Steaver brought up an interesting point, He says that when one lacks a proper view of regeneration and being born again, one cannot understand OSAS. Why has this never been brought up before? By all means I want to give Steaver and others believing in OSAS a clear opportunity to share with us their superior understanding of regeneration and being born again so we can understand OSAS. If one feels there are other basic areas one must understand to understand OSAS by all means post them here. Let's get to the very core of understanding OSAS and the truths that one must hold to believe in it.
The Secret Necessary Truths to Comprehend OSAS
Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by Heavenly Pilgrim, Feb 19, 2012.
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You facilitate far too many atheists like Dan Barker (evangelical minister for 20 years, who is now the president and founder of freedom from religion foundation) who say, they were Christian. They once loved God, and now they hate Him which in turn demonstrates to them that they have the power, and proving to them that Christianity is just like any other religious psychology
My friend. No where in scripture do we see that we have the power to save ourselves so how is it we have the power to unsave ourselves?
My friend. The God that saves you is the God that keeps you. Are you saying, God cannot keep those He saves? -
Impossible to undo that work, as it is God who took us from lostto saved, and he keeps us by by His will and power...
IF one can break the union between us and Christ once saved, than he would be greater then the God the Father! -
The Biblicist Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
In addition, what accompanies this new creation within us is the Holy Spirit of God who "never leaves us or forsakes us." The new birth is what inclines the will toward doing good and it is the Holy Spirit that supplies the power for the inclination of the will to actually do good, thus it is "God that worketh in us both to WILL and to DO according to his good pleasure."
Where sin enters the picture is from some other source within us other than this new creation and the Holy Spirit. When the believer does not yeild to the Holy Spirit where the POWER to accomplish the "good" we are inclined by new birth to do, then sin is the consequence. Thus the child of God can legitimately say, "It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me" (Rom. 7:16, 20) in regard to defining the inward source of sin within the regenerated man. Hence, it is a question of power not inclination for good (Rom. 7:18b).
The proof of indwelling sin in the flesh is that sin always wins in regard to our body as it is "this body OF DEATH" and corruption is the consequence of sin "for the wages OF SIN is death."
The child of God always sins MORE THAN HE WANTS TO. The new birth changes the inclination of the will but does not provide POWER to accomplish the good it is inclined toward. The will can be dominated by another source within man which is yet unredeemed and by that very character is still dominated by sin. However, the inward man will NEVER be inclined to will to reject Jesus Christ no more than God can as the inward man is CREATED IN TRUE HOLINESS and RIGHEOUSNESS and there can be no inclination to evil by the very nature of that creation.
Not only so but the Indwelling Spirit of God not only supplies the power for this inclination to continue toward goodness but will never allow the complete dominance of indwelling sin as it is the very purpose of the Indwelling Spirit of God to progressively and eventually save what He has regenerated so Paul could say "Being CONFIDENT of this very thing that he which hath begun a work IN YOU shall PERFORM it UNTO THAT DAY." -
Apostle paul in Romans shows us two paths believers can take after being saved by God...
One is to rely upon keeping the law by our "flesh", but our own willpower/resolve...
that causes frustration/failure...
other way is to reckon ourselves crucified in christ, and yield tothe controlling power/prson of the HS, and he grants the means to live in christ a victory over our flesh/temptations etc! -
The Biblicist Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
:thumbsup:
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Don't rely upon the Flesh, but upon christ in us, the hope of glory! -
HP: What a great way to introduce yourself, by calling another friend.:thumbsup:
I happen to believe you mean that. My honest hope is that in the end, agree or disagree, we can still can and treat each other as you have done here. Let us purpose from the beginning to treat each other with Christian charity above all else!
Let me first address your first point. I have been married for many years. I know full well the possibility exists that I could leave the wife of my youth, but I love her. I have no desire to do anything that would hurt her or cause her to leave me. It would be absurd to say I sin against my wife everyday in thought word and deed. It would be absurd to say that sinning against my wife was in any way a common occurrence or the norm of my life. Love towards one and sinning against one is at direct antipodes with each other. Scripture tells us : Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
One cannot say they love God and yet act in a manner daily inconsistent with that love. It does not take a belief in OSAS to act in accordance to love towards God if that is our heart. Our assurance of our love for God and His acceptance of us is not solidified according to Scripture by believing in some doctrine such as OSAS, but rather it is set forth by Scripture to be established and recognized by our actions towards God. You show me the verse that says we know that we are accepted by God by believing in OSAS, and I will show you where Scripture says clearly we know that we are in a right relationship with God by our actions.
1Jn 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Notice carefully the condemnation ones heart can testify to, even as believers.
I have no fear when I leave my home that God will forsake me, for He is faithful. I do not walk around in fear that I will leave God for I love Him. I do have to exercise my will in making good choices consistent with love, without which I indeed could sin. I do have to voluntarily depend on God not just to miraculously deliver me from every temptation, but rather to provide a way of escape for those that love Him, that will exercise their will in the direction of deliverance. I am not saved by my will, but neither will anyone be saved apart from the exercising of ones will. No man is saved for the sake of what he does, but neither will any be saved apart from obedience to the conditions God has set forth, continued obedience being one of them to remain in a right relationship with Him. -
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Still waiting on Steaver to enlighten us on that 'proper view' of regeneration and being born again that clinches, or makes understandable, the notion of OSAS.
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For its God at work in and through to complete that good work he started in us, against that time of return of Christ! -
God has in His sovereignty choose not to work in and through any man that does not willingly comply with the conditions He set forth to receive salvation and glorification. It is not man choosing a way or manner by which he might be saved, nevertheless no man will be saved unless they fulfill the sovereign chosen means by which God has set forth, which all include acts of man's will. Man is not saved by anything he does or could do, but neither will any man be saved apart from fulfilling the sovereign conditions God calls upon man to exercise his will in accordance with. Everything man is required to do by God is thought of in the sense of 'not without which,' not 'that for the sake of.' Nothing God requires man to do is meritorious in and of itself. Nothing God requires of man to do is in any way the grounds for our salvation, yet no man will be saved apart from fulfilling God's stated conditions.
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The Biblicist Well-Known MemberSite Supporter