In the previous post I tagged Jude 1 and 25 as "everything you need to know" about the doctrine of 'Once Saved | Always Saved' (OSAS). I thought I'd take a little time to explain myself.

Anyone who reads Jude 1 and Jude 25 should be able to see where I'm coming from, but for clarity's sake I'll elaborate.

Jude 1-- "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called..."

An interesting aspect of Greek: The language puts it's greatest emphasis on what comes last, i.e., "called". Many modern translations put "called" before the rest, and in this they do the original intent justice. Example of what I'm talking about: From the Literal Translation:

Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the ones called in God the Father, having been set apart, and having been kept to Jesus Christ"

So why is being "called" so important? Unless you are called by God you cannot be saved. Jesus said it best...

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

Just prior to this statement in John 6:44 Jesus also says this:

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." [John 6:37-39]

Everyone whom the Father calls WILL come. And Jesus will lose none of those who come. But God is not willing that any perish, right? This sounds a lot like Calvinism, don't it? Only some are called to be saved, and the rest are born to eternal punishment in hell?

No. Not quite right. It is true that many who ARE born are destined to eternal punishment. Not because God has decreed it, but because they will not accept the Lord Jesus Christ and be freed from the penalty of their sin. Literally ANYONE can be saved. Anyone.

We have to take into account God's foreknowledge. He knew, before ever he made man, who would and who would not accept His great gift. But Jesus, being fully God Himself, said, "...him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

God has called all men to repentance, but not every man will be turned from their wickedness. But God still has to send out the Gospel to those who will hear His call and come to Jesus. When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost 3,000 souls were added to the Church. Are we to assume that the crowd he preached to numbered ONLY 3,000? Of course not. Many heard and refused the call.

Anyone genuinely seeking God will find Him. When the Ethiopian eunuch [Acts 8] was desiring to understand the scroll he was reading [Isaiah 53], God sent Philip to teach him the meaning of what he read. Anyone genuinely seeking God, God will send that one a preacher, a television broadcast, a radio broadcast, a testimony, and gospel tract... God will put the good news of Christ's sacrifice into the heart and hands of the seeker. The rest is upon them. Will they accept? Will they not?

Jude 1 says all who are saved have been "called." But called to what? To be sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED in Jesus Christ.

Go now to Jude 25, the Doxology,

Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling...."

Who is able to keep you from falling? God.... Jesus.

...and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory..."

You cannot fall because God intends to present you FAULTLESS before the presence of His glory. You are being changed day to day, slowly but surely into the image of Christ. That is the believer's destiny.

...with exceeding joy."

If you have ever been saved by God's grace, you will never see hell no matter how horribly-- in human terms --or how often you stumble. Because God is able to KEEP you from falling. No man, least of all yourself, can pluck you out of the Father's hand.

This security is not a license to sin, however. Chastisement, punishment, even death, will follow the genuine believer who is out of the will of God-- better to bring such a one home, than to allow him to completely destroy his testimony, and besmirch the name of Christ.

You are secure in your salvation if you are genuinely saved. But without that tugging at your heart by the Holy Spirit you cannot be saved.

I imagine that last statement will create some controversy, but there it is. The truth. And the truth is seldom pleasant. Especially this truth:

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Acts 4:10-12

And on the last day when the unrighteous dead are raised to stand before the Great White throne of God, and upon hearing their fate point to someone they remember from their time on earth standing in the congregation of the righteous.... "But Eric did all the things I did, and more! Why is he over there? Why isn't he where I now am!?"

I can hear almost hear that voice from the throne of of God....

Be it known unto you all that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you righteous."