Perseverance of the Saints 5

In our final (for the time being, anyway) look at the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints, we will prove it by looking at the immutability of the Covenant of Grace.

Again, we should define our terms. By Covenant of Grace, we mean that covenant which God made with Abraham, wherein God swore that He would be cut off for the sins of His people. This is what was signified when, in the ratification of the covenant, God passed through the severed carcasses of the animals in Genesis 15. The significance of this event can never be overestimated. By passing through the animal body parts, God was as much as saying that if His people violated His covenant, God would be “cut off” as payment for such sin. Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a cutting off, as a seal of this promise.

God frequently mentions this covenant in Scripture, and whenever He does, the eternal nature and immutability of this covenant is always reiterated or implied. In the following passages I have underlined references to the eternal and immutable nature of the Covenant of grace in order to demonstrate what I have just stated.

“This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:9-10 ESV)

           

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV)

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33 ESV)

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jeremiah 32:40 ESV)

For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, (Hebrews 8:8 ESV)

All of the above passages refer to the Covenant of Grace. It is said to be an “everlasting” covenant which God Himself has established. He swears that that He will be our God and that this covenant will not be removed.

Although I have treated this subject over the course of five posts, it could easily be expanded into a treatment a hundred times larger. This is a subject that appears everywhere in Scripture.

No doubt, those who reject the Perseverance of the Saints do so for the supposedly noble intention of protecting God’s honor and emphasizing the need for holy living. But as we stated back in our first post, Perseverance of the Saints does not lend itself to antinomianism. The fact that my salvation cannot be lost should fill me with unspeakable gratitude to God for the magnitude of my deliverance for my manifold sins and miseries. Whenever we become legalistic or self-righteous it because we have forgotten how great our deliverance from sin is, or we have forgotten how great our sins and miseries are.

1 Corinthians 1:30 assures us that Christ is not only our redemption, but he is also our sanctification. The Arminian belief in a losable salvation is a denial of the connected nature of regeneration and sanctification. God regenerates no one He does not intend to glorify. Therefore, if God has regenerated a man, He will undoubtedly sanctify this man. To say that Perseverance of the Saints is a license to sin with impunity is anathema. In fact, Jude says the person who reasons in this manner does so because he is predestinated to perdition (Jude 4). Harsh words, perhaps, but nevertheless true.

To deny the Perseverance of the Saints is to affirm that God is not immutable, that His decrees are fallible, that Christ’s mediatorial work is insufficient and not satisfactory, that the Spirit’s seal is revocable, and that the Covenant of Grace can and in fact, does fail. These assertions all fall far outside the boundaries of the Christian faith.

Perseverance of the Saints 4

This time our line of reasoning derives from the Spirit’s work in the life of believers. In Christ’s promise to the disciples that He would send the Spirit, He specifically states that the Spirit would abide with them forever (John 14:16). This is surely a significant statement.

Paul assured the Ephesian believers that the Spirit in us is a guarantee that we will in actual fact attain our inheritance. Here is how he put it:      In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV) He further states that the Spirit is the seal of our redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

Those familiar with Old Testament history will know that throughout many times of Israel’s history there was very little true worship. At one point Elijah thought he was the only true worshiper of God left. Because the Spirit abides in God’s people, it is impossible that there should cease to be a “remnant.” In fact, Paul says as much: So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. (Romans 11:5 ESV)

In the very context of Election, Paul asserts that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29 ESV). This is an extremely profound statement. It means that once God has called someone to Himself and granted them the Holy Spirit, He will never revoke it. Bear in mind that election is not coextensive with covenant. Just because someone was in the covenant community of Israel, it was not an iron-clad guarantee that this person was also elect unto salvation. This is why Paul mentions the “remnant.” 

In short, the Spirit’s abiding work in the lives of believers is a proof of the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. The Spirit abides eternally in those He has sealed. His work is irrevocable and permanent. Therefore those who are sealed cannot apostatize and will most certainly be saved.

Perseverance of the Saints 3

Today, we return to our subject of the Perseverance of the Saints. But this time we will prove our point from the efficacy or virtue of Christ’s work as Mediator, which is comprised of three parts: His satisfaction for our sin, His intercession for His elect, and His preservation of those for whom He has made satisfaction.

Let us first consider Christ’s mediatorial work of satisfaction. When Christ cried out “Τετέλεσται,” (It is finished), He declared that He had both fulfilled God’s law perfectly and had fully borne in His body God’s infinite wrath against sin. Nothing more remains to be done about sin. All the sins of God’s elect have been atoned for and Christ’s perfectly obedient righteousness is imputed to them. To say that future sins can cause one to lose his salvation is tantamount to saying: (a) Christ did not make full atonement for the sins of the elect; (b) Men can commit sins that God was not aware of when Christ died; (c) Christ’s death for sin only counts against the specific sins which the sinner must acknowledge individually.

When God raised Christ from the dead He was vindicating Christ’s perfect righteousness and acceptable sacrifice of Himself as a complete satisfaction for sin. If there were even one sin left to be atoned for, Christ would not have offered a complete satisfaction for sin. Hence His resurrection from the dead assures the Perseverance of the Saints. If one of the elect could actually perish if would have to be because of sin. No one perishes for any other reason than sin. This would mean that Christ would not have died as an atonement for all of that person’s sins.

Let’s look at a few relevant Scriptures:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7 ESV)

Notice that John claims we are cleansed from ALL sin.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10 ESV)

and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (Colossians 2:10 ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14 ESV)

The second part of Christ’s mediatorial work is His intercession for those for whom He has made atonement. Here again we have an unbreakable chain. For one of God’s elect to actually perish it would require either Christ not making a full satisfaction for sin (which we have already refuted) or worse yet, having made a satisfaction, He cannot make effectual intercession for them. In other words, Christ can pray to the Father and have His prayer denied. If this is not blasphemy, nothing is.

