The Calvinist Doctrine of Perseverance Controverted by Scripture
J.C. Thibodaux
This is a response to an article by Adam Murrell entitled The Perseverance of God Confirmed by Scripture. I ran across his blog some time back in which he'd written a piece addressed at a post of Ben's at Arminian Perspectives. Seeing that he was quite eager to defend Calvinism, I invited him to answer my challenge.
Adam begins by addressing a few statements from the challenge,
A state of confusion currently persists concerning the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints reflected in such statements against Calvinists as, "you are secure no matter how you live," and Reformed theologians "deny or explain away the real possibility of a believer falling away...for the sake of tradition." These straw men arguments do little to enhance the real issue to be discussed, and only serve to obfuscate the doctrines of grace.
Actually, the first statement he addresses wasn't directed at the classical Calvinist Perseverance of the Saints doctrine, it was my added, token pot-shot at Antinomianism. The second is by no means a straw-man, as trying to explain away the meaning of scripture is a serious matter, as I've already elucidated. Ironically, he opens his arguments with the great-granddaddy of all Calvinist straw-men: the charge of salvation by works.
It is imperative that we escape this myopic view that dominates many discussions relevant to this topic, and note what the foundation of your position really is - a synergistic concept of salvation based upon grace mingled with works, with the emphasis being upon good works.
However, since my position is not salvation by works, but salvation by faith in Christ, and that perseverance is not rooted in 'doing good works' or 'avoiding bad works,' but rather abiding in Christ (John 15:4) by faith, then any such arguments operating under the presupposition that Synergism is automatically works-based are easily dismissed due to their inherent factual errancy, for remaining in Christ is not the same as following the law. Remaining in the faith cannot be a work of the law, for the result of our faith is the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:9), the law can save no one from sin.
Another assertion he makes is the implication of Synergism:
A synergistic theology, when carried to its logical conclusion, gives man the final decision in his eternal destiny. While this may be flattering to man's ego, it is an affront to the grace of God.
Ego? I hardly think the ability to "choose who we will serve" constitutes any logically sound reason for pride (especially since God retains sovereignty over the will, and without His grace the will is in bondage), I merely go off the the concepts scripture teaches, which do indicate that to some extent God does allow us receive Christ (John 1:12), else judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46).
He notes concerning Synergism,
These two opposing viewpoints of salvation cannot be reconciled, for one is of works and grace, while the other is all of grace.
Salvation is not a mixture of grace and works, but by grace through faith. Receiving the grace of God is not a 'work' any more than faith is a 'work.'
He states concerning John 6,
But before we progress, any meaningful discussion about the perseverance of the saints requires the foundation of the argument to be established and to do this, we must first go to a logical starting place, not some point down the line of reasoning. One of the many passages that demonstrate the sovereignty of God in salvation is found in the gospel of John. Jesus said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's 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). Jesus' own words present the complete sovereignty of God in the salvation of a soul. The Lord does not present a picture of men operating of themselves, but insists that all of whom the Father giveth all shall come.
Christ's words do indeed show the sovereignty of God, though Synergists don't deny the sovereignty of God nor contend that men operate of themselves apart from the grace of God (I believe it would be called 'Anergism,' were this the case). Christ further states of those who come to Him, not only are they given to Him, but they are taught by God (John 6:45), which taken together hold no contradiction with the Synergistic view of salvation.
Man is not pictured as some objected that is bantered around like a ball to and fro. Rather, he is a profoundly important vessel for whom Jesus came to die, and for those who have been given to the Son as a gift of divine favor, they will never be cast out. The next question could be, "Why will the Son never cast them out"? The answer is found in verse thirty-eight which reads that it is the will of the Father that all should come and that none should perish. Are we to believe that the Son is unable to fulfill the will, and lose those whom the Father gives Him?
Those who do apostatize are not cast out by the Son, nor are they plucked out of His hand, but are cut off by God the Father (John 15:6). As it is written in Romans 11:22,
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Adam goes on,
The third person of the Trinity is also relevant in the salvation process. Paul writes to the Christian faithful, "you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory" (Eph 1:13-14). This verse is a clear teaching that God marks individuals as His own and seal them with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
A seal is proof against those who are outside, not the One who sealed; and a guarantee is only valid for one who remains in the covenant. If one despises the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified (Hebrews 10:29), a guarantee will profit him nothing since he is no longer in covenant with God.
