|
|
|
What kind of lessons can be learned from these spiritual tragedies? 1. Parents who teach or subject their children to the influence of once saved always saved (OSAS) teaching, as this mother did, are setting a spiritual time bomb that oftentimes explodes one day with their children becoming wild, disobedient and immoral when they grow older. (To read an actual letter about the sad way one women's children turned out because of the OSAS teaching, please see The Believer's Conditional Security by Daniel D. Corner, p. 2.) 2. There is no way to know how many broken homes (through divorce) have occurred because one or both parties believed in OSAS. In the minds of such people, adultery is just like any other sin and will never hinder their entrance into heaven, if they were ever saved. They have been taught that King David didn't lose his salvation through adultery and murder, so how could they? So, if such a couple has marital problems and the devil tempts them to divorce and "marry" someone else, the OSAS lie helps to terminate marriages. Many of these new "marriages" are nothing but pure "adultery" for both parties, as far as God is concerned (Matt 5:32; 19:9). In our story, the mother's "incompatibility" excuse for divorce is not recognized before God! 3. It is especially sad that a heresy like eternal security, the perseverance of the saints or OSAS (different names for the same essential teaching) could actually be labeled the "gospel," but besides the mother in the story, very influential ministries are teaching this! In contrast, the real gospel of grace includes a conditional security for the believer, as well as human responsibility, to maintain salvation. Notice the clarity of 1 Cor 15:2: "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." This seriously indicts all OSAS teachers. 4. Many people who are heavily tempted to sin are not concerned about their rewards as long as they make heaven. So for the OSAS teachers to tell their listeners that they will lose their rewards but not their salvation, over living in sin, carries no punch. Too bad such teachers can't declare the real truth, that is, sin in the life of true Christians can lead to their spiritual death, as the Bible frequently shows (Luke 15:24,32; Rom 8:13; Jam 1:14-16; 5:19,20; Gal 5:19-21; 6:7,8; etc.). 5. While OSAS teachers would never openly teach people to go out and sin, they don't have to! The OSAS doctrine allows for this deadly conclusion. It is like adding 2+2 and coming up with four. The OSAS perverted grace message, which is not Biblical grace at all, allows for the King David type of immoral living with no fear of going to the lake of fire attached to it. That plainly contradicts Rev. 21:8. 6. The Bible is filled with many clear passages that show Christians must continue with the Lord for salvation's sake. For example, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Mat 10:22) and "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first" (Heb 3:14). If you are a real Christian and are personally wondering what is right about this important issue, go directly to the Bible for yourself and sincerely seek the truth. See 2 Tim 3:16,17. 7. The eternal truth of God is sometimes rejected with the servant being persecuted for speaking the truth, as the mother toward the daughter in our story shows. But not everyone will reject the truth. Some have a heart for truth and will repent, resulting in their salvation. 8. As with divorce, certainly many suicides have also resulted because of OSAS. An unrepentant self-murderer, who was once saved, will not go to heaven (1 John 3:15; Rev 21:8). (For documented material on suicide and OSAS, see chapter 17 in The Believer's Conditional Security.) 9. Many people from the flames of Hell will realize that OSAS is a demonic lie, but then it will be eternally too late for them to turn from their sins. So let's try to convince the unsaved now about the seriousness of the types of sins cited in 1 Cor 6:9,10; Eph 5:5-7; Jude 7; Rev 21:8 and Gal 5:19-21. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Mat 5:8). 10. Though faithful Christians may be persecuted and hated for living holy and telling others the truth in this life, after their death, there will be no regrets throughout all eternity. "He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue" (Prov 28:23). God will wipe every tear from their eyes (Rev 21:4) in this paradise kingdom. Heaven is just as real as Hell. As the wicked will be tormented, the righteous will experience the opposite: "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life" (Rom 2:7). 11. You can obtain a softback copy of the 801 page book, The Believer's Conditional Security (a thorough Biblical refutation to eternal security), by making your check for $23.45 payable to Evangelical Outreach, PO Box 265, Washington, PA 15301. (If you are outside the USA, please send $29.95.) God bless you. |
|
|