Indefectibility

"In all ages this doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints has been opposed and denied. Satan himself believed in the apostasy of Job and had the effrontery to avow it unto Jehovah ( Job 1:8-11). We need not be surprised then to find that the supreme imposture of the religious realm repudiates most vehemently this precious truth and pronounces accursed all who hold it. The merit-mongers of Rome are inveterately opposed to everything which exalts free grace. Moreover, they who so hotly deny unconditional election, particular redemption, and effectual calling, must, in order to be consistent, deny the eternal security of the Christian. Since Papists are such rabid sticklers for the “free will” of fallen man, logically, they must deny the indefectibility of all who are in Christ. If I have by an act of my own volition brought myself into a state of grace, then it clearly follows that I am capable of forsaking the same. If the “free will” of the sinner first inclines him to exercise repentance and faith, then obviously he may relapse into a state of confirmed impenitence and unbelief." —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Full Assurance

"Your easy church-goers and chapel-goers; your ladies and gentlemen who think that religion consists in buying a Prayer Book, who imagine that to have a book of Psalms and Hymns, constitutes godliness; your fine folks to whom religion is as much a matter of fashion as some new color, or some new form of dress;—these people, having no vitality in their godliness, never having a religion which could either make them cry or sing, never having godliness enough either to make them miserable, or make them blessed—these think there is nothing more in godliness than they get themselves. They say, “I never knew my sins were forgiven,” and judging all others by themselves, they think that no one else can know it. And I am sorry to say, grieved at heart to say it, not seldom I have known professed ministers of the gospel, who have even rebuked those who have reached to the high attainment of assurance...

I would have each of you put aside those carnal quibbles which are raised by Romanists and Romanizers, against the idea that we can know that we are saved, for not only can we know it, but we ought never to be satisfied till we do know it. And this, mark you, is not my statement; it is the manifest testimony of the Book of God, and was plainly held by all the fathers of the Church, Augustine, Chrysostom, and the like; it is the testimony of all the Reformers—of all the giant divines of the Puritanic times, it is the testimony of all truly evangelical Christians, that every Christian has a right to have a full assurance of his salvation, and should never be content until he attains thereunto." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Pink Assurance

"God the Father predestinated His people “to be conformed to the image of His Son ” ( Romans 8:29), which conformity is not fully wrought in any of them in this life, but awaits the day of Christ’s appearing ( 1 John 3:2). Now is the Father’s eternal purpose placed in jeopardy by the human will? is its fulfillment contingent upon human conduct? or, having ordained the end will He not also make infallibly effectual all means to that end? That predestination is founded upon His love: “I have loved thee (says the Father to each of His elect) with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” ( Jeremiah 31:3).

Nor is there any variation in His love, for God is not fickle like us: “I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” ( Malachi 3:6).

Were it possible for one of God’s elect to totally apostatize and finally perish it would mean the Father had purposed something which He failed to effect and that His love was thwarted.

Consider God the Son in His mediatorial character. The elect were committed unto Him as a trust by the Father: said He “Thine they were and Thou gayest them Me ” ( John 17:6). In the covenant of redemption Christ offered to act as their Surety and to serve as their Shepherd. This involved the most stupendous task which the history of the universe records: the Son’s becoming incarnate, magnifying the Divine Law by rendering to it perfect obedience, pouring out His soul unto death as a sacrifice to Divine justice, overcoming death and the grave, and ultimately presenting “faultless ” before God (Jude 24) the whole of His redeemed. As the good Shepherd He died for His sheep, and as the great Shepherd it is His office to preserve them from this present evil world. If He failed in this task, if any of His sheep were lost, where would be His faithfulness to His engagement? where would be the efficacy of His atonement? how could He triumphantly exclaim at the end “Behold land the children which God hath given Me” ( Hebrews 2:13)?

The person of the Holy Spirit is equally concerned in this vital matter. It is not sufficiently realized by the saints that they are as definitely indebted to the third Person of the Godhead as truly as they are to the first and second Persons. The Father ordained their salvation, the Son in His mediatorial character purchased it, and the Spirit “applies” and effectuates it. It is the blessed Spirit’s work to make good the Father’s purpose and the Son’s atonement: “He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” ( Titus 3:5).

Said Christ to His disciples “I will not leave you orphans (though I leave this world): I will come to you” ( John 14:18).

That promise given on the eve of His death was made good in the gift of the Spirit “But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, the same shall teach you all things” ( John 14:26).

Christ’s redeemed were thus entrusted to the love and care of the Spirit, and should any of them be lost where would be the Spirit’s sufficiency? where His power? where His faithfulness?

