SPREADING THE GOSPEL & GIVING. DOES SCRIPTURE SUPPORT OSAS? WHEN ARE NAMES ENTERED INTO THE BOOK OF LIFE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE YOUR NAME BLOTTED OUT?

Yes . . it is a false doctrine spread by some modern churches that allows for salvation without repentance, i.e. a change of heart/mind towards seeking God's will. Per the doctrine, all that you need is a moment in time in your life where you believe the truth of the Gospel for you to maintain your salvation forever. By this doctrine, a man like Simon Magus would be saved. (See Acts 8:13) OSAS purports to eliminate the eternal spiritual consequence for continuing to embrace sin in your life after you have received the Holy Spirit. But this is an extremely dangerous teaching . . as we know that such living can amount to a rejection of the Holy Spirit in favor of sin . . .which is unpardonable by God. Matthew 12:32

I'm not sure if you have this. It's from my commentary on the book of John. I've included cross references at the end. T H E G O S P E L A C C O R D I N G T O S A I N T J O H N CHAPTER XV “1 The Consolation and mutuall loue betweene Christ and his members, vnder the parable of the vine. 18 A comfort in the hatred and persecution of the world. 26 The office of the holy Ghost, and of the Apostles. The Translators OVERVIEW Jesus is the vine and his Father the husbandman. Branches that don’t produce are cut away. You are clean through Christ’s word. Abide in Christ; alone you cannot produce fruit. If a man does not abide in Christ, he is cut away and cast into the fire. If you abide in Christ, ask what you will and it will be done. The Father is glorified that you bear much fruit; and, so shall you be his disciples. The Father loves me, and I love you, so continue in my love. If you keep my commandments, then you abide in my love. Love one another, as Jesus has loved you. No greater love has a man than he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do as I command. Henceforth, I call you friends, not servants. What Jesus’ Father told him, he has told believers. We are ordained to bring forth fruit and God will equip us. Jesus commands that we love one another. If the world hates us, don’t be surprised because it first hated Jesus. If you were of the world, the world would love you. But, you are chosen out of the world. Therefore, it hates you. If they persecuted Christ, they will persecute you. They will do this because they don’t know Christ. If Jesus had not come and told them these things, they would have no sin; but, now they are without excuse. Anyone who hates Christ, hates the Father. If Jesus had not done the works, which they saw, they would have no sin. But, they saw and still hated Jesus and the Father. This is that the word might be fulfilled; they hated Jesus without cause. Jesus will send the Comforter, the Spirit of truth. The 12 disciples will bear witness because they have been with Jesus from the beginning. Vs. 1-2 “1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Euery branch in me that beareth not fruit, hee taketh away: and euery branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring foorth more fruit.” “The true vine” is Jesus in whom the fullness of the Godhead is dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). Thus, the idea that Jesus is the vine and the Father tends the vine; that is, God causes the vine to produce branches and fruit. When a branch (an individual, church or congregation) is not productive, God prunes that branch, removing it from the body; that God’s spiritual nourishment might go to branches that produce fruit, and thereby they produce even more fruit. The true church stands in opposition to the false vine, which is the apostate church. It pretends to be part of the true vine, but sets itself in place of Christ, pretending to be for Christ, all-the-while preaching another Jesus. This apostasy, typically, starts inside the true church, but eventually goes out from it, not being of it (1 John 2:19); thus, God prunes such away, purging the true church. God may lay it on such apostates’ hearts to leave of their own accord, or in some cases he brings persecution to the true church, and those not of it leave (Matthew 13:21); while those of it stay and gladly suffer persecution for Christ’s sake. V. 3 “3 Now ye are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you.” Firstly, Jesus refers to verses 1 & 2, where he speaks of God cleansing the vine, or body of Christ. False believers, though having head knowledge, will not receive the doctrines of Christ; and, by the words of Christ, they are separated from the true body; conversely, true believers in Christ embrace the doctrines of Christ and through God’s word are cleansed because they hold his words