Implications of the Doctrine of Perseverance

Introduction: Review of the Doctrine of Perseverance

0:02 ...message in this, I don't know whether we'd call it a digression or amplification of our studies in 1 Thessalonians, where we came face-to-face with the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, as Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica.

0:22 And I didn't realize when I started on this that I'd end up preaching five messages. I had planned, as I did with the doctrine of affliction in 1 Thessalonians 3 and the doctrine of saving faith, to cover this in one message I mentioned to someone just the other day. I frankly don't understand how these preachers can outline their course of preaching over a period of a whole year. In fact, I've been at preachers' conferences where people have done everything but say you were second cousin to the slothful if you didn't lay out your preaching schedule, what you're going to cover precisely, over a period of six months or a year.

1:00 I'm not quite so convinced that the Holy Spirit works in that rigid and confined a framework. Perhaps for some he does, and I wouldn't make God's dealings with me a rule for others, but I'd rather resent it when they make what may not be God's dealings with them a rule for me or for us as a body of God's people. Tonight we come to the last in this consideration of this most vital doctrine, which unknowingly...

1:27 undergirds the whole instruction of Paul in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. Now, just briefly to review, and this is mainly for the sake of those who have not been with us, and I trust those who have been will exercise the law of love and not find this tedious, as you would that others do unto you, even so do unto them. And if you happen to come in on the last message of a series of five, and the preacher started right in assuming that you knew everything else he had said, I think you'd feel rather disturbed. Well, as you would that others do unto you, do unto them.

2:01 So it's a sense of Christian duty that I spend these moments reviewing. It's not that I particularly like to take the first few minutes to do this, but I believe it's necessary for those who have not caught the previous strands of truth. And I just have a sneaking suspicion it might help some of us to remember what we've heard, so that the main concepts are fixed in our minds when the series is concluded. First of all, you remember we found that in 1 Thessalonians 3, there was Paul's rejoicing, Paul's concern, and Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians.

2:38 His rejoicing was based upon his confidence of the first principle of the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Principle number one, all who are joined to Christ are preserved for his everlasting kingdom. You are my joy and crown of rejoicing at the coming of the Lord. Jesus with all his saints.

2:59 He was absolutely confident that all whom God had called, he had justified, and all whom he justified, he would glorify. Romans 8 and verse 30. But that passage in Thessalonians had some tremendous expressions of concern and anxiety. And this was due to the second principle that's involved in the doctrine of perseverance, namely, not all who profess to be in Christ are truly joined to Christ.

3:27 All who are joined to Christ are kept. Not all who profess Christ are joined to Christ. And so Paul is concerned lest some who professed Christ prove that they never truly possessed him. And then the third principle, and this is the focus of Paul's exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 3, the proof of the reality of one's relationship to Christ is continuance in the ways of Christ.

3:55 Now we live, he says in verse 8 of chapter 3, if ye stand fast in the Lord. Continuance in the ways of Christ is proof of vital union with Christ. As our Lord stated in John 8, 32, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. Hebrews 3 and verse 14, we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

Why Saints Persevere: God's Work and Man's Activity

4:28 Now having stated then, the doctrine in those three principles, we sought to answer this question both last Lord's day and again this morning, why are the saints of God kept? Why are those who are truly joined to Christ preserved? Why do they persevere in faith, in holiness, in obedience? And we have seen that the answer to that question is a two-fold answer.

4:52 They persevere from the perspective of God's work, or from the standpoint of God, God's working in them and on behalf of them, and they persevere from the standpoint of their own activity. From God's standpoint, the saints of God are preserved and persevere because of the covenant of grace and because of the work of the triune God in administering that covenant. And from man's standpoint, they persevere because they're convinced they must persevere, and as we saw this morning, because of a serious use of the means God has ordained for their perseverance,

The Inseparability of Theological and Practical Implications

5:35 both the private and public means. Now tonight, in concluding this series, I want us to consider from Holy Scripture the implications of this biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Why have I spent five, tonight we'll make the fifth message, on this subject dealing with whether or not it is possible for a true saint of God, to truly fall from grace? Dealing with the subject, what evidence do I have if I truly am a saint of God?

