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PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS (3)
Victor M. Eskew
Individuals who hold to a doctrine of Calvinism referred to as “The Perseverance of the Saints” will attempt to turn to the Scriptures in order to prove this doctrine. There are about nine main passages to which they will turn in “support of” the teaching of once-saved, always-saved. We will look at a few of these in this final article in our series on Calvinism.
John 5:24 is a passage the Calvinists will use often in discussing the impossibility of a Christian’s falling from grace. Jesus makes this statement: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Two elements of this verse are important to the Calvinist: “hath everlasting life” and “shall not come into condemnation.”
Calvinists will affirm that everlasting life is a present reality for the Christian. They will argue that Jesus said: “He that hearth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…” The word “hath” is a present tense verb. In other words, those who hear and obey have eternal life right now. Eternal life is just that eternal. If life is eternal and one has it right now, it cannot be taken away, the Calvinist will affirm.
The argument appears to be very solid. However, this verse must be harmonized with another verse found in the Bible. In Titus 1:2, Paul wrote these words: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” There are two words that are important when confronting the Calvinists. The first word is “hope.” Paul teaches that eternal life is part of the Christian’s hope. In Romans 8:24, Paul reveals that hope that is seen is not hope. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” If individuals have eternal life right now, then they do not have to hope for it.” In other words, they are not living in anticipation and expectation of it. “…for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?”
The second word found in Titus 1:2 that is of importance is the word “promised.” God promised eternal life to the faithful. A promise involves a blessing that is to be received at a later day. If I were to say: “I will give you $50.00,” you do not have the $50.00 right now. It is something that you anticipate receiving in the future. Paul says eternal life is a promise from God. It is something Christians will receive at a later date.
There seems to be a contradiction between the words of Jesus and the words of Paul. If the Bible is the inspired Word of God, there is no contradiction, only an “apparent” contradiction. How do we rectify these two inspired statements? The answer lies in what some call “the prophetic present” used by Jesus. Jesus knew eternal life is part of the Christian’s hope. However, if a Christian continues to hear and believe unto the end, the promise is so certain that it can be spoken of as if the individual already is in possession of it. A father might tell his child at the ballfield: “If you hit a homerun today, you have a new bat.” The father spoke in the present, that is, as if the child already had the bat. However, even if the child hit a homerun, he would not possess it immediately. The father would still have to buy it for him. But the promise is so certain that the father spoke of it in the present tense.
The second part of Jesus’ words also need to be discussed. He said that those who hear and believe will not come into condemnation. This is true, but the words are conditional. Those who initially hear and believe must continue to do so. If they cease to hear and believe, the promise given to them becomes null and void. Car dealerships make similar statements to their customers. The contract might read: “Those who use premium gas and have their car serviced with us, you will never be charged for engine repairs.” What happens if a customer uses another dealership to service his car? The promise of free engine repairs is null and void. We understand these things in the physical realm. Why can’t they be easily understood in the spiritual realm?
Another passage used by the Calvinists is Romans 8:1. Paul writes: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The Calvinist only emphasizes the first part of this verse. He intentionally neglects the conditional part of Paul’s Words. If the child of God walks “after the Spirit,” there is no condemnation. However, if he turns and begins to walk after the flesh, there will be condemnation to suffer. Peter was very clear when he taught that a Christian could be again entangled in the world. “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2 Pet. 2:20). Simon the converted sorcerer is an example of one who sinned after becoming a Christian. Philip converted Simon while preaching in the city of Samaria (Acts 8:5, 13). When Peter and John came to Samaria to lay hands on those new Christians so they could receive the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, Simon offered them money in return for their power. Peter’s words were stern and to the point. “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:20). Peter affirmed that Simon’s actions put him in a situation that would cause him to perish. Thus, he was exhorted to repent of his wickedness, “and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee” (Acts 8:22). If Simon could not suffer condemnation once he was saved, why did Peter warn him that he could perish? The reason is because his desires on that occasion were fleshly in nature. He had ceased walking in harmony with God will as revealed by the Spirit of God. The Calvinist errs when he puts a period after the words “Christ Jesus” in Romans 8:1. If a Christian returns to a walk in the flesh, he will be condemned unless he repents.
A third passage relied on by the Calvinist to “uphold” the perseverance of the saints is 1 Peter 1:5. Peter told the Christians to whom he wrote that they “are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” The Calvinist focuses upon the words, “kept by the power of God.” They affirm that God is all-powerful. Therefore, if He is the one keeping the individual, then he could never lose his salvation. The text, however, includes another ingredient. That ingredient is faith. As long as the Christian maintains his faith, he will be kept. There is a chance, however, that he could lose his faith. This is the focus of the entire book of Hebrews. To the Jewish Christians, this warning was given: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Heb. 3:12). God’s power keeps the faithful. If a person chooses to be unfaithful, God’s power will not hold him. God will not keep anyone against his will.
Satan knows that many people still look to God’s Word as their religious guide. Therefore, it is necessary for him to try to pervert God’s word as much as possible. It satisfies him when individuals believe perversions of God’s Word. He knows that men cannot be saved as long as they believe a lie. This is why it is essential for everyone to study the Bible accurately (2 Tim. 2:15). Dear readers, if this means that we must give up longstanding beliefs in order to embrace the truth, then so be it.