Calvinism: Perseverance of the Saints
The False doctrine of Perseverance Of The Saints, is the assertion of the impossibility of apostasy; the unconditional security of the believer in Jesus Christ.It is commonly known as once in grace always in grace or once saved always saved.
Perseverance of the Saints, states all who are chosen by God are kept in faith by the power of God and are preserved to the end.
the main thing in this small statement i wish to address is to address in this statement is the assertion of "The False doctrine of Perseverance Of The Saints, is the assertion of the impossibility of apostasy" being linked to this "once in grace always in grace or once saved always saved." in this this there are 2 points such a stance misses
1) the common misrepresentaton of the 5th doctrine of eternal security in christ through the work of the spirit of God with some mere man centred doctrine of a non reformed origin
2) there are two parts of this doctrine .. a) sanctification of a believer ... the on going process of being conformed to the image of christ. b) the end result of being glorified in christ
and if we consider the bible to be the word of God then ultimately there is an elect peple who christ will raise up on the last day (john 637-45)
now what we are given are five points on this supposed refutation ... which are as follows
Firstly, the Word of God does teach on the security of the believer in Jesus Christ - John 10:22-30; 1 John 5:11-13. However, this security of the believer is conditional on being faithful to Christ - John 8:31-32; Hebrews 3:12-19
Secondly, the Bible affirms that some will depart from the faith - 1 Timothy 4:1-2. Paul charges Timothy to keep the faith because some would fall away into apostasy - 1 Timothy 1:18-20
Thirdly, the Bible teaches you can be in a saved state and then be lost based upon your faithfulness to Him - Jude 1:5-6
Fourthly, the Bible abundantly teaches that you have the choice to obey Jesus and have life or disobey Him and have death, the choice is yours - John 3:36; Joshua 24:15; Acts 2:38-47
Fifth, to enjoy the benefits of God, you must be in Christ, because in Christ there is salvation - 2 Timothy 2:10. In Christ is where all spiritual blessings are - Ephesians 1:3. Outside of Christ you are lost, which is why Jesus told his disciples to abide in Him - John 15:1-6
these objections reveal a deep distrust in Gods promises in regards to the messiah and the salvific work he accomplishes upon the cross, and even more it becomes a common theme to cite verses isolated from native texts .. to try and substantiate a point that has no connection in the slightest manner .. this is the arminian verse shot out that rearly proves its tended point, and we as believer are drawn to a position where we are in a gridlock based on an extra biblical presupposition
now we will examine them closely
Firstly, the Word of God does teach on the security of the believer in Jesus Christ - John 10:22-30; 1 John 5:11-13. However, this security of the believer is conditional on being faithful to Christ - John 8:31-32; Hebrews 3:12-19
while the first part no calvinist would disagree with, that the word of of God is clear we stop to ask how is the beliefs of the historic arminian in line with what the bible teaches in this regard as we have previously established there is no grounds for such an assumption .. they turn the atonement in a mere idealist situtation .... where it does not atone for none in and of itself and they deny eternal security
then to the second point there is an element of truth to it, in that we have to be faithful to christ in our daily living as christians, but it does not follow that we can lose our salvation based on our unfaithfulnes
what is worse is the scripture used to support this notion
john 8 30 -31 does not show believers faithfulness rather it shows Jess showing their faith is not the true saving faith
So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
first thing to note here is that the words "As he was saying these things, many believed in him" is commontary by John ... and it is not spoken of whether it is a true saving belief or a momentayr belief till Jesus responseds to the apparent belief
secondly . realise like in 6 that these people were not believing in him for the right reasons then we come to important point "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"
note in these words we find the explicit teaching that in his word man would be free ... there respnse is telling that they dont seee truth of christs statement by confusing physical slavery with spiritual slavery ... which is not to human power but to ones own nature that is sinful
and by the end of the dicourse we find not only is false faith, they do not belong to God
Secondly, the Bible affirms that some will depart from the faith - 1 Timothy 4:1-2. Paul charges Timothy to keep the faith because some would fall away into apostasy - 1 Timothy 1:18-20
while is true some will leave the faith it has to stressed that they were never truly regenerated and granted saving fiath as the bible correctly identifies a true child of grace as
lets consider these pasages very carefully
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
and also
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
note in these passages we have a common theme ... false beliefs and believers alike.. not truly saved believers
what we must not do is import a notion into text where it does not belong
for example
the second passage cited when we read it in context we learn a few things ... people were not being taught he true purpose of the law .. we see this in the context "Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions." paul taught that the law mad us aware of the sin in us, and the need for a saviour
we get tis from the nest passage "and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus"
next, we see that the wrong understanding of the law can lead to the wrong way of thinking as seen in two ways a) a false needto comply to certianceremony as in the issue of the galatians and the judisers or b) to the opposite extreme a persecutor of the faith as seen in the context .. with paul
"though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief
and finally a berieif though n the other cited passage ... it is not speakig of being lead away by false doctine but by false practices such as what catholics do by forbidding marriage to preists, and the real presence of christ in the mass
finally we see in these words of john in his first epistle " They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us."