6:07 What assurance do I have that I will not fall from grace? Is this just a tempest in a theological teapot? Or are there some very practical implications to this doctrine? Well, I'm convinced that the Scripture reveals the doctrine, and whether I saw the implications or not, I'd believe it and preach it, because I'd know whether I understood why or how, it would ultimately have to be for my good and for God's glory.

6:34 But the same Bible that reveals the doctrine reveals some of the very practical implications of this doctrine. Now those implications break down into two areas, theological and practical. And you cannot separate those two. Some of us by nature, we like to see the theological implications.

6:53 We are what I would call religious theorists by nature. We like to understand how things work, and how they fit together out here. We're not too much interested in how they should fit together and work in here, but if we can see how they fit together all out there, it's like looking at a beautiful painting. It's wonderful, it's pretty, that's nice.

7:13 Some of us by temperament, we're the practical kind. We don't care how it fits together out there. We say, well, I just know somehow it fits together. I just want to know that it works down here.

7:21 If it helps me pedal my bike, fine. I don't care what it looks like. If it helps me to get the job done, that's my only concern. Well, you see, a true Christian seeks to hold both of these things in proper perspective.

7:35 For the practical is rooted in the doctrinal, or the theoretical. And the doctrinal, if rightly understood, should always issue in the what? In the practical. So you cannot separate these two in any doctrine.

7:50 Whether it's the doctrine of the deity of Christ, the fact that in his person you have both true God and true man joined together in one person, forever, there are theological implications if you deny either his godhood or his manhood. And there are tremendous practical implications if you deny either. Same way with the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. If you deny that all who are joined to Christ are kept, tremendous theological implications.

8:19 Tremendous practical implications. If you deny that the only true proof I have that I am in Christ is that I'm continuing in Christ, tremendous theological implications. Tremendous practical implications. Now I hope that's whetted your appetite to at least stay awake while we move our way through these implications.

Theological Implications of Denying God's Preservation of His People

8:39 First of all then, what are the results, both theological and practical, of denying the truth that the Lord preserves His true people? If we take that first premise, that all who are savingly joined to Christ are kept and preserved for His eternal kingdom, and if we doubt that premise, or if we deny it, what are the theological implications? May I suggest three? Number one, we deny the immutability, the changelessness of the purpose of God.

9:16 What we are saying in essence is this, though God has purposed in eternity to save a people, and though in time He gave His Son, and though in time He... He effectually called them out of darkness into marvelous light, somewhere along the line, if anyone whom He has chosen and effectually called is able to fall from a state of grace and ultimately perish, we have a change in the disposition of God to that redeemed sinner.

9:52 We have God changing from a disposition of eternal love to eternal wrath. And yet when God is speaking to His covenant people in the Old Testament, He says in Malachi 3.6, I am the Lord, I change not, therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed. The reason why they are not consumed is that God changes not, and He had a purpose with respect to those people, and His purpose would not be changed.

10:27 We read in Romans chapter 11 that the gifts and callings of God are without, without repentance. And so those who would deny, either with their lips or with the hidden suspicions of the heart, that it is possible, would deny that God preserves all whom He truly saves, perhaps they do not realize they are doing this, but this is what they are doing. They are denying the immutability of the purpose of God. Secondly, they are denying the efficacy of the intercession of Christ.

11:03 The Lord Jesus, now lives in heaven, to plead on behalf of all for whom He died and shed His blood. 1 John 2.1.2 says, Little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not.

11:16 But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, one who pleads our cause, Jesus Christ the righteous. Hebrews 7.25 says, He is able to save to the uttermost. Now what is the uttermost?

11:31 Ultimate glorification. He is able, able to save to the uttermost, those that come unto God by Him. Why? Seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.

11:43 In other words, His intercession is a prevailing intercession. It is an intercession that cannot fail to obtain that for which He pleads. He is pleading more than just making verbal request. In a real sense, His very presence there at the right hand of the Father, is a plea that God would be merciful to all of His redeemed people.