in their hearts and they do them. V. 4 “4 Abide in me, and in you: As the branch cannot beare fruit of itselfe, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” “The branch” is believers with the indwelling of the Holy Ghost; if one has the indwelling, then it can be said that they also dwell in Christ and he in them; for, the branch is part of the vine.. Unless one is found in Christ, they cannot bear fruit. V. 5 “5 I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can doe nothing.” Jesus restates previous verses, reinforcing the necessity for believers to keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7; 1 Peter 1:5) and walk circumspectly (Ephesians 5:15). This is what it means to abide in Christ; for, one who says they believe but goes the way of the world is not in Christ, nor he in them. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, but produces good fruit (Matthew 7:17-19). In Christ, we are branches and he is the tree or vine; and, apart from Christ, we cannot produce good fruit, but wither and die (Matthew 21:19-20). He is the tree with its root firmly planted in the ground, thereby he nourishes the branches, and no force can uproot Christ; for, being God, he is sustained by God; and, we through him. V. 6 “6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” Jesus likens the body of Christ to that of a farmer cultivating plants; dead branches and unproductive limbs are cut off and burned. Similarly, God prunes and cultivates the body of Christ; and though severed limbs may still regard themselves part of the church, God does not. Jesus said to the same, “…depart from me ye who work iniquity, I neuer knew you.” (Matthew 7:23) They are cast into the lake of fire. V. 7 “7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall aske what ye will, and it shall be done vnto you.” Abiding in Christ includes having his words written on the fleshy tables of the heart (2 Corinthians 3:3). If we do not believe, then we have not faith; and, his words are not in us. A true believer hears the voice of Christ because he is indwelled by the Holy Spirit and his words are in him. This being the case, a believer asks according to God’s will; for, that is the Spirit in him. Subsequently, Jesus says that whatever we ask shall be done (1 John 5:14). V. 8 “8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye beare much fruit, so shall ye bee my Disciples.” Mark 16:15 renders this verse a commandment to the disciples; he said, “…Goe yee into all the world, and preach the Gospel to euery creature.” Indeed, because of the efforts of the Apostles, many converts were made and congregations were planted throughout the Roman Empire, which, at the time, was considered the world. V. 9 “9 As the Father hath loued me, so haue I loued you: continue ye in my loue.” The Father loves the Son and commits all things to him; for, the Son always does the Father’s will and the same will is that of the Son. The Father loves the Son and the Son the Father. Similarly, Jesus loves his children; those who trust him by faith and love him because he first loved them; they are the sheep of his fold and he gladly gives his life for them. There is no greater love (John 15:13). “Continue in my loue” means always believing the love of Christ; never for a moment, regardless of circumstances, doubting Christ’s love; ever abiding in that love, loving the brethren and projecting that love even to an unbelieving world. Holding no bitterness, animosity, jealousy, envy or ill will toward any person; for, this is the fruit of the Spirit, evidence of the indwelling of Christ and proof of Christ’s love in the believer. V. 10 “10 If ye keepe my Commandements, ye shal abide in my loue, euen as I haue kept my Fathers Commandements, and abide in his loue.” Jesus gives believers one commandment, in which all the commandments are contained. He codifies this in verse 12. Conversely, the commandments of the Father, which include the Mosaic Law and ceremonial law, Jesus kept; for, we are not able. However, the commandment Jesus gives, believers can keep by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; for, that is the Spirit of God and God is love (1 John 4:8). Thus, if we abide in Jesus’ commandments, we abide in his love and vice versa. And, if we abide not in his commandments, the love of God is not in us; therefore, we have neither the Son, nor the Father. John wrote, “He that loueth not, knoweth not God…” (1 John 4:8) As Jesus abides in the love of the Father, so should we abide in him. In that, all the commandments are kept. V. 11 “11 These things haue I spoken vnto you, that my ioy might remaine in you, and that your ioy might be full.” Believers experience the fullness of Christ’s love and joy by abiding in his commandments. Though we are saved by faith and salvation is solely the work of Christ, we endure in the joy of salvation through obedience to God. