Preserverance of the Saints
Article Series - My problem with TULIP
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I would love if none would ever fall away. However, if we choose to revice God’s grace, then it follows that one is able to choose to give back that grace. The following verses drive him this idea:
12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”16For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
and then Heb 10:26
26For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
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The question again is why, why do saints persevere? To be a saint is to persevere, only those who persevere will be in heaven to be God’s saints. Therefore to be a saint is to persevere. The question I ask Arminians is: can a “new creation” stop being a new creation? Do we just autonomously decide to turn in our born again card? I agree that people do profess and apostasize but I say they were never saved at all. Frankly, I really don’t know why people would want to object to perseverence, all that is being said is that God will always supply the grace to His saints to continue in their pilgrimage despite all obstacles.
“[you] who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet 1:5)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)
I guess if it comforts us more to think that we can do what we want with our will and God will not gaurd us from falling then we can reject perseverence. But if it comforts us to know that no matter how dark the darkness our soveriegn God has not only ordered the trial itself but has promised to keep us trusting in Him by His grace until the end then let us lean on God’s grace not our wills.
Arminianism- You are only as secure as YOU are strong.
Calvinism- You are as secure as HE is gracious.