Once Saved, Now Lost

[LDM]

The purpose of this thread is to serve as a discussion section for questions, comments, corrections, disagreements with the Once Saved Now Lost series on the blog. thelatterdays.blogspot.com/2009/11/once-saved-now-lost-part-1a.html

One thing I would ask is that we take time to provide Scripture for our positions, explain what we believe the referenced Scripture says, and that we listen to each other. Let all be done in the Spirit of fellowship with our hearts set on growing in God.

Thanks!

[neenerz]

I always wondered if ,when Paul says to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1Cor 5:5)

If that would also be a verse that supports how people can turn from God onto deceitful lusts and therefore lose salvation?

[LDM]

Hi Neenerz,

In that particular instance, I believe that Paul is speaking of doing whatever necessary to turn someone's heart back to the Lord. The only thing that can get between us and our walk with God is the flesh. The desires of the flesh are opposed to the desires of the spirit, so as we give room to the flesh, it will carry us further and further away from the things of God.

God does all things with the heart and mind to bring men unto Himself. Sometimes, that even means letting the hard knocks of life beat us upside the head to bring us back to our senses.

That is similar to the Prodigal Son parable. He left the home of his father and went to live a riotous life. But when life began to be too heavy, he remembered the love of his father. So, if the person Paul refers to were to turn back to God after tiring of satan bondage from satan's influence, he would be saved. If he would not, then he may not be saved.

As you note, Paul never says that such will be saved, but that he is doing this so that they may be.

[brenlee]

Found your Facebook account just a little while ago and then found your teaching on OSAS. It's something that I've struggled with for a long time. I just don't believe that there is accurate teaching on this today. The need to "rightly divide the Word of truth" is more and more evident as the days get darker. Please pray that God will answer my questions through this teaching and that it is not too late for me.

[LDM]

Hi Brenlee!

First, welcome.

Second, whatever your position on OSAS, it is not a matter of salvation. In other words, whether you believe in this or not has no bearing on your relationship with God.

The reason I am writing the series is because someone asked me to provide Scriptural proof that OSAS is false.

However, I think it is also important to look at because some unScriptural positions have been developed to support this, i.e. a Book of Life that is not the Book of the Living, the New Testament being a covenant between the Father and Jesus rather than God and man, Salvation representing God's automatic forgiveness of future sins, etc. Bottom line is that we should not be so beholden to the doctrines in which we believe that we are willing to twist Scripture to support them.

I hope that once I finish the series it will answer some of your questions or at least give you peace in this area.

Regardless of what you believe in this topic, simply serve Jesus with your whole heart and follow Him. As believers, this is all we have to do.

God Bless!
Mia