Perseverance of the Saints

Life gets in the way, doesn't it?! It's been a very long time since I posted last...school and work can really force your attention away from what's important if you let it.


Perseverance of the Saints is one of the five points of Calvinist Doctrine adopted in many forms and fashions by the world of institutional Christianity. While hard-core Calvinists would differentiate between this doctrine and the "Once Saved, Always Saved" ideology, for all intents and purposes they are the same in today's religion.
This doctrine states that God's grace automatically covers the sin of a true Christian. Once a Christian is truly saved, he/she can never lose salvation. Should someone who was supposedly saved fall away, the claim is that he/she was never truly saved to begin with. This idea is extremely popular and should be studied and examined thoroughly by every Christian.

Study of the scriptures will prove that this belief is unfounded. Living in Sin can indeed separate us from God should we go on without repenting--we will see examples of this. Of course thinking this way is commonly viewed as legalistic and just downright pessimistic. Many believe that to think in this manner is to forfeit comfort and assurance. Does this mean that those who believe salvation can be lost are living in a state of constant fear?
Quite the contrary! There is assurance that can be found in the Scriptures that far exceeds the false-comfort based in Calvinist ideas. Don't substitute the assurance of God for the false assurance of man! Let's look at the text....

We must not underestimate the power of Sin! It can indeed separate us from God should it go unrepented for. The Hebrew writer lets us know the seriousness of the unrepentant heart of one living in sin...
Hebrews 6:4-8 >>
4For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,6and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Those who have tasted the heavenly gift and fall away into sin cannot be renewed to repentance again. Now understand that this is not due to a weakness of God's...nor is it because they were never saved to begin with. Clearly the writer is speaking of those who have once tasted the gift of the Holy Spirit. These people cannot be renewed to repentance because of a hardened heart and a seared conscience!
1 Tim. 4:1-2 >>
1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron..

God warns us time and time again of the dangers of sin that goes unrepented for
Hebrews 10:26-27 >>
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

During our Studies in the AUSC we paired this study with a study of repentance. Not only does repentance involve remorse and an appeal for forgiveness, but it necessitates a turning away from the sinful practice! Continually Living in sin carries the penalty of death--this holds true even for those who have once been redeemed.

2Peter 2:18-22 >>
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

A final example that should be taken into account is found in Galatians 2. The passage is too long to post here, so I'd like anyone who's reading to find it and read it for yourself. Peter was carrying on in hypocrisy for fear of persecution by the Jews; he refused to eat with the Gentile Christians while Jews were present. Paul then opposed Peter to his face because "He stood condemned" (Gal. 2:11). A solid example of one who had clearly tasted the gift of the Holy Spirit being carried away to standing condemnation by sin.


The Word establishes firmly that the penalty of sin is death, even for those who have once been baptized into Christ. Many people see this truth as a threat to their spiritual assurance and a point of great worry. Christian, do not let this fact worry you, for we can still have complete and total assurance in our standing with God! (1 John 5:13).
Feeling doubt about our standing with the Lord is natural--do not let it affect your faith in the promises of God. During times of doubt, I go to the Word and ask myself..

Am I A Christian?
Do I understand God's Promises?
Is God true to his promises?

God's Word is our ultimate source for assurance in Christ Jesus. That's why it's called the Gospel. It's good news!


We can have solid, biblical assurance in our salvation! Do not exchange the solid assurance of God for the false assurance of man.
1 John 5:11-13 >>
11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.