Preservation Assurance

God’s Work in Salvation - Preservation or Perseverance?

Bible Passages: Galatians 3:15, Romans 4:4–5, 1 Corinthians 9:26–27, Romans 8:38–39, 2 Timothy 2:12, Matthew 24:13, Ephesians 2:9

Considering Preservation or Perseverance what can be said is in TULIP the P stands for perseverance of the saint. It is the work of God in salvation. He will cause the Christian to do good works and through those good works saving faith will be effectual. The Preservation of the saints puts it this way. The saint will be preserved by God through the finished work of Christ on the cross. The Christian will do good works because that is his new nature. His salvation, having been made secure through Christ, instills a new nature that does new things Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Promises Preserved by Grace

Galatians 3:15 “Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.”

Paul is addressing his brothers in Christ, saved men, and he is explaining an important point concerning the promise to Abraham and the Law of Moses. It seems that Judaizers, those who would add some law to the gospel, where challenging t’he blessing of Abraham ‘justification by faith alone’.

Abraham’s promise came shortly after he left on his mission to the promised land in Genesis 12 about 2092B.C. The Law was given to Moses in Exodus 20. That was 600 years later. Paul is arguing that no man can add to an existing covenant or contract, especially one that was made 600 years before the Law. The promise was before the Law and Abraham was justified under the promise.

Living the Christian life is similar. We are saved in a time past and cannot add to that salvation by now including some law. You were sealed at the moment of salvation.

The Blessing of Abraham

Romans 4:4–5 “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,”

The life of a Christian

Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”” Consider the Greek specifically for the quote from Hab 2:4

“ο δικαιος εκ πιστεως ζησεται” translated literally is “the just by faith shall live” This is the same in Rom 1:17 and Heb 10:38. A person who is justified by faith and not by law should also live by faith and not by law. We are not talking about antinomianism, the law is good (we still are instructed and assessed by a standard, but we are justified by faith, saved by faith, and with out faith it is impossible to please God Heb 11:6.

1. A Disciplined Life’s Race Running By Grace

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

By saying he might be disqualified was Paul insinuating that he may not be saved or could loose his salvation? Was he worried that he would not persevere and not make it to some future salvation? Impossible, but that is what some make of this verse.

Preservation means we are secure in our salvation because of the finished work of Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:5–6 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”

That word disqualified ἀδόκιμος adokimos in Greek, means to be disapproved to be unqualified to receive rewards at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

Having received an everlasting salvation, which can’t be lost, Paul is looking to how he uses the gift of grace in his life. He wants to honor God and live his life to hear “good and faithful servant” at finish line.

Run the race - run properly, run to win.

Galatians 2:2 “And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

2. Assurance By Grace

Romans 8:38–39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Once we know for certain that our salvation is sure and cannot be lost we start to venture out in the Christian life with boldness. Preservation means nothing can separate me from the grace of God. As we abide in Him and His Word abides in us we experience a deep fellowship. It witnesses with our spirit that we are very safe. There is not doubt or condemnation because we are “in Him”.

Notice it says persuaded - that means I am assured of this truth, salvation is eternal. No matter what happens in this life I know His will is perfect. Insecurity is like bondage. Assurance sets you free.

3. Salvation Secured By Grace

Matthew 24:13 “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

2 Timothy 2:12 “If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”

Endure - ὑπομένω to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure (BDAG) ὑπό under, μένω to stay or remain.

Our salvation is sure our Christian walk should be a grateful expression of the reality of everlasting life. But for some life is hard. For the tribulation saints of Matthew 24 martyrdom was a very real expectation. Jesus is encouraging those enduring the tribulation to endure under the heavy hand of the Antichrist. God will shorten the days and you will be saved or “delivered”.

For the Christian in this present age as described in 2 Ti 2:12 we also are encouraged to endure, to stay or remain in our present hardships. If we remain faithful we will be rewarded with the privilege of reigning with Him. The worker that gives up loses this opportunity. Denying simply means being denied rewards.

2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

This next verse puts it all in perspective. We are preserved in salvation because He cannot deny the fact He saved us. He is faithful!

Grace, Lest Any Should Boast

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

After John 3:16 this is one of my favorite verses. Grace, grace, grace it’s all grace. When it comes to salvation it is grace + nothing. Grace alone saves us and grace alone keeps us. That is the simple truth of preservation, we are safe in God’s hand.