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Casting down imaginations, and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ:” (2 Corinthians 10:5) In this, the joy of Christ is fully realized; for, this is the antithesis of worldliness, wherein there is no joy for the true believer. V. 12 “12 This is my Commaundement, that ye loue one another, as I haue loued you.” Jesus explains what he means by keeping his commandments (v.10), reducing it to “Commandment,” singular. In this all the commandments are kept; and, the love we have one for another is exemplified in Christ, who gave his life that men might be saved. Similarly, this is the depth of love which Christ asks of all who believe. V. 13 “13 Greater loue hath no man then this, that a man lay downe his life for his friends.” Jesus speaks first of his love and how it is expressed in his death on the cross; but, he also explains the depth of love to which he calls his disciples. In part, he prophesied that they would do the same, all but one who died of old age. So, great was their love for Jesus that they were willing to lay down their lives for Christ; and by their example, many were saved. V. 14 “14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoeuer I command you.” Jesus refers specifically to his commandment to love one another; for, in this we are marked as friends of God. And, if we love God, Christ’s commandments are not onerous. Matthew wrote of Christ’s commandments, “For my yoke is easie, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) In Christ, we understand that no commandment of Christ is for harm, but only good. And, the joy we experience through obedience proves his commandments are of friendship, not of tyranny. Thus, we gladly do them; for, Jesus proves himself worthy of all honor, reverence, respect and glorification. Of whom can we say that, but of Christ? V. 15 “15 Henceforth I call you not seruants, for the seruant knoweth not what his lord doth, but I haue called you friends: for all things that I haue heard of my Father, I haue made knowen vnto you.” And though we rightly regard ourselves servants of Christ unto the body of Christ (Romans 1:1), he elevates us to friends, sharing with us intimate things of the Father and the Son. Jesus directs this particularly at the disciples, but not at the exclusion of all other believers; for, the disciples walked with him in the flesh, and they shared Jesus’ joys and sorrows and he, theirs. Things of the Father, he shared first with the disciples, as they comprised his inner circle; and, upon Judas’s departure, the remaining 11 were committed to Christ and, in time, would prove it. Thus, Jesus regarded them friends. He taught them the doctrines of the Godhead that they might understand the nature of Christ and teach it correctly to new believers. Knowing Christ is the heart of salvation; for, this is he whom the Prophets prophesied would come: the Redeemer, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and Emmanuel. The same was in the beginning with God and was and is God (John 1:1). All that Jesus heard from the Father, he shared with the disciples; for, it is God’s will that they would know both Son and Father; and, therein know the doctrines of salvation; not that Jesus shared the entire knowledge of God; for how is that possible? What man can fathom infinite knowledge? Rather, he shared knowledge from the Father specific to the salvation of men. Thus, Jesus let the disciples know that everything they needed to know they were told. Nothing was missing in their instruction of the Gospel. V. 16 “16 Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you, and ordeined you, that you should goe and bring foorth fruit, and that your fruite should remaine: that whatsoeuer ye shall aske of the Father in my Name, he may giue it you.” Usually a pupil chooses a master; but, Jesus said that he first chose the disciples. They may have felt that they actively chose him (and in a sense they did), but not before he chose them. “Ordeined” means officially appointed by Christ for a particular service; that being preaching the Gospel and establishing congregations throughout the world. This is akin to planting crops and bringing forth fruit thereof. And, upon seeing the body of Christ grow and flourish, Jesus assures them that the fruit would remain; for, the Gospel is not for a season, but for eternity. And, indeed the body of Christ grew up through the centuries, despite persecution and some falling away. Respective of the disciples following their ordination and the commission given them by Christ, they might ask the Father anything in