Post from a "Newbie"
Hello All,
I too would consider myself in the "once saved-always saved" camp, but probably not for the reasons of people who usually use the phrase.
Salvation is not a once for all event, but rather a process of being conformed to the image of Christ, Who alone is acceptable to God.
We were saved, "from the foundation of the world", "it is finished", we are being saved, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling", and we will be saved, "he that endures to the end shall be saved".
So, what does it mean to be saved?
I believe we are redeemed from sin and death by the Cross of Christ. His sacrificial atonement pays our debt, and He imparts to us the benefit of having "peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ". Mysteriously though, the only way to partake of His ransom, is to die ouselves. How is this accomplished? By faith, and by His Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism for the remission of sins."Know ye not, that so many of us were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life".(Romans 6:3,4)
So we are redeemed, by His death, baptized into His death, and raised to "newness of life", by Him. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
So the new life is a life, "dead . . . to sin". The life of "pick up your Cross and follow me daily". The life of being a "partaker of His sufferings".For what purpose? "The servant is not greater than his Master. . ." And if, "it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.", it seems impossible that we will not also be brought to completion through suffering, as "silver refined".
So are we complete? Yes, and no I think. We were "chosen. . . in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:" (Ephesians 1:4,11)
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"(Col.2:10) There is the yes part. Or rather, part of the yes part.
Why do we still sin then if we are complete? Because we are not yet complete. "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" (1ST John 2:1) This seems to indicate that even the justified still sin...."And beside this, giving all diligence,add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity". (2nd Peter 1:5-7) Peter says to add to our faith, these virtues that exemplify the character of Christ. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is".(1st John 3:2) So, our being like Him, will not be complete until He appears. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Phil.1:6) So He is doing a work in us, He is not finished, and will not finish ". . .until the day of Jesus Christ".
So in this i believe that we were saved, are being saved, and will be saved. Because it is God who has called us and begun this good work, He will complete it and we have eternal security becuse of this fact. But, we aren't to be complacent and settle for escaping eternal judgement. We are to put on Christ. Being transformed into His image, by fellsowship with His sufferings, and partaking of His divine nature, we are to be made like Him.Therefore, we are being saved. We will be saved when he appears, and He is completed with the work He has begun in us.
Once saved always saved? Yes, because it is God who saves. But to me the phrase, "once saved always saved" should include the life of discipleship, cultivating the virtues of Christ. . ."make(ing) your calling and election sure".
I do not think "salvation", "sanctification", "theosis", "redemption" are separate ideas. They are irreducably linked to the one purpose of God, which is the manifestation of the sons of God, in Christ Jesus.
It is an event, a process, and eventually a finality.
By the way. . .I am new here, so I wanted to say hello to everyone. As you can see, I tend to be rather "long-winded", but only about things i am passionate about, and salvation is one of those "things".. . . 8)
Everett