Here's something I read recently which I thought you might find interesting.
"Some in the OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) camp would have us believe that a believer could do absolutely nothing that would cause his salvation to be in jeopardy.
Others would say that only if one was to commit terrible, heinous atrocities could he be in danger of this. On the other hand, they might say that simple 'sins' such as lying and maybe petty theft would have no bearing on the security of one's salvation.
What is the Scriptural postition?
One thing we must remember, when Paul and the other Apostles were writing their letters, they were intended for believers! Each of those letters contain various instructions on how to serve God in an acceptable way. Another thing that many contain are WARNINGS of judgement for sinful actions.
Many may argue that a 'true believer' could not possibly sin and therefore these passages are not applicable to them. WRONG... these passages were directed towards believers!
Here are just a few of the warnings written throughout the New Testament to believers...
1. We are told that the 'fearful, unbelieving, abominable,sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars
(please notice that the verse says ALL liars, NOT just those that tell BIG lies, like some of those involved in the ENRON scandal!!!) all of these shall find a place in the lake of fire ( Rev. 21:8 )
2. The 'whoremonger, the unclean person, the covetous,and the idolater' can expect the wrath of God which He pours out on the children of disobedience. (Eph. 5:5-6)
3. Living unrighteously will cause one to NOT inherit the kingdom of God! What is unrighteous
living? ' Fornication, idolatry, adultery, effiminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkenness, revilers, extortioners' (1 Cor. 6:9)
4. Anyone that lives by the 'flesh' shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God! What does this mean?
The 'works' of the flesh are... Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry,witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness, and revellings' ( Gal. 5:19)
I know many dear Christian friends who insist that a 'true, born again' believer could NOT commit such things! Why then would the writers of the New Testament include them as warnings in their letters to the CHURCHES if it were an impossibility for them to fall into such things? That would be like giving an instruction manual for a lawn mower to someone who just bought a DVD player! It would make absolutely no sense!
One fact is certain.... if a believer is FOLLOWING Jesus Christ in their everyday walk, reading His Word daily, and staying in communion with Him, whenever these types of temptations come upon us, all we need to do is call upon the One that saved us from the power of the sinful flesh, and He promises to deliver us from those temptations!
Praise be to Him!"
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Food for thought.
In the peace and love of Christ, - Jesse.