12:09 And so if it's possible for one who has been in a state of grace, certainly Christ prays for those who are in a state of grace. Scripture makes this abundantly clear. He is praying that they'll be kept, that they'll be preserved, that they'll be with Him where He is, that they may behold His glory. And if one who has been in a state of grace does not behold Him in glory, if one who is in a state of grace is not preserved, then the Lord...

12:34 The Lord Jesus somehow has failed in His work of intercession. And then thirdly, the theological implication of denying the preservation of the saints of God is that we deny the ability of the Holy Spirit to seal and sanctify believers unto the day of redemption. We read in Genesis...

12:56 I'm sorry, in Jeremiah 32, 40, that verse we spent some time on two Lord's days ago, where God says in the New Covenant, that He will put His fear into the hearts of His people, that they shall not depart from Him. And that fear is put into the heart by the Holy Spirit Himself who comes to indwell us, to seal us to the day of redemption. In 1 John 3, 9 states, He that is born of God cannot make a practice of sin. He may grievously sin.

13:27 He may be overcome by sin and bring great reproach to Himself and to His Lord. But there are certain forms of sin to which a true believer cannot abandon himself. He cannot abandon himself to absolute unbelief. He cannot abandon himself to the dominion of sin.

13:46 It is impossible. Why? John says, Because His seed remaineth in Him and He cannot sin because He is born of God. And the divine seed within, the principle of the new life of the Holy Spirit makes it impossible for Him to abandon Himself.

14:03 He cannot abandon Himself to sin. Romans 6 and verse 14 is not a promise, it's a declaration. Sin shall not lord it over you for you are not under the law but under grace. And wherever someone has made glowing profession of Christ and may be given even some evidences of faith in Christ and yet we see them give themselves over to a resolute life of unbelief and perhaps of lechery or absolute abandonment of spiritual things.

14:33 We have no grounds to believe that God has ever done a work of grace for sin does not lord it over those who have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. They cannot sin in that sense of abandoning themselves to sin because this divine seed remains in them. So these are the theological implications. Now any theological perspective that denies the immutability of God, the changelessness of God, the efficacy of the intercession, the resurrection of Christ and the powerful ability of the Holy Spirit, that cannot help but have tremendous practical implications.

Practical Implications of Denying God's Preservation of His People

15:11 And what are those practical implications? Well, first of all, they rob the saints of a view of God worthy of their worship. In a world full of change, in a world where nobody can trust anybody else's word, in a world where there is no resting place for confidence either in God or in Christ, in men or princes or nations, what do you do when you tell the child of God well, the disposition of God's heart toward you might change. Though he's loved you with an everlasting love, and though in grace he's called you, he might yet hate you and damn you.

15:49 Isn't that a wonderful way to encourage the saints of God? If I had to preach a gospel like that, I'd quit. I'd go to do something else. If I had to proclaim a God whom I had to get people to seek to worship, and yet a God who in that sense could be fickle in his attitude toward his people.

16:13 Impossible. And so to deny the preservation of the saints of God is to rob the saints of a view of God worthy of their worship. It's to rob them of a view of Christ worthy of their worship. Rob them of a view of the Holy Spirit worthy of worship.

16:34 Secondly, it robbed the saints of a view of God worthy of their confidence. You see, after Paul has stated this tremendous doctrine, he draws the practical implication, and it's one of tremendous confidence in the face of mounting opposition. Paul was a realist, and he moved from the theory of the doctrine of preservation, and boy, he really was up in the stratosphere. All these weighty theological terms, listen to them, whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

17:13 I'm reading from Romans 8, 29 and 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. Whom he called, he justified. Whom he justified, them he glorified.

17:26 You see, people who have no use for theological language have no use for the Bible. It's full of it. You can't read the Bible without coming face to face with these words. Justified, glorified, called, predestined, foreknown.

17:39 Those are Bible words. And as Paul, in the midst of the salvation of God's people, he sees it traced back to his foreknowledge when he set his affection upon a people, then predetermined that they should be made like his Son. Then he called them, he justified them, and his purpose is so sure, Paul puts their glorification in the past tense. Now, he says, what's the implication of all this?

18:06 Is it just a lot of theological banter? What shall we say, then, to these things? In other words, Paul says, so what? So, whom he called, he justified.

18:16 Whom he justified, he glorified. So what? He says, I'll tell you so what. Here's the conclusion.

