Perseverance of the Saints

Article 17: Perseverance of the Saints

17-1 Salvation is the work of God, from its commencement to its consummation.1 Those regenerated by the Word of God through the work of the Holy Spirit become partakers of the divine nature.2 They are preserved by the power of God3 so that they shall never totally or finally fall away,4 but shall persevere unto the end.5

1 Rom. 8:29,30; 2 2 Pet. 1:4; 3 Phil 1:6, 1 Pet 1:5; 4 John 10:27-29, 1 Cor 1:8, 1 John 2:19; 5 2 Thess 3:3,4.

Why is it impossible for the saved to loose their salvation?

Because salvation is a work of God

Rom 8:29-30.

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

The Golden Chain

When Paul says God foreknew us, he is speaking of God's knowledge of us as persons. He is speaking of His decision to enter into a relationship with us, to set His love on us.

Paul says those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to Christ’s image. This is the aim of God’s saving work. God saves His people so they will become like Christ.

God foreknew and predestined people to be saved and become like Jesus in order that Jesus would be shown to be superior to all else. That Jesus is the first born speaks of his priority in time and His primacy in rank. And the fact the Jesus is the first born among many brothers points to the fact that Christians share in His sonship.

Verse 30 tells us that God called, justified and glorified those He saves. Paul speaks of the glorification of God’s elect as if it were a historical event because even now, we have been made part of the new creation that has begun through Christ, but also our glorification is as good as done.

Why is it impossible for the saved to loose their salvation?

Because what is needed to be saved and remain saved comes from God.

2 Peter 1:3-4.

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

His divine power seems to be referring to Christ in verse 2.

Christ has provided everything believers need for life and godliness.

life here is a reference to eternal life.

godliness is inseparable from eternal life because godliness cannot be acquired without it. This means that having eternal life is not just about the future and being in heaven. It’s about life transformation. It intertwined with our sanctification.

2 Peter 1:5–7 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

This is only possible to obey if one has been saved. Remember the beginning of verse 3: Christ’s divine power is the source. It is the source of godliness.

As we move into verse 4, I suggest what Peter is conveying is that believers inherit God’s promises as they come to know Christ and as they experience His moral excellence and glorious radiance in their conversion.

The great precious and very great promises are probably referring to the participation in the divine nature mentioned in verse 4.

This is getting at the likeness of God. The promises of God make clear that as a result of the work of God in His people, they are able to participate in the divine nature.

Peter is saying that believers will be like God. Not will become God, but will become like Him. Believers share in the divine nature in that they will be morally perfected; they will share in the moral excellence that belongs to God.

partakers in verse 4 comes from the word we often see translated as fellowship (koinonia). This is a reference in a participation in the moral qualities of Christ.

This process will reach consumption in the future. We will not be morally perfected before Christ returns, but we experience conformity to Christ’s image in our sanctification.

Because God preserves those He saves.

Phil 1:6.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The characteristics of Paul’s thanksgiving are in view here, and one of the characteristics is confidence.

His confidence was based on the working of God in the midst of the Philippians.

God began a good work in the church. And since God began this good work, the logic is, God will complete it.

In light of the fact that Paul refers to the day of Jesus Christ, it seems the work is a reference to the Philippians experience of the saving grace of God. Their salvation.

God’s preserving work includes the conversion of His people but also the process of their growth… the whole salvation process through their glorification.

Because those preserved by God persevere.

2 Thess 3:3-4.

2 Thessalonians 3:3–4 ESV

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.

Paul had been addressing the difficulties the he had been experiencing and transitioned the difficulties the Thessalonians were experiencing.

Paul had already acknowledge that not all have faith (v. 2) but the Lord is faithful (v. 3). The point here is that while persecution by faithless person was a reality, what is equally trues is that God is faithful. The conviction that God is faithful enables us to look beyond the persecution of the faithless and continue in the faith.