CHAPTER SIX

CLARIFYING PERSEVERANCE

Greek scholars tell us that the aorist tense reflects action at a point, not continuous action. The aorist may refer to the start or end of something or the action considered as a whole from a distance (of time, perhaps). The present and imperfect tenses both imply continuous action.

Many Christian thinkers prefer the term “perseverance” over “once-saved-always-saved,” because they believe the popular term creates a “point-action” idea rather than a continuous one. In other words, genuine salvation results in a disciple who continues to follow Jesus and to be transformed again and again toward His likeness.

While I acknowledge the possibility when pressed, I don’t like the assumption that if one sincerely walks down the aisle and commits to Christ, he will go to heaven regardless of what else he does. As I said in Chapter One, strictly speaking I believe he can if he is sincere. But in reality, a real experience with Christ is life-changing and continues throughout life.

Perseverance points to sanctification. Big words, but big meaning. Sanctification is the process of making a person holy or set apart. Christian discipleship means growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 tells us that God began a good work in us when we were saved, and He will go on bringing that work to completion as long as we live. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.

How does that work out in practice? Look at Galatians 5:22 where Paul speaks of the “fruits of the Spirit.” The first three are love, joy, and peace. The Lord is growing you to become a more loving person, to follow the command to love your neighbor as yourself. If you’ve been a Christian for 10 years, you should feel and act more warmly toward people than you once did. You should be a more and more happy person with a positive outlook as your faith grows. Others should see in you a deep peace that comes from increasing maturity and the ability to trust God.

Ponder those three, then read the rest of the list. Where do you see growth. In which areas are you finding no fruit in your life, or little fruit. Are you resisting the Spirit’s attempt to bestow these on you? Or have you never thought about it?

CHAPTER FIVE

MORE ON PERSEVERANCE

I promised at the end of Chapter Two to discuss once-saved-always-saved in more depth, and that’s where I’m headed now. First, let me say again, that one verse and one idea convinces me all by itself. Galatians 3:2-3 reads, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (NIV) As it applies to perseverance, the verse asks whether we think having begun by grace through faith, we must maintain our salvation through human works?

I repeat. God does not change the rules. We are saved by grace and we are kept by grace. Grace alone. We can’t save ourselves, and we can’t keep ourselves. God must do it. (Scroll waaayyy down and you’ll find the complete discussion.)

John 6:37-40, 44, 50

Verses abound to support the security of the believer. One of the strongest are words spoken by Jesus in John 6:37-40,44, 50. “All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. ….It is the will of the Father that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day….every one who sees the son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

If you come to me I will not cast you out nor refuse you. In the original Greek, there is a double negative, which is like tying a double knot in your shoe string. There is a double “no” for emphasis. One of the words is an absolute word that means in no case would I do that. The two together make a very, very strong negative. And note the repeated refrain: “I will raise him up at the last day.”

Since Jesus was probably speaking Aramaic when he pronounced these words, I find the term for cast out interesting. It comes from a word meaning street, so it gives us the picture of Jesus saying, “No way would I ever kick you out on the street.”

Jesus said it is God’s will that you should come to him and when you do, he will keep you and raise you up at the last day. And he repeatedly says he will raise you up. What more assurance do you want?

John 17:11-12, 20

Jesus prayed the “high priestly prayer” in John 17. He prayed for unity among the disciples after the Last Supper and before Gethsemane. In that prayer He emphasized that He had kept all the disciples God had given Him. He further prayed that God would continue to keep them after He left them.

And Jesus concludes by praying not only for that first band of men, but for all those that came after them, who believed because of their testimony and preaching. Folks, that includes US! Jesus wanted us to be included in those whom God kept safe.

Matthew 18:21-22

Simon Peter approached Jesus one day feeling proud of himself and his expanding tolerance. “How many times shall I forgive someone who keeps sinning against me? Should I go as far as seven times?” No, don’t put Peter down for this. If you forgive seven times, you’re a pretty good forgiver. For most Americans the magic number for anything is three. “He hit me on the cheek three times and I turned it again. Now can I bop him one?” Try taking it seven times!

But Jesus said, Simon had not quite got it yet. He challenged him to boost the figure to 70 TIMES seven! That’s 490 if you are keeping score. And no, I don’t think that Jesus meant you could come with the baseball bat on the 491^st time! Jesus taught unlimited forgiveness. Unlimited!

Question: at what point in your sinful life would you want God to say, “OK, kid, that’s it! You’re outa here!” Hmmm. Wellll. See what I’m saying?

If Jesus calls us to install forgiveness as a basic virtue, don’t you think the Lord practices the same virtue? In Christ, no sin will cross the line so He will throw us out.

Philippians 1:6

This verse is one of my favorites. My translation says “I am certain that the One who began a good work (a miraculous, saving transaction) within you will go on bringing it to completion until you go to meet Christ.”

I will come back to this verse almost immediately in the next chapter on perseverance, but let’s look at it now in this context. Paul says he is certain your salvation will go on transforming you into the likeness of Christ as long as you live. This is security. He is not afraid you will lose it. Rather he is sure Christ will not lose you, but develop you.

People have often said that salvation is past, present, and future. In the past, you met Jesus Christ, said yes to His call, and followed Him. You were saved. But in the present, that salvation is working in you like yeast in bread to develop your character, gifts, and service to the Kingdom. And in the future, you will be saved when you join Christ and the Father in heaven. If you like big words, theologians call these three stages justification, sanctification, and glorification.