There are 3 types of belief systems:
(A.) ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
(B.) ETERNAL SECURITY
(C.) PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Each one means something different...
I do worry about those reading along that get the idea they are saved NO MATTER WHAT...
which corresponds to ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED.
I've always understood A & B to be the same as well. C is more along the lines of what I believe because it is described all throughout the Bible, but if it means one is saved no matter what, that is not what I believe.
For those reading along who might believe they are saved NO MATTER WHAT, think of Abraham who was not allowed into the Promised Land by God for his conduct; disobedience of some kind. Did you notice that word there?
Promised Land.
That's right. God made the promise and God
retracted it ... due to a performance-related issue of Abraham's.
God's promises are
conditional.
There are countless verses that encourage to
persevere and
endure and
fight and
keep watch, etc.
NONE of these concepts make
any sense at all if we are
guaranteed entry into heaven after sincerely setting off to be a Christian.
Not necessarily directed at you, GG. Just re-stating a point that keeps falling on deaf ears.
I have also repeatedly brought up the point that Christians are in a War and Ephesians 6:12 is a sticky issue for OSAS, but nobody will address it.