Convinced We Must Persevere

Review: The Doctrine of Perseverance and Preservation from God's Standpoint

0:03 We are digressing from our studies in Psalm 1 to complete this morning's message. I believe the Lord has providentially directed in this course. I will not go into the reasons why now, if some of you have such terrible itch of curiosity that you feel you must know, I would be glad to tell you after the service. But because tonight's message is a conclusion of this morning's message, which was an amplification of last Sunday morning's message, it will be necessary to spend just a couple of minutes for the sake of visitors who are with us, and we certainly do welcome in the name of the Lord, and we want to respect their involvement in the study of scriptures, and so we do want to bring some of the major thoughts before you by way of review, and then we shall conclude these three messages that we have considered on the basic doctrine of the perseverance and the preservation of the saints of God. As we are working our way through 1 Thessalonians in our Sunday morning studies, we came in the course of our study, or have come, to chapter 3, where the Apostle Paul speaks of his tremendous concern for the people of Thessalonica who professed to be believers, who had given many evidences of being born of the Spirit of God under his ministry. But immediately, having been confronted with tremendous opposition and persecution,

1:30 Paul is driven out of town. Fledgling believers are left without the Apostle's guidance and counsel, and so he's deeply concerned for them, and so he writes back to them, telling them of his concern, and how that when he himself was hindered from going to visit them, he sent Timothy as his representative to know their faith, lest the tempter had tempted them and his labor had been in vain. And I stated in the course of our study of this section that the reason for Paul's concern cannot be understood apart from an understanding of the fact that the Apostle Paul, the biblical doctrine of the perseverance and preservation of the saints of God. Paul's concern, Paul's joy, and Paul's exhortation are very hard to hang together unless we understand the basis of his joy, the basis of his concern, and the basis of his exhortation. So we have sought to come to grips with those principles of Holy Scripture, and they are best summarized under three principles. Principle number one. Everyone who is savingly joined to Jesus Christ, every person who has a vital relationship with Christ, will be preserved for God's eternal kingdom.

2:46 Paul could say in Thessalonians, I rejoice that you people are my crown of rejoicing at his coming. He was confident that not one true believer would fall along the way, but that all that were true believers now at Thessalonica would be found there in the presence of Christ, when he came again. All who are joined to Christ are preserved by Christ. That's the principle stated most simply.

3:10 Secondly, Paul realized that not all who profess Christ are truly joined to Christ.

3:18 Paul knew from Scripture that there was such a thing as stony ground hearers. I am confident that the parable of the sower had been passed on in the verbal tradition prior to its being embodied in what we call the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And Paul was well aware of the teaching of our Lord, that some receive the word with joy, but believe only for a time, but when persecution and tribulation arise it, they fall away. So knowing this, Paul is concerned.

3:49 Have some of those people at Thessalonica simply been stony ground hearers? Who, when the sun of persecution rises upon them, are going to wither and fall away? He's anxious to know. That's why he sends Timothy.

4:02 All who are joined to Christ, are preserved by Christ. But not all who profess Christ are joined to Him. The third principle, continuance in the ways of Christ is the proof of reality in Christ. How is the true believer distinguished from the temporary, spurious believer?

4:24 Continuance, in spite of all opposition, is the proof of reality. So Paul says in chapter 3 and verse 8, For now we live if, ye stand fast in the Lord. For this standing fast was the proof of the reality of their relationship to Christ. Now this morning we tried to ask this question and answer it, asked it and tried to answer it from Scripture.

4:50 Why do the true saints of God persevere? Why do they go on? What makes them continue in the ways of God? And we said that that answer must be viewed from two standpoints.

5:01 God's standpoint and man's. And from God's standpoint, the reason why true believers persevere in spite of all kinds of opposition is number one, the blessings promised in the new covenant and number two, the activity of the triune God on their behalf. In the new covenant God promised to take out the heart of stone, to blot out sin, to put His law within the hearts of His people and He says in Jeremiah 32, 40, I will put my fear in their hearts so that they shall not depart from me. God has covenanted to secure not only their entrance into the faith but their continuance in faith unto the end.