18:22 God before us, he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything free? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

18:43 Who is he that condemneth? Christ died? Who is risen again? Who makes intercession?

18:48 Why have confidence in an intercession that cannot avail? No, his confidence is in an intercession that cannot fail to secure its intended goal. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, distress, persecution.

19:03 This is not a man who's been sitting in his study, just thinking up lofty thoughts about God, and then he pens them in a poetic spurt. This is a man who's out in the thick of the fight, who's known what it is to be beaten with rods, to be thrown in jails, to be found in ship breaks, to be stoned, to be treated like the off-scouring of all things, and he looks in the face of all that opposition. He stands at the bottom of the hill of difficulty, like Christian did, and sees all problems encountered on the road to the celestial city, and what does he say? What are all these things?

19:37 If this God be for us, who can be against us? You see, the basis of Paul's confidence in the midst of the conflict was that whom God called, he justified, and whom he justified, he would glorify, and nothing could sever him from the love of Christ. That's a pretty practical implication, isn't it? Deny, then, that he preserves his own, and you rob the saints not only of a view of God worthy of their worship, but a view of God worthy of their confidence, and in the third place, you rob the saints of the focus of their praise.

20:20 See, if you deny that the saints of God are kept because God purposed to keep them in the new covenant blessings sealed by the blood of Christ, then when a saint has come ten years down the road and has been preserved, if he cannot fall at the footstool of sovereign grace and say with the words of the hymn writer, "'Tis grace that taught my heart to fear, grace my fears relieved, grace hath brought me safe thus far." Grace will lead me home. You cannot help, if not in theory, in practice it'll be so. The praise of that Christian will be divided

21:02 between his God and himself or some other creature. But when we see the truth that the only reason we are enabled to persevere and are preserved is that God purposed that it should be so, the Son died to purchase such a salvation, and the Holy Spirit has come to apply it with power, then we shall be found upon our faces crying out to God with praise and adoration. Listen to the way it's so beautifully stated in the Westminster Confession. I'm reading now from our own hymnal which has the Confession at the rear of the book.

21:42 The perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will. Page 681. Perhaps you'll want to follow. 681.

21:53 The middle section, paragraph number 2. The perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will but upon the immutability of the decree of election flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father. Upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace, from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. Isn't that beautifully stated?

22:31 I didn't get my outline from there. I swept through my outline and then turned here and found I could have saved myself a lot of work. Some time ago when I first brought together these thoughts that I've just given you and I said, well let me just turn and see what the old Confession says and there it is, all laid out so beautifully. Why do the saints persevere?

22:50 Here are the reasons. Deny that they persevere and then the theological implication is you deny the immutability of God the Father, deny the efficacy of the intercession of Christ, deny the ability and power of the Spirit, and butcher the covenant of grace. No, we don't want to do that. And so by God's grace I trust we as a people have had burnt into our hearts this conviction that all who are savingly joined to Christ are kept and are preserved.

The Danger of Denying the Necessity of Perseverance (False Eternal Security)

23:22 Now, I want to move to the second area tonight, the results of denying the necessity that the true saints of God will persevere in the ways of God. We've looked at the results if people deny the first principle, all who are joined to Christ are kept, but what happens when people deny the second and third principles? That it's possible to make a profession and not be joined to Christ and the only proof that I am joined is that I continue. What happens when people deny that?

23:52 And there are many in our day who would rejoice in everything I've said tonight on the first point. Oh yes, all who are in Christ are preserved. Hallelujah. Once in grace, always in grace.

24:04 But all the multitudes in our day who deny that those who are in Christ will persevere and will continue in faith, in holiness and obedience. Well, what are the implications if we deny that? And remember, if we deny that, we're denying the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and exchanging it for non-biblical doctrines often understood under the words in our day, eternal security. When people come up to me and say, do you believe in eternal security?

24:32 I say, what do you mean by eternal security? Well, I mean once saved, always saved. Well, what do you mean by saved? Well, I mean if you make the decision to accept Christ, then no matter what you do, you'll go to heaven.

24:43 I say, no, I don't believe that. The Bible doesn't teach that at all. You don't? No.