Jesus’ Name and it would be done. For, this glorifies the Son and the Father. V. 17 “17 These things I commaund you, that ye loue one another.” “These things I commaund” refers to all the things Jesus has commanded the Disciples; the primary commandment being love one another; for, upon it hangs all the commandments. It is the premise of Christ’s ordination of the disciples and their fulfillment of the commandment to bring forth fruit; for, he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Thus, as he loves us, we are commanded to love one another; that our light might shine within the church, but also in the world. And, through that light, which is the light of Christ, men might be saved. V. 18 “18 If the world hate you, yee know that it hated me before it hated you.” Despite hatred the world has for believers and for Christ, we return no evil; for, if we return evil for evil, then we are of the world. Conversely, when we return good for evil, we prove we are in Christ and not of the world. V. 19 “19 If ye were of the world, the world would loue his owne: But because yee are not of the world, but I haue chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” The world loves things of the world; and it loves those who love the same. The values, places and conversations of unsaved persons are appealing to others like them. Prestige, recognition, money, power and titles gain respect in the world; yet, in the body of Christ, they should have little or no value. The Scribes and Pharisees prized things of the world: Jesus said of them, “Beware of the Scribes, which desire to walke in long robes, and loue greetings in the markets, and the highest seates in the Synagogues, and the chiefe roumes at feasts:” (Luke 20:46 & Luke 11:43) They hated Jesus because he had no use for such things, and exposed arrogant religious leaders and pious posturing. He called them hypocrites and whited sepulchres (Matthew 23:25-27). They were loved by their own, while all hated Jesus and his followers. Jesus said that his disciples are “not of the world,” meaning they are called to humility, honesty, repentance, faith, service, charity and selflessness. If these were truly the values of the world, they would love Christ; and, if they loved Christ, they would love his disciples. He chose them “out of the world” that they would follow him, and not the values, doctrines and faith of men. And being proponents and workers of the Gospel, they set themselves at odds with the world; for, man sees himself righteous by his own merits, while God sees those righteous only in Christ and through Christ. Thus, the world hates the righteousness of Christ; for, Christ exposes man’s wicked heart and demands a new heart. We must die to self that we might live in Christ. Therefore, we must be born again; the old man who was a friend of the world and at enmity with God must be cast off, that we be made a new creature. As the born again man rejects the world, so does the world reject him; for, they have no fellowship (2 Corinthians 6:14). V. 20 “20 Remember the word that I said vnto you, The seruant is not greater then the Lord: if they haue persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they haue kept my saying, they will keepe yours also.” Believers serve Christ and thereby serve his doctrines; therefore, if the world hates Jesus, they equally hate his servants. And, the servant, not being greater than the Lord, cannot elevate himself above his Lord, nor will the world see him in any other light than servants of that which they hate. Thus, the persecution Jesus endured, the same will the disciples face and perhaps more. “If they have kept my saying” refers to Christ’s statement that those who hate him will persecute him; and, similarly, the disciples holding to the same can expect persecution. And, the world will remember Christ’s teaching, though most often they will not receive them; rather, they reject those who hold to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. V. 21 “21 But all these things will they doe vnto you for my Names sake, because they know not him that sent me.” Because the world does not know that Jesus was sent by God, the very mention of his Name is sufficient to attract persecution. V. 22 “22 If I had not come, and spoken vnto them, they had not had sinne: but now they haue no cloke for their sinne.” Speaking specifically to the Jews, but equally to all men, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, none may say they didn’t know; for, all Jews even to this day know the name Jesus Christ; and, unless they have come to faith, they hate the Name. Thus, they may not use the “cloke” of ignorance to cover their sin of rejecting Christ; for, all creation declares his glory (Romans 1:20 & Psalm 19:1). V. 