Things New and Old: Perseverance : the immutable effect of divine action, or attained by human activities?

Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Perseverance : the immutable effect of divine action, or attained by human activities?

Gen 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee,
and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest,
and will bring thee again into this land;
for I will not leave thee,
until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Perseverance / Continuance of the saints in the state of grace! (Lo, I didn't say 'Perseverance of the saints in a life of faith and holiness'! If you can't differentiate the two, you do have some serious problems! You are infected with the dreaded soundbytitis disease.)

1. Those whom God, by His power and grace alone, has called out of their native state of sin and death to that state of grace and eternal salvation in Christ Jesus, He shall also, by the same power and grace keep them in that state of grace. Therefore they continue/remain in that state.

2. Such "can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere (i.e. remain/continue) therein [i.e. the state of grace] to the end, and be eternally saved.

3. This perseverance/continuance of the saints in the state of grace depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him, the oath of God, the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof."

4. The perfections of God guarantee the saints remaining/continuing in the state of grace unto eternal glory: (Gill book 6, chapter 15)

- The immutability of God guarantees it

- The wisdom of God guarantees it

- The power of God guarantees it

- The goodness, grace and mercy of God guarantees it

- The justice of God guarantees it

- The faithfulness of God guarantees it

5. The perseverance/continuance of the saints in the state of grace is guaranteed by God.

- The perseverance of the saints in the state of grace is VASTLY DIFFERENT from the perseverance of the saints in a life of faith and holiness through their obedience to God's will.

- The former is the gospel truth, the latter a fable and a lie.

The former is guaranteed, the latter is not. Saints are exhorted to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Some make shipwreck of their faith but they don't fall from the state of grace. The Lord said, 'My people are bent on backsliding..."