24:49 Well, I thought you were a Calvinist. I say, well, whatever that word means, if you want to give me that name, I think maybe I believe the things in the Scripture that have been given that nickname and I'm not embarrassed to carry it. I don't wear it like a sign around my neck or a shingle on the end of my nose. What do you mean by eternal security?

25:10 If you mean what this man meant that I met down in Georgia one time in meetings who with leery eyes and liquored breath, when I tried to witness to him, looked me in the face and said, I'm a good such and such, and gave his denomination, and I believe once saved, always saved, don't you? I don't believe that, no. I told him, no drunkard will enter the kingdom of heaven. If you mean, do I believe what that young woman believed who sat down and looked me in the eye and when I questioned her, did she have any sensitivity to sin?

25:39 Any hunger for God? Any love for Christ? She said, no, not at all. And her very countenance and the way she dressed and held herself bespoke that she was immersed in the world.

25:51 And yet she told me she was confident she was on her way to heaven because she believed if you were once saved, you were always saved. No, I don't believe that. The Bible doesn't teach that. What does the Bible teach?

26:04 The Bible teaches if we are truly saved, we will continue to be saved and the proof that God is true, if God ever did anything in the past, is that He's doing something now. That's the doctrine of perseverance. All in whom He's done a real work will be found at the end of the race. If they get through the gate, they'll be there at the end of the road.

26:26 The only proof they got through the gate and that they're going to enter the celestial city is that they're found on the narrow way. Enter the narrow gate, which leads to the narrow way, which leads to life. Now what happens if you deny that? And I say again, if you deny that, the second and third principle that we've emphasized again and again, what are the theological implications?

Theological Implications of Denying the Necessity of Perseverance

26:45 What are the practical implications? May I again break them down into two or three areas? The theological implications, number one, you deny the goal of God's electing love. What is the goal of the electing love of the Father?

27:00 Ephesians 1 to 4 tells us, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be not happy, not successful, not popular, not secure. But here is the focus of God's electing purpose. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him. 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13 essentially teaches the same thing.

27:39 For the apostle rejoices in the salvation of these people and he says we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth where unto He called you by our gospel. Called you unto what? Called you, effectually drew you unto this life which is a life set apart unto God. So those who say, yes, that's right, all who are joined to Christ are kept but don't say with equal clarity and understand that the only proof I'm joined to Christ is that I continue.

28:24 They're denying the goal of God's electing love. And the church is, I fear, filled with many, many people who claim to be secure in Christ in whom the purpose of electing love is not manifested. There is not that pursuing holiness without which no man will see the Lord. Secondly, they deny the goal of the purchasing love of the Son.

28:47 The electing love of the Father has as its goal that we should be holy. What is the goal of the purchasing love of the Son? Listen to Titus 2 and verse 14 and then we'll look at the familiar passage in Ephesians chapter 5. Who, speaking of Christ, gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

29:16 He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us and purify us to Himself a people zealous of good works. A people who confess gladly without any embarrassment that their works have nothing to do with their acceptance before God. Anyone who's seen the hundredth part of his sin gladly says in the words of the hymn writer nothing in my hands I bring simply to Thy cross I cling not. Not what these hands have done could save my guilty soul.

29:48 Not what this toiling flesh has borne can make the guilty whole. Not what I think or do in those beautiful words of Bonner can give me peace within. Then he goes on to develop the thought that the blood of Christ alone is the basis of His peace. That's true.

30:07 And everyone who's effectually called is called in a way that the Spirit of God strips him of all confidence in his works. But he doesn't stop there. He leads into a vital union with Christ in which he longs to know the mind of Christ and do the will of Christ. And the goal of the purchasing love of Christ is to have a people zealous of good works just as zealous as they are to exclaim that their works do not give them a standing before God.

30:35 They are zealous to work because they have a right standing with God. Just as there's nobody recognized as a Christian in Scripture who rests upon his works, the Bible doesn't recognize as a Christian anyone who is not zealous for good works. And the two are equally taught in Scripture. And unless we understand the biblical doctrine of perseverance, we will not only deny the goal of electing love, we will deny the goal of the purchasing love of the Son, that he might have a people zealous of good works.

