Since OSAS is now being debated the issue is what these four letters mean to you.
If you simply understand this to mean that the New Testament teaches us that we can have assurance in our salvation, that is taught.
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
We have assurance that Jesus will be the judge of all men.
Colossians 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
We can pray that we would have the full assurance of understanding, but that is a battle. It does not come easily.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
We can have assurance in the apostles that the fellowship of the apostles is the way of life.
But OSAS is usually taught not of having a full assurance of a coming judgement, nor do they really get into all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in the Bible, and sadly many of the people who teach Calvinism have been exposed by the manner of men that they were, mired in scandal.
No, what they teach is the full assurance of hope. Our blessed hope is in the thought that Jesus has gone and prepared a place for us and will return again to take us so that we will be where He is.
That blessed hope and the full assurance of that hope is what Hebrews 6 is all about.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
You don't get the assurance of hope unless you go on from the basic doctrines. Most people that hold to OSAS treat all works as a "works based salvation". That is childish. Yes, when we first were justified by the blood of Jesus and were baptized we laid a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith towards God. But we must go on to build on that foundation.
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
If you are stuck debating over immersion or sprinkling, or are waiting for someone to lay hands on you, or debates about who goes to hell and who doesn't, those are the principal doctrines that we must go on from.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
The writers of the book of Hebrews (most likely Paul and James) were one with the Lord. They desired to go on from these doctrines, but it was based on how the Lord would lead. Personally I can't stand talking about OSAS but it is clear that the Lord still desires to expound on it.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Now this is what many who teach OSAS ignore. They will teach that those who fall away, crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame were never saved. But this verse clearly says that they were once enlightened, they did taste the heavenly gift, and they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, they did taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. The writers of Hebrews could not be any clearer, just because twenty years ago I was a burning brother in the Lord does not mean that I can't fall away. This is precisely what they are talking about here, brothers and sisters who at one time were burning for the Lord and have since fallen away, and done so in such a public way as to put the Lord to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
This is misunderstood. The analogy here is that we are the land that brings forth the herbs. The herbs refer to our works of righteousness that we do, the fruit of the Spirit. They are an expression of love, joy, and peace. But thorns and briers are an expression of the fallen sinful man. The way you clear the land of briers and thorns is that you burn it. The land is not burned, the thorns and briers are burned. This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians, if you build with wood, hay and stubble it will go up in flames but you yourself will be saved, but so as through fire. When Jesus died, His blood paid the price for you, that means he purchased you the same way someone would purchase some land. Now if you are full of thorns and briers when the Lord returns that will all be burned. The Lord will still own the land but there is no reward. Everything you did in your life since being saved is a big fat 0. There will be others who have brought forth, some 100 fold. There will be a reward for those ones. This is repeated over and over and over in the gospels. The thing I hate about OSAS is that many who push this doctrine condemn works like a broken record. They are stuck on the fact that you can't be saved by dead works. Yes, we learned that on day one and that is why we were baptized. But the works of the Spirit are what result in a reward. If all you have is thorns and briers then you are near a curse. I would much rather be filled with blessing than with the works of the flesh.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
This is also what I hate about OSAS. They are focused 100% on being saved from hell, but what about the things that accompany salvation? What about what the Lord told us in the parable of the good Samaritan? You, go and do likewise.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
For some people the assurance of being saved from hell is a very small part of their Christian life, mostly it is filled with a labour of love which they show toward the name of Jesus. They have a ministry to the saints and they minister every day, every week. But every now and then you find one of these loonies who has completely forgotten about a work and labor of love. If you mention that they start talking like Rain Man, rocking in their chair and repeating over and over that talking about a ministry is "works based salvation".
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
If you want the full assurance of hope, you must be diligent unto the end. That is not what most OSAS pastors teach. On the contrary they teach "relax" not "you must be diligent". They say that if you prayed twenty years ago at the beginning of your Christian life you are saved, rather than saying you must be diligent unto the end of your Christian life. For example consider Jamarcus Russell, the 2007 #1 draft pick, a quarterback. There was a lot of promise a lot of talent but no diligence and so no full assurance of hope unto the end. The team that drafted him had a lot of hope, but it was a total bust. Now he had excuses. He had two close relatives die and didn't get a chance to grieve their deaths. Also after hurricane Katrina he was housing a whole lot of refugees who lost their homes. I have seen a whole lot of people who started strong but then the storms of life hit and you discover their faith was built on sand. Compare him to Tom Brady, a guy with no promise and no talent but was extremely diligent unto the end. His first year with the team he was the fourth quarterback on the depth chart. The team had a star name Bledsoe who said he liked Tom, but expected him to be a guy who rode the bench his whole career. That was a fair assessment of how good he was when he came in. The coach said the same thing. His diligence and work ethic were extraordinary, which is why they kept him.
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
I have never heard one of these OSAS pastors say this. We inherit the promises through faith and patience. That word patience is perfectly illustrated by Brady. He did not get any respect for years and years and years. Today everyone recognizes that he was not slothful, but rather a follower of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
If you simply understand this to mean that the New Testament teaches us that we can have assurance in our salvation, that is taught.