This, then, is no trivial doctrine we are now concerned with, for the most momentous considerations are inseparably connected with it. We are satisfied it is because of their failure to realize this that so many professing Christians perceive not the seriousness of their assenting to the opposing dogma of the total apostasy of saints. If they understood more clearly what was involved in affirming that some who were truly born again fell from grace, continued in a course of sin, died impenitent and were eternally lost, they would be slower to set their seal unto that which carried such horrible implications. Nor may we regard it as a matter of indifference where such grave consequences are concerned. For any of the elect to perish would necessarily entail a defeated Father, who was balked of the realization of His purpose: a disappointed Son, who would never see the full travail of His soul and be satisfied; and a disgraced Spirit, who had failed to preserve those entrusted to His care. From such awful errors may we be delivered.

The importance of this truth further appears from the prominent place which is accorded it in the Holy Scriptures. Whether we turn to the O.T. or the New it makes no difference; whether we consult the Psalms or the Prophets, the Gospels or the Epistles, we find it occupies a conspicuous position. If we cited every reference we should have to transcribe literally hundreds of verses. Instead, we will quote only a few of the lesser known ones. Here is one from the Pentateuch: “He loved the people, all His saints are in Thy hand” ( Deuteronomy 33:3).

One from the Historical books: “He will keep the feet of His saints” ( 1 Samuel 2:8).

One from Job: “When he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold” ( 23:10).

One from the Psalms: “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me” ( <19d808> Psalm 138:8).

One from the Proverbs: “The root of the righteous shall not be moved” (12:3 contrast Matthew 13:2 1).

One from the Prophets: “I will put My fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from Me” ( Jeremiah 32:40).

These are fair samples of the Divine promises throughout the O.T.

Observe the place given to this truth in the teaching of Christ. “Upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” ( Matthew 16:18). “False Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if possible, even the elect” ( Mark 14:22) —it is not possible for Satan to fatally deceive any of the elect. “Whosoever cometh to Me and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built a house and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock; and when the flood arose, the storm beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock” ( Luke 6:47-48). “This is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing” ( John 6:39).

The writings of the apostles are full of it. “For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” ( Romans 5:10). “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him” ( James 2:5). “Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” ( 1 Peter 1:5). “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for of they had been of us, they would have continued with us” ( 1 John 2:19). “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling” ( Jude 1:24).

The tremendous importance of this doctrine is further evidenced by the fact that it involves the very integrity of the Scriptures. There is no mistaking their teaching on this subject: the passages quoted above make it unmistakably plain that every section of them affirms the security of the saints. He then who declares the saints are insecure so long as they remain in this evil world, who insists that they may be eternally lost, yea that some of them—like king Saul and Judas—have perished, repudiates the reliability of Holy Writ and signifies that the Divine promises are worthless." —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Bonds of Love

"On the throne of grace sovereignty has placed itself under bonds of love.... God will do as he wills; but, on the mercy seat, he is under bonds—bonds of his own making, for he has entered into covenant with Christ, and so into covenant with his chosen. Though God is and ever must be a sovereign, he never will break his covenant, not alter the word that is gone out of his mouth. He cannot be false to a covenant of his own making. When I come to God in Christ, to God on the mercy seat, I need not imagine that by any act of sovereignty God will set aside his covenant. That cannot be: it is impossible." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Excerpt taken from a sermon titled "The Throne of Grace" delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, November 19th, 1871, by C. H. Spurgeon

Sovereign Shepherd

Jesus says "I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11. What does this really mean to us? Do sheep ask the shepherd to come to them, die for them and save them? Can the sheep admit or deny the true Shepherd in their life?

Jesus is always there, we as sheep sometimes do not see Him clearly, but He is there nonetheless. "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." John 10:14-15
His own sheep He knows. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27.

Sheep are considered by biologists to be perhaps the dumbest land animals by comparing the size of their brain to the size of their body. They have no sense of direction, and for a defense mechanism they simply run around in circles. Predators need only wait on the sheep to wear themselves out and then they have an easy victim.

Time and again we are characterized as sheep. We need direction and guidance. We cannot know which direction we are going and we have no way of defending ourselves. But "all things are possible through Christ who strenghtens me." Thankfully and humbly we can submit to the good Shepherd, for when He calls His sheep we hear His voice and He guides us and protects us and keeps us in His fold.

