There is a dangerous doctrine that has infiltrated the Christian community. It's title has become the acronym 'OSAS'- 'Once Saved ways Saved'. The scriptures, taken as a whole (both Old and New Testaments), do not support this doctrine.
Let us begin with the Old Testament, in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 18:
[21] "But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. [22] All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. [23] Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
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[24] "But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
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[25] Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? [26] When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. [27] Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. [28] Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. [29] But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right? [30] "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. [31] Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? [32] For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."
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There is a book in the Bible given specifically from Jesus Christ. This is the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus delivered this book (letter) directly to John while he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. In this book Jesus had John referrence seven different letters to seven specific churches of 'Believers'. Each letter came with a warning, and a promise, to each church. The warning was for those who were compromised, and the promise for those who were enduring in faith and obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
*The first letter was to the church at Ephesus. Warning: Revelation 2:4-5
"But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent."
Promise:Revelation 2:6-7
"Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'
*The second letter was to the church at Smyrna. This church was faithful, and Jesus gave them only a promise - with the qualification of 'overcoming':
Revelation 2:9-11
'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death."
*The third letter was to the church at Pergamum.
Warning: Revelation 2:14-16
"I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth."
Promise: Revelation 2:17
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it."
*The fourth letter was to the church at Thyatira.
Warning: Revelation 2:20-23
"I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds."
Promise: Revelation 2:24-28
"But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them-I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; AND HE SHALL rule THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, as THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star."
*The fifth letter was to the church at Sardis.
Warning: Revelation 3:1-3
"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you."
Promise: Revelation 3:4-5
But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
[Jesus can erase a name from the Book of Life! He can graft a person in, and He can ungraft a person! He can create a pot, and He can smash a pot. Be a Berean. Look these examples up in the Bible. The scriptures are there.]
*The sixth letter was to the church at Philadelphia. As with Smyrna, this letter came with only a promise to the faithful.
Revelation 3:8-12
"I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name."
*The seventh letter was to the church at Laodicea.
Warning: Revelation 3:15-19
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."
Promise: Revelation 3:20-21
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
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There is a parable Jesus told of Ten Virgins. It is a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven, and it is a dire warning to those in the Church.
Matthew 25:1-13
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour."
These Virgins were, each one, betrothed to the Bridegroom! Yet, only five were allowed to enter the Kingdom. Those who were prepared.
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Many years ago I had a disturbing dream. This dream began very bright and cheery. I was in the church of my childhood. The church where I was married the first time. There were many children in a room at the back of the church designated for the care of small children during the service. In the 'Sanctuary' I sat next to my best friend, and Cousin, Peggy. The church was jammed packed full! It was bright and alive.
Then I left the service for a while to go to the bathroom, located through the classrooms, and on the other side of them - farthest from the sanctuary. The church bathroom used to be an outdoor outhouse, until it was able to become modernized. To me (today) the meaning of this trip to the bathroom was my departure into the cesspool of the world, where I spent many years. When I returned to the church service (came back to the Lord) EVERYONE was asleep in the pews. It horrified me. I woke up.
In February of 2019 God revealed to me that I was on the path to Hell if I did not REPENT (turn). I had been living in the cesspool of the world. At that time I learned the fear of the Lord. Since my return to the Sanctuary - (meanings: consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies; metaphor for the spiritual temple consisting of the saints of all ages joined together by and in Christ.) - I have found the Church asleep. And sleepers are Dreamers. And dreams are rife with fantastical themes. The Church must WAKE UP.
Matthew 24:4-13 tells us:
…Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name." (Matthew 10:22 Jesus reiterates: "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.) "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."
Revelation 12:11 tells us, "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."
Each day put on 'the shoes of the readiness, (or, preparation), of the Gospel of Peace (between man and God)! Do not be caught sleeping and unprepared. Endure. Overcome. Your name can be erased from the Lamb's Book of Life. See to it that it is not. Work out your salvation (with fear and trembling). Abide in Jesus, and He will abide in you. We cannot do it without Him. Let us meet each other at the banquet table on the other side, where there will be rejoicing forevermore!
