Perseverance: The Doctrine Outlined Part 3

Now it is time to examine the second key part of our definition of the perseverance of the saints: the reality that all true saints persevere in the Christian life until the end.

Perseverance of the Saints- Enduring by God's Power
According to our definition (you can find it here), "only those who persevere until the end have been truly born again."  This is to view the doctrine from the human side of the equation.  It is important to remember, however, that we have not left the first truth we've examined.  It is ultimately God's grip on us that keeps us secure.  But, we are also reminded that true believers do persevere in and by faith.  "God does not guard us apart from our faith, but only by working through our faith so that he enables us to continue to believe in him" (Grudem, 792).  We endure to the end, by God's power, through faith.  There are several passages that support this.

In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  A true disciple is one who abides in (ie. continues in) Jesus' word.  If a person does not remain in Jesus' word then he is not truly a disciple.  

Paul makes a similar statement in Colossians 1:22-23 when he says, 

he has now reconciled [you] in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard...

In other words, you are reconciled to God if you are one who continues in the faith.  Those who shift from the hope of the gospel show that they are those who are not truly reconciled to God.

This same idea is elucidated further by 1 John 2:19.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Next time we will look at the reality that some people may claim to be Christian but prove that they are not when they fail to persevere until the end.

Perseverance: The Doctrine Outlined Part 2

In the last post, I provided a definition of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.  Today, I will highlight the first key component of the definition and provide some biblical support for it.  This component is God's promise to preserve (ie. keep) those who belong to Him.

Preservation of the Saints- Kept by God's Power  
Those who are really born again (ie. given new life by the Spirit of God) will be kept securely by God.  This means that God preserves His children.  It is God who keeps us.  Jesus made this quite clear in John 6:38-40 when He said,

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 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. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Note three points from these verses.  First, Jesus will not lose any person the Father gave to Him.   Second, The person who believes in Jesus is given eternal life.  This is not a temporary thing that can be lost or taken away.  By definition, eternal life goes on into eternity.  Third, just to be sure there is no misunderstanding, Jesus says that He will raise those the Father gave to Him on the last day.  He says that this keeping and raising up is the will of His Father (it is mentioned twice- once in relation to Him not losing those who belong to Him and again in relation to eternal life).  Here we see the believer is firmly held by God.

Another helpful passage is John 10:27-29:

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.

No one can snatch one of Jesus' sheep out of His (or the Father's) hand.  "The hand of the Son and the hand of the Father clasp the weak and feeble hand of the believer, clasp him or her so tightly that no one will ever be able to snatch that believer away from the double handclasp of God" (Hoekema, Saved by Grace, pg. 239).  No person (including the believer himself), thing, or power can separate the believer from the love of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:31-39).

This is the picture of the doctrine of perseverance from God's side of the equation.  He preserves or keeps those He saves (for more support see John 5:24, Rom. 8:29-39, 1 Cor. 1:8-9, Eph. 1:13-14, Phil 1:4-6, Heb. 7:23-25, 1Pet. 1:3-5).  Next time we will look at the second part of our definition that needs highlighting.

Perseverance: The Doctrine Outlined

It is important to spend some time explaining just what the doctrine of perseverance of the saints is really all about.  So, let's begin with a definition of the doctrine and then (in the next few posts) examine some supporting Scripture.

The perseverance of the saints means that all those who are truly born again will be kept by God's power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives, and that only those who persevere until the end have been truly born again (Grudem, Systematic Theology, pg. 788).

Over the next several days, I want to highlight and provide biblical support for two key components of this definition.  We will begin with a look at God's promise to preserve (ie. keep) those who belong to Him.  Then we will look at the reality that all saints persevere until the end. 

Reflecting on the Sermon 11/21/10

Rod preached from Romans 8:18-23.  Rod discussed how the Christian is to view and deal with suffering.  He provided two "doctrines" which under-gird the Christian in suffering.  The first is that the Christian looks at suffering in light of the second coming (v. 18).  The second is that the Christian must realize why things are the way they are in the world (the big picture- think Biblical theology for those of you that came to Bible study last year).  We must realize we live in a fallen world and that we, and all of creation, need redemption.

