THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE – 60 Critique Of The Eternal Security (Once Saved, Always Saved - Osas) Doctrine
“21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves…” (James 1:21-25, KJV).
Loved ones, please pray for understanding before you continue.
Please read from your Bible every Scripture referenced but not quoted.
Much more could be said concerning Satan's use of the OSAS doctrine in our SPIRITUAL BATTLE (1 Timothy 4:1-2), but this brief article should be enough to open your eyes to the truth.
Conviction: The Calvinistic OSAS doctrine has deceived many people into believing that they KNOW they are saved because they are “convicted” they are saved. It does NOT matter if they are following a human-caused false conviction of salvation (Mormons, JW’s, Catholics, etc.). Some other of their preachers tell the audience, “You can be saved sitting right where you are…just say this prayer…”
Here’s the truth: Just because a person confesses faith in Jesus while saying a so-called manufactured “Sinner’s Prayer,” and/or is “convicted” in his heart that he is saved, does NOT cause him to be saved.
There is something every man MUST DO (God’s will) to be saved (Matthew 7:21; Acts 2:37; 9:6; 10:6; 16:30; Luke 6:46). One can be saved or set FREE from his sins ONLY by obeying the truth (John 8:32; 14:6).
The truth plainly says that to be saved one must hear the word of God, believe the word of God, repent of sin, confess faith in Jesus as LORD, the Son of God, and be baptized by immersion in water for the forgiveness of sin by the blood of Jesus (Romans 10:9-10, 17; John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:32-33; Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:28). God then and only then, gives the Holy Spirit’s gift of eternal life to those that have obeyed Him (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:23; 8:10).
It is true that no man is saved by his own works of righteousness (Titus 3:4-6). Every true Christian knows that our salvation is NOT based on our performance (Ephesians 2:9). We are only saved by the name of Jesus through the Gospel because Christ took our sins upon Himself through His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 4:12).
However, the Holy Ghost and eternal salvation will only be given to those that obey Christ (Acts 5:32; Hebrews 5:9). Only those who “keep on overcoming” and are faithful unto/until death shall be saved.
The Bible says: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Revelation 3:21-22).
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Revelation 21:7).
“…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 2:10-11).
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life… (Revelation 3:5).
"... he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22).
The OSAS false doctrine is deceiving people into believing that “the moment you are saved you have eternal life - salvation goes on forever – you can’t lose it. When you were saved God gave you eternal life.”
The apostle Paul knew better than that, for he said, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27).
The New Testament teaches in many places that the Christian does not NOW have eternal life in actuality (Matthew 25:46; Romans 2:6-7; 6:22; 8:24-25). The Christian has eternal life NOW only in the promise (1 John 2:25) and hope (Titus 1:2). Eternal life in actuality is to be received "in the world to come” (Mark 10:30).
This is the OSAS definition of Eternal Security: “It is the work of God in Christ which guarantees once you are saved you cannot be lost.”
Friends, this FALSE doctrine that a child of God cannot so sin as to be eternally lost began in the mind of Satan! He is the author of it and first preached it to Adam and Eve in the garden.
The Bible says, "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:1-4).
Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die.” In current language, Satan was saying, "You shall not be condemned because you are a child of God, and it is impossible for you to fall and be lost."
Please think about this: If a child of God cannot be lost, the devil is a fool. Why does he continue "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour"? (1 Peter 5:8). He has been laboring for more than 6,000 years to damn the souls of the children of God; and if he has never succeeded in damning the soul of even one child of God, he is a simpleton for continuing. Is the devil really that stupid?
If a saved person can never be lost, what is the purpose of the below exhortations and hundreds of other warnings which we find in God’s word? The Bible says:
"Pray that ye enter not into temptation" (Luke 22:40).
"Be not overcome of evil" (Romans 12:21).
"Be not deceived" (1 Corinthians 6:9).
"Be ye steadfast, unmovable" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
"Be not entangled again" (Galatians 5:1).
"I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21).
"Work out your own salvation" (Philippians 2:12).
Why does God’s word warn saints to persevere when according to the OSAS doctrine, it is impossible for them not to persevere?
There preachers say, “There will be no erases from the book of life.” However, God’s word does teach that names can be blotted out of God's book of life.
“And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Exodus 32:31-33).
"Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous" (Psalm 69:27-28).
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life… (Revelation 3:5).
"And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:19).
OSAS lies when it teaches, “You are not going to practice sin if you are saved.” God’s word gives us a definite example of a saved man (one who believed, was baptized, and continued with the truth). Yet, he fell away into wickedness and iniquity by which he could have perished.
The Bible says, "Then Simon (the sorcerer) himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.... And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me" (Acts 8:13, 18-24).
The parable of the sower emphatically refutes the FALSE doctrine of "OSAS” (Matthew 13:3-8, 18-23; Luke 8:4-15). The stony and thorny ground Christians believed for a while, but due to sin they failed to produce good fruit. Their appointed lot is to be "cast into the fire" (Matthew 7:19).
God’s word teaches that the salvation of the saints is conditional upon certain “IF’s" as to their continued faithfulness.
The Bible says, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, IF any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mathew 16:24).
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
"IF ye keep my (Jesus) commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10).
"It is a faithful saying: For IF we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: IF we suffer, we shall also reign with him: IF we deny him, he also will deny us: IF we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: IF ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard” (Colossians 1:21-23).
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for IF ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10-11).
“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6).
“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. And they also, IF they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again" (Romans 11:22-23).
The OSAS doctrine has deceived many others into believing that once you become a Christian you can turn away from God and still be saved, even without repentance.
Did not Jesus say, “If you don’t repent you will perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). God commands all men everywhere to repent or perish (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9).
A child of God can be lost because he can lie and die in that SIN (Acts 5:1-11; 1 John 5:16). The FATE of those who die in that condition is seen in Revelation 21:8: "...all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone..."
Our love for the Lord will cause us to learn and keep His commandments (John 14:15-24). That’s how we know we are eternally secure. The perverted “Once Saved, Always Saved” manufactured doctrine (Galatians 1:6-9) will result in great disappointment on the judgment day for those that follow it.
Through the free gift of God’s grace by Jesus’ blood (Ephesians 2:8; Revelation 1:5) and your obedient faith (Romans 1:5; 10:17; 16:26), salvation is offered. If you have questions or wish to comment, please do so. Lord willing, a Bible answer will be provided for every Bible question.
Shared with you by Samuel A. Matthews, preaching with the Liberty NW church of Christ, meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. He is in control, so trust Him. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35).