ON THE QUESTION OF SIN IN THE OSAS HERESY

One basic axiom in OSAS is that everybody, new creation in Christ or not, will continue to commit sins while we are here on earth (1).  Stretched a little further, it holds that there is no difference between apparently “big” sins and “small” sins.  Sin is sin, and it takes God’s grace to clear any sin.  The conclusion then is that we should take away our mind from the issue of sin (sin consciousness) and live our lives without stress or any need to “strive against sin”(2,3). Furthermore, on the basis of this axiom, it is claimed that Jesus did not come to save anybody from sin (4), rather by His sacrifice, our sins are now covered and we can safely ignore sins either in us, or in other people once Christ Jesus is professed as Lord.

What then is the difference between Christians and non-Christians?  OSAS adherents with a straight face put it all down to the group of non-Christians as only being unfortunate not to have mouthed the confession of Jesus as their sin-atoning Saviour. In other words, for those fortunate enough to be able to address the Lord Jesus as “Lord, Lord”, their position in the Kingdom of God is assured; not-minding that the Lord Jesus pointedly addressed this very point differently in Mathew 7:21!

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven,”

Quite unsurprisingly then, OSAS teachers may preach volumes on the first part of a statement such as is in  John 8:11: “Neither do I condemn you”; but they will never be found to discuss the concluding part of the same statement: “Go and sin no more”. Or as another example,  John 5:14 “sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”  As far as OSAS teachers are concerned, based on their axiomatic dogma, it makes no sense to ask people not to sin!

The ultimate depth of this false teaching is the uncompromising proscription of “confession” of sins and the asking of forgiveness from God!  (5)

Again, even though the Lord Jesus overtly and repeatedly teaches we should ask for the forgiveness of our sins (e.g. in the Lord’s prayer), OSAS teachers insist that asking for forgiveness of sins that had been forgiven even before they were committed (hypergrace) is the ultimate sin (6,7). They insist this is actually the “sin of unbelief” mentioned in Hebrews 4:6 (failing to believe that your sin – either big or small, deliberate or inadvertent – has been automatically pre-forgiven).  In addition it is called the “sin of self-righteousness” any presumption that it is your begging for forgiveness, (that is, your acts and performance) that procures you forgiveness!

However, a major danger in the OSAS teaching is not just that adherents might – at the hint of adverse pressure -  decide to deliberately go into sin. After much flip-flopping with the Scriptures, they are bound to eventually reach a point where they begin to conclude that the Bible is simply riddled with contradictions and could not be taken “too seriously”.  At the end of the day, as one OSAS teacher has actually observed, they begin to “live such defeated lives” until they eventually “may become discouraged and even stop praying and attending church” (8)

Satan ’s major expertise and favourite tactic is tweaking the word of the Lord, almost imperceptibly, to create confusion and conduct people down the slippery slope as in the Sin question being addressed here.

We provide the following clarification on the Sin question from the unchanging and ever-consistent word of God:

First, do Christians sin? Yes, especially when “sin” is defined as “falling short” of God’s glory, standards, and expectations.  We have all so sinned, and so continue to sin.

But such never-deliberate falling short of God’s glory is regretted anytime it occurs.  And once repented and restituted as appropriate, God’s grace is always available and sufficient to cover it all! (1 John 1:8-9, Rom. 6:1).

So in the real sense, a Christian actually does not sin, only that he may (especially if careless or deceived) might FALL into sin.  A Christian does NOT commit or practice sin.

1Jn 3:6  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jn 3:8a  He that committeth sin is of the devil; “

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1Jn 5:18  We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

One born of God cannot deliberately commit sin, even if assured there would be no consequence.  His DNA does not make sin appealing!  It is just the same reason a goat “cannot” eat meat.  The Christian therefore has no reason to boast of his “non-sinning”.  He is only grateful to God for making him a new creation which now abhors sin.  The very act of boasting of our perfection, even if we eventually attain it this side of eternity, could be sufficient ground to confirm us imperfect (Job 9:20!)

Apart from this major point, distinguishing between “sinning willingly” and “falling short” of God’s expectation, there is yet another error that should be pointed out in the treatment of Sin in the OSAS heretic dogma.

According to 1 John 5:16-17, there is sin, and there is sin!

1Jn 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

1Jn 5:17  All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

“There is a sin unto death”, and “there is a sin not unto death.”  Therefore the dogma that all sins are equal is simply not correct.  True the gravity is not in the size of the sin, but the sin that is deliberately and brazenly committed (in virtual mockery of Jesus’ sacrifice – Gal 6:7, Heb 10:26) is different in quality from one that is committed in ignorance, weakness and in contrition.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?