I though he made a great point when he said, "Unless you have a deep understanding of sin and of God's holiness, you will think all the suffering and futility in the creation is an overreaction by God."  May God use suffering to cause us to take his holiness and sin more seriously.

The second thing I found encouraging is thinking about the second coming of Christ.  What hope in the midst of suffering.  I don't just grin and bear it.  I have hope in the midst of it.

All I want for Christmas is a Study Bible

Ok, so maybe you hadn't thought about asking for a study Bible for Christmas, but it is a good investment if you don't own one.  Plus, if you ask for it for Christmas, it is a free (to you) investment!  There are a few good ones out there to choose from.  If I could just recommend one to you it would be the ESV Study Bible from Crossway.  A hardback version can be purchased from Amazon.com for under $30.  Here is why I recommend it:

1. It contains a great translation of the Scripture.  The English Standard Version is a solid, reliable translation of the Bible that is also fairly easy to read (not as tough as the NAS and not as easy as the NIV).  
2. The study notes are written by many different, conservative Bible scholars.  The notes are quite helpful when you are doing your devotionals and have a question about a verse.  Plus the introduction for each book of the Bible contains helpful information.
3. It contains a TON of helpful charts, articles, maps, and illustrations.  It has articles on theology, other world religions, apologetic issues, and much more.
4. You get access to an online version of the Study Bible for free (notes, articles, illustrations, everything.)  So you can use it even when you are away from home.

One downside is that with all this great information, the Bible itself is massive.  So, you probably wouldn't make this your Bible for taking places (unless you are trying to tone your arm muscles).  But, for a study Bible to keep at home and use to enrich your personal study time it is great.  If you want to get some more info about it (including sample pages) click here.

Now you have one more thing for your Christmas list.

Perseverance: Once Saved, Always Saved, Right?

I recently received a good question from someone about a passage of Scripture that is difficult to interpret.  The passage, Hebrews 6:1-8, is one of several warning passages in the book of Hebrews which deal with the dangers of falling away from the faith.  The individual asked me how we should interpret this passage since we believe that a person cannot lose his or her salvation.  As I began to think on this passage, I decided that instead of just providing an interpretation of the passage, it would be better to address the broader topic that these warning passages bring up first.  Namely, “Can a Christian lose his or her salvation?”  After dealing with this more expansive question, I will deal specifically with Hebrews 6.

Once Saved Always Saved, Right?

It is common to hear Christians make the statement, “Once saved, always saved.”  This statement, while true, doesn’t say enough.  It could mislead a person into thinking that an individual, who claims to be a believer but lives in a state of persistent rebellion and disobedience to Christ, is genuinely a Christian.  The Bible, however, knows nothing of a Christian who lives a life characterized by habitual disobedience.  So, while it is true that a person who has genuine, saving faith in Jesus is always saved, the biblical doctrine is better described by saying that a true Christian is one who will, by God’s grace, persevere in and by faith until the end. 

This perseverance is guaranteed for a true child of God because God will preserve all who truly belong to Him.  It is not a matter of how strong our faith or grip on Him is.  It is, instead, a matter of His faithfulness to those who belong to Him.  Several passages make this clear:

This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day (John 6:39-40).

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, 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).

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:29-30)

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6). 

Other passages could be cited, but the point is clear: God holds on to those whom he has saved.  He completes the work he began from regeneration to glorification.  He doesn’t leave things partially finished (like we often do).  This is a glorious and comforting truth that all Christians should spend time getting better acquainted with.   

Over the next few weeks, I hope to sit down with this doctrine and you so that we can get to know it more in-depth.  We will look at what the doctrine is and what it means.  We will examine some objections to the doctrine and see if they are legitimate or not.  Then we will take an up-close look at Hebrews 6.  Finally we will see the implications of this doctrine for our lives.  I pray that this will be a fruitful journey for each of us.

