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Anonymous
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[quote:112y90tf][quote:112y90tf]Well, Orthodox soteriology is a little different to the RCC’s teaching, but nothing like that of the Protestants. Our doctrine of salvation is called theosis and it is a synergy of God and man working together to make man like God by grace.

We do not believe in once saved always saved, but nor would we ever talk of someone losing salvation. As we would never say that someone who is still alive is already saved, how could we say that they had lost what they had never attained? A process of ever-greater perfection can never be finished – certainly not in this life.

James[/quote:112y90tf]

The first paragraph I agree with and is line in Catholic teaching. But the second threw me off. It almost sounds like some Protestant explanations I have heard. Where they “well they never had salvation in the first place”.
Which is another way of saying once saved always saved or if your conversion was true and sincere then you really cant lose it. Do I have that right?

~Victor[/quote:112y90tf]

No, not at all. We do not see salvation as a state but as a process which, if you agreed with my first paragraph, you must too. How can you say you have a process? You can say you are [i:112y90tf]in[/i:112y90tf] a process, but that’s different. Of course you can fall by the wayside and fail to reach salvation, but salvation is not attainable before death. We, therefore, believe (practically at least) the same as you do – we would just never phrase it as ‘losing salvation’, as though that was something a living person could possess. Put it this way, even if a great saint, like say Seraphim of Sarov, who is evidently holy is still alive can we say they are saved? Once they are dead, yes, but before? What if tomorrow they were going to go off the rails and start a genocidal campaign against innocents? Once they have passed on they can be saved – in this life [i:112y90tf]nobody[/i:112y90tf] can be sure of salvation. [i:112y90tf]This[/i:112y90tf] is the failing of the do nothing, sola fide, OSAS brigade.

James