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Perseverance of the Saints (1)
Victor M. Eskew
The foundational elements of Calvinism are five in number. They can be easily recalled by the acrostic, T.U.L.I.P. Total hereditary depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace have been discussed in precious articles in the Gospel Journal. Let’s now spend a little time examining what is called the Perseverance of the Saints.
The word “perseverance” comes from the root word “persevere.” Persevere means “to persist,” “to continue,” and “to maintain.” Calvinism teaches that God’s children are called to the grace of God by the Holy Spirit. That call, we are told, is irresistible. The individual cannot reject the call when it comes. It comes because that person was chosen from before the foundation of the world to be saved by the grace of God. Once the individual accepts the call and is saved, the Calvinist believes the person can never fall from the grace of God. He will persist in the Christian life until he dies. There is nothing this individual can do or say that can cause him to fall from the grace of God. Some refer to this doctrine as “once saved, always saved.” Others have labelled it with this title, “the impossibility of apostasy.”
In the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is clearly stated. Let’s read two quotes from that manual. First, “They whom God hath accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace: but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved” (pp. 102-103). Second, “This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof” (pp. 103-104).
This doctrine makes complete sense if a person believes that God has predestined the eternal destiny of every human being before the foundation of the world. If God predestined a person to be saved, then he will be saved. Nothing, absolutely nothing, the individual whom God has chosen to save can cause him to lose his salvation. Very few individuals have taken the time to think about, study, and apply that last sentence to the life of “the called” of Calvinistic thinking. Again, Calvinism teaches that nothing can cause the elect to be lost. He will, in fact he must, endure unto the end regardless. A Baptist Preacher named Sam Morris was one who took this teaching to its logical conclusion. In a pamphlet entitled, “Do A Christian’s Sins Damn His Soul,” Mr. Morris writes:
“All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may prac- tice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger. The justification of the human soul ` is through the atonement of Christ and not through the efforts of man. The way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul.”
Mr. Morris has set forth the logical conclusion of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. It is not a pretty picture, but it is the real end of the impossibility of apostasy. Many Calvinists would never say this, but Mr. Morris was bold enough to admit it. “…and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger.” Wow!
Let’s ask some questions. Can a Christian lie? Yes. Can a Christian commit idolatry? Yes. Can a Christian commit murder? Yes. Can a Christian become a sorcerer? Yes. Can a Christian commit adultery? Yes. With these questions in mind, let’s look at Revelation 21:8. The apostle John tells us: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Notice that John attaches the word “all” to the word “liars.” All liars, whether non-Christian or Christian, shall have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone. Mr. Morris clearly contradicts the inspired apostle. Too, the logical conclusion of Calvinism stands in opposition to John’s words.
Dear readers, Christians can fall from grace. Paul wrote these words to the churches of Galatia: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). Paul affirmed that the Christians of the first century who were attempting to be justified by the law of Moses had fallen from grace. A person cannot fall from something he was never in. We will have more to say about the possibility of apostasy in our next article.