john informs us that such people wo wondr from th faith never truly beloned in the first place
Thirdly, the Bible teaches you can be in a saved state and then be lost based upon your faithfulness to Him - Jude 1:5-6
3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
how this is even related we are not told it is jst assumed and not proved. but eve Jude presents a problem for the arminian since judes unstanding is that salvation of the saint is a certian fact, where as armininism teaches no such thing there is no atonement nor security in arminianism .. meaning the quote of this actually refutes the position this guy is promoting
the next point to consider is what the purpose of the warning in verse 5 -7 is about ... "certian people" whom have crept in that are under GODS "condemnation" THOSE LEAD OTHER TO DENY CHRIST AS LORD AND MASTER
and the example that is given is two fold old testament answer ..... the people did not believe in God after be freed from slavery in egypt ...exodus, and the incident of sodom and gomorrah in genesis 18 -19
Fourthly, the Bible abundantly teaches that you have the choice to obey Jesus and have life or disobey Him and have death, the choice is yours - John 3:36; Joshua 24:15; Acts 2:38-47
here we see a misunderstanding of what we believe and also not so clear statement .. point a) we believe man can not obey Jesus or even come to him as a sinner, for they can not even in reality choose to come in saving faith.
john 6 :35 -45, john 8 : 31 -38 and romans 8 :1 -8 all speak to mans in ability to ctually choose christ for salvation
here is an exegesis of romans 8
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God -- romans 8
such important words and a focal truth of the matter in all things Godly
hear we see in the fist line an interesting point to raise "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires" and also "but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" ... it is not man who desire to do something but the manner of the context reveals something deeper in veiw
what is being said is that ... the mindset being dicribed .. those who live by the flesh only live that manner due to a corrupt nature .. in a sense it can be put like this ... the deeds we do are the dead opf the nature we are captive too .. in this case the natural man
or in the case of the spirit they are the deeds of the spirit
"The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace" ...his is not speaking of the outcome of both natures the deeds, but the end results of the nture .. flesh leads to death, spirit leads to life
"The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so, Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God" ... here is an important point to consider .. the flesh can only do what is pleasing to itself .. it can not do what is please to God
it is wrong to assume that this is speaking of one group of people .. it is contrasting .. 2 groups the believers and unbelievers .. to show the reality of regeneration of the spirit ... to submit yoto Christ, to his law, to the father and his law .. one first needs to be regenerated by the spirit
r c sproul make the same point ... "falllen man is still free to choose what he deisres .. but because his desires are only wicked he lacks the moral ability to come to christ as long as he remains in the flesh ... unregenerated he will never choose christ" ... therefore God has to act upon the will and nature of the persdon in turn to renew the person whole way of veiwing things .. in other words regenerate him by the spirit which then enables man to come to christ .. this is called drawing .. the father draws man to the son
to make the point when sproul speaks of man being free he is not referring to freewill but rather .. man has the abailities to make everyday choices in regards to every day issues, Just that man can not in and of himself choose to come to christ
now the other issue that is tied to a true believer is can they choice to disobey or obey the spirits leading and christs leading ... or can the believer if his wills to come to the comfort of christ
yes ... but this nothing to do with the coming to christ in need of redemption as a sinner .. that is Gods work through the spirit ... and quite honestly at this point is a red herrin, for it has nothing to do with the current issue
Fifth, to enjoy the benefits of God, you must be in Christ, because in Christ there is salvation - 2 Timothy 2:10. In Christ is where all spiritual blessings are - Ephesians 1:3. Outside of Christ you are lost, which is why Jesus told his disciples to abide in Him - John 15:1-6
and where is the consistency in such an objection .. are armnian really in christ based n the discord that happens knowing that you saviour who can not even save you .. as there is no atonement in arminian theology as it is a mere possibility as you said in a previous outing
and you certian dont believe in eternal security as there is no atonement of sins for it to be based on
so we see there are no real benefits for arminians .... what do these words mean in context
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will ... ephesians 1
how can you even begin to quote a verse which states "In Christ is where all spiritual blessings are" and yet fail to note your own words are in complete dicord with what comes after, as indeed is the arminian theology you adhere too
are arminians truly in christ as they ,re theology denies them the right to claim to be in christ .. since they dont believe anyone is saved ... no reality in the death or salvation
