The history of OSAS:
The doctrine of OSAS. or eternal security, or perseverance of the saints does have several different nuances and is clearly a developed doctrine. The beginning of OSAS is found it Augustinianism. Augustine was greatly influenced by his former faith, Manicheanism. He was also a student of Neo-Platonism. Manicheanism was a religion developed in the 2nd century whereby the founder, Mani, took parts of several of the religions of that day including Gnosticism and Christianity. Augustine in his debates with Pelagius developed a whole new theory to offset the teaching of Pelagius which has become known as the theory of Original Sin. He also incorporated the idea of Predestination into Christianity. Both of these theories remained mostly dormant. The RCC theoogians, Luis de Molina and Thomas Aquinas moderated the stark absolute fatalism of Augustine.
It was not incorporated into a system of theology until John Calvin, one of the early Reformers. He developed a very well organized and logical system of theology built upon the premise of Predestination. That God predestined man, certain men to salvation. Part of that theory was a number of tenets known as TULIP, the last being the perserverance of the saints. To Calvin it made perfect sense that if God decreed who would be saved then those persons could not change that status. It would be illogical and against God's Sovereignty that man could change the will of God.
Subsequent Reformed theologians have ever since been trying to ameliorate this stark view of fatalism into Scripture.
OSAS is part of that predestination theory. YOu have such modern theologians as Stanley saying this: "Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy… believers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation."
This theology separates justification from sanctification. Each is independent of the other. Stanley also holds to the "Satisfaction Theory of Atonement" which holds that when one believes, God declares that person saved and all sins, past, present and future are automatically forgiven.
Calvinism as Calvin taught does at least connect the two, but Calvin also held to the Satisfaction theory of Atonement.
This is the arguement that many in this thread are advocating. They take and isolated text that seemingly says what they need it to say, make it an absolute statement which is very logical and understandable within both the Satisfaction theory and the doctrine of predestination.
However, Scripture does not teach either doctrine.
We began with Augustine, but did the early Church Fathers also hold to OSAS. If it was truly a scriptural teaching we should find ample evidence in the writings of the early Church Fathers. Alas, there is no record of OSAS in any Church Father, other than Augustine.
Here are some examples of the Fathers in the Early Church....
"On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodom when all the country round was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that He does not forsake those that hope in Him, but gives up such as depart from Him to punishment and torture. For Lot's wife, who went forth with him, being of a different mind from himself and not continuing in agreement with him [as to the command which had been given them], was made an example of, so as to be a pillar of salt unto this day. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations." (First Epistle Of Clement To The Corinthians, Chapter 11)
"Let us, then not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He saith, 'Not everyone that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that worketh righteousness.' Wherefore, brethren, let us confess Him by our works, by loving one another, by not committing adultery, or speaking evil of one another, or cherishing envy, but being continent, compassionate, and good. We ought also to sympathize with one another, and not be avaricious. By such works let us confess Him, and not by those that are of an opposite kind. And it is not fitting that we should fear men, but rather God. For this reason, if we should do such wicked things, the Lord hath said, 'Even though ye were gathered together to Me in My very bosom, yet if ye were not to keep My commandments, I would cast you off, and say unto you, 'Depart from Me; I know you not whence ye are, ye workers of iniquity.''" (2 Epistle of Clement, Chapter 4)
Polycarp (65 to 155 AD) is believed to have been instructed by the Apostles.
"I am greatly grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so little understands the place that was given him (in the Church]. I exhort you, therefore, that ye abstain from covetousness, and that ye be chaste and truthful. 'Abstain from every form of evil.' For if a man cannot govern himself in such matters, how shall he enjoin them on others? If a man does not keep himself from covetousness, he shall be defiled by idolatry, and shall be judged as one of the heathen." (Epistle Of Polycarp To The Philippians, Chapter 11)
"And to as many as continue in their love towards God, does He grant communion with Him. But communion with God is life and light, and the enjoyment of all the benefits which He has in store. But on as many as, according to their own choice, depart from God. He inflicts that separation from Himself which they have chosen of their own accord. But separation from God is death, and separation from light is darkness; and separation from God consists in the loss of all the benefits which He has in store. Those, therefore, who cast away by apostasy these forementioned things, being in fact destitute of all good, do experience every kind of punishment.
God, however, does not punish them immediately of Himself, but that punishment falls upon them because they are destitute of all that is good. Now, good things are eternal and without end with God, and therefore the loss of these is also eternal and never-ending. It is in this matter just as occurs in the case of a flood of light: those who have blinded themselves, or have been blinded by others, are for ever deprived of the enjoyment of light. It is not, [however], that the light has inflicted upon them the penalty of blindness, but it is that the blindness itself has brought calamity upon them: and therefore the Lord declared, He that believeth in Me is not condemned, that is, is not separated from God, for he is united to God through faith.
On the other hand, He says, He that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God; that is, he separated himself from God of his own accord. For this is the condemnation, that light is come into this world, and men have loved darkness rather than light. For every one who doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that he has wrought them in God." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V, XXVII, 2)
"For a man by himself working and toiling at freedom from passion achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself very desirous and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. For God conspires with willing souls. But if they abandon their eagerness, the spirit which is bestowed by God is also restrained. For to save the unwilling is the part of one exercising compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace."
(Clement of Alexandria, Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved? 21, in Ante-Nicene Fathers 2:597)
Scriptures that OSAS cannot refute, it is a necessity to change the Gospel to get around them. It is quote obvious by the advocates of OSAS in this thread have done some masterful work in trying to rewrite scripture to fit the OSAS theory. The following texts are irrefutable by OSAS, if one takes all of scripture as the context for attaining eternal life. These texts have been quoted already in this thread but rejected by OSASers because they deny both predestination and the Satisfaction theory of Atonement. There are many more in scripture, some 200+ verses that deal with man's faith, being faithful, losing faith, or having lost faith and condemned.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
How can you be saved without the light of God? Likewise, how can you lose the light of God, and yet be saved? Here Jesus is threatening to remove the 'candlestick' from the church unless they repented...and I don't think He makes idle threats.
Rev 22:19 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.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Besides not being found in scripture here are some things that it denies....
The purpose of God creating man.
It denies the purpose of man's existence.
The way God planned to save mankind and to offer eternal life to all.
It denies a mutual, loving relationship with God by man.
Nothing I have stated here is new. It is an historical record of the Truth from the beginning, as well as the history of a false teaching that was instituted in a theological system only 500 years ago, and has been modified and still being developed. But man, being man, will continue to abide in false teachings which is another historical phenonomon.