23 “23 He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.” No one can say they love the Father yet hate Jesus. The Son came from the Father and abode with him from eternity; both Father and Son are eternal God of the same substance. Thus, he who hates one hates the other. V. 24 “24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sinne: but now haue they both seene, & hated both me & my father.” The Jews’ ignorance could not be excused; for, they witnessed Christ’s miracles which no man had ever done; not even the greatest prophets of the Old Testament did them. The Scribes and Pharisees did not deny Jesus’ miracles, but acknowledged them to the extent that they said, if he keeps going the whole world will believe on him (John 11:48). Because they had seen and still rejected Christ, they also rejected the Father. Hosea wrote, “…because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will also reiect thee…” (Hosea 4:6) V. 25 “25 But this commeth to passe, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” Jesus refers to Psalm 35:19 & 69:4. Jesus did no evil and caused no man harm, yet he was hated by the Scribes and Pharisees, in particular. Their hatred was irrational; but, spoke of the condition of their hearts; for, by Christ’s goodness their wickedness was exposed. The scripture teaches that no man can stand in the light without his sins being exposed (John 3:20). V. 26 “26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I wil send vnto you from the Father, euen the Spirit of trueth, which proceedeth from the Father hee shall testifie of me.” As Christ proceeded from the Father (John 8:42), so does the Comforter. And, as Jesus was sent by the Father, the Comforter is sent by the Son. Herein is the hierarchy of the Godhead established: Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Comforter, John 14:26). Thus, as Jesus testifies of the Father, the Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus. V. 27 “27 And ye also shall beare witnesse, because ye haue bene with me from the beginning.” The Disciples who had been with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry, being filled with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of truth, testify of Jesus. They witnessed Jesus’ miracles, heard and learned his doctrines, saw his crucifixion, saw the empty tomb, saw the resurrected Jesus and witnessed his ascension into heaven. All these things they witnessed and testified to the world that they are true. RELATED VERSES Further study Vs.1-2 Vine: John 1-5; James 3:12 Husbandman: Luke 20:13; John 15:1; James 5:7 Fruit: Matt. 3:10, 7:16-20; Luke 3:9, 6:43-44; John 15:2, 4, 5, 8, 16; James 5:7 V. 3 Clean: Matt. 8:2, 23:26; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12, 11:39; John 13:10, 15:3; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:26; James 4:8; 1 John 1:7, 19; Rev. 19:8, 14 V.4 See verses 1 & 2 Vs. 5-6 Good tree/fire: Matt. 3:10, 12:33, 35; Luke 3:9, 6:43, 45; Jude 1:7; Rev. 20:14,15; 21:8 Depart from me: Matt. 25:41 V. 7 Ask: Matt. 6:8, 7:7-11, 18:19, 21:22, Luke 11:9-13; John 14:13-14, 15:7, 16, 16:23-26; James 1:5-6, 4:3; 1 John 3:22, 5:14, 15 V.8 Glorified: Lev. 10:3; Isaiah 26:15, 44:23, 49:3, 55:5, 60:9, 21, 61:3, 66:5; Ezek. 39:13; Daniel 5:23; Haggai 1:8; Matt 9:8, 15:31; Mark 2:12; Luke 4:15, 5:26, 7:16, 13:13, 17:15, 23:47; John 7:39, 11:4, 12:16, 23, 28, 13:31, 32, 14:13, 15:8, 17:4, 10; Acts 3:13, 4:21, 11:18, 13:48, 21:20; Romans 1:21. 8:17, 30; Galatians 1:24; 2 Thess. 1:10, 12, 3:1; Hebrews 5:5, 1 Peter 4:11, 14; Rev. 18:7 Vs. 9-14 Love of God: Matt. 22:37, 39; Mark 12:30, 31; Luke 10:27; John 3:16, 35, 5:20, 8:42, 10:17; 13:34; 14:21, 23, 24, 28, 31, 15:9, 10, 12, 17, 16:27, 17:23, 26 Commandments: Exodus 15:26, 20:6; Lev. 22:31; Numbers 15:40; Deut. 4:2; Proverbs 2:1, 3:1, 4:4, 7:1, 7:2, 10:8; Eccl. 12:13; Isaiah 48:18; Matt 5:19, 19:17, 22:40; Mark 12:29; John 14:15, 14:21, 15:10; Rev. 14:12, 14 V. 15 Servants (no longer): Romans 8:17; Gal. 3:29; Titus 3:7 V. 16 Fruit: Matt. 3:10, 7:16-20, 12:33, 13:23, 21:41; Luke 3:9, 6:43, 44, 8:15, 13:9; John 15:2-8 V.17 Love one another: (see vs. 9-14) Vs. 18-19 Love of the world: John 12:25, 15:19; 1 John 2:15 Vs. 20-21 Persecution: Matt. 5:11-12, 10:23, 23:34; Luke 11:49, 21:12; Romans 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:15 V.22 Excuse (without) Romans 1:20 Vs.23-24 Hate, love: (see Vs. 9-14) V. 25 Jesus’ innocence: Luke 23:4, 14; John 18:38, 19:4, 6 V.26 Comforter: John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7 V.27 Witness(es):Deuteronomy 17:6; Matt 18:16; Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8, 2:32, 3:15, 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Thess. 2:10; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 12:1