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equiping you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever, Amen." Hebrews 13:20-21

The Spirit’s Perseverance

"People say, “I see you believe in that old Baptist doctrine of ‘once in grace, always in grace.’” Or another says, “I understand you hold that old Presbyterian idea of ‘the final perseverance of the saints.’” I do not know why this should be called either Baptist or Presbyterian, only to the extent that Baptists and Presbyterians agree with the Book, and the Word of God clearly shows that once God takes us up in grace nothing can separate us from the love of Christ so that evidently the expression, “once in grace, always in grace,” is a perfectly correct one. But, on the other hand, I am not so enthusiastic about the other expression, “the perseverance of the saints.” I believe in it; I believe that all saints--all really belonging to God--will persevere to the end, for the Book tells me, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13), and if a man starts out and makes a profession but gives it all up, he will never be saved, because he was never born again to begin with, he was never truly changed by grace divine. On the other hand, the reason he endures to the end is not because of any particular perseverance of his own. What I believe in, and what the Word of God clearly teaches, is the perseverance of the Holy Spirit. When He begins a work, He never gives up until it is completed. That is our confidence." —H. A. Ironside (1876-1951)

What a Poor Gospel

I'm sure some of you are aware that I just love to read the writings of Horatius Bonar who was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian Preacher. I just can't seem to get enough of his work into my hands and I find that his simple words are wise beyond their meaning and reveal such a gentle and humble spirit that I find very edifying and comforting. See for yourself.

"God has given us this gospel not merely for the purpose of securing to us life hereafter, but of making us sure of this life even now. It is a true and sure gospel; so that he who believes it is made sure of being saved. If it could not make us sure, it would make us miserable; for to be told of such a salvation and such a glory, yet kept in doubt as to whether they are to be ours or not, must render us truly wretched. What a poor gospel it must be, which leaves the man who believes it still in doubt as whether he is a child of God, an unpardoned or a pardoned sinner! Till we have found forgiveness, we cannot be happy; we cannot serve God gladly or lovingly; but must be in sore bondage and gloom." —Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Excerpt taken from "The Everlasting Righteousness" by Horatius Bonar first published 1874, Banner of Truth 1993, p143.

Redemption Secured

I want to thank Tony Reinke over at the Shepherds Scrapbook for recommending the book The Apostles’ Doctrine of the Atonement by George Smeaton. I have found it to be a very easy read and a very in depth exposition of Scripture. I just wanted to share a quote I came across in chapter 2, section VII titled Epistle To The Galatians where Mr. Smeaton explains Galatians 3:13-14a "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;" saying quote:

The price or ransom paid for us was nothing else but the personal Redeemer, the Son of God condescending to be made a CURSE for us; a thought so vast and unfathomable, that though our minds grow familiar with the phraseology, we are for ever incapable of comprehending or fully surveying it. The ransom which liberated us was not His divine doctrine, nor His bright example of holiness left us to follow; for that would but throw humanity back upon its own resources, and could never be disjoined from dependence on works, or inner holiness. The apostle thinks of the ransom in a far other way: he identifies it with the Lord's abasement and ignominious death as a vicarious satisfaction. He affirms that the price by which He discharged us from temporal and eternal penalty was His being made a curse for us by entering into our position before God. That is the meaning of the participial clause (compare 2 Cor. v. 19): He was made the accumulated curse of His people, as if it were embodied in Him. God treated the sin-bearer as if He had been the sinner: that is, what the law awarded to us was visited upon Him; and by that substitution our redemption was secured.

Excerpt taken from The Apostles’ Doctrine of the Atonement by George Smeaton (1870; reprint, Banner of Truth, 1991) p.246

Perservance 101

One of the teachings that rose up out of the Roman Catholic Church and has spread throughout many denominations is the teaching that a true believer in Jesus Christ can lose his/her salvation, I have encountered this doctrine countless times, mainly from Pentecostals and Church of Christ members who say that you can walk away or do something worthy of losing your salvation? Well I thought I would post some great articles and audio sources on the doctrine of "Perseverance of the Saints" or what I like to call "If Saved Always Saved". Please use an open Bible when reading or listening to any of these sources.

Articles
R. C. Sproul - Can a Sinning Christian Lose His Salvation?
R. L. Dabney - The Five Points of Calvinism, Part 5
Sam Storms - Defense of the Perseverance of the Saints - Part 1 / Part 2
Charles Spurgeon - Eternal Security
A.W. Pink - Eternal Security / Book
H. A. Ironside - Eternal Security of the Believer
John Gill - Final Perseverance
J.W. Hendryx - Biblical Reflections on Hebrews 6
Octavius Winslow - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus / Book

Audio
Jonathan Sims - The Eternal Security of The Believer
John Piper - Those Whom He Justified He Also Glorified
John Piper - Sealed by the Spirit to the Day of Redemption
John MacArthur - The Saint's Guarantee
John MacArthur - Eternal Security
John MacArthur - The Extent of the Believer's Security
John MacArthur - The Perseverance of the Saints - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Helen Roseveare - A Call for the Perseverance of the Saints
Arturo G. Azurdia III - Perseverance of the Saints
Jim McClarty - Perseverance of The Saints - The Arguments

"He who remains in this uncertainty remains a burdened and weary man. He who is contented with this uncertainty is contented with misery and danger. He who clings to this uncertainty as a right thing, can have no pretensions to the name of son, child, or saint of God: for in that uncertainty is there any feature of resemblance to the son or the saint; anything of the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; any likeness to the filial spirit of the beloved Son of God?

