Believing that you have secure eternal life is trusting in the promise of 1 John 5:13, not contradicting it. I also believe that I have a secure position in eternal life that is in Christ Jesus. I also am not contradicting 1 John 5:13 when it states that you may know that you have eternal life. The contradiction is when you believe in OSAS and you turn back and OSAS believers say that the person was never saved even though the one that turned back knew that they were saved. This is 99% of the verdicts that I hear from OSAS people. OSAS in its logical conclusion does not allow 1 John 5:13 to be true.Saxon, you can see that my believing that I have secure eternal life is trusting in the promise of 1 John 5:13, not contradicting it. There are only two conditions a man can be in, saved or lost. Believing in eternal security does not go against scripture but I think there are extreme views and zealous opinions without correct knowledge that confuse what is really true. If a man is born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit there is still a very high probability that he will sometimes commit sin, this does not mean that he is now lost or that he never was a true Christian, it means he has stumbled. Some stumble badly. But on the other hand, I have heard of for example, some Hollywood people leading openly sinful lives say that they are born again and seem that way for a few days but then go right back to the same lifestyle. One could reason by their actions that they were not really born again. But who really knows a man's heart but God? Salvation is a gift, one that God will not take back and that a believer cannot give back. Remember in Romans chap. 7 when Paul as a Christian said that he does the evil things he wills not to do?
Believing in eternal security in the way that you seem to is going against the scripture. There are a mul***ude of p***ages that are in direct opposition to OSAS and scripture does not contradict itself. Ezekiel 18:26, Romans 1:21, Romans 11:20 and 21 and Hebrews 3:12 are all making OSAS an impossible Bible doctrine.
There are situations that you observe Christians stumble. Stumbling is because of sin. The wages of sin is still death. Romans 6:23 has not been rescinded. The reason those that stumble, as you call it, and have continued on with a Christian life is because they repented of their sins. We are to seek forgiveness for our known sins and our unknown sins. Again the wages of sin is death.
About the “Hollywood” people, how do you know that they were never saved? They could have been saved for a time. But you do not believe that is possible. Luke 8:13 does not agree with you.
I agree with you when you say, “Salvation is a gift, one that God will not take back”. The problem is never ever God taking salvation back but the problem is us leaving it behind us and wandering off. (See Hebrews 3:12)
Paul did have a problem with his desires and was man enough to admit it. We all are in the same boat as Paul. Go over Paul’s teaching on prayer and repentance. This is how he combats this problem that could have dragged him to hell.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God
Ezekiel 18:26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Romans 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Romans 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
1 John was written to Christians along with the entire Bible. John said If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If the wages of sin is death, what happens if we ignore 1 John 1:9? Why did Paul feel secure in Jesus Christ?Paul was admitting the struggle that every Christian goes through and I have never heard anyone make a case that Paul was saved and lost and then saved again even though he admitted nothing good dwelt in his flesh. He knew that even though he sometimes acted like a "wretched man" that he was secure in Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.