How Many Sins… ?

  • We have been talking a lot about OSAS lately.

    • We do that because we recognize that it’s a doctrine that has the potential of causing much damage to people, and it does cause damage.

    • One way it is often interpreted is the idea that people can do anything they want and still be saved.

    • Another way is that if someone falls away then they were never really saved to begin with.

    • Both have dangerous consequences if carried out to their logical conclusions, some of which are obvious, I think.

    • But it’s also a barrier to those who believe in OSAS to hearing and believing the truth.

    • However, I don’t think it needs to be a central focus to the expense of other things because it can depress people.

    • In particular it might make someone nervous when they ask the obvious question:

  • How many sins does it take to lose my salvation?

    • I submit that this question focuses on the wrong thing, our sin.

    • No, we shouldn’t focus on our sin, but on our repentance.

    • Because the answer, in all honesty, is any number greater than or equal to one.

    • Wait, what?!! How then can any of us be saved?

    • Well, hear me out. As I said, the question focuses on the wrong thing.

    • We need to focus on repentance. And what do we need to repent?

    • Paul says we need godly sorrow (2 Cor. 7:10).

    • This godly sorrow is absolutely necessary for repentance which leads to salvation.

    • But what happens when we can no longer feel godly sorrow?

    • Well, it means our conscience has been damaged, Paul says it’s been seared as with a hot iron (1 Tim. 4:2).

    • Allow me to use this illustration….

  • Perhaps you remember that old Tootsie Pop commercial: “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?”

    • A boy asks a wise old owl this very question.

    • The owl takes it, “Good question! Let’s find out.”

    • He then takes the candy and licks once, twice, three times, and chomp! He chews right through it.

    • The candy coating around the chocolaty center is our conscience. When we lick it, we have committed a sin. And when we get to the center, we have lost our salvation.

    • If we bite it right away, it’s going to be difficult to get through because of our conscience.

    • It is possible to lose our salvation with just one sin, but unlikely because our conscience has been pricked and godly sorrow is present for repentance.

    • But what happens as we lick…? We get closer and closer to the center, that sin we continue to commit weakens our conscience, and we are one step closer to being lost.

    • As we lick, that candy coating gets easier to chew through, it becomes easier for us to be numbed to the godly sorrow we must feel.

  • But there’s good news.

    • Unlike the Tootsie Pop, our conscience’s can be renewed day by day.

    • We don’t have to lose our salvation if we don’t want to.

    • Simon the1 sorcerer example.

    • So the question isn’t: “How many sins does it take for me to lose my salvation?”

    • The question is: “How often am I willing to repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness?”

    • In addition: “Am I willing to allow myself to be renewed day by day?”