Question Begging language in Christianity

It has come to my attention that there are many strange teachings out there about God, which do not line up well with God's Word. At first I was surprised, but that shouldn't have been a surprise, because even before and during the time Jesus walked the earth, these kinds of teachings existed, and they were taught by the well respected, highly educated, members of the community at that time, as they are now. This does not mean that all those in such a position should be disrespected, but we shouldn't believe everything we hear either.

Mark 7:5-13 GNB So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, "Why is it that your disciples do not follow the teaching handed down by our ancestors, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?" 6 Jesus answered them, "How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you! You are hypocrites, just as he wrote: 'These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. 7 It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach human rules as though they were my laws!' 8 "You put aside God's command and obey human teachings." 9 And Jesus continued, "You have a clever way of rejecting God's law in order to uphold your own teaching. 10 For Moses commanded, 'Respect your father and your mother,' and, 'If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death.' 11 But you teach that if people have something they could use to help their father or mother, but say, 'This is Corban' (which means, it belongs to God), 12 they are excused from helping their father or mother. 13 In this way the teaching you pass on to others cancels out the word of God. And there are many other things like this that you do."

Thus the reason we have to seek wisdom with everything we have. For whatever reason teachings like this were created, they end up causing more harm than good. If we assume that the reason these little lies were created is to help rather than harm, the harm we find is worse than it's intended purpose to help. So the trinity might have been created in order to help people understand the nature of God, but the problem is that the trinity has so many contradictions to it, as found in the Word of God, that it places the only source of God's message into doubt. Someone might tell a little white lie in order to keep another's feelings from being hurt, or perhaps they do it to simplify a concept, but in the end, a little fib may avalanche into something far worse. One lie may contradict other scriptures elsewhere, and one is forced to change the simple meaning of those elsewhere scriptures, but then each of those new meanings will contradict some other scriptures elsewhere, and so the cycle begins again, until the entire word of God is of no value at all, because nothing in it has a reliable meaning any more. Or in order to understand it we need a person with a PhD to keep all the twisted meanings straight.

Those who believe salvation can never be lost have that idea imbedded so deep in their brains that it has become a kind of definition of salvation to them. They have defined for themselves what salvation is, despite the fact that the Bible's message is contrary to their definition. The problem with our own "made up definitions" is that, there can be no way to argue against them despite the evidence, if the one who accepts it, refuse to change that definition, definitions are just that, definitions, and can't be changed. The attitude we see here in the OSAS beliver is:

Proverbs 26:12 KJV Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Because they refuse to look at anything else in the Bible, contrary to their belief. In Christianity, just as the trinity is a made up definition about the nature of God, so too is the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine a made up definition of what Salvation is. These teachings at first seem simple, and yes, it's nice to think that we can never lose our salvation, but if it's not in the Word, it's wrong. It begs the question "What about these counter-examples to such a definition?" because, despite the evidence against it, the definition goes contrary to it, but we are not able to argue against a definition, because a definition is settled. If this definition proves to be false then it gave those who believed in it, a false sense of security, they thought it was okay for them to sin. There are some scriptures which appear to imply unconditional salvation, but remember that we can't ignore the many other scriptures that show otherwise. And we should perhaps take a closer look at the scriptures used to defend the OSAS belief, and make sure they mean what someone has told us they mean.

In order to give an illustration of the absurdity found in question begging language, suppose I were taught that all coffee mugs were cream colored and that anything other than a cream colored coffee mug was not a coffee mug. You might show me something that looks exactly like a coffee mug, it holds coffee, it has a handle just like a coffee mug, it even keeps the coffee warm for a long time, and says "coffee mug" on it, but it isn't cream colored. Now suppose you have it sitting on the kitchen table, full of some fresh hot coffee, and you offer it to me, saying:

"Sean I just fixed you a cup of coffee over there in the coffee mug."

Now because you don't know my definition of what a coffee mug is, nor do you know the obsessive compulsive attitude I have about drinking out of a true coffee mug, you are about to discover what it means to beg the question. I might reply, "Where is the coffee mug?" Then you might reply, "It's right there on the kitchen table." I might reply: "That's not a coffee mug. A coffee mug is cream colored." Then you might say: "No that's not true, I have all kinds of coffee mugs all different colors." Then you might proceed to show me some of your coffee mugs. I will say "Those aren't true coffee mugs, they're false coffee mugs, you're preaching a false coffee mug." Then you might say, "What are you talking about, just because the coffee mug isn't cream colored, doesn't negate the fact that it's still a coffee mug?" Now by that time you might think to yourself, . o O(this guy is insane.), but to be nice you might just say "Okay, but will you drink the coffee even if it isn't in a true coffee mug?" And I might say "No way! that's heresy, get me a real coffee mug." So you might ask: "Here are all my mug's, why don't you choose the mug that's a true coffee mug?" But it might turn out that you have no cream colored coffee mugs, and so I might say: "Sorry but I can't drink coffee from those false coffee mugs, perhaps you have a true tea cup, and you can make me some tea." So you might ask, "Will you drink the tea from one of the false coffee mugs, or do I need to have a true tea mug?" And I might reply, "No silly, it's not called a tea mug, it's called a tea cup."

Now that we can understand the nature of the fallacy made by the Once Saved Always Saved definition, let us show an example of what it does to the message in the Bible. I might now show a OSAS believer the following scriptures in the Bible:

2 Peter 2:20 GNB If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in worse condition at the end than they were at the beginning.

