Hi PeterJens,
The doctrine of OSAS comes out of a Gnostic doctrine called Fatalism or Determinism. Fatalism holds that all things are determined by fate and that nothing man can do can change this. Augustine who brought the idea of Perseverance of the Saints to the church was a Manichean before becoming a Christian. He held this doctrine of Fatalism. In his writings on Perseverance of the Saints he basically just exchanged fate with God. All things would be determined by God rather than fate. Augustine's doctrine was rejected by the Catholic Church. Later at the Reformation Calvin and Luther who studied Augustine both espoused this doctrine. That essentially how we have it today.
I agree with the summary.
I do also understand how traumatised people look for security.
A fellowship like Bethel and HillSong pose quite a problem. They use language in a way that I understand in terms of feeling of praise and being lost in the gift Christ gives us.
The problem is the emotional feeling "Spirit break out" becomes "God" rather than life reality. So when you listen to their teaching on repentance and resolution, there is very little ever shared or even biblical exposition, because if they did, it would create a difference between peoples experiences and their expectations of promise.
Equally if you follow that reality in Christ is a perfect spirit in an evil dying flesh, you end up with a different faith. An example of this was Benny Hinn suggesting each part of the God head had a body, soul and spirit. Rather than realising he demonstrated the conclusions of following his heresy, he believed what he was saying was the truth.
When Paul said we are a new creation, he meant us as a whole being. The fruit of this change is our walk in love and the Holy Spirit. But he warned simply we can destroy this new creation by sowing to sin and flesh, but if we sow to the Spirit we gain eternal life. Part of Pauls emphasis was we are secure in Christ, yet also, we put at risk our walk if we walk away.
The truth is we want a solution, a simple definitive place. And God does deliver the conviction in Him we have this, if we stay in Him. Revival after revival is people find this reality, but believe rather than confirming truth, it is only true as long as they feel elated and close. Once the elation goes, they walk away, like it is a fade.
But those whose hearts are changed, literally become the fulfilment of the promise continue in their walk.
I think from a distance we see the image or shadow of who Christ is, and until we get closer to the light, we do not really see how this works out in our hearts.
We are fickle. Get married, have kids, see another attractive person, dump the love and commitment, go running after the next emotional high. We lose all that life is and what life made us in our own family and in the family we bring about with our partner. But this emotional fix, can become the drug, just as much in religion and faith as in marriage. God calls us to maturity, to seeing the value of sacrifice, pain, standing strong despite it all.