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
We have assurance that Jesus will be the judge of all men.
Colossians 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
We can pray that we would have the full assurance of understanding, but that is a battle. It does not come easily.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
We can have assurance in the apostles that the fellowship of the apostles is the way of life.
But OSAS is usually taught not of having a full assurance of a coming judgement, nor do they really get into all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in the Bible, and sadly many of the people who teach Calvinism have been exposed by the manner of men that they were, mired in scandal.
No, what they teach is the full assurance of hope. Our blessed hope is in the thought that Jesus has gone and prepared a place for us and will return again to take us so that we will be where He is.
That blessed hope and the full assurance of that hope is what Hebrews 6 is all about.
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
You don't get the assurance of hope unless you go on from the basic doctrines. Most people that hold to OSAS treat all works as a "works based salvation". That is childish. Yes, when we first were justified by the blood of Jesus and were baptized we laid a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith towards God. But we must go on to build on that foundation.
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
If you are stuck debating over immersion or sprinkling, or are waiting for someone to lay hands on you, or debates about who goes to hell and who doesn't, those are the principal doctrines that we must go on from.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
The writers of the book of Hebrews (most likely Paul and James) were one with the Lord. They desired to go on from these doctrines, but it was based on how the Lord would lead. Personally I can't stand talking about OSAS but it is clear that the Lord still desires to expound on it.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Now this is what many who teach OSAS ignore. They will teach that those who fall away, crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame were never saved. But this verse clearly says that they were once enlightened, they did taste the heavenly gift, and they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, they did taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. The writers of Hebrews could not be any clearer, just because twenty years ago I was a burning brother in the Lord does not mean that I can't fall away. This is precisely what they are talking about here, brothers and sisters who at one time were burning for the Lord and have since fallen away, and done so in such a public way as to put the Lord to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
This is misunderstood. The analogy here is that we are the land that brings forth the herbs. The herbs refer to our works of righteousness that we do, the fruit of the Spirit. They are an expression of love, joy, and peace. But thorns and briers are an expression of the fallen sinful man. The way you clear the land of briers and thorns is that you burn it. The land is not burned, the thorns and briers are burned. This is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians, if you build with wood, hay and stubble it will go up in flames but you yourself will be saved, but so as through fire. When Jesus died, His blood paid the price for you, that means he purchased you the same way someone would purchase some land. Now if you are full of thorns and briers when the Lord returns that will all be burned. The Lord will still own the land but there is no reward. Everything you did in your life since being saved is a big fat 0. There will be others who have brought forth, some 100 fold. There will be a reward for those ones. This is repeated over and over and over in the gospels. The thing I hate about OSAS is that many who push this doctrine condemn works like a broken record. They are stuck on the fact that you can't be saved by dead works. Yes, we learned that on day one and that is why we were baptized. But the works of the Spirit are what result in a reward. If all you have is thorns and briers then you are near a curse. I would much rather be filled with blessing than with the works of the flesh.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
This is also what I hate about OSAS. They are focused 100% on being saved from hell, but what about the things that accompany salvation? What about what the Lord told us in the parable of the good Samaritan? You, go and do likewise.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
For some people the assurance of being saved from hell is a very small part of their Christian life, mostly it is filled with a labour of love which they show toward the name of Jesus. They have a ministry to the saints and they minister every day, every week. But every now and then you find one of these loonies who has completely forgotten about a work and labor of love. If you mention that they start talking like Rain Man, rocking in their chair and repeating over and over that talking about a ministry is "works based salvation".
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
If you want the full assurance of hope, you must be diligent unto the end. That is not what most OSAS pastors teach. On the contrary they teach "relax" not "you must be diligent". They say that if you prayed twenty years ago at the beginning of your Christian life you are saved, rather than saying you must be diligent unto the end of your Christian life. For example consider Jamarcus Russell, the 2007 #1 draft pick, a quarterback. There was a lot of promise a lot of talent but no diligence and so no full assurance of hope unto the end. The team that drafted him had a lot of hope, but it was a total bust. Now he had excuses. He had two close relatives die and didn't get a chance to grieve their deaths. Also after hurricane Katrina he was housing a whole lot of refugees who lost their homes. I have seen a whole lot of people who started strong but then the storms of life hit and you discover their faith was built on sand. Compare him to Tom Brady, a guy with no promise and no talent but was extremely diligent unto the end. His first year with the team he was the fourth quarterback on the depth chart. The team had a star name Bledsoe who said he liked Tom, but expected him to be a guy who rode the bench his whole career. That was a fair assessment of how good he was when he came in. The coach said the same thing. His diligence and work ethic were extraordinary, which is why they kept him.
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
I have never heard one of these OSAS pastors say this. We inherit the promises through faith and patience. That word patience is perfectly illustrated by Brady. He did not get any respect for years and years and years. Today everyone recognizes that he was not slothful, but rather a follower of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
