Oh brother. Not all the time. Trust that. Not all the time.
I know people who have been born again and haven't acted any differently than before they was. They confess Christ as Lord with their tongues and they truly believe it in their heart. And they want to change for God, but they don't. Does that mean these people are any less deserving of Gods salvation because of Christ's work?
Yes. They are not deserving of Christ's work because they did not accept it because they did not truly repent. They are still in love with their old self and in love with serving their sin and not serving God. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. For you will hate the one and love the other. This is what the Condemnation is all about. John 3:19-20 says, "And this is the Condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."
Look, lets not get off topic. If I'm wrong in anything I say, I appreciate your correction and guidance I really do. Lets face it, the only reason we're here is because of our faith. So it is Gods will that we are here today having this discussion.
But I must digress, you have taken something so very simple and over complicated it.
No, OSAS proponents have taken something simple and turned it into a license for immorality (Jude 1:4 NIV). For Peter identifies those false believers as those who have eyes full of adultery and who cannot cease from sin (2 Peter 2:1, 14).
There is a simplicity in Christ. You know right from wrong. Good guys are not people who do bad and evil things. That is Morality 101. That is simple basics. You don't need a Bible to tell you good guys do good and bad guys do bad. Those who sin with no remorse and have no desire to change are hypocrites. For the Bible says one thing and they do another thing. Jesus talked about the Pharisees being hypocrites.
It is meant to be very simple. I am explicitly answering your original thread starting question of "Can you be out of Fellowship with God and still be Saved?" with a yes, you can.
Just because you say that people can be out of fellowship with God doesn't make it so. You actually need a Bible verse or two to support that line of thinking. However, you don't have to bother looking for one. Not only has nobody been able to produce one so far, but there is Scripture that actually says the exact opposite. 1 John 5:12 says he that has the Son has life and he that does not have the Son does not have life. John 17:3 says that eternal life is in knowing the true God, Jesus Christ. Knowing someone implies a fellowship. So eternal life is tied to fellowship. For Jesus Christ alone is the only one who possesses immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). For if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ they do not belong to him (Romans 8:9).
Since everyones walk with God is different. That's another reason why you should never judge anyone.
Again, you don't know your Bible. That's not what the Bible says. Jesus says judge not by outward appearances but judge righteous Judgment. Paul says know ye not that ye shall judge angels? For Paul says we are not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but we are to rather reprove them. What is unfruitful works of darkness? Again, read the Condemnation one more time in John 3:19-20.
I am not trying to avoid anything. Why do you need me to "
explain the words in the verses"? Use
dictionary.com if you need to do that!
You know what I mean. Please offer how the words in those passages relate to OSAS. I am asking for a commentary. Surely that should not be too difficult for you. But I am not really expecting you to do that because you do not know how to actually explain those passages in relating to OSAS.
Well thats great brother! Truly great. Although, it is regardless here as to what you are or aren't without Him. Although you are 100% right and I metaphorically high five you for that. But I don't think I have ever said here that sin is taken away by a belief alone.
Then how does sin get taken away in one's life personally if it is not by some OSAS belief alone?
You say the scriptures don't teach that, but if that is so; about sin not being taken away by a belief alone, then what about 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. then?
Isn't it enough to believe that, do as it says, then move on?
That's not what it says in context, though. Again. 1 John 1:6 says if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. 1 John 1:7 says if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 is reworded in 1 John 2:3-6. It says, hereby we can know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:1 says to the brethren if they sin, they have an advocate that they can go to named Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). This means 1 John 1:9 applies to the believer. For OSAS proponents do not believe they have any sin held to their account. So they are saying in Christ, they have no sin. But 1 John 1:8 says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Then 1 John 1:9 is the next verse that follows.
Once forgiven, always forgiven. The slate is wiped clean.
You need an actual Bible verse that says that.
It is your single and simple child like faith that saves you, your faith in Christ and his forgiveness, not how times you repent of your sins.
Lets wrap this up with an example.
Lets say someone called Steve was a sinner, but got converted by a Christian friend and become a born again Christian. Steve is much happier with life now he knows the truth and has the joy that comes through faith in Christ. But try as hard as Steve might to please God, he still sometimes repeats old sins like swearing, being rude, being selfish, being proud, arrogant etc. Maybe even sometimes he does much worse things.
One day after Christian fellowship with worshiping and songs of praise, Steve goes home and flicks on the TV and sees some unwholesome stuff in a film or documentary, gets made and cusses outloud or strikes out in an act of thoughtless rage.
Steve has now sinned and is in danger of hellfire. Later on in that day, Jesus comes back in the clouds with the sound of trumpets pumping and the voice of God himself says Come up hither!
In the twinkling of an eye, all the dead are raised first and then all those that are still alive and are believers are called up to meet Jesus and our Father.
What about Steve? He had some sin that he never had a chance to confess. So does that mean he'll be left behind with all the atheists?
No of course not. His faith will save him. Not how fast he was able to confess his sin and get right with God again.
He was already right with God when he become born again.
You absolutely cannot loose your salvation if you are a true born again believer.
Yes, that professing believer who still abides in unrepentant sin (with no remorse) is not saved. They need to repent and forsake their sin with God's help. For the Scriptures say, "For without holiness, no man shall see the Lord."
If you could, then Paul and the bible is a liar.
Paul and the Bible do not teach OSAS. You have tricked yourself into believing a lie that is not in the Scriptures. Look, you can't even explain simple verses in 1 John 1 to me in your own words.
Now I'm sure you'll say something clever to this and tell me to go read some scripture somewhere. And I appreciate it I really do because it's all educational to me at the end of the day.
But that's my belief. My thoughts on the matter. My answer is, yes. And if you say no, you don't really know the bible or God as well as you think you do.
That might be a hard pill to swallow for some people.
Well, I have considered OSAS for a brief time. But Scripture completely is against such a concept everywhere. From Genesis to Revelation you can see many examples that refute OSAS.
But chin up! God loves us! He wants us to be happy!! H A P P Y!
He doesn't want us to be happy in sin; And God will not condone or reward you by allowing you to enter into Heaven because of it, either.
He wants us to rightly divide His word in truth. But above all, He wants us to be happy and joyful.
People work better when they are happy.
God bless you and all!
Does your preacher say the words, "Rightly divide the Word of truth" ? I know this is taken from Scripture, but OSAS proponents say this phrase like it is their personal pet motto or slogan or something. On another forum, others have used this same phrase from Scripture. As if saying it actually explains everything.
But it doesn't explain anything.
You can't explain the morality behind OSAS. For how is letting people who can sin and rebel against God not being hypocritcal? You know the Bible says to be holy and be righteous, and yet God is going to just like let you slide in doing evil? Jesus had some pretty nasty words against those who did evil and appeared to be religious.