5:47 And then we saw that in the working of the triune God the Father purposes a complete salvation, the Son purchased a complete salvation and the Spirit seals and applies with power this promise of salvation. The perfect salvation of God. Now tonight, so much for review, we want to consider what from the human standpoint causes the saints of God to persevere. As we think of those Thessalonians facing tremendous opposition, being made of the same stuff of which you and I are made, they were tempted to reason this way.

Introduction to Perseverance from Man's Standpoint: The Deep Conviction to Persevere

6:24 Now look, everything was going pretty good and this guy Paul comes along and speaks about the kingdom of God and tells us that if we repent and believe the gospel, we'll have peace. We'll have forgiveness of sins and the promise of the world to come. Oh yes, he did say something about we might suffer. He made that a part of his basic teaching according to Thessalonians 3.

6:42 He said, we told you before that you'd suffer and it's come to pass. My prediction was true. And all of a sudden they find themselves enmeshed and embroiled in all this kind of opposition. They'd be tempted to say, well, what's the use?

6:54 Why go on? Here we have this tremendous burst of joy and this wonderful sense our sins are forgiven, we're right with God. But look at the message. It's got us into.

7:03 Why in the world should we go on? Well, they knew they had to go on. They did go on. From God's standpoint, they went on because God had purposed they should go on because the triune God was working for their perseverance.

7:19 But now from man's standpoint, why did they go on? May I suggest that the answer lies in a two-fold relationship or two principles. Just as from God's standpoint there are two things that cause the saints to persevere, so from God's standpoint or from man's standpoint. Number one, because of the deep conviction that they must persevere in order to be saved.

7:43 Now listen carefully. Don't anyone go out saying, only get in half the sentence. Why do the true saints of God persevere? Because they know that they must persevere in order to be saved.

Scriptural Basis for the Necessity of Perseverance

7:58 Everything that a man knows about salvation, he knows from what? If it's valid knowledge. Where's the only place you can find anything about salvation? From the word of God, right?

8:10 So when I ask the question, what is necessary to be saved? The only place to answer is from Holy Scripture. Now just as the Scripture teaches that except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. We're all agreed that it teaches that.

8:24 John chapter 3 and verse 3. Just as the Scripture teaches except you repent, we cannot be saved. Luke 13.3 Except you repent, you'll perish.

8:34 Just as the Scripture teaches except a man believes, he cannot be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. The same Bible teaches unless we persevere to the end, we shall not be saved. Now who are we to say, well the first three are true, but the last one isn't.

8:53 You see, the true saint of God, whose mind has been brought subject to Holy Scripture, when he reads, except a man be born again, he says, amen. I must be born of the Spirit. Except a man repent. I must repent.

9:08 He that believeth not shall be damned. I must believe. Then when he turns to Holy Scripture and reads, he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. He doesn't throw that out.

9:19 He says, Lord, it's true.

9:22 Now granted, he that endureth to the end shall be saved is not the same thing as he that believeth shall be saved. For when I believe, this is speaking of the object of the ground of myself, my faith is placed in the Lord Jesus. I am accepted before God. The ground of my salvation is the finished work of Christ received by faith.

9:45 But if that faith is genuine, it will and must lead to what? Perseverance. So it's not a contradiction at all. And any view of salvation that omits the necessity of perseverance in order to be saved is not the salvation taught in Holy Scripture.

10:03 Now I want to be selective. Tonight, in giving a few verses that weigh heavily in the minds of the people of God, I trust they weigh heavily with you, that convince them, that give them a deep conviction that they must persevere. And remember, this is why they persevere. Because they're convinced that they must.

The Narrow Gate, the Narrow Way, and Life (Matthew 7:13-14)

10:21 First of all, take the analogy of our Lord's words in Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14. Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 and 14. And I was afraid I would do that. I came off without my good friend, John Bunyan.

10:36 I wanted, after looking at this passage, to allude to something, and I'll have to trust my memory.

10:45 Matthew chapter 7. Notice our Lord's well-known, very familiar words in verses 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And many there be which go in thereat, because straight is the way, and narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

11:15 Now, what are the three factors that you have in this verse? You have a gate, you have a way, and you have what? Life. Now, let me get it right for you, from left to right.

11:27 I have to reverse things here, like the blackboard was this one. All right, now get the picture. There's the gate. When you picture a gate, a little narrow gate, where a man's got to unpack, his baggage before he can pass through.

