TEACHING NOTES Introduction In the last few weeks we have been discussing the doctrine of salvation and atonement, which leads to the issue of faith and works. Now that we understand why Jesus came to save us and how we receive His salvation, the next doctrine to discuss is often called “eternal security” or “perseverance of the saints.” This doctrine is about whether a person can lose their salvation. ‌ Eternal Security “Once saved, always saved” Once a person has believed the Gospel, repented of sin, and received salvation they are eternally secure no matter what. Those who later fall away were never really saved in the first place. ‌ Dangerous Assumptions: - Salvation tied to a one-time decision. - Salvation is by faith/belief alone. ‌- Faithfulness is expected, but not required. ‌ Unintended Consequences: ‌- Many “Christians” living unfaithful lives. ‌- Many “Christians” living in sin and expecting grace. ‌ The Apostles (AD 30-100) The NT writings contain numerous passages about remaining faithful to the end and many warnings to Christians about falling away from grace. Jesus and His apostles taught that a person must remain faithful to be saved in the end. ‌ The requirement of faithfulness for salvation is consistent in both the OT and NT. Salvation has never been based on belief, but on faithfulness. In the OT, Israelites were the people of God, but not all Israelites were faithful. Israelites who turned away from Yahweh to worship other gods were judged as unfaithful. ‌ Ante-Nicene/Greek Fathers (AD 100-400) The early Christians taught that a person must remain faithful to Christ and continue in repentance to inherit eternal life. Those who profess Christ but later fall away and stop living a repentant life will not be saved. In early Christianity, those who left the Church and stopped following Christ were considered to be unbelievers. ‌ “Since all things are seen and heard [by God], let us fear him and forsake those wicked works that proceed from evil desires. By doing that, through His mercy, we may be protected from the judgments to come. For where can any of us flee from His might hand?” — Clement of Rome 1.12 (AD 96) ‌ “We ought therefore, brothers, carefully to inquire concerning our salvation. Otherwise, the wicked one, having made his entrance by deceit, may hurl us forth from our life.” — Epistle of Barnabas 1.138 (AD 70-130) ‌ “And you should pay attention to this all the more, my brothers, when you reflect on and see that even after such great signs and wonders had been performed in Israel, they will still abandoned. Let us beware lest we be found to be, as it is written, the ‘many who are called,’ but not the ‘few who are chosen.’” — Epistle of Barnabas 1.139 (AD 70-130) ‌ “The apostates and traitors of the church have blasphemed the Lord in their sins. Moreover, they have been ashamed of the name of the Lord by which they were called. These persons, therefore, at the end were lost unto God.” — Hermas 2.41 (AD 150) ‌ “I hold further, that those of you who have confessed and known this man to be Christ, yet who have gone back for some reason to the Mosaic Law, and have denied that this man is Christ, and have not repented before death—you will by no means be saved.” — Justin Martyr 1.218 (AD 160) ‌ “Those who do not obey Him, being disinherited by Him, have ceased to be His sons.” — Irenaeus 1.525 (AD 180) ‌ “He who hopes for everlasting rest knows also that the entrance to it is toilsome and narrow. So let him who has once received the Gospel not turn back, like Lot’s wife…And let him not go back either to his former life or to heresies.” — Clement of Alexandria 2.550 (AD 195) ‌ “It is neither the faith, nor the love, nor the hope, nor the endurance of one day; rather, ‘he that endures to the end will be saved.’” — Clement of Alexandria 2.600 (AD 195) ‌ “God gives forgiveness of past sins. However, as to future sins, each one procures this for himself. He does this by repenting, by condemning the deeds, and by begging the Father to blot them out. For only the Father is the one who is able to undo what is done…So even in the case of one who had done the greatest good deeds in his life, but at the end has run headlong into wickedness, all his former pains are profitless to him. For at the climax of the drama, he has given up his part.” — Clement of Alexandria 2.602 (AD 195) ‌ “No one is a Christian but he who perseveres even to the end.” — Tertullian 3.244 (AD 197) ‌ “There remains more than what is yet seen to be accomplished. For it is written, ‘Praise no man before his death.’ And again, ‘Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.’ And the Lord also says, ‘He that endures to the end will be saved.’” — Cyprian 5.283 (AD 250) ‌ “You are still in the world. You are still in the battlefield. You daily fight for your lives. So you must be careful, that what you have begun to be with such a blessed commencement will be consummated in you. It is a small thing to have first received something. It is a greater thing to be able to keep what you have attained. Faith itself and the saving birth do not make alive by merely being received. Rather, they must be preserved. It is not the actual attainment, but the perfecting, that keep a man for God. The Lord taught this in His instruction when He said, ‘Look! You have been made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.’ Solomon, Saul, and many others were able to keep the grace given to them so long as they walked in the Lord’s ways. However, when the discipline of the Lord was forsaken by them, Grace also forsook them.” — Cyprian 5.284 (AD 250) ‌ Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) In Augustine’s earlier writings his doctrine followed closely with early Christianity. However, his later writings show deviations from historic doctrine. Some specific deviations were his ideas about original sin, predestination/determinism, and the idea that faithfulness is also predetermined by God. Some of Augustine’s later ideas seem to be leftover from Augustine’s years in a non-Christians cult. This cult taught determinism, which means that there is no free will. ‌ Around AD 428 Augustine wrote “Treatise on the Gift of Perseverance.” In this book Augustine argued that a Christian’s faithfulness is a predestined gift from God. Those whom God has predestined to be saved (the elect) will endure to the end. However, Augustine believed that the elect could not be sure in this life of their own election. And he believed that a person’s salvation could be lost through sin and unbelief. ‌ Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Aquinas mostly followed Augustine’s views of perseverance. While Aquinas believed that God chooses to give grace to the elect, he also wrote in Summa Theologica, “For to many grace is given to whom perseverance in grace is not.” Like Augustine, Aquinas believed that God predestined salvation for the elect, but not all the elect are predestined to persevere in faith. ‌ Martin Luther (1483-1546) Martin Luther also followed many of Augustine’s views. ‌ Luther grew angry at the Roman Catholic Church for many reasons, one of which was their emphasis on works. Luther believed that a preacher’s role is to make his hearers sure of their salvation. In one sermon Luther said, “If you want to preach to a person in a comforting way, then do it so that he who hears you is certain that he is in God’s favor, or be silent altogether.” He went on to say that preacher who teaches people to evaluate their salvation are “good for nothing.” ‌ However, Luther also believed that “all of us do not remain with our baptism. Many fall away from Christ and become false Christians.” The Lutheran Confession of 1530 condemns the anabaptist teaching that once a person is justified (saved), the believer cannot lose the Spirit of God. ‌ John Calvin (1509-1564) Calvin followed Augustine’s view of predestination but was likely the first to popularize the idea that Christians can never lose their salvation. Calvin taught that once the Spirit brings a person to regeneration this reality cannot be lost. Calvin’s view were later distilled into five points: - Total Depravity - Unconditional Election - Limited Atonement - Irresistible Grace - Perseverance of the Saints (Eternal Security) ‌ What does the Bible say? ‌ 2 Chronicles 15:2 “The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.” ‌ Matthew 7:16–20 “16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” ‌ Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” ‌ Matthew 10:22 “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” ‌ Matthew 24:13–14 “13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” ‌ Matthew 24:45–51 “45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ‌ Luke 9:62 “Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” ‌ John 8:31–32 “31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” ‌ John 15:1–2 “1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” ‌ John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” ‌ 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 “9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor givers and receivers of homosexual acts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” ‌ 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 “24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” ‌ Galatians 5:1–5 “1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faithfulness, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” ‌ Galatians 5:19–21 “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who practice [continue in] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” ‌ Galatians 6:7–9 “7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” ‌ Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out [bring about, produce] your own salvation with fear and trembling,” ‌ 2 Timothy 2:12 “if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;” ‌ Hebrews 10:26–27 “26 For if we go on living in sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” ‌ Hebrews 10:29–31 “29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” ‌ Hebrews 10:36–38 “36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faithfulness, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’” ‌ 2 Peter 2:20–22 “20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: ‘The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.’” ‌ Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes [stays faithful] I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’” ‌ Revelation 2:10–11 “10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes [stays faithful] will not be hurt by the second death.’” ‌ Revelation 2:25–26 “25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who overcomes and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,” ‌ Revelation 3:5–6 “5 The one who overcomes will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” ‌ Revelation 3:11–13 “11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” ‌ Revelation 3:21–22 “21 The one who overcomes, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” ‌ Revelation 14:12 “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faithfulness in Jesus.” ‌ Revelation 22:7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” ‌ Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” ‌ Conclusion ‌The entire Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faithfulness, that is, a life of trust in Christ and continual repentance. ‌ “Once saved, always saved” should be “Once saved, and remaining faithful, always saved.”