Reflecting on the Sermon: 11/14/10

The sermon came from Romans 8:17-25 (if you missed it check it out here).  Rod continued discussing the Christian and suffering.  He spent some time in 2 Corinthians 12 talking about how God uses suffering to humble us and remind us that we are totally dependent on Him.  Suffering can often be a means by which God helps us learn to kill our pride and submit to God.

One point that stuck out to me, that was really more part of the introduction of the sermon when he spoke about the believer's assurance of salvation, was when he said, "You will be glorified one day, not because you are holding on to God, but because he is holding on to you."  I'm glad God is holding on to me, because my grip is weak.

An Evangelical View on Exorcisms

Here is a good post by Dr. Mohler (president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) on exorcisms and the evangelical view on issues related demons.  I thought he made a good point when he said,

We must resist any effort to “demythologize” the New Testament in order to deny the existence of these evil forces and beings. At the same time, we must recognize quickly that the Devil and demons are not accorded the powers often ascribed to them in popular piety.

The whole thing is worth reading, so check it out.

Modern Hymns

In case you didn't know, several of the songs we sing during Sunday morning worship services are modern hymns composed by Keith and Kristyn Getty (Across the Lands, The Communion Hymn, Beneath the Cross, Every Promise, O Church Arise, Speak O Lord, Higher Throne, and a few more).  I appreciate their songs because they are full of rich theology and are well done (their versions have an Irish flare since they are from Ireland).

Listening to good, solid Christian music is a smart way to help instill the truths of the gospel in your heart and mind throughout the day.  I encourage you to check out their website, listen to some of their songs, and buy some of their music.  This will help you know some of the songs we sing on Sunday's even better, and it will help you meditate on gospel truths throughout your day.

Just as a sample, check out the video below.  This is a song we sang last Sunday and it fits well with Rod's sermon from this week (When Trials Come).  Also, it has a pretty sweet violin solo.

Reflecting on the Sermon 11/7/10

More from Romans 8:17?  Oh yes.  Rod spoke from Romans 8:17b-18 and expanded on the themes of suffering and glory found in Romans 8.  As he discussed suffering, specifically persecution, I found this series of quotes (my paraphrases) thought provoking and a good exhortation

In the US we don't face too much physical persecution right now, but ask yourself- "Does the world like me?"  If you speak like Jesus and proclaim the gospel message, the world will react. The gospel message is offensive (it includes issues of sin, the exclusivity of Christ, the reality of Hell).  If you speak this message people will be offended and some won't like you.  Now, if your personality is offending people, change it.  But if the message is offending, be willing to face persecution for it.

I like to be liked.  So, this is a good area for me to be challenged in.

If you had any thoughts from the sermon I'd love to hear them.  Remember, if you post a meditation from this week's sermon or last week's I will enter you in the drawing (see the previous post for more details).

Enter the "Don't Neglect to Reflect" Drawing

If you put something that you reflected on from the sermon in the comments section of the "Reflecting on the Sermon" post from this week or next week, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of the booklet "Listen Up: a practical guide to listening to sermons" by Christopher Ash.  Comments must be received no later than Sunday, November 14th to be entered into the drawing.

Reflecting on the Sermon 10/31/10

Rod preached from Romans 8:17.  He was focusing on the fourth confirmation a person can have that he or she is a Christian: He suffers with Christ.  The part I reflected on was when he discussed the first part of the verse in which we are told that we are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ."  As a Christian, I have an intimate relationship with God, calling him Abba Father (v. 16), and I have an inheritance in Christ.  Here is the statement that really struck me from the sermon:

A human father can disinherit you or lose the inheritance, but God doesn't.  He is faithful and powerful.

That brings me much hope for every day life and especially in suffering.  Even when I mess up, God will not disinherit me because I am in Christ and share in His inheritance.