11:38 Old Adamic man comes up to that gate with all kinds of knapsacks on his back and bags under his arms and suitcases in his hands. Sin, lust, pride, self-righteousness. God says, you've got to unpack. You're never going to get through that gate until you unpack.

11:54 Now, what's that gate? That's conversion. From the human standpoint, that's repentance and faith. From the divine standpoint, it's God's regenerating work.

12:03 When God quickens a man to life and he unpacks, he returns, he looks to Jesus Christ. Now, when he gets through the gate, where does he find himself? He finds himself on a way. That narrow gate, right behind it, that narrow aperture, there's a narrow way, no wider than the gate.

12:22 And they see that way, that path, going onward and upward, and then it issues in a blaze of light and glory. That's light. Now, there's an inseparable connection between the gate, the way, and life. Nobody jumps from the gate to life, unless, of course, like the thief on the cross, he's called immediately into the presence of Christ, but that's the exception.

12:47 There is the gate, the way, and life. Now, what is the way? Well, the way is the narrow road of what? The persevering saint of God, going on in holiness, going on in obedience, going against wind and storm and all the opposition of the world, the flesh, the flesh, the flesh, the flesh, and the devil, and there's no way to life, but by the way, and there's no way into the way, but by the gate.

13:13 But a Christianity that says, well, you've got to be born again, but you don't necessarily have to walk the narrow way, is just as unbiblical as a Christianity that says, you can walk the way until you get through the gate. And so we throw stones at the liberals, who say, live right, be good, walk the narrow way, but they aren't clear that you get to the gate and through the gate by the redemptive work of Christ. And we say, a plague on your house, salvation by works, and rightly so. But we evangelicals have said, now look, there's the gate.

13:43 Repent, believe, trust Christ, get through the gate, but you don't need to walk in the way. Just as long as you get through the gate, God will corral you off here in the bushes somewhere, and when Jesus comes again, he'll take us all to heaven. That's not biblical. And that's just as damning and just as deluding, for it denies the very thing we saw this morning, that God in the covenant, the new covenant, has pledged not only to justify his people, but to sanctify them.

14:10 Christ died not only to forgive his people, but to what? Purify them, to enable them to walk the narrow way. So why do you, if you're a true saint of God, why do you persevere? Why do you press on against wind and tide and storm?

14:27 It's because you're convinced you must.

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress: The Necessity of Going Forward

14:31 And isn't that the beautiful picture, and this is where I wanted to quote from pages 42 to 46 of Bunyan.

14:39 When Bunyan is coming up to a place called Hill Difficulty,

14:44 and he's coming with his two friends, Pliable and Timorous, and they look at that hill, and they say, man, we can't go up that thing. God, that's nothing but difficulty. And Bunyan saw two other side roads. One was danger, and the other was destruction.

15:01 So his two friends, they say, look, these roads we think will meet around the other side of the hill, all going in the same direction, always ending up in light. So rather than climb the hill, we'll just take these two little side paths, and we'll meet you around the other side. So they say goodbye to Christian, and he says he never saw him again. But then as he starts up the hill, he meets a fellow running down.

15:20 A couple of fellows running down the other way. They said, man, we're not going up there any further. We got near the top, and we saw some lions. We met with all kinds of problems.

15:27 And then he goes on to say, and this is where I just wish I had it with me. Anyone happen to have his Pilgrim's Progress with him? Nobody does. But he says words to this effect.

15:37 He said, to go back is only one thing. Destruction. The city of destruction is behind me. To go forward, difficulty and danger.

15:47 But go forward I must, for life is before me. Now what pressed him to go on? He knew that he had to. There was no other thing.

Further Scriptural Proofs for the Necessity of Perseverance

15:56 It was either turn back and be destroyed, or press on. Bunyan captured this biblical principle so beautifully illustrated by our Lord under the figure of a gate and of a way and life. Now, just very quickly, several other passages of scripture that indicate this so clearly. John's record of our Lord's words in John 8, 32.

16:18 If ye continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. I'm convinced then as a true believer that the only proof of the reality of my professed attachment to Christ is continuance. And if I don't continue, I forfeit the right to claim I'm a true disciple. Just that simple.

