Will this hit home??? Who has the Believer/Christian Persistence and Perservance? The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts. Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those who overcome and persevere in the faith will inherit eternal life (Revelation 2:7). This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 KJV where we see that people will be holy, blameless and above reproach If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel,. So all Christians should be in agreement that those who are ultimately saved are those who do persevere and continue to believe the gospel. I will never give up, never. There are two very distinct views on the issue of perseverance of the saints among Christians. The first is the Arminian view that it is possible for true Christians to turn away from God and not persevere. This is consistent with the concept of salvation which has man’s free will at the center of it. It is logically consistent that, if man’s free will choice is the determining factor of his salvation, then it would also be possible for that man to later choose to reject God and thereby lose his salvation. However, the Bible clearly teaches that we are born again by the Holy Spirit, which results in our coming to faith in Christ. All who have been born again do have eternal security and will persevere. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is founded in the promise that Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6 KJV) and Jesus’ declaration that All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. and And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (John 6:37, 39 KJV). Beyond the concept of perseverance in regard to salvation, there are biblical exhortations to persevere in the Christian life. In his pastoral epistles to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor to Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy’s character was that of a godly man, and his doctrine was sound and scriptural. Paul warned him to watch them both closely and persevere in them because, and this is a warning to all Christians, perseverance in godly living and believing the truth always accompany genuine conversion, Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (John 8:31; Romans 2:7 KJV). Further exhortations to persevere in the Christian life come from James, who warns us to be doers of the word and not hearers only because those who hear but do not do are deceiving themselves. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (James 1:22-24 KJV). The sense here is that the Christian who perseveres in godliness and the spiritual disciplines will be blessed in the very act of persevering. The more we persevere in the Christian life, the more God grants His blessings upon us, thereby enabling us to continue to persevere. The psalmist reminds us that there is great reward in persevering in the Christian life. In keeping God’s commandments, there is great reward for our souls (Psalm 19:11 KJV), peace of mind, a clear conscience, and a witness to the world more eloquent than many words. James also exhorts us to persevere under trials because those who do will be blessed and will receive the crown of life which God has promised (James 1:12 KJV). No mistake about it because it will be a tough journey. Just as the true believer will be eternally secure in his salvation, his faith will also persevere in affliction, sickness, persecution, and the other trials of life that befall all believers. If we desire to live godly lives in Christ, we will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12 KJV), but the faithful will persevere, kept by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our salvation and who will keep us strong to the end, persevering so we will be Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8 KJV). God Bless us all.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 00:07:47 +0000
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