Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: pgaughan@nmsu.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Once Saved Always Saved Message-ID: Date: 15 Nov 89 07:49:51 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 16 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Well, here's one problem I have with it: There are examples of Christians in the NT that fell away from the faith (Ananias, Saphira, Demas, Hymenaeus...) The problem with this doctrine is that it requires us to judge the hearts of these people by saying "well, they must have never REALLY believed in the first place." This also fools people into believing that they themselves can never fall. Hebrews 6:1-6 describes the state of one who is enlightened and then falls away. Peter describes one who turns from the call of Christ back to the world as a dog returning to his own vomit. I think it is clear that this doctrine is not scriptural. Patrick Gaughan