After re-reading your post, I find your use of this interesting, farout, being as how almost every person that was passed over that night, by the destroyer, was later destroyed in the desert for sin and disbelief. Before they reached the promised land, but after the Lamb's blood, there was a journey that they had to make, and that was where they all failed. I'm not sure that this was a good example of Once Saved, Always Saved at all ...? Nor do I lose sleep at night worried that the blood of Christ wasn't sufficient enough to save me.
It isn't that the people who don't believe in OSAS have a lack of faith, or are immature Christians just because we don't believe what you do ( I know that a lot of you believe that believing OSAS makes you more mature Christians, because it shows your total faith in something ); if we have any lack of faith, it is in ourselves, because we have not entirely factored ourselves completely out of the equation as you people have. I don't deny that you have a good, strong faith, I just think it's ill-placed. If you want an example of people that truly seem to have faith in what they believe don't forget the Muslims who are willing to strap bombs to themselves in the name of Allah. Just because you believe something, and never verbally show any doubt in it, doesn't make it truth.
You seem to believe that Jesus completed the walk for you, two thousand years ago, and we believe that we have to walk the walk now, with Jesus. I see Jesus telling us to pick up our crosses and follow him as him saying that there is still more to do; had he intended to complete all, with his dying on the cross, I don't think that he would have told us to bear our own cross as well.
I believe that I need to show Jesus how much I appreciate what he did for me, and not just say it once and be done with it. Remember the parable of the talents? Those that were rewarded were those that did something with the talents that they had received, adding to them. Remember what happened to the man that just held on to the talent that he had and didn't do anything to add to it?
I am an OSAS believer and I don't believe we are saved as long as we stay saved.
Jesus did complete the walk for us 2000 years ago, it was forgiveness and salvation and, it began with the cross and ended with his resurrection.
Luther was once a devout Roman Catholic, struggled with his faith. During the years prior to reformation, he continually saw and understood things from the Bible that went against the Roman Church teachings.
As history goes, Luther often ended up in prison for his resistence. On several occasions, he would leave his cell and go to confession. When he returned to his cell, he would discover something else that he needed to confess.
So, what was he to do? Wait until he went to confession again? In the meantime was he unclean, unforgiven and was he out of salvation for the time being? The Catholic hierarcy said yes. He loved Jesus and was perplexed that he could so easily fall out of grace.
Then he realized the truth that Jesus said would set you free, That you are forgiven for all your sins, even the ones you forget and the reformation began.
Luther realized there is nothing wrong with asking for forgiveness on a daily basis but, it is when it is a requirement, that it slides a person right back into legalism and the curse of the law, which is bondage.
The Bible says that Jesus died once and for all of us. He is not going to die again for sins, we can't crucify him all over again and to his disgrace. If you go, or try because you can never do it perfectly but, if you were to go to God daily for forgiveness, I think it is a good cahnce that he would say, "why are you asking me for something I have already done for you"!
Jesus did take care of all of it 2000 years ago, when he looked up from the cross and said to the Father, that it was finished, complete and, then like no Priest before him, he was allowed to sit down.
I believe that our salvation is now and complete and I believe that the Bible tells us that we are already seated in the heaven with Christ, nothing is more permanent than that.
I love the Lord too and want to please him. It's not that I do not look at my sin, I do but, the point is, God said that he would no longer look at them. There is nothing I can do, he has completely taken it out of my hands.
All I can do is abide in the vine and produce his fruit; when I mess up and I will, he has already forgiven me and my salvation is still intact.
As he, who is in me, chastises me and convicts me, I have regret and remorse, in other words, I am repentive.
One of the most important aspects of my relationship with him is the peace and freedom of knowing when I forget or don't readily see a sin in my life, he is right there, picking me up and telling me it's already been taken care of.
Sure I want to walk the walk and I too want to please the Lord and show my appreciation but, when I don't do it so perfectly at times, I am at peace with my relationship with the him and my salvation.