31:06 Ephesians 5.25, who gave himself for the church, why? That he might sanctify it and present it to himself. A glorious church without spot or wrinkle.

31:18 Galatians 1.4 speaks of Christ who gave himself for us that he might deliver us from this present evil world. He died to have a people who though in the midst of the world are delivered from its clutches. He's going to have what he died for.

31:34 And that's what he prays for. He says in John 17.19, For this cause I sanctify myself that they, my people, may be sanctified by the truth. So if we, in our thinking, say yes, it's true.

31:51 All who are joined to Christ are kept. Hallelujah. Wonderful. But we deny in theory or in practice that the only proof that we're joined to him is that we persevere.

32:03 We're denying the goal of God's electing love, denying the goal of the purchasing love of Christ, and we're denying the power of the Spirit in applying redemption. For God promised in the New Covenant that the Holy Spirit would come and the effect of his work would be this. I will take out the heart of stone, God says. I will write my laws upon their hearts and I will cause them to keep my statutes and to do my judgments.

32:30 In a very real sense, the whole triune God is blasphemed when anyone makes a claim to be saved who is not persevering. What did Paul say to the Jews of his day when he wrote to Rome? He said in Romans 2.24, For because of you people the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles.

32:52 And I'm convinced with all my heart that the name of God is blasphemed by people who claim to believe the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Because though they embrace the first principle, all who are saved are kept, they are not evidencing a deep conviction of the second and third principle that it's possible to make a decision or profession and fall short of grace. And the only proof of grace is grace. Present grace is the proof of past grace.

33:22 And so the name of God is blasphemed by some who bear his name. Well, these are the theological implications. What are the practical? Well, the practical implications can be summarized under two headings.

Practical Implications: Delusive False Hope for the Unconverted

33:35 Number one, unconverted people are confirmed in a delusive false hope. It's a painful thing to minister to people who have no awareness of spiritual things and who couldn't care less. Some of you have had the experience of trying to engage careless people in conversation about serious spiritual things and they're not interested. They talk about the weather, talk about sports, talk about relatives, talk about friends.

34:02 No interest. And that's heartbreaking. But I know something far more heartbreaking than that. To try to converse with people who can talk about heaven and the blood of Christ and salvation with a cocksure attitude that they're under the benefits of the blood of Christ and the cross of Christ and saved because of some profession made in the dim, murky past.

34:26 And somewhere along the line, either prior to or subsequent to that profession, someone gave them the first principle of the doctrine of perseverance. That all who are saved are kept and cannot perish. But didn't tell them the second and third principles. That it's possible to make a profession and decision and not be saved.

34:48 And the only proof that you are saved is that you continue. And one of the most heartbreaking things in my experience is to talk with such people who've made a profession, who've been fed a good solid dose of principle number one and that's all they've had. Now you know what they do? They go on sinning without any fear of punishment.

35:07 They go on sinning without any fear of punishment. I've trusted Christ. Oh yes, I'll lose a few rewards. Once saved, always saved.

35:17 You see that drunkard, when I began to talk to him about the Lord, what did he do? He found refuge in a false abominable doctrine. I believe once saved, always saved. Now where did he learn that?

35:36 Did he learn that from the Quran? Did he learn that from a hippie or a beatnik? High on LSD? You know, you know where he learned that?

35:47 He learned that in Bible believing fundamental churches that have evangelistic meetings and that no doubt even dragged him down to an altar when he was a little boy. And maybe three or four times later to get rededicated. And now in his drunken stupor he draws comfort. Oh beloved, this is real.

36:13 The Bible warns in my understanding of it and now stand corrected if you can show me that this is not the weight and the overpowering evidence of Scripture. The Bible warns more clearly about these two things than anything else. False doctrine and false profession. False doctrine and presumptuous profession.

36:40 Listen. Listen. As I just quote a few verses quickly. Paul says, Let no man deceive.

36:49 As John says in 1 John 3, He that doeth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous. He that doeth sin is of the devil. Let no man deceive. Paul says, Let no man deceive himself.

