Silly man. That's what I did. I started from Scripture. But maybe you haven't been following very closely.
In John 5:24 Jesus said those who believe (in the present tense) have (as in POSSESS) eternal life. Also in the present tense.
So, WHEN one believes, they ARE a believer, and they HAVE/POSSESS eternal life. Got it so far?
Then, in John 10:28 Jesus stated in very clear words that recipients of eternal life (check Jn 5:24 for who that is) SHALL NEVER PERISH.
There is no "man-made doctrine" in my statements, unless you just want to emphasize Jesus' humanity. Then it's correct.
But, unless you can show from Scripture some mention of:
a sheep becoming a goat,
or a saved person becoming unsaved,
or a justified person becoming unjustified,
or a regenerate person becoming unregenerate,
or a born again person becoming unborn,
you ain't got a point.
Therefore, OSNG is true.
But, humor me a bit. Thanks.
I don’t see John 10:28 as a proof text for OSAS. I think it is important to look at the preceding verses in John 10:26-27 to see how the Lord holds us accountable in our relationship with Him. I understand that some who believe in OSAS state that if a sheep is no longer following Christ, that means they believe they were never a true sheep to begin with.
26 But
ye believe not, because
ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. (So the sheep of Christ believe in Him)
27
MY SHEEP hear my voice, and I know
them, and
they follow me: (the sheep also hear His voice and follow Him)
28 And I give unto
them (who is this “them”? It is the same sheep who
believe in Jesus,
hear His voice and
follow Him)
eternal life (1st promise); and they shall
never perish (2nd promise), neither shall any man
pluckthem out of my hand (3rd promise).
29 My Father, which gave
them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father’s hand.These three promises are given, as clearly shown,
to the sheep who:
believe in Him
know Him (John 10:14)
hear His voice
follow Him
So, the OSAS doctrine is that God is greater than all and "no man" can pluck us out of his hand. According to this doctrine "No man" would include us and our own will. As Christians, we have to know Him, hear His voice, and follow Him as our salvation is conditional. It is a free gift that can be rejected. I believe it possible for a born again Christian to fall out of the Spirit of God, and then continue on rejecting the Lord unto death.
Calvinists/Reformed perhaps don't see the possibility of God laying down two alternatives, pointing out the eternal and unchangeable consequences of each, and giving a person the choice, especially when God's will favors one alternative and abhors the other.
Calvinists argue that if a person can possibly choose the alternative that God does not wish, then that person's will can prevail over God's will, so the will of that person is the sovereign will, and God's will is subject to that person's own will.
This view overlooks the fact that our Lord himself was tempted and could have disobeyed his Father's will. He said that he would yield to his Father's will; but he also said that
he could call upon his Father for twelve legions of angels to escape the cross —even though the Father’s will, written in prophecy, would then fail to be fulfilled (Matthew 26:39,53).
I see why you mention John 5:24. The natural question that follows is, “what does it mean to believe in Jesus?
” To me, salvation is conditional. I think the believer must continue to repent when he/she falls from grace, as I do not think God's grace is irresistible. I do think that a Christian can stop believing in Jesus at anytime throughout the course of their life. They do this by returning to unrepentant and willful sin. It is my view that it is possible for a born again Christian to fall away and become one of the lost the Lord mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23, or Galatians 5:19-21.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions,
cdivisions, 21envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that
dthose who do2 such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
There is of course the case of Judas, a born again follower losing his salvation. He was given the power to cast out devils in the sixth chapter of Mark. 7 And
He (Jesus)
called unto him the twelve (which obviously include Judas), and began to send
them forth by two and two; and
gave them POWER over unclean spirits (so Judas Iscariot was given
power over unclean Spirits);
13 And
they CAST OUT MANY DEVILS (and using the
power given by the Lord, Judas Iscariot whom was sent as one of the twelve
cast out many devils), and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. Judas was given the Power of the Holy Ghost which enabled him to cast out many devils. That is an example of someone who has received the Holy Spirit and has been born again. Judas was saved at that time and one of the sheep the Father gave Jesus in John 17:12. Jesus betrayed the Lord so that the Word of God would be fulfilled.
There is also the case of Simon the Sorcerer. Some Arminians point out this example to demonstrate the possibility of salvation being lost. Although there is no mention of Simon losing his salvation, Peter does mention to him he is on the way to perdition if he does not repent. To me, this demonstrates how a Christian should continue to ask the Lord for forgiveness after a transgression is committed. If a Christian can fall from grace by trusting in His own righteousness, I don't see why a Christian can't fall from grace by being overcome by unrepentant sin. I don't see why a Christian can't leave the Spirit of God and disobey Him, continuing on in unrepentant sin of his/her own free will.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.13 Then SIMON HIMSELF BELIEVED ALSO: and when he was BAPTIZED, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
The information above, which Luke writes down for us in Acts, is that Simon believed and was baptized. That will absolutely make the reader understand Simon was saved. Or else Luke would have totally confused us with his information about Simon.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Peter tells Simon that he is on the way to perdition and that he needs to repent so that God can forgive him for his wicked acts. Peter tells Simon that his heart is not right, and of course that means he couldn’t have been “saved” (spiritually alive) during this particular time.
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.22
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
The OSAS debate mostly involves these four theological questions. "Can a Christian fall from grace?" Is God's grace irresistible? Is man totally depraved? Is it possible for a Christian to return to willful and unrepentant sin and lose salvation? I am no theologian, but I can understand why this debate continues on.
I reject all of TULIP but understand why many of my fellow Christians accept those doctrines. It is my view that man is depraved, not totally depraved. Total depravity is of course the foundational doctrine upon which the other five points of Calvinism stand. Here are three arguments against that doctrine for anyone who is interested in reading them.
http://lhim.org/blog/2014/02/06/three-arguments-against-total-depravity/. I know that most all of my brothers and sisters in the Lord who hold to OSAS are probably already aware of this.