Matthew Simmons
2 Peter 3:17 'Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.'-2 Peter 3:17 (NIV)2 John 1:9 'Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.'-2 John 1:9 (NLT) James 5:19-20 'Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.'-James 5:19-20 (NKJV) OSAS church members believe this verse is talking about professing believers. Can a professing Christian, a pagan, who is not in the truth, wander from the truth? How is a pagan going to wander from the truth and be restored back to the truth? Pagans cannot be turned back to the truth because they are not in the truth. Who can wander from the truth? Very good! Only brothers and sisters who are in the truth can wander from the truth because they are in the truth. At the beginning of James 5:19-20, the saved person is called brethren, and after they have wandered from the truth and into sin, the saved person is now called a sinner, needing to be saved from death. The Greek word here for death is thanatou (θανάτου), which means a spiritual death (hell) or a physical death (body bag). The word death (θάνατος [thanatos]) here is the same word death (θάνατος [thanatos]) in Revelation 21:8, describing the second death. In the NKJV, the subheading is called Bring Back the Erring One, and in the NLT, it’s called Restore Wandering Believers. Ezekiel 18:24'But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.'-Ezekiel 18:24 (BSB)HANDED OVER '...which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.'-1 Timothy 1:19-20 (NIV) '...hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.'-1 Corinthians 5:5 (NIV) You have to have faith and be in the faith to shipwreck your faith. Pagans cannot shipwreck their faith, and you cannot hand over pagans to Satan. Why? Pagans are already in Satan’s hand. Pagans are in the powerful, clutching, squeezing palm of the kingdom of darkness.2 PETER 2:1'But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them (redeemed)-bringing swift destruction on themselves.'-2 Peter 2:1 (NIV) These false prophets and false teachers were bought (redeemed) by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, yet they are perverting the body of Christ with spiritual gonorrhea. These people are drawing apostles of deception unto themselves. Satan has set up a mousetrap for every elementary believer, and if they do not get fully and doctrinally equipped with the principles and policies of the Word of God, they are going to follow countless heresies.