He who resolves to remain in this uncertainty is a destroyer of his own soul; and he who tries to persuade others to remain in this uncertainty is a murderer of souls. He who does his best to make himself comfortable without the knowledge of his reconciliation and relationship to God, is a manifest unbeliever; and he who tries to induce others to be comfortable without this knowledge is something worse; if worse can be. That there are many among professing Christians who have not this knowledge, is a painful fact; that there are some who, instead of lamenting this, make their boast of it, is a fact more painful still; that there are even some who proclaim their own uncertainty in order to countenance others in it, is a fact the most painful of all.

Thus the questions about assurance resolve themselves into that of the knowledge of our relationship to God. To an Arminian, who denies election and the perseverance of the saints, the knowledge of our present reconciliation to God might bring with it no assurance of final salvation; for, according to him, we may be in reconciliation today, and out of it tomorrow; but to a Calvinist there can be no such separation. He who is once reconciled is reconciled for ever; and the knowledge of filial relationship just now is the assurance of eternal salvation. Indeed, apart from God's electing love, there can be no such thing as assurance. It becomes an impossibility." —Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Eternal Security

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

This is such a profound verse in scripture and is a great comfort in the security of the believer, if you struggle with the assurance of your salvation I highly recommend downloading this sermon by Pastor Jonathan Sims of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church, in Shelbyville, Tennessee; he really confronts the false doctrine of a believer's ability to loose their salvation that is so rampant in today's church's. If you find yourself buying into that false works base system then this is a must hear sermon for you. Oh the joy to know that you are saved today and forever without a doubt!

Blessed Assurance

This morning me and my brother in Christ Brodioi were discussing the doctrine of assurance and what a wonderful truth this is to have the assurance of salvation in Christ. Me and Brodioi are always listening to Dr. John MacArthur and sometimes we play different sermons and books off one another to the point that the providence of God can clearly be seen at work in both of our lives. So with that I want to share what I read this week as a prelude to our discussion in a book by Horatius Bonar on the subject of assurance or as he puts it certainty.

He who remains in this uncertainty remains a burdened and weary man. He who is contented with this uncertainty is contented with misery and danger. He who clings to this uncertainty as a right thing, can have no pretensions to the name of son, child, or saint of God: for in that uncertainty is there any feature of resemblance to the son or the saint; anything of the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; any likeness to the filial spirit of the beloved Son of God?

He who resolves to remain in this uncertainty is a destroyer of his own soul; and he who tries to persuade others to remain in this uncertainty is a murderer of souls. He who does his best to make himself comfortable without the knowledge of his reconciliation and relationship to God, is a manifest unbeliever; and he who tries to induce others to be comfortable without this knowledge is something worse; if worse can be. That there are many among professing Christians who have not this knowledge, is a painful fact; that there are some who, instead of lamenting this, make their boast of it, is a fact more painful still; that there are even some who proclaim their own uncertainty in order to countenance others in it, is a fact the most painful of all.

Thus the questions about assurance resolve themselves into that of the knowledge of our relationship to God. To an Arminian, who denies election and the perseverance of the saints, the knowledge of our present reconciliation to God might bring with it no assurance of final salvation; for, according to him, we may be in reconciliation today, and out of it tomorrow; but to a Calvinist there can be no such separation. He who is once reconciled is reconciled for ever; and the knowledge of filial relationship just now is the assurance of eternal salvation. Indeed, apart from God's electing love, there can be no such thing as assurance. It becomes an impossibility.

Excerpt taken from "The Everlasting Righteousness" by Horatius Bonar first published 1874, Banner of Truth 1993

Still Saved?

1 Peter 1:1-6b "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Praise to God for a Living Hope Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice"

When I think of some of the false teachings that have invaded so many denominations today there is one that really has always been a thorn in my flesh, it is the teaching that a true believer can somehow lose his or her salvation. How in the world do they fit that into the passage above where Peter clearly states "an inheritance that can never perish"? Or Ephesians chapter one or a number of other verse's that clearly teach the security of the believer. I have heard many Christian's that teach the loss of salvation is some how based on what the believer does or doesn't do, as if one can somehow stamp out the sovereignty of God by some sin they commit after God has chosen them to salvation, they fail to understand who God is and they fail to understand that salvation is the work of God and not man. Notice that Peter states that our security is not kept by us but by the power of God. In verse six Peter tells us to greatly rejoice in this, well what is this? Go back to verse 3 and 4, It's the new birth and it's the inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade kept in heaven for you. Well if I could loose my salvation what's left that I may rejoice in? I am also reminded of 1 John 5:13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." How can I know I have eternal life if I can loose it? Well lots of folks buy into this false doctrine from false teachers but I think I will stick with the writers of the Bible and let them answer for me.