37:03 1 Corinthians 6.9 Be not deceived. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Ephesians 5.1-6

37:11 He lists the sins of the Gentiles and he says, And let no man deceive you with empty vain words because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. What is the effect of denying the necessity that the people of God persevere in holiness and that this is the evidence of the reality of their faith? This is the practical implication. Unconverted men are confirmed in a delusive.

37:39 People who are stony ground hearers and who received the word and it sprang up and bore some fruit immediately at least in the semblance of form of life that never had fruit in that period imbibed the wrong doctrine of security and henceforth have been able with no evidence of life to look back and find some comfort in past evidences. It strikes pretty close to home when someone in your own congregation says to you, You know, Pastor, I was in a situation recently where I was tempted to sin and while I was being tempted all the past teaching that I received along this line that if you've made a decision, everything's all right

38:24 and if you sin you can always count on the Lord being there this antinomian kind of eternal security as opposed to the biblical doctrine of perseverance and he said to me almost in an instant of time all of that teaching of the past the devil brought it to my mind to encourage me to sin. He said, God in His grace and by His grace and by His Spirit prevail so that the truth of Scripture that I've learned under the ministry here kept me and I was enabled to turn from the situation that it would have been to my ruin. Beloved, it's just not real. This is not a theological tempest in a teapot.

39:05 This is something real. Something very practical. Unconverted men are confirmed in a delusive falsehood. Tempted Christians may be led to sin by a false understanding.

Practical Implications: A Wrong View of Assurance

39:20 At this point. And then in the second place men are given a wrong view of assurance when the doctrine of perseverance is not clearly taught. You see the basis of assurance is different from the basis upon which a man is accepted before God. On what basis does the Lord accept sinners?

39:39 Any of you here tonight who are not saved you're not a true Christian. On what basis will God ever accept the likes of you? On one basis alone. When the naked hand of faith takes hold of God God's provision in Jesus Christ His person and work when you receive Him God declares He gives you the right to become His child.

40:01 That's the basis upon which God accepts you. And so the word of direction to every person who says what must I do to be saved is repent and believe the gospel. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou should be saved. Look away from yourself.

40:16 Look away from your sin, your past. Look unto Christ. Now suppose that person comes three weeks later and says you know when you preached last Sunday night or three Sunday nights ago I went home and by God's grace I looked on Christ in the best of my knowledge I have trusted Him I've called upon Him for mercy and I have some reason to believe maybe He's heard me but I've got another question now. I know how to be saved but now my question is how can I know that I'm saved?

40:45 Now that's a different question. The question they asked three weeks ago what must I do to be saved? That's a different question from how may I know that I'm saved? So if it's a different question it deserves a different answer.

40:59 I don't tell them believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that's how you'll know you'll be saved that's what you do to get saved. Now how do you know you're saved? The answer's different. The old confession again is beautiful here where it speaks of the fact that true believers may not come to immediate assurance but assurance is not of the essence of faith to lay hold of Christ even with feeble faith is to be saved but to know that one is saved is something else and the basis of the knowledge of salvation is a different thing and the old confession brings into focus three things that are the basis of assurance the promises of the word of God made real to my own heart by the Spirit the evidences of a changed life

41:43 and the witness of the Holy Spirit. Now if that's so that the assurance of salvation is increased or decreased with the evidences of grace and one's relationship to the Holy Spirit and one's feeding upon the promises then it's obvious that assurance may fluctuate the possession of grace does not fluctuate Christian never left that road that was leading to the celestial city but he did lose his role at one point along the way and that role was his title his assurance he lost his assurance and you see the doctrine of perseverance which is tied in with the Biblical doctrine of assurance you think in your own life

42:26 I call your own conscience to witness to this when do you have the most glowing burning assurance that you belong to the Lord think for a minute when are you most confident that you're His isn't it when the springs of grace are flowing most freely and fully when the word of God is real you're using the means of grace your obedience is up to snuff as far as the issues God has brought you into focus you have no conscious controversy with the Lord isn't that when your assurance is the brightest when is your assurance the weakest