Hebrews 10:26-29 GNB For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us. 27 Instead, all that is left is to wait in fear for the coming Judgment and the fierce fire which will destroy those who oppose God! 28 Anyone who disobeys the Law of Moses is put to death without any mercy when judged guilty from the evidence of two or more witnesses. 29 What, then, of those who despise the Son of God? who treat as a cheap thing the blood of God's covenant which purified them from sin? who insult the Spirit of grace? Just think how much worse is the punishment they will deserve!

We should be able to predict what a once saved always saved believer will say to this, first off they might say something like: That's not the King James Version, so it's a false Bible, then you might proceed to show them the same verses as found in the KJV:

2 Peter 2:20 KJV For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Hebrews 10:26-29 KJV For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Then they will say, those people were never really saved, they were never really born again, they were the false prophets. Then you might show them the following verse from the Gospel according to Matthew:

Matthew 6:14-15 KJV For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Some of the hard core OSAS believers will say that the commandments in the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John applied only to the Jews, not to the Gentiles, and only applied before Jesus Christ died on the Cross, and then they might accuse you of preaching a works based salvation, that is, they might say that you are trying to earn your own salvation, or keep your own salvation. And then they will quote Paul:

Ephesians 2:9 KJV Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It should be obvious that what these people are trying to do is create excuses to sin, so they might try to say that if you work against your flesh and try not to sin then you are boasting of works, but at the same time they will say that a true born again Christian won't sin, because they have the Holy Spirit in them, and they have become a new creature in Christ and they will even show you the following scripture:

1 John 3:9 KJV Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

What they are doing is turning light into darkness and darkness into light. Then you might show them the following verse:

1 John 1:8 KJV If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Then they will say that the blood of Christ is what blinds their sin from the eyes of God, and they will quote:

Romans 4:3-8 KJV For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

So one argument I have heard them make is that because they are born again they have "imputed righteousness" as did Abraham. At that point it might occur to you that it is impossible to get through to these people but you might then say, well what about these scriptures:

1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

James 2:17 KJV Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

1 Timothy 4:16 KJV Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

1 Timothy 5:22 KJV Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

1 Timothy 6:12 KJV Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Hebrews 2:10 KJV For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 3:6-12 KJV But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. 7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Luke 16:16 KJV The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Matthew 5:17 KJV Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Romans 3:31 KJV Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Romans 13:9 KJV For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

And many many other scriptures that contradict their OSAS belief, they will be forced to twist every scripture, clearly contrary to their belief or they might just water the scripture's meaning down, so much, that it makes not sense, or they will attempt to minimize it's significance, by accusing you of taking it out of context. If we can see through the lie going on here, we might want to try to understand the underlining agenda for such a lie. One reason this lie might have cropped up is that many people like to feel secure even if they are not, so it's a false security blanket. Another possibility is money, the easier it is to get into heaven the more people it will attract, and the more people the more money a preacher can make. Still another reason people accept this teaching is simply because they what to get into heaven without having to do a single thing against their flesh. They want the reward of everlasting life while at the same time reaping the rewards of the pleasure they get from satisfying their fleshly desires. Then there are the innocent souls who have been raised up with this teaching, and so they therefore know no other way because it has been drilled in their head since the day they learned about Jesus Christ. Now there may be other reasons for this lie, but the most important reason is because it's prophesied in the Bible, a few places are in Second Peter, Jude, but even in the Gospels we see that these things must happen and why. So all I can say to my fellow Christians is to obey our Lord Jesus Christ and know what to obey by OPENING UP YOUR BIBLES AND READING IT FROM COVER TO COVER AND SEEK, WITH ALL YOUR HEART, TO UNDERSTAND ITS TRUE MEANING AND BELIEVE WHAT IT SAYS:

Matthew 7:21-23 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 3:20 GNB Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up.

Question-Begging Definition This fallacy consists in making a claim true by definition, by subtly importing a highly questionable definition of a key word into one of the premises.

Example: Suppose that Paul maintains the empirical claim that "true love never ends in separation or divorce." When he is presented with examples of true love followed by divorce, he insists that such cases were not genuine cases of true love. His "evidence" that they were not cases of true love is that they ended in divorce. Paul is hereby settling the issue by definition, for his judgment is that any marriage that ends in divorce could not have been a case of true love. Hence, no empirical evidence is allowed to count against his claim. It is when this evidence is presented and rejected that it should become evident to other discussants that the alleged empirical claim is really a definitional one. The argument in standard form should clearly reveal the flaw:

Since true love is defined as a love that will never end in divorce or separation, _________________________________________________________
Therefore, true love will never end in divorce or separation.

Attacking the Fallacy If you suspect that an arguer has employed a question-begging definition in an argument, ask the arguer whether the conclusion is a definitional or empirical claim. If he or she is puzzled by your question, it might be necessary to explain, as simply as possible, the difference between a definitional and an empirical claim. If the claim is found to be definitional, it is obviously not subject to falsification, although the arguer should be prepared to defend the questionable definition against alternative definitions base on ordinary language or the thinking of relevant authorities. If the claim is found to be empirical, the arguer has the burden of proving empirical proof for the claim and must, of course, be willing to consider any counterevidence to the claim. ["Attacking Faulty Reasoning", By T. Edward Damer]