He finally does get to addressing the warning passages, but the answer comes up a bit short.
Despite the assertion to the contrary, the Reformed doctrine does allow for the possibility of a person falling away from a faith they once embraced. The apostle Paul mentions Demas who falls into this category. "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia" (2 Tim 4:10).
Those who embrace the doctrines of grace would immediately agree there is a sense in which it is possible for a professing believer to fall away. If viewed in the sense that when left to himself, with respect to his own power and ability, apart from divine preserving power of God, it is readily admitted that one can fall. Jesus testified to this when he told Peter, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:31-32).
Note carefully what Jesus said. He said "when" thou art converted, (or, when you return) not "if" thou art converted. The Word of God teaches that a Christian can fall radically into sin for a season. The sins of the saints are not hidden in Scripture. David, for instance, committed adultery and murder, yet was still called a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). How is this possible? Was it because he was returned? And why did David repent? Similarly, why did Peter weep after he betrayed his Master? The only sufficient answer is because of the intercessory work of Jesus operating on behalf of God's chosen resulting in their sanctification.
My earnest desire is that we would all see what a wonderful Savior and Sanctifier we have in Christ who is our confidence, our Great High Priest, and our Advocate. Let us believe Him when He tells us that He will preserve us to the end. No one will be saved or sanctified, nor reach heaven except through the One who prays for us.
He makes the case that the warning passages indicate that it is possible for a believer to fall into sin for a time (showing the examples of Peter and David), which does not address the specific passages listed that plainly warn against eternal consequence for the saints. I agree with his assertion that it is through the intercessory work of Christ that we are preserved, albeit not irresistibly. He continues,
Here then is the glorious news of the gospel. Jesus prays for His own. "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:11-20).
Yes, Jesus continually supplicates for us that we may not fall. It is also true that despite this reality, His preserving power does not absolve us from due diligence, watchfulness and persistent humility in recognizing our own shortcomings. Just as a parent warns of impending danger to a child, though that parent has no intention of ever letting the child get into an unredeemable position, God fills our soul with fear and the real possibility of falling.
And here's where the case for Reformed Theology (the Calvinist variety anyway) inevitably breaks down, for if the Bible teaches us to fear falling, then a doctrine that flatly states that it is impossible for a saint to fall away goes directly against what the warnings in scripture convey. If God indeed "fills our soul with fear and the real possibility of falling," then why does Mr. Murrell suggest that I'm espousing heresy if I believe it to be a real possibility? In the Calvinist system, it's apparently God's own truth for the apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit warn the saints to 'take heed, lest ye fall,' but somehow magically transforms into 'salvation by works' if anyone actually believes it.
He then asserts,
It is those who insist upon a synergistic form of salvation that need to explain why they endeavor to reconstruct the nature of God, to deny the reality of predestination, to undermine God's purpose of election, and to dismiss the many passages in Scripture that give comfort and assurance that the Lord will sanctify His people and bring them safely to Himself. That is the real challenge.
Simply teaching what God's word says is in no way 'reconstructing' anything. Predestination that is according to God's foreknowledge (1 Peter 1:2, Romans 8:29) is no hindrance at all to Synergism; and assurance of God's promises does not negate the stipulations He has put down, for a promise does not nullify its own conditions.
In the last bit he asserts that those who fall away were never saved, though the reality of false converts doesn't negate the reality of the warnings God gives to true converts against falling into eternal damnation.
Rather amusing was the statement early on,
If we are to engage in an intellectually honest discussion, then you must be sincere in acknowledging that you stand shoulder to shoulder with Rome and against the Protestors of the Reformation on this fundamental position, in that you are embracing a system of salvation that removes grace alone.
It makes little difference to me what Rome or the early Protestants believed, I simply believe the words of scripture. The dichotomy he draws also isn't as clean as portrayed, as many Reformed Protestants (including most Lutherans) acknowledge that it is possible to fall from grace.
Bottom line then, his response, while eloquent, cannot deal with the hard data. If scripture warns the saints against falling away unto perdition (as shown in the challenge itself), then any doctrine that teaches the impossibility of such an event is flatly contradicting scripture in both fact and purpose, thus making it void.
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