Thank you for the letter you faxed to me in response to my letter. I am reading your book slowly and carefully. There is a great deal to think about as I read. Before reading your book I thought there was nothing more for me to learn on the subject of OSAS [once saved always saved]. I used to belong to an Independent Baptist Church that preached the truth of OSAS. I once accepted this false teaching as truth. It was not until I heard a traveling evangelist teach that OSAS is a false doctrine that I even began to think about the subject. After hearing this man’s message I felt an intense urgency to know the truth about OSAS. I had such a strong desire to know the truth that I became almost obsessed with my need to know with certainty whether or not OSAS was true. I wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than 100% confidence that this doctrine was either true or false. I decided to begin my study by reading every word of the Bible from beginning to end and taking notes on any verse that seemed to be even remotely related to the subject. After doing this I decided I should read some of the OSAS books to see if they had any insights that would be helpful. My study lasted for about 3 years. My study lasted this long because I could not be satisfied until I was absolutely certain about the truth of this doctrine. I have to admit that I desperately wanted OSAS to be true. My mind was totally biased in favor of OSAS. However, I never allowed my biases to stop me from honestly evaluating what the Bible taught on this subject. What I found was astounding. The Bible constantly used words like “IF.” I was unable to find even one shred of evidence that OSAS was true. Almost as amazing was the way the OSAS teachers distorted Bible passages to fit into the OSAS teaching. I found their distortions so unfounded and false that I could not even begin to comprehend how they could interpret passages the way they did. The answers to my prayers and the end of my mental torment came in a single day. I don’t know if it was God opening my eyes or a result of my study but after 3 years of study and agonizing uncertainty on this subject all of my false ideas about OSAS were swept away. I became absolutely certain that according to the teachings of Jesus and all of the apostles,
OSAS was absolutely and totally false. I no longer had even the slightest doubt that it was completely false. As I began to talk to people who believed in OSAS I began to realize that none of them have even given the subject any real thought. Their ideas and explanations are shallow and without thought. I once asked a Baptist who had a position of authority this question:
If a person is saved but then two years later they
1. Reject Jesus Christ
I asked if they thought this hypothetical person was still saved and their answer was yes they are still saved. I knew then that the OSAS teachers have rejected all aspects of Biblical thinking.
The Baptist Church I belonged to took a vote and I was unanimously voted out of fellowship for the heretical belief that a Christian can fall away and be eternally lost. I am at the point now where I find the OSAS teaching so repulsive that I cannot even listen to an OSAS teacher no matter what they are talking about. Everything they say is tainted by their OSAS doctrine. Additionally, because they do not believe the Christian is in a real battle, they are more like game show hosts who are trying to keep their audience entertained and interested in their show. Without the realization that we are in a real battle for our souls there is no incentive to take the Christian life seriously. Because no matter what they do they think in the end they’ll be in heaven. This deception greatly troubles me. Sin is more deadly and more deceptive then most Christians even begin to understand. Sin deludes our thinking. Sin can make us imagine that we really aren’t straying that far from Jesus. To me this is the most dangerous aspect of OSAS. If we do not think we can fall away then our fear of sin will be greatly diminished. Once our fear of sin is diminished we can be easily led down a path that takes us further and further away from God. Sin will keep us from seeing how far off the path we have gone. We will of course be aware of the fact we have gotten off the path but we will not be afraid because we think we can’t lose our salvation. Sin will delude us into thinking that we have only strayed a little when in fact we are being systematically led further and further away from God and the truth.
This deadly two punch combination of (1) No fear of falling away to our eternal destruction; and (2) The deceptive power of sin leading us further and further away from God will lead us so far away from God and harden our hearts so much that eventually we have very little chance of ever repenting and getting back on the narrow road that leads to eternal life.
We will have rejected Jesus Christ and the gospel and yet continue to think we are still Christians on our way to heaven.
All of this makes me very sad. People that I know who honestly love God and sincerely want to follow Jesus have been disarmed by this false teaching. They don’t know there is a real battle going on. Without knowing there is a real battle going on it makes Satan’s job 1000 times easier. At some point in their life sin may tempt them. When this happens it will be so much easier for them to succumb to it. Many Christians sincerely desire to live a Godly life. However, we also live in the flesh so will always face temptation. Understanding the dangers of allowing sin to come into our life is essential to keeping the flesh under control. When we do not fear sin the Holy Spirit is unable to convict us of sin and the need to repent. At a weak moment in our life sin can grab us and slowly lead us further and further away from God. Sadly, we probably won’t even know that this is happening because we have shut down the Holy Spirit’s ability to convict us of our sin and the need to repent and get back on the right path.
Thank you again for your book and your encouragement. I am learning a great deal from your book. I did not think there was anyone who understood this subject better than I do. But I am glad that God led me to you. You have taken my understanding of OSAS to a new level.
I am gaining so many new insights about OSAS from your book. I also feel like I am not alone. It is a blessing to know there are others who understand this vital truth. Thank you so much for everything you are doing. You have been a great blessing to me.
Sincerely,
Return to Evangelical Outreach
2. Become a Satan worshipper
3. Commit sins worse than Adolph Hitler
4. Live this way for the next 50 years
5. They go to their grave blaspheming God and declaring their hatred for Him and also declare their love and loyalty to Satan.
Jeff S.
www.evangelicaloutreach.org