Search Results

My question is: Are the deceived responsible for their having been deceived? Even the church is constantly warned in the Bible to beware of false prophets and false Christs, but it seems like there are an awful lot of Christians who have fallen for the tricks of cults and false messiahs. Some people might say that these deceived folks “must never have been real believers in the first place to be so misled” but that’s a pretty irresponsible cop-out if you ask me.

I’m a firm believer of the “OSAS” doctrine so I can’t believe these people are losing their salvation by believing the lies they’re fed, but I’m having a bit of trouble justifying that to myself or anyone else who asks.

I hear a great deal of debate regarding “Hyper Grace” which I understand is the belief that sin has no consequences because of Gods grace. They say our sins are already forgiven, so it does not matter if we sin. I know that “we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory”, but I also believe that we are to confess our sin and repent of the sin i.e., turn away from the sin. In my mind, deliberately sinning, believing that sin has no consequences, is rejecting what Christ died for! He died and paid the penalty for my sin so that I could be restored back to the Father; not so that I could go back to the sin that He died to set me free from. I hope this makes sense?

I want to personally thank you again for your wonderful ministry and the spiritual guidance you impart in the articles you present on scripture.

My question is one that has concerned me for a long time and perhaps many of our other brothers and sisters out there. The question relates to a subject you recently talked about on being born again. How do you know for sure that you’ve been born again even though you’ve continually asked the lord to come into your heart, repent of your sins, and fully believe the gospel, in that the lord was born of a virgin, was crucified dead and buried and then rose again on the third day, was seen by many and ascended into heaven and reigns at the right hand of God-almighty and until his greatly anticipated return. This in spite of the fact that I continue to sin in areas that I wouldn’t think a true Christian would sin.

The scary thing for me is if it has only been a superficial belief all along based on an intellectual belief of our lord and savior. Then when we stand in front of our lord he will say I never knew you! This is a question I have never seen addressed in our own church and on many of the Christian broadcasts and would then put into doubt the question on OSAS since you thought you were saved but in fact you were not. I would love to hear your insight on this since you yourself didn’t feel you were born again until much later in your own Christian walk.

How do you interpret the parable of the sower in view of your stance on OSAS. Would you suggest that the seed that fell on rocky ground equates to those who do not receive the word and therefore are not saved? But what then of those who fall away in the heat of testing, and the ones whose growth is choked by the cares and worries of this life? Are they “Saved” in the first place? Or would you say that they never really received the word in the first place?

You may have answered these questions somewhere that I haven’t been able to find on your site. But I would appreciate an explanation concerning verses Matt. 7:21 – 23. Jesus is saying that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven – if they call him Lord – doesn’t that indicate that they believe?

Also James 2:19 which states that “…Even the demons believe and tremble”.

And Matt. 8:28 when the demons in the two men cried out saying “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God?”……’ Doesn’t that indicate that they believed?

I was brought up on the OSAS belief but these verses have always troubled me. I would appreciate any help you may give so that I could understand the belief only context. I know that no one can earn their way to heaven by good works. I also know it’s all a product of God’s grace that provides salvation. But my understanding is that true believers – those who believe in Jesus as Messiah, who died and rose again and is our only path to heaven must also strive to live their lives in an ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus and without that second part just belief only seems to put one in the shallow ‘demon’ category. Please clarify.

I was having a conversation with a friend who believes that people can lose their salvation. I believe in once saved, always saved. She used Saul as an example of someone who was saved, then lost their salvation. I know I still believe in OSAS, but how do I explain this. Does 1 Samuel 28:19 prove that Saul is saved, when Samuel says tomorrow he will be with him “Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”