16:40 If ye continue, you are. If you don't, you aren't. Now that's obvious, isn't it? And then of course the words, the very sobering words of Hebrews 10, 39.

16:51 But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe unto the saving of the soul. He's speaking of those who draw back, you see, who don't go on. He says, but we true believers, we are not of those, we're convinced if any man draw back as the scripture says, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back, but of them that believe unto the saving of the soul.

17:18 And then 2 Timothy 2, 12 and 13, verses that are often, I've heard people quote these as sort of comforting verses when they've fouled things up in their professed Christian life. These verses aren't verses of comfort in a state of unfaithfulness. Notice verses 12 and 13, if we suffer we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

17:45 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithfully, cannot deny himself. I've heard that verse quoted out of context. The idea is, well even though we're sort of messing up as Christians and maybe sort of folding our arms down at the bottom of hill difficulty, God's faithful, he can't deny himself. That's right, he can't deny himself.

18:04 And he has said, if we deny him, he will deny us. And he will not back off on that word, that if we deny him, he will deny us, no matter how glowing our profession has been. So you see, one of the factors that keeps the true Christian persevering is the deep conviction, I must go on. To do anything else is to invite death.

Promises to the Overcomers in Revelation 2-3

18:27 To do anything else is to forfeit the right to claim to be a child of God. And then, of course, Revelation 2 and 3, where our Lord gives these promises to the seven churches, all of them begin in the same way and they end in the same way. They begin with the words, I know thy works, and they end with the promise to the overcomers. Now, I heard a man last summer, I didn't hear him, but I got a firsthand report.

18:58 Someone took notes on his messages and it came from so many sources that I couldn't deny it. Several summers ago, not last summer, he took these overcoming promises in Revelation and said, there's two kinds of Christians. Those that are just saved but don't overcome and they'll make it into heaven, but they won't have a big bag of toys with them. But the people that overcome, they'll get to heaven with six bags of yo-yos.

19:23 The whole idea, you see, that overcomers are the people who get lots of rewards and they'll rule over 101 cities and the rest of them will just sit somewhere with a little harp and plunk a little tune all by themselves and won't so much as own a doghouse. I mean, that's the concept, you see, that it's just a matter of rewards. But now, what does our Lord say? Will you notice carefully?

19:42 Now, just go quickly through the promises to the overcomers. Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2, verse 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

20:02 Do you hope to eat of the tree of life? The redeemed of God are promised access to that tree. God says that privilege is for the overcomers. Chapter 2 and verse 11.

20:16 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. What's the second death according to Revelation 20.15?

20:25 The second death is hell. When it says that these shall be cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death. Who's going to escape the second death? Only those that overcome.

20:36 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Those that don't overcome, the second death shall take its toll upon them. Chapter 2 and verse 17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

20:51 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden man and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. What this particular blessing is I'm not quite so sure and the more you read the commentators the less sure you become. But it's obvious that it's a peculiar blessing of those that are known of God. God says He gives them a name that no man knows saving he that receives it.

21:18 The promise is to the overcomer. Again, we have in verse 25 and 26 of the same chapter. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come and he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end. To him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.

21:40 Chapter 3 and verse 5 He that overcometh the same shall be clothed with white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. If Christ does not confess us before the Father we've had it. He says he that denies me before men I will deny before the Father. Then the last promise to the overcomer.

22:02 Two more prophecies. Verse 12 He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of God. That's the church of God. And that's going to be a perfect church.

22:11 A perfect temple. And it's only those who overcome who will be found in it. And then verse 21 of chapter 3 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit in my throne even as I overcame and have sat down with my Father in his throne. Let me ask you a very personal question tonight.

22:29 You who are professing Christians. Has this conviction been burnt into your heart by the power of the Holy Ghost that you must overcome to be saved? Has that conviction so gripped you just as much as that you must repent and believe to be saved? If not I venture to say your conviction is sub-biblical.

God Works in Us as Adults, Not Stocks and Stones

22:47 For why do the saints of God persevere? Not only because God has covenanted and sealed with the blood of his Son that you must overcome to be saved. But why do the saints of God persevere not only because of the blood of his Son of salvation that promises that they shall. Not only because the Father purposes that they shall and the Son died and intercedes that they shall and the Spirit stirs them up but because from the human standpoint they are absolutely convinced that they must overcome.

