Brakelite
Well-Known Member
When I first came to Christ 43 years ago my understanding of scripture and the process of salvation could have been written in bold capital letters on the back of a napkin and left enough space for the Declaration of Independence.
I knew nothing of the concept of OSAS until Christian forums became a thing 20 years later. It was only then that I asked myself questions regarding the security of my salvation. How did I know I was saved? was a question better expressed as how do I know God loves me? Over those 20 years I had experienced enough of God's care to convince me He loved me and cared for even the little things. The more I learned of scripture, the more I realised what was written was being played out in my life. I was born again years before I understood the theory. I was redeemed years before I understood the atonement. But when people started debating something I wasn't theologically familiar with, I resorted to experience and testimony. I asked myself, how was I saved? Thinking upon that gave me the answer I needed to the OSAS question.
I was saved, converted, when I came to a point in my life (prompted by a friend and convicted by the holy Spirit ) when I decided to let God make my life something He would approve of. It's more than that now: it's now a life I would want Him to declare as being very good. Like His Son's. Am I saved? Not yet. But I am in His hands. I have been justified. I am being sanctified. I will be glorified. Then, I will be saved. In the meantime, Jesus is not speaking to me in mysteries any more. The time has come that I now know not just Jesus' love, but the Father's love.
KJV John 16
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Jesus has gone before Me and I know now I am accepted in Him by the Father. Always. I am secure in that love. Can I choose to reject that and return to where I once was without Him and without hope in this world? Sure. Love doesn't remove free will, in fact love demands it. It cannot exist without it. And such is the relationship between Father and me. I trust Him to sustain me. I can't..I dare not trust in myself... But in Him I live and move and have my being.
I knew nothing of the concept of OSAS until Christian forums became a thing 20 years later. It was only then that I asked myself questions regarding the security of my salvation. How did I know I was saved? was a question better expressed as how do I know God loves me? Over those 20 years I had experienced enough of God's care to convince me He loved me and cared for even the little things. The more I learned of scripture, the more I realised what was written was being played out in my life. I was born again years before I understood the theory. I was redeemed years before I understood the atonement. But when people started debating something I wasn't theologically familiar with, I resorted to experience and testimony. I asked myself, how was I saved? Thinking upon that gave me the answer I needed to the OSAS question.
I was saved, converted, when I came to a point in my life (prompted by a friend and convicted by the holy Spirit ) when I decided to let God make my life something He would approve of. It's more than that now: it's now a life I would want Him to declare as being very good. Like His Son's. Am I saved? Not yet. But I am in His hands. I have been justified. I am being sanctified. I will be glorified. Then, I will be saved. In the meantime, Jesus is not speaking to me in mysteries any more. The time has come that I now know not just Jesus' love, but the Father's love.
KJV John 16
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
Jesus has gone before Me and I know now I am accepted in Him by the Father. Always. I am secure in that love. Can I choose to reject that and return to where I once was without Him and without hope in this world? Sure. Love doesn't remove free will, in fact love demands it. It cannot exist without it. And such is the relationship between Father and me. I trust Him to sustain me. I can't..I dare not trust in myself... But in Him I live and move and have my being.