Perseverance

‘We want each of you to show this same diligence to the end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and perseverance inherit what has been promised.’ Heb 6:11,12

I said I would be returning to this topic. It is something I feel we need to face up to urgently both in our own Christian lives and as churches.

The Westminster Confession, says the following: “They whom God hath accepted in his 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.”  This is what theologians call the doctrine of final perseverance. Another confession puts it more simply:  “We believe that none who are born again will fall away so as to be lost, but that they will persevere through grace to glory.”

Now, I believe firmly in final perseverance because  the Bible clearly teaches it.   But it’s a doctrine that has been dangerously misapplied. All too often it is understood as meaning that if a person once makes a ‘decision for Christ’, they are safe forever.  No matter that there is no resultant change in the person’s life, no desire to attend church or that there has even a complete turning away from God. The dangers of presenting such a travesty of the doctrine of final perseverance are multiple:

·         It lulls people who are not truly born again into a false sense of security about the state of their soul.

·         It plays down the need for personal holiness and a transformation in the life of the believer. It makes us blasé about the spiritual dangers all around us.

·         It makes us careless about the spiritual welfare of other believers, and less inclined to act when we see someone starting to slip away from the Lord.

·         It makes our evangelism shallow, and reduces conversion to a one-off decision rather than a total dedication and lifelong commitment to Jesus Christ.  It artificially severs evangelism from discipleship.

The Bible clearly entertains at least a theoretical possibility that Christians can fall away from faith, because the New Testament is full of warnings. Think for example of these words to Jewish Christians who seem to have been in acute danger of deciding to turn back:

‘So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what has been promised.’ Heb 10:35-36

Our our Lord’s words of warning to the church in Philadelphia:

‘I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no-one will take your crown.’ Rev 3:11

Why, then,  is it so rare to hear preaching on these warnings in Evangelical circles? It seems to me that some in ‘reformed’ churches neglect to preach on some passages of scripture because they fear they will be preaching Arminianism!  I believe that it is precisely through the warnings God has given us, and through the mutual encouragement of fellow Christians that he will ensure he brings each one of us safely to heaven. Why otherwise did the Apostle Paul and others go to such lengths to warn their spiritual children of the dangers around them and of the need to keep on in the Christian life, whilst at the same time expressing confidence in God to bring them safely to glory? If Paul and others found it so essential to give these warnings, why are they missing from so much evangelical preaching today?

When the writer to the Hebrews warned his readers not to give up meeting together, it was because he knew the peril they would be in if they did so. In fact, the epistles are full of exhortations to keep on encouraging one another – not because it is ‘nice’, but because it is essential.  But we do so looking in faith to God for salvation – indeed, these exhortations frequently occur in connection with a statement of assurance on the basis of God’s faithfulness (see 1 Thess 5:9-11, Gal 6:2, Hebrews 3:12-13, 10:23-25).

So then, let’s finish with a thought from the end of Jude:

‘Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and evermore! Amen.’