In parts One and Two we addressed a comment made by a visitor here who said this:
““Calvinism is appealing to those who do not want to be held accountable for his/her own actions. In certain ways it mirrors one of the largest growing religions, Atheism. In similar fashion Atheists love their religion because they are not accountable for what they do and there is no penalty. They only need to abide in man’s law and finding loopholes is OK. Also they can break man’s law, and that is fine as long as they don’t get caught, again because there is no penalty. OSAS is a feel good teaching that will lead many to destruction. Once you are “saved”, you can do as you please. This philosophy is in direct line with the Satanist Aleister Crowley’s, “Do What Thou Wilst”.”
Today we will address his statement concerning “OSAS,” or “Once Saved, Always Saved.” Before we begin our discussion, a definition of terms would no doubt be prudent.
When we read our visitor’s comment, he certainly seems to appear to have a view of OSAS that is antithetical to the biblical teaching. Defining our terms, his view of OSAS would be that subsequent to one making a profession of faith, it does not matter whether one continues to believe or not – that person is “saved” based upon a one-time profession. This person need not show a changed lifestyle, thought pattern or anything else, because once they were “saved,” therefore they are always “saved.”
If our visitor read Part One of our response, he would see that historic Calvinistic teaching would agree with his point of view. If he would listen to any of Paul Washer’s many sermons (Washer being a Calvinist) attacking this train of thought, he would see that Calvinists would be in agreement with him. So, the OSAS concept of a one-time profession (saying a prayer, responding to an altar call, etc., without any ongoing or subsequent faith, repentance/holiness, etc.) in that sense is indeed bad teaching and indeed will condemn many to Hell.
However, the historic Reformed confessions do a wonderful job of describing biblical OSAS or eternal security or the perseverance of the saints. Reformed doctrine would day that those chosen by God for salvation, given to the Son to save and given new life (“regenerated”) by the Holy Spirit will indeed not “lose” their salvation. The confessions describe how the believer, once regenerated, will be enabled to continue in holiness and saving faith through the power of the Holy Spirit and ONLY through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is, though, an OSAS teaching that needs to be mentioned. This can be hold be Arminians and Calvinists alike and they are both sorely mistaken if they do. It’s the OSAS teaching as exemplified by Dr. Charles Stanley. One of Dr. Stanley’s books is entitled “Eternal Security.” In it, he describes a curious teaching concerning this subject and we will quote only Dr. Stnaley’s own book in explaining it.
Dr. Stanley believes that only one act of faith, or a one-time profession, is all that is needed to secure salvation. He makes the following statements in the book:
“You and I are not saved because we have enduring faith, we are saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our enduring Lord.”
“The Bible clearly teaches that God’s love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from the faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand.”
“Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy.”
“Christ will not deny an unbelieving Christian his or her salvation because to do so would be to deny Himself.”
“Listen to how he says it in Galatians 5:4: “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” In this context, falling from grace has nothing to do with being lost or unsaved. The opposite of grace here is not becoming unsaved or lost; it is attempting to be saved by the works of the law. To fall from grace, then, is to abandon the salvation-by-grace model for justification and to adopt the salvation-by-works model. Paul was not threatening them with the loss of salvation, just a loss of freedom (Gal. 5:1). He didn’t say they were falling from salvation. His concern was that they were falling away from God’s system of grace, which would lead them right back into the frustration of living under the law. You may fall from grace, but you will never fall from salvation. Nothing can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39).”
DUDE!!!!!!…For those who would claim we are taking quotes out of context, feel free to read the book and attempt to refute them as being so. You won’t have much luck.
What can BE further from the truth? When our visitor speaks of OSAS that condemns, this is the version he is talking about and the version with which we would wholeheartedly agree that indeed does condemn. This version, however, is NOT the version that a Calvinist who holds to historic confessions would affirm.
We will close our series of responses to our visitor with a comment on his relating Calvinism to Satanism. Calvinists believe that God is the living God, the only God of truth, that salvation is only through an act of grace by the living, loving, merciful God. Calvinists believe that salvation is by grace through faith and that faith is an ongoing faith and a faith that God Himself will enable to believer to exercise. Calvinists believe that salvation belongs to the Lord, to use a biblical phrase. Calvinists believe that the Christian needs to examine himself (2 Cor. 13:5) – he needs to make his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10-11) – he needs to strive for the holiness “without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). As a Calvinist believes these things, I find it quite the stretch to say that the Calvinist is “in direct line” with Satanist thought (the “Do What Thou Wilst” mindset).
Our commenter equated Calvinism with atheism perhaps he doesn’t understand Calvinism OR atheism. He referred to atheism as a “religion.” One could very well make the point that atheism is anti-religion, if we refer to “religion” as having to do with the supernatural or any form of transcendent being. Calvinism is a lot of things, but it is certainly NOT the denial of the supernatural or the transcendent.
As Calvinists, we take a lot of heat. A lot of heat for exalting God and giving God all the glory for saving our souls – for rescuing us from a fate of condemnation – for exercising grace and mercy and love – for acknowledging His sovereignty and our own weakness and sinfulness. If you think that’s a BAD thing, then perhaps you may want to take a minute and think about exactly what you are condemning us for – those attributes and actions of God which I just mentioned. Really – take a moment and think about it. Think about it biblically.