When Christ stood at Lazarus’ graveside, He thanked the Father for hearing Him, and with the utmost confidence affirmed that He knew that the Father always hears Him (John 11:41, 42). Let that sink in. Christ intercedes only for those for whom He has made atonement. If one for whom He intercedes can finally fall away and perish, then Christ can intercede in vain, i.e., the Father does not always hear Him. This is not rocket science. In His high-priestly prayer in John 17, Christ explicitly states that He prays only for those whom the Father has given Him.

We present several relevant passages:

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1 ESV)

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

(Psalm 2:8 ESV)

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

(John 17:11 ESV)

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

(John 17:24 ESV)

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

(Hebrews 7:25 ESV)

Finally, let’s look at Christ’s mediatorial work of preserving those for whom He made satisfaction and for whom He intercedes. For one of His elect sheep to finally fall away and perish, would mean that Christ is impotent to protect and preserve His own. Can anyone say that?

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:27-29 ESV)

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (John 6:39 ESV)

Perseverance of the Saints 2

A couple of days ago, we looked at the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints as demonstrated in two beautiful passages. Today we will approach the subject from another angle: the immutability of Election

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— (Romans 9:11 ESV)

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30 ESV)

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, (Hebrews 6:17 ESV)

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19 ESV)

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 ESV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17 ESV)

For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? (Isaiah 14:27 ESV)

These verses need very little explanation for our present purpose. Election is an eternal decree. Because it was done by God, who never changes, it is an immutable decree. To suppose election to be mutable is to make God less than an idol. The only possible reason election could be mutable is if God could be mistaken. Since this is a blasphemous assumption, we can rule it out.

This is also why election cannot be along the lines of the cart-before-the-horse Arminian version of election based on foreseen faith. This travesty of reason makes the actions of a finite being the cause of the knowledge of the infinite God. Stupidity!

Here’s the gist of the argument: God has chosen a certain number of people to salvation. This choice was made without any reference to works, good or bad. This is an eternal and immutable decree because God is not a man that he should change His mind, either by miscalculation or false assumptions. He is sovereign over all things – and that says everything. If God has immutably elected someone to salvation, then there is no way in heaven or on earth that this person can fail to be saved. If he could, God would be either mutable or less than perfect and almighty. Case closed.

Perseverance of the Saints 1

We are going to look at the Reformed doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. First of we, we should define our terms. Perseverance of the Saints is not equal to the once-saved-always-saved (OSAS) doctrine held in certain evangelical circles. The latter lends itself to antinomian, that is, lawless behavior. The former does not. Let me explain. Both teach the impossibility of one’s salvation being lost, but the emphases are different. OSAS is easily perverted into a license for sin because the basic assumption underlying it is this: No matter what I do, I am and always will be saved. Once I have accepted Christ, that’s it. My salvation does not hinge on my actions, thus they don’t matter. So OSAS seems to frequently look at ‘me’ and discount my life altogether. Perseverance of the Saints, on the other hand, strives to emphasize God’s preserving power over the salvation of His elect. Perseverance of the Saints also strives to emphasize the doctrine of sanctification. God does not save anyone He does not intend to sanctify. Therefore with the Reformed presentation of the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints there is no question of antinomianism. We believe that behavior matters, but we also believe that God sovereignly brings trials into our lives to mold our character. Hence what matters is that our character is being molded into the image of His Son. Salvation depends on what Christ has done, not on what we do.

Having said that, let’s look at the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. We will assess it from five different angles.

The first line of reasoning or form of argumentation for the Perseverance of the Saints is the express teaching of scripture. Although we will present numerous passages demonstrating this doctrine, we will first look at two main foundational passages.

I. The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. Psalm 37:24

This Scripture speaks of a righteous man both walking and falling. The only presumable reason God casts anyone away is because of sin. Yet this verse explicitly tells of a man who God does not cast away because of his sins.

Much that passes for Christian teaching overlooks the basic underpinning of this passage of Scripture. Salvation from sin and regeneration do not guarantee a life of sinless perfection. This is not to say that we do not strive against sin. But we are not to expect sinless perfection in this life. God does not expect it either. He did not save us because of our moral uprightness. Many Christians profess to believe that salvation is by grace, that is the initial accepting of Christ and repentance of sins, but after that, you’re on your own. Salvation is not earned by works, they will profess. But they live as if they believed that salvation is maintained by works.

A second relevant passage is:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35, 38-39

I have heard raving Arminians claim that this passage does not say the word “sin,” hence this is not a statement proving the Perseverance of the Saints. Of course, this is idiotic exegesis. The point of the passage is that there is NOTHING anyone can possibly imagine that can separate God’s people from his chesed love. Either sin is a thing or it does not exist. If it is a thing, then it cannot separate us from God’s love.

Moreover, Arminians always fail to take into account the extent of the atonement. I know that sounds like a crazy thing to say since they are the purveyors of the so-called universal atonement. But what I mean is this: Christ’s death paid for all of the sins of the elect. If all my sins: past, present and future are covered by the death of Christ, then of course my sins cannot separate me from the love of God!

Often an appeal is made to Matthew 24:24 as if this verse undermines the clear-cut teaching of the whole of Scripture. What is obvious to any impartial reader is this: It is impossible for the elect to be deceived or led away. To read it any other way is to contravene the gist of the passage.