We Can Only Lose Fellowship with God

A Candid Look at OSAS "Support"

A common argument made in support of Once Saved, Always Saved is that we can only lose fellowship with God if we depart from His ways. However, such a statement demonstrates a critical lack of understanding about what fellowship is.

"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." I Corinthians 1:9

Fellowship with Christ is the basis for our relationship with God. Fellowship and relationship represent the same concepts. Fellowship means "association, communion, joint participation, intercourse, and intimacy".

If we have no fellowship, we have no relationship. This is why Jesus came, to restore or reconcile us to right relationship/fellowship with God.

Sin separated us from God because sin cannot stand in God's presence.

"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

The Adamic nature is a slave to sin, so God's answer was to crucify that nature via the death of His Son on the cross. As a sinless offering, His blood paid the price for our debt allowing those who have faith in Him to receive forgiveness of sin.

"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13

We "were" far off but now we are "made nigh" through Christ. That is the beauty and joy that we receive as believers in Jesus Christ; we are allowed to fellowship with God instead of being alienated from Him.

Those who claim that we only lose fellowship and not salvation are presenting a man-made belief that has no foundation in Scripture. Further, they are perverting the very essence of what is accomplished in Christ. To not have fellowship with God is to be far off from Him.

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Philippians 3:10-11

Attaining to the resurrection of the dead is directly tied to being in fellowship with Christ, including the fellowship of His sufferings. There is no salvation in God outside of fellowship with Him.

Further, God continually tells us not to have any fellowship with darkness because HE has no fellowship with darkness.

"...I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils." I Corinthians 10:20b "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" II Corinthians 6:14

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Ephesians 5:11

How then can one be separated from God in darkness and be one with Him at the same time? God tells us that such claims are a lie.

"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." I John 1:6

If we walk in darkness, we have no fellowship with Him. Without fellowship, we have no communion with Him. With no communion, we are not in unity with Him. It is only by being joined in unity with Him that we are the sons of God.

"(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." I John 1:2-3

There is NO text in Scripture which says we can be united to God while out of fellowship with Him. The gift of eternal life we receive from God is a result of our fellowship with Him. Without that fellowship, there is no salvation.
This article is part of a 6-part series evaluating a doctrine referred to as Once Saved Always Saved, Eternal Unconditional Security, or Preservation of the Saints.

1. God Doesn't Mince Words
   
   • Names Blotted Out of The Book of Life
   • It IS Possible to Fall Away
2. "IF"
   
   • Conditions for Salvation
   • Cast from God's Body
     
3. Salvation is a Result of Covenant
• God's Relationship With Man is Based on Covenant
• Was the Abrahamic Covenant Unconditional?
  
• Covenant Responsibilities
  
4. Sealed Until the Day of Redemption
5. A Candid Look at OSAS "Support"
• Eternal Life is a Gift
• Nothing Can Separate You From the Love of God
• You Cannot Be Unborn
  
• You Can Only Lose Fellowship with God
• You Can Only Lose Your Reward
• Predestined by God
• Eternal Life is "Eternal"
  
• All means ALL
6. The ONLY Reason Salvation Can Be "Lost"