23:22 For God works out his salvation in us as men. He doesn't move us like stocks and stones. Let me illustrate. A little child who has no fear of dropping off a precipice it's understanding is that of a little child maybe a toddler just a year and a half would have absolutely no fear running around on a road maybe eight feet wide that dropped off two thousand feet either side and just would think it was in it's own living room.

23:51 Have no fears in it's poor infant blindness and ignorance to just toddle around have the best time get within three inches of the edge of that precipice and if you're going to keep that child you can't reason with that child about the danger of the drop and all the rest. They have no capacity to be reasoned with you've got to deal with them by external force and so you put a rope around them or a harness or if they go near the edge you grab them. Now that isn't the general way that God deals with us as his children. To keep us from going over the precipice of apostasy and departure from God he works with us as an adult does in staying away meaning to know that if I get too close to the edge someone might nudge me or I just might get dizzy and drop over. Therefore having a fear of dropping over I stay as clear from that side of the precipice and this side is possible and intelligently and volitionally I seek to walk down the center of that path of safety. Now in the same way God at times in his grace because at times we are like ignorant foolish children and we get to the edge of the precipice God sometimes puts forth an arm of sovereign power to keep us from utterly repudiating him and his ways but the general way that he leads us according to Jeremiah 32 40 is to put his fear into our hearts

Paul's Testimony of Striving and Self-Discipline (Philippians 3 & 1 Corinthians 9)

25:21 so that we fear sin we fear falling we are conscious with pilgrim I can't turn aside to this path or that path I must go straight on wherever the narrow road leads me for the other side is life. So that's the first reason why the true saints of God persevere they are absolutely convinced that they must. Now certainly the apostle Paul understood this and he gave testimony of it and I want us to consider the words of the apostle Paul himself that I feel are so crucial and being a realist I'm afraid this is going to end up four sermons we've done tonight but I don't seem to be making the progress I had hoped to. Will you turn to Philippians chapter 3 Philippians chapter 3 Now let's not get lost and fail to see the woods for the trees the one principle we're trying to discover is this the saints of God persevere because they're convinced they must and we've looked at the words of our Lord now listen to the testimony of Paul confirming the same thing Philippians chapter 3 beginning with verse 7 but what things were gained to me those I counted lost for Christ yea doubtless and I count

26:49 all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I've suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Isn't that a strange phrase? the concept that gaining Christ was a prize that I may win Christ keep that in the back of your mind and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith now put those two things together he talks about winning Christ and yet he says winning Christ means that I'm found in him with a righteousness that is solely of faith that moves right from the concept of winning Christ into the concept of a righteousness which comes to us as a free gift by faith now keep those two thoughts in mind winning Christ being found in him by faith verse 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus he says Christ laid hold of me now when Christ lays hold of a man what is the goal of that laying hold

28:18 we saw this morning the goal is that one day will be in his presence just like him isn't that the goal when Christ lays hold of a man to one day bring him home to glory he came the captain to glory Hebrews 2 tells us now notice what Paul says I'm pressing after that I may lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold of me he laid hold of me to glorify me now I'm following after that goal I want to win Christ brethren I count not myself to have yet laid hold but this one thing I do forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forth I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus has God called me to glory yes but he's called me to glory by a path of perseverance in faith in holiness in obedience and that's the path that I'm walking I'm running I'm pressing every nerve and every energy into the attainment of that goal this idea well I once trusted Christ therefore I'm sure to be in glory rest upon my oars you didn't find Paul resting on his oars he said God got me out on this side of the lake and God's going to get me over on the other side but he's going to get me there with some blisters

29:47 on the oars thank God he'll land me there but not apart from my conscious striving and pressing and wrestling and fighting on but his work of preserving will come to light even unto the end and when we get there we don't look down at our hands and say now look isn't that marvelous my hands pulled the oars and got me here no no when we get there we'll say grace grace all of grace it is grace that taught my heart to fear grace my fear is relieved grace has brought me safe thus far grace will lead me home but not a grace that leads to passivity not a grace that leads to indifference to perseverance but a grace that causes the true child of God to say with Paul I don't count myself to have yet laid whole but forgetting the things that are behind I press on one other passage from the apostle one of the most powerful passages along this very line and I want to show what so called good people have done to bleed this passage of its obvious meaning and have brought great havoc upon the evangelical church 1 Corinthians chapter 9 1 Corinthians chapter 9 1 Corinthians chapter 9 beginning with verse 24 know ye not that they which run

