[1] There are many professing believers out there who tell me that Jesus’ finished work on the cross doesn’t equal OSAS. My response … “correct, it doesn’t equal it … it’s the guaranteed result of it for all those who have truly trusted solely in it for their eternal salvation/life.”
[2] “I cannot not believe in Jesus.” … the exact sentiments expressed by many believers as well as the Apostle Paul! :
2 Timothy 1:12, “”For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted [past tense] to Him until that day.”
The crazy but unfortunate thing about this is that there are likely genuine believers out there who don’t actually believe that they will necessarily continue trusting in Jesus for their salvation … consequently, they can easily become paralyzed with the fear at times that they will stop believing in Him at some time in the future and lose their salvation.
They simply don’t perceive and understand that the various hypothetical/conditional statements, the “ifs” seen throughout the scriptures, such as Colossians 1:23. “if indeed you continue in the faith” speak of the guaranteed by-product or result of a person being indwelt by the Holy Spirit [i.e. – all those who have genuinely born-again will continue in the faith — or stated differently … if a person has genuinely been born-again, they will consequently continue in the faith].
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 :
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Ezekiel 36:26-27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
[3] In the end, after “all the dust has settled”, we discover that what is really the most important question in any person’s life is not, ” Will I actually forfeit [lose] my salvation once I receive it?”, but instead, “Have I actually been born-gain?, that is, am I actually a new creation in Christ?” [John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17].
[4] 316 & 613 – Jesus reverses the curse – John 3:16 & the Law :
I find it very interesting that by using “316” [forward and reversed] …. it speaks both of the burden and curse of the law as represented by 613 – The 613 Laws of the Old Testament Called the Mitzvot … and the reversal of the curse by Jesus seen in John 3:16 … 316 + 613 = 929 [the total number of chapters in the Tanakh].
Galatians 3:13, ” Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” = All praise to our precious Savior Jesus Christ!!