Chewing on the Truth Part 6

PART SIX: His electing grace gives us the strength to persevere to the end.

The following verses make it really clear that God WILL persevere to the end and not be lost. If they are predestined, he Will conform them to the likeness of His Son, and if He predestined them He claled them and He will justify the called and glorify ultimately the justified. Romans 8:28-30 says, " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. "

Piper does what I think is an excellent job at explaining this so I am going to use His reasoning, but ultimately the Bible for that!

A) Our faith must endure to the end if we are to be saved

"But he who endures to the end will be saved"- Mark 13:13

"Now I would remind you brethren in what terms I preached to you the gospel which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast--unless you believed in vain."- 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2

The Word of God is the instrument by which we will presevere. There is a fight of faith to be fought.

B) Obedience, evidence of inner renewal from God is necessary for final salvation

"Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness whithout which no one will see the Lord."- Hebrews 12:14

"If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." -Romans 8:13

"And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments..." - 1 John 2:3

The New Testament demands an internal transformation.

C) God's elect cannot be lost

Romans 8:28-30 says, " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. "

John 10:26-30 "But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one.""

Those whom He has chosen for eternal salvation will be enablled by HIM to persevere in faith to the end and to by the Spirit's power fulfill the requirements for obedience.

D) There is a fallin gaway of some believers, but if it lasts or persists, it shows that their faith was not genuine and that they weren't truly born of God

1 John 2:19 "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us."

The fact that this is possible gives the church reason to admonish the congregation against this.

E) God justifies us first at salvation, the moment we are saved bt in doing so he has in view to all subsequent acts of faith contained, as it were, like a seed in that first act

Our faith enables us to stand righteous/justified before God because of Christ's work, BUT we must also realize that our final salvation is made contingent upon the subsequent obedience which comes from faith. The way these two truths fit together is that we are justified through our first act of faith because GOd sees in it, the embryo of a life of faith.

F) God works to cause His elect to persevere

Jude 24-25 "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

We are not left to ourselves and our assurance is very largely rooted in the sovereign love of God to perform that which he has called us to do.

G) We should be zealous to make our calling and election sure

2 Peter 1:10 "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall"

It is He who will keep you through it all and unto the end, what a precious promise!!