As we have studied the doctrine of perseverance, we have seen that one side of the coin is the fact that all true believers will persevere in the faith. Those who are truly believers will manifest this fact by continuing to believe in Jesus (see the parable of the sower in Luke 8). Those who fall away show that they were never true converts in the first place.
So, this doctrine is a warning to us. We must not presume that we are saved if we are walking in a habitual pattern of disbelief and disobedience to God (though all Christians will struggle with sin and doubt). We should not just look back on some decision we made many years ago and presume that it was a genuine conversion experience. A Christian is one who is trusting in Jesus (present tense); not simply a person who “made a decision” at some point in the past (see passages like John 3:16 which says, “that whoever believes [present tense i.e. continuing to believe] in him should not perish but have eternal life”).
The true Christian will, by the power of Holy Spirit, be persevering in the faith. If he or she is not, this doctrine warns us that he or she might not be truly saved. This is why we have passages that say you will be presented "...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..." (Col. 1:22-23 emphasis added). Therefore, the first implication of this doctrine is a warning to continue in the faith and not shift from the hope of the gospel.
No comments:
Post a Comment