Holiness vs Unconditional Salvation

OSAS – do you need to be holy?

Do you have to be holy to be saved? Those who believe that their salvation is guaranteed by making a one-time profession of Christian faith, may not think so. Many christians believe that GOD’s grace (forgiveness) covers every sin after their one-time confession. This widely held doctrine is known as “once saved always saved” (OSAS) or more formally as “unconditional eternal security”.

The BIBLE makes it clear that this doctrine cannot be correct because GOD’s promises throughout the BIBLE are always conditional. GOD’s people had to obey HIS commandments in order to receive protection and blessings. Three well known BIBLE parables make it obvious that the BIBLE does not teach that accepting Christ without holiness and obedience results in eternal salvation:

•     The parable of the sower – symbolically shows that only a fraction of the people who hear and accept the gospel are saved. Mat 13:1-23
•    The parable of the 10 virgins (who represent the end time church) – shows that  half of the professing church will miss salvation because they have not maintained a spiritual connection with JESUS (holiness). Mat 25:1–13
•     The prophecy of the Great White Throne Judgement describes people active in ministry being rejected at the final judgement because of their un-christlikeness and hypocrisy, i.e., lack of holiness. Revelation 20:11-15, Mat 7:21-23

What is holiness? 

GOD said: “be ye holy for I am holy.” Lev 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16; Paul said: “Strive to live in peace with everyone and pursue holiness, without which, no one will [ever] see the Lord.” Heb 12:14 (AMP)

“Holy” means that something is special because it is dedicated to, and/or is associated with GOD. GOD HIMSELF is the ultimate standard of holiness because HE is perfect and sinless. GOD is saying that… “In order to be with ME in eternity, you have to be holy”. You have to set yourself apart from sin to be holy, and therefore acceptable to GOD.

The Lesson

This leads us to a super-important BIBLE lesson that many modern believers (and non-believers) seem to have missed. GOD’s temple in ancient Jerusalem was holy because GOD visited it to give instructions to the people that, if obeyed, would allow them to receive GOD’s blessings. JESUS’ sacrifice ended the need for a physical Temple and allowed us to meet with GOD’s HOLY SPIRIT in our spirit – our holy place – through prayer. John 14:15-21 GOD would not visit the ancient Temple building if it was defiled / made unclean (unholy). Like the temple, if our holy place is defiled through continual sin, we become an abomination (literally a “bad smell”) and GOD will not dwell with us. When we “clean” our holy place through sincere repentance, we can become holy again.

The BIBLE is a contract between man and GOD, i.e., “…if you obey MY commandments, I will bless you and save you.” JESUS and all the disciples told us repeatedly that we must seek holiness and be obedient until the very end if we expect to be saved. In the end, OSAS is just another false version of Christianity that tells people that after accepting JESUS, they can sin over and over and still be saved.