Alright, so there are a lot of folks on here who see Christians who believe in once saved always saved... and then go to the place of attacking their security in Christ, believing they are not walking the walk.
Now personally, the majority of osas proponents I know are actually very faithful.. because they are secure, because they know unconditional love from Jesus toward them.
And so.. for the believers who believe in osas and are not walking the walk...
How bout showing them what walking the walk is, rather than attacking their security in Christ?
I see eternal security as a launching pad for faithfulness, because it inspires true courage and loyalty.
Like a child adventuring confidently because they are secure in their parents love.
I think what it boils down to is one inescapable factor before all else. The anonymity the Internet provides invites those who hold deep hostility or the desire to exercise their inner ahole, to vent without consequences. Save for being thrown out of a place. And likely they would return to continue their little games. And all this without being seen or known personally.
Who someone presents themselves to be, or pretends to be, on their computer gives great insight into their true character. If they're an honest moral person who loves God, they're not going to fake anything. And they're not going to display their faith in a positive light, in the only way possible in a forum, in print form, so as to imitate the demeanor of Christ, and instead appear as hostile, arrogant, the inner ahole coming out to play, or disrespectful, that may tell you where their heart really is. And what they really are.
Some contend when they act that way that they're behaving the same as Jesus did. That's likely news to Jesus.
Even Jesus, when he cut on the Pharisee did so in a manner that they would relate to the identities and the message he was sending them by using such language when he called them vipers, and sons of the adversary Satan. Jesus was God! He wasn't arrogant when he taught people. He wasn't mean spirited, condescending, when he challenged the men that wanted to stone Mary of Magdala to death. He was confident in his power because as God he had nothing to prove. And yet, humbled himself to arrive in the form of a man to prove his grace was a free irrevocable gift to the world that he loved so much he died to change the sinful state of all who dwell upon earth.
What helped me when I was browsing communities of Christ on the Net to see which one I wanted to join is , I'd read someone in a Bible forum that was being the jackass toward a member. And then I'd imagine Jesus, usually using The Passion of the Christ version, Jim Caviezel, as I did so, saying those words of that jackass I was reading.
Imagine the worst post anywhere that you've read in a Bible forum and from someone who thinks they're an example of Christ as they defend what he said. Then imagine where Christianity would be today if that was Christ in his day. Doubt the faith would be around to boast so many followers today.
In short, it's a matter of perspective. If someone is an example of, Colossians 3:8 "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth." And, James 1:26 "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not
bridle his
tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." , I'd advise don't let it get to you. Pray for them. They are not who they think they are in Christ. They can't defend the words of God when they provide the example God's words would rebuke their behavior.
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