Some say that eternal security means that "Once Saved Always Saved" or OSAS for short is true for that is what eternal security is. I contend and hope to demonstrate that on the contrary OSAS is a counterfeit based on a doctrinal plank rather than a relationship with a Person. The difference between a doctrinal plank and a relationship, any doctrinal plank, mark you, I contend to be absolutely crucial. It determines whether one is being led by the Holy Spirit or not. As for the issue at hand, look at Hebrews 6:4-8. It warns that those who have been enlightened (can any but the born again be enlightened?), if they fall away cannot be renewed to repentance, thus there is a dire warning that if even the Born Again wander too far away from the Person who is Christ, known through His Holy Spirit they will be lost.
As for the tree bearing no fruit which is cut out and burned Jesus said ABIDE IN ME. Who was he saying that to? Not to us? OF course he was saying it to his disciples, ALL of us. He said it to us. THIS IS THE CONTEXT. However this abiding is not hard for his yoke is easy his burden is light and his commandments are not burdensome. Trying to abide in him by forced works of legalism is to fall away from him, for Paul rebuked the Galatians, the oh, so devout and serious Galatians as having forsaken Christ for the Law. Thus I hope to make it clear that denying Once Saved Always Saved is not to advocate legalism, rather it is to. highlight the deadly nature of legalism
Staying with Christ (abiding in him) is not the same thing as believing a doctrine. It is a relationship, and the depth and reality of it shows by our fruit, so if we know and love the lord we will show good fruit. After all it says in I John, "how can you love God who you have not seen when you do not love your brother who you do see" and "he who says he loves God but loves not his brother is a liar"
And if our relationship does not matter (that is what you are saying when you say fruit does not matter and that is what you are saying when you assert OSAS because you reduce faith to mere assent to a doctrine), why are we constantly warned to quench not the Spirit? Why does scripture say TO CHRISTIANS ( read Hebrews a letter addressed to Jewish Christians who were in danger of falling away back to the Law) "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART"? And why did Paul call the Galatians FOOLS because they had forsaken Christ for the Law? If Once Saved Always Saved is true and fruit have no bearing on our relationship with God, their legalism simply did not matter, so again I ask why did Paul the Apostle rebuke them.
The need for fruit does not require forced works to earn anything, but they do show that we have continued to receive the Free gifts that the Spirit bestows to those who abide in , or in modern terms stayed with, Him
As for the tree bearing no fruit which is cut out and burned Jesus said ABIDE IN ME. Who was he saying that to? Not to us? OF course he was saying it to his disciples, ALL of us. He said it to us. THIS IS THE CONTEXT. However this abiding is not hard for his yoke is easy his burden is light and his commandments are not burdensome. Trying to abide in him by forced works of legalism is to fall away from him, for Paul rebuked the Galatians, the oh, so devout and serious Galatians as having forsaken Christ for the Law. Thus I hope to make it clear that denying Once Saved Always Saved is not to advocate legalism, rather it is to. highlight the deadly nature of legalism
And if our relationship does not matter (that is what you are saying when you say fruit does not matter and that is what you are saying when you assert OSAS because you reduce faith to mere assent to a doctrine), why are we constantly warned to quench not the Spirit? Why does scripture say TO CHRISTIANS ( read Hebrews a letter addressed to Jewish Christians who were in danger of falling away back to the Law) "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE HARDEN NOT YOUR HEART"? And why did Paul call the Galatians FOOLS because they had forsaken Christ for the Law? If Once Saved Always Saved is true and fruit have no bearing on our relationship with God, their legalism simply did not matter, so again I ask why did Paul the Apostle rebuke them.