5. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
5. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS And now, to the final point -- the perseverance of the saints. Again, for the sake of summary, let us refer to the Baptist Confession, which agrees on this point with the other historic confessions of faith. ’Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved,’ it says, ’effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. . . ’
Again let us show that this is exactly what the Scriptures teach us. ’For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? . . . for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life . . . nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ [Rom 8.27 ff]. And again, let us recognise the fact that all that the men at the Synod of Dort [and those who teach likewise] were doing, was putting into small compass in a systematic form, the teaching of God’s gospel of free and sovereign grace. If man cannot save himself, then God must save him. If all are not saved, then God has not saved all. If Christ has made satisfaction for sins, then, it is for the sins of those who are saved. If God intends to reveal this salvation in Christ to the hearts of those whom He chooses to save, then, God will provide the means of effectually doing so. If, therefore, having ordained to save, died to save, and called to salvation those who could never save themselves, He will also preserve those saved ones unto eternal life to the glory of His Name.
Thus following total depravity, and unconditional election, and limited atonement, and effectual calling, we have -- the perseverance of the saints. ’He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ’ [Phil 1.6]. The Word of God is replete with references to this blessed truth. ’And this is the Father’s will, that of all He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day’ [John 6.39]. ’I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand’ [John 10.28). ’For if; when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life’ [Rom 5.10]. ’There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus’ [Rom 8.1]. This is the believer’s hallmark, that he belongs to Christ; that he is persevering in the things of Christ; that he is ’giving all diligence to make his calling and election sure.’ The believer in Christ may fall into temptation, but the Lord will ’not suffer him to be tempted above that which he is able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,’ so that the believer comes forth, and goes forth again in the things pertaining to his salvation to the glory of Christ. Those matchless verses of Romans 8.28-39 show the Divine logic in God’s eternal salvation; the logic that Calvinism simply states. The salvation that begins in the mind and purpose of God must end in the fulfillment of His unthwartable purpose that those ’whom he did foreknow’ are eternally united with their Saviour.