31:16 in a race run all but one receives the prize it's only one first prize unless it's a dead heat now he doesn't in any illustration see every illustration has got a lame leg somewhere or a crooked arm now Paul is not speaking absolutely that in every single race only one person receives the prize sometimes there's a tide there's a dead heat any of you who watch horse racing I hope you don't attend and put your two dollars down on any of them but you know that there's such a thing as a dead heat the photo finish where both noses are right there at the end of the wire but generally speaking only one person wins now Paul takes that analogy and he says verse 25 I'm sorry the end of the verse there so run that ye may obtain seek to win the race and every man that striveth for mastery that is every man who's seeking to win the race is temperate self-controlled in all things I heard the other morning of a young woman in this area who just missed she was fourth at the last Olympic trials was it and you need to be in the top three to qualify and she goes to summer school and Mrs. Kashubu was telling us about her and so she gets up at four o'clock every morning and she goes down to some skating rink here in I've seen it there out by mountain avenue where it comes down and she spends four hours every morning skating every morning

32:44 five six days a week then after summer school she goes out for how many more hours is it there another another three to four hours every day day in day out four o'clock in the morning eight o'clock go to summer school finish her classes have her lunch four more hours her whole life is disciplined by this one thing I'm gonna get to the Olympics and win now she's a natural human being of course that's not fanaticism that's just dedication and everybody sees a young girl and they write they write articles in the paper about isn't it wonderful in a day of of when youth is indifferent to challenge and all to see a young woman dedicated to a goal you let that same teacher or news writer who's writing the article about this person dedicated to a goal hear about a teenager who gets up at four o'clock in the morning to pray and read the bible for four hours on the streets and pass out tracts and witnesses for four hours and they'd be doing their best to get the staff psychologist at the school to sit down and psychoanalyze them there's something wrong with them something wrong with them it's alright to be dedicated in that area well Paul is talking you see using this illustration people who are dedicated in this area he said well I carry that same dedication over into the Christian race now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible what is the relationship to this self-discipline reflected by illustration in the athlete

34:13 he says just as they do it to get a crown a crown a wreath of recognition of first place we do to obtain an incorruptible crown the crown of eternal life I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection the Greek word literally translated would be the body till black and blue whether he actually did that I don't think he's saying that but he's using a strong word to tell us that he brings all of his appetites and passions under strict discipline why lest by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway now Mr. Schofield's Bible which has some helpful things or the Bible with Mr. Schofield's notes is the Bible which is has a note on this verse that has greatly influenced multitudes of people I've met many people who parroted this explanation listen to what he says in his note on page 1220 the Greek word rejected a castaway mean is adokimos disapproved dokimos the word without the A in front of it is translated approved and then he gives six or seven references the prefix A simply changes the word to a negative or to approve or disapprove the apostle is writing of service

35:43 not of salvation he is not expressing that he may fall of fail of salvation but of his crown beloved that's a butchering of the word of God because the Greek word adokimos is used eight times in the New Testament and Mr. Schofield knew his Bible well enough to know that it was used somewhere else than here and you know how it's the context in which it's used in the seven other places other than here you know what it is in Romans 1 God gave them up to a reprobate mind the mind that was cast off from all influence of God he gave them up to an adokimos mind same word used here it's the same word used in 2 Corinthians 13 5 examine yourself prove yourself whether you be in the faith know ye not your own selves how that Christ Jesus is in you except ye be adokimos except ye be reprobate mind and then it's used again in verse 6 and 7 of 2 Corinthians 13 5 in the same context he said if you're in Christ you're in the faith if you're not in Christ you're not in the faith you're out of the faith you're adokimos you're reprobate it's the same word used in 2 Timothy 3 8 in that passage that speaks of the characteristics of men in the last days see if this is just a Christian who's losing a few rewards now as Janny's in general says in the Bible in the Bible it says as Janny's in Jambres withstood Moses so do these also

