims to be a Christian but lives a life that doesn't demonstrate godly living, it's unlikely they are "among us" (they are not saved to begin with).
I find that most Churches do not encourage believers to "bear fruit that befits repentance." (Mat 3:8) Normally, the bigger the church, the lower the standards.
People interpret "saved by grace" as meaning there is nothing anyone need to do and nothing anyone does can ever terminate his "saved" status. Really? Drunkenness? Theft? Fornication? Rape? Murder? Take another look at 1 Cor 6:9-10.
If you are in fact saved so that if you die this moment, you will be with Christ, you will always have this position in Christ no matter when you die.
How about someone "gets saved", follows the Lord for decades and then gets tangled in an adulterous affair (like as happens with Pastors on an all too regular basis) and dies before he comes to his senses and repents? Does he "go to heaven" because, when he "got saved" he real;ly did have "true faith" but just got side-tracked in a moment of weakness?
A believer only has "eternal security" if he stays on the straight and narrow path until his last breath. Once he has breathed his last,
THEN, he has eternal security and not a moment before in spite of what the Johnnys-come-lately Calvins andMcarthurs have to say.
Here, read it again:
Jhn 15:1-6 (NIV)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[fn] so that it will be even more fruitful.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If you do not remain in me, (that means it is possible to separate from Christ) you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
That passage identifies two classes of "true believers" (as indicated by they're being In Me" or, as Paul puts it "in Christ.") who do not stay "saved."
(1) Those who bear no fruit. (Do not do the good works in which God created them to walk.)
(2) Those who do not remain "in Me. ) )Paul: "In Christ.")
Both of them forfeit their connection to Christ in whom is life (John 1:14) and, thereby, loose their "eternal security."
And there is much more in the scriptures to support the death of "OSAS," "Preservation of the Saints", or "Eternal Security."
iakov the fool
