Maam, I have not interacted with you that much, so excuse for sticking my nose in - it sometimes gets too long - but I will try not to tell any lies, so that it does get any longer (like Pinochio's did - LOL!)
On the OSAS issue - I agree with you - I came here several years ago asking questions and trying to figure out what I really believed about salvation, the assurance of salvation, and how faith and works interrelated in the Christian walk. I asked questions, made statements, and had some very "hard-headed" (as I saw someone here "accused" me of being) discussions and debates with some unnamed champions of the eternal security doctrine. I have not seen a single verse that supports OSAS, not seen a single argument for it that holds any weight at all. In fact, I have seen so much of it and the deception and insecurity it breeds that it . . . well - enough said.
But, and here is what I want to say - I count of these who I have interrelated with and vehemently (and still do!) disagreed with some of my closest friends (if that can be said of people only on a forum). They love the Lord, serve Him, and show compassion and love and care for others that is deep, real, and exemplary. We have learned to disagree, and be able to bluntly tell one another so, and yet (for the most part ) these friends have not resorted to name calling.
So, some of us did not come to CC as much to find Christian "fellowship" as to be able to discuss and learn from others who may disagree with the "sacred denominational doctrines" that most of us who are Protestants are taught. Any yet, in deep debates I have found love and fellowship, and have learned how to honestly admit when I was wrong, or when I really got angry! (and I have had some bad moments on CC!
) As I have said before here, if hard straight forward discussion offend a person, they had best not come on the BDF!
On this thread you are interrelating with some of the best and most compassionate people on CC! (Of course I do not know all of them here!) Some of them will disagree with you about OSAS, but that doesn't mean they do not love, are just plain stubborn, or are bull-headed!
As I see it, the most fun I am going to have is when I get to glory and get to sit down with some of these on CC and have Peter and John and Paul explain to them the way of salvation more fully. The only worry I have about that is some of them are so unyielding in their views that I fear they may even convince Paul that OSAS is true! (But on the other hand, I plan to correct Paul if it turns out he believes in OSAS!)
Hey, that last paragraph is all in fun -- I had a lot of fun writing it!
Oh, also - at the beginning I said I would try "not to tell any lies" - well, I didn't - even in my second paragraph. But I would be lying if I said I didn't say some things in a way to get some others riled up a little!