43:07 when the streams of grace are running dry then what happens you begin to say boy how in the world can a Christian act like this well what are you supposed to do then when the streams of grace are running low and you're beginning to run short on assurance what are you supposed to do are you supposed to run to the first principle for comfort all who are in Christ are kept no no no no you don't run to the promises for comfort you go to the Lord for grace to deal with the issues that have choked up the streams and get the streams flowing once again for you deal with your sin

43:52 like David did in Psalm 51 when the streams of grace swell and assurance again is vibrant and full and glorious you begin to use the means of grace again more seriously I've found many many times when people have come to me troubled with the problem of assurance the first question I ask them is this if I know something about their basic spiritual condition if I don't I first of all try to see if they have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ I can't read their hearts but I can seek to probe their minds and if I have reasonable assurance that to the best of their knowledge and the best of mine they've come helpless, hopeless, empty handed and thrown themselves upon Christ and are trusting only in the merits of Christ

44:36 then I ask this second question I say are you diligently using the means of grace that is the private means of grace private prayer private searching of the word the public means of grace and if they say no I don't look any further for any problem I say look let's not talk anymore by God's grace start getting consistent with the means of grace and then come back in a few weeks and let's see how you're doing and I've had some people their problems with assurance almost instantly, overnight settled, why? because the streams of grace were running low and God had a way to fill them up again and they just weren't using them but now you see if you have this false doctrine of assurance

Assurance Through Present Life, Not Past Record

45:20 even when the streams of grace are low then you'll try to find comfort and get assurance from the doctrine of perseverance oh no no no you don't get assurance from the doctrine of perseverance you get assurance by persevering see the difference? I don't know if I'm communicating you're giving me a blank stare and I can't read you for love nor money you see the difference? let me try to illustrate it and the Lord will help me to bring something to mind that'll all right here's a good you nurses this will register with you you wonder am I well? am I healthy?

45:59 am I alive? what do you do? you go to your birth record and see oh yes, I was born isn't that wonderful? I was born therefore I must be alive no if you have questions about any of your patients what do you do?

46:11 try to find some pulse try to find some signs of life no life when? in the present you see the evidence of life is life and so the child of God doesn't look back and try to find his birth record if he has problems with knowing am I truly alive? he feels for pulse and if there isn't much pulse he finds out why and gets the thing corrected that there's a good strong pulse beat and then he knows of a surety he is alive in Jesus Christ this is a very practical thing so if you as a child of God want lots of assurance better roll up your sleeves to watch and pray and to press with vigor on by the grace of God

Exhortation to Persevere and Warning to the Careless

46:55 to persevere in faith in holiness and in obedience may I say to the discouraged child of God here tonight fighting warring and yet sometimes so weary in the conflict look up to Christ he's pleading for you and his intercession must prevail in the midst of the conflict when you're persevering that's when you look to Christ upon the throne for strength and grace notice the order of Hebrews 12 as we read this morning lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us run with patience the race before us

47:38 looking to Jesus as the man whose face is set to the gold that looks to Christ and feeds upon his faithfulness and his promise and the glorious provisions of the covenant of grace and is assured as top lady said I to the end shall endure as sure as the promise is given more safe but not more secure the glorified spirits in heaven the man sitting on the sidelines folding his hands and hanging up his spikes he's not to draw any comfort looking unto Jesus he's to look to the threats of God to those who turn aside and he's to look to the warnings of God about those that draw back until the warnings stir him up and he gets back in the race and then he looks unto Jesus

48:23 this idea of looking unto Jesus for comfort when you've got your spikes hung up and your arms folded that's butchering the scripture and resting them to your own destruction to the man who's in the conflict look through it all to Christ the author and the finisher of your faith dear child of God look to him and draw strength from him to persevere if you've begun to grow careless then look at the warning if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him the warnings again and again come to us in order to hedge us up unto the way of holiness the streams of grace are low why are they low? give yourself no rest until you've found the cause

49:06 and dealt with it by the grace of God and if I'm speaking to some who are not the children of God my friend you can't walk this narrow road of the persevering saint until you get in by the narrow gate and the only way to get into that gate is by faith and repentance looking to Christ pleading for mercy from his pierced hand throwing yourself upon him in the assurance that all who come unto him will be received by him may the Lord give to us an understanding of and a practical application to life of the biblical doctrine the perseverance of the saints of God let us pray