37:12 resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith but their they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all as theirs was also he's speaking of unregenerate religious teachers and he says they are reprobate concerning the faith adokimos Titus 1 16 they profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work adokimos reprobate and the last usage is in Hebrews 6 8 where it speaks of those who've tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come they are like the land that drinks in the rain from heaven and he goes on to say it brings forth briars whose end is to be burned they are reprobate in every other usage in the life of God and beloved the lie that's been spawned in our day that Paul was simply fearful that he'd lose a few rewards is an absolute twisting of the meaning of this word as guarded by its other usages under the direction of the Holy Ghost no Paul recognized this principle that we're trying to focus upon tonight I must persevere to the end the same Paul who wrote Romans 8 when he said

38:41 I shall persevere to the end who shall separate me from the love of God for you casey you visitors here that's all the part we looked at this morning in fact some were disturbed they said wait a minute Pastor there's another side to it I said yeah well you be patient let's get this side first God will preserve his own who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect the same Paul who wrote Romans 8 wrote 1 Corinthians 9 the same Holy Ghost he called then he also justified inspired him to write I keep under my body lest terrible thing having preached to others and having seen others through my ministry enter the gate and walk the way and end up in life I should be found rejected at last Paul persevered not only because God in the new covenant provided that he should be found in the New Covenant but also in the New Covenant because God in the New Covenant provided that he should persevere and the Father and the Son and the Spirit were working together that he should persevere but because from the human standpoint he was utterly convinced he had to persevere and that led him as he said here to strict self-discipline it led him to the place where he recognized that he must keep under his body lest in preaching to others he should be rejected I want to quote from one of my old Dutch

The Tension of Divine Preservation and Human Perseverance

40:09 writers who is a great help to me commenting on Hebrews chapter 10 verses 38 and 39 that verse that I quoted earlier if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him but we are not of them that draw back unto perdition of them that believe to the saving of the soul listen to Mr. Brown's comments if the man justified by faith were to draw back God's soul could have no pleasure in him this is in no way inconsistent with the doctrine of the perseverance of the elect which appears to us very plainly taught in scripture if God has chosen them in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestinated them to the adoption of children to himself if he has called them according to his purpose those are all of course quotes and if they are really washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God if there is an inheritance laid up for them in heaven and if they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation all of those bible verses strung together if there be an inseparable connection between being foreknown and predestinated being called justified and glorified

41:38 Romans 8 30 and the Bible clearly teaches what I tried to teach you this morning that the people of God shall persevere because of what God has purposed in salvation but now here is the crux of the matter but it should never be forgotten that the scripture doctrine of the perseverance of the elect is one thing and the application of it to individuals quite another thing but it should never be forgotten that the scripture doctrine of the perseverance of the elect is that the elect shall persevere until he believes the gospel or that he shall persevere to the end but while he is actually persevering in faith and holiness the question is not whether the elect shall persevere that is a clearly revealed truth even the devil believes that he believes scripture he must believe that but the question is am I among the number this I cannot know but I must believe and persevere in believing and in the necessary results of believing adding to my faith virtue knowledge temperance patience godliness brotherly kindness and charity yet it is perfectly consistent with this for me to believe that if I draw back God's soul shall have no pleasure in me and the faith of this is one of the appropriate means to prevent my drawing back now there is no

43:07 inconsistency in the fact that I am a person who has real problems with this biblical teaching you see is the person who wants some comfort from some past evidences of grace who is not presently in the narrow road that leads unto life that's the person that fights for an assurance of salvation on some past act of faith or some past repentance whereas looking at the scripture it says that if I walk the way how do I know that I have truly entered the gate as I am found in the way as I am found in the way so that as I am persevering I am assured that he is preserving me now is that playing with words no dear ones that's not playing with words if you don't get that principle straight you may play with your never dying soul you may get through that with your truest hope and faith and your gestures by God you may find you may find your love in your life

Grace That Works and the Use of Means

44:36 you may find strength in the way you Paul says if I fail I shall be a documus is that salvation by works not at all it's a salvation of God that works see the difference it's not a salvation of works it's a salvation of grace but grace that works that changes a man's heart sets his face to heaven puts the nerve in his heart like Bunyan's Christian to face every hill difficulty and say by the grace of God I'm going straight on all of grace the grace that works well we didn't get to the second thing I'll just tell you what it is and then the Lord willing we'll have to look at that next Lord's Day morning the saints of God persevere from the human standpoint not only because they're deeply convinced they must but because they seriously use the means ordained for their preservation they persevere and are preserved because they seriously use the means all I'll do is give the illustration that I hope will whet your appetite to come back Bob you better not because your people need a preacher next week glad Brother Bradbury is with us from the Broughton Church in Bloomfield tonight and his family are you convinced

46:03 that the day of your death is settled in the courts of heaven that it's appointed on the men once to die are you convinced that there's nothing you can do to alter the day that God set for your death are you all convinced of that? that God has sovereignly appointed a time for you to die are you convinced of that? anything you can do to change that date it is appointed on the men once to die right? but that conviction does not keep you from respecting some reasonable rules of health and nourishment and rest the fact that you're convinced your day of death is appointed does not lead you to say oh well when I'm going to die I'm going to die I won't bother to eat won't bother to sleep I think I'll go to bed I'll go to bed tonight in the middle of Bloomfield Avenue tomorrow night down the corner of 8th Avenue and 44th Street in New York no no no no you try to preserve your body I hope you drive carefully I hope you buckle up for safety as that little jingle says buckle up for safety buckle up I believe the Lord wants to take my life in an accident having my buckle on isn't going to hinder His purpose but I buckle up anyway because I know the safety council says that last year 5,000 deaths probably could have been presented if people had used their safety belts people had them in their cars but didn't use them so I use my safety belts that's a little plug for safety belts this is National Safety Week will be one of these days I'm sure

Call to Conversion and Perseverance

47:31 I try to respect the laws of health and hygiene I don't go eating my Sunday dinner down amongst the rats in the city tunnel neither do you you see you live all the time in this tension of conviction that the day of your death is sovereignly appointed and you're not going to die you're not going to die you're not going to die yet you seriously use means to preserve your life in the same way the child of God is convinced God will sovereignly keep him but he seriously uses the means that God's ordained to preserve him and we'll look at those the Lord willing next Sunday morning but I trust this study of the first point has been used of God to convince us tonight that we must persevere now let me say in closing if you're not convinced if you're not joined to Christ you can't make it you see all those people that Christians met along the way and that's the interesting thing about the pilgrims progress who fell off along the way like Timorous and formality and formality and legality and all of these different men when he questioned them how they get in the way they got in some other way but what but that narrow gate see they couldn't make it the only people who can make it from the beginning of the way to life are those who get in through the gate the rest will never make it so if you're here tonight and you've never come through the gate of true conversion I say to you dear young people you're not going to make it you're going to peter out

48:59 you get out from under the influence of mom and dad and the Sunday school and all the rest and you're going to just blow everything why? because you've not come in the way oh let me entreat you young people don't rest short of that gate of true conversion don't rest until you know the Lord's given you a new heart and put his fear within your heart so that one mom and dad aren't there and the preacher is not there you're conscious I'm under the eye of God I want to please my God religion won't do it I don't care how good that religion is from a human standpoint until you're born of the spirit until you repent and believe the gospel and flee to Christ you'll never make it and my other word is you profess to come through the gate then you better be convinced that you must persevere your salvation depends upon it and when you begin to say oh well I'm going to maybe not so necessary for me to persevere doesn't the Bible teach the Lord all that he's called he'll glorify ah but all that he calls he also does what he brings them along the road of progressive sanctification and I can't have any comfort that he's called me unless I'm being sanctified and it'll bring you to the place where it brought Paul you'll buffet your body keep it under lest in preaching to others you be a castaway he'll say I've not yet attained forgetting the things that are behind me I press to the mark and every faculty will be involved in pursuing the way of holiness

50:28 and obedience oh may God restore to his church an understanding of the biblical doctrine that undergirded Paul's passionate concern for the Thessalonians and it undergirds my less passionate but nonetheless real concern for you who sit here tonight that you understand this truth as taught in Holy Scripture let us unite in closing prayer and in the name of Jesus Amen