In the fifth sermon of a series on the Perseverance of the Saints, Pastor Martin expounds on the necessity of continuing in faith, holiness, and obedience, drawing from the General Epistles. He focuses on James 2:14-26 and 5:19-20, and 1 Peter 1:3-5 and 2 Peter 2:20-22, arguing that true saving faith is always productive of good works and that believers are guarded by God's power *through* faith. Martin warns against dead faith and the danger of backsliding, emphasizing that perseverance is a matter of eternal life and death, and that a lack of perseverance proves the absence of true grace.
Primary Texts
menu_book
James 2:14-26This passage is central to defining the nature of saving faith, asserting that true faith is always accompanied by works.
menu_book
James 5:19-20This text highlights the serious consequence of a believer erring from the truth, emphasizing that intervention can save a soul from death.
menu_book
1 Peter 1:3-5This passage describes the believer's living hope and inheritance, stressing that they are guarded by God's power *through faith*.
menu_book
2 Peter 2:20-22This passage serves as a severe warning against apostasy, illustrating that those who return to the world after an apparent conversion prove their lack of true change.
Introduction: The Perseverance of the Saints and the Necessity of Continuing in Faith0:01
Method of Study and Overview of the General Epistles4:43
James' Testimony: The Nature of Saving Faith (James 2:14-26)6:09
James' Testimony: Saving a Soul from Death (James 5:19-20)12:47
Peter's Testimony: Guarded Through Faith (1 Peter 1:3-5)18:40
Peter's Testimony: The Danger of Entanglement and Overcoming (2 Peter 2:20-22)26:11
The Seriousness of Perseverance: Life and Death38:39
Application to Unbelievers: Enter the Narrow Gate40:05
Application to Believers: Engage in God-Appointed Means41:32
Concluding Prayer47:18
Key Quotes
“And yet the very same Bible which teaches us that salvation is all of grace, all of God and all of Christ, teaches with equal clarity that only those who are saved and saved are saved in Christ. If we have not ever received the grace of God's grace in Christ and then continue in the way of faith, of holiness and obedience have any grounds to believe, they will be found amongst the company of the saved at the end of the road.”
“The Bible has a doctrine not only of dead works which will damn the soul, the effort to bring to God what we have done as stairs by which we hope to climb to heaven. God calls those works dead works. So it has a doctrine of dead faith which leads to the same hell.”
“You'll save a soul from death. Not a body, a soul. And what is the death of a soul? It is hell, destruction, outer darkness, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
“If we read it this way, who are guarded regardless of what they do unto salvation. We have totally twisted the teaching of the Bible.”
“The apostles did not have the silly notion so current in our day that it's not what you believe that matters the thing that really matters is that you be sincere about what you believe it is not the object of your faith but it is faith itself that is important my friends that notion so current in our day finds no foundation in the bible the bible says what you believe is the difference between life and death and heaven and hell the bible says in second Thessalonians people who believe a lie shall be damned”
“child of God may become entangled but he will never be overcome”
“perseverance in holiness is the only infallible proof that the heart is right and he who ceases to persevere on the presumption that his heart is right believes without the proper evidence and is woefully hazarding his eternal interest on his presumption”
“never reason from past grace to present laxity never that's devil's logic is our good friend the devil's logic that's what our good friend pastor blaise would say that's the devil's logic the logic of grace is that I shall by the grace of God persevere in the ways of God and be kept by the power of God unto salvation”
Applications
All listeners
Treat anything that blurs the eye of faith, dims the vision of faith's eye, or slows the pace of faith's step as your mortal enemy.
Negatively, resist everything that erodes the vital actings of faith. Positively, engage in every God-ordained discipline by which faith is strengthened and deepened in your hearts.
If one strand of the world is woven back into your life, cut off that strand in the name of God, because it may be the first of many that will entangle and overcome you.
You cannot continue in faith, holiness, and obedience until you get into the way of faith, holiness, and obedience. You need to come through the gate of true conversion.
Consider your relationship to God and to his son and his salvation, and enter the gate of true conversion.
If you believe James and Peter's warnings, you will be found engaged with all your powers in the use of every God-appointed means to be kept upon the way.
Never reason, 'I've been in the way for years, so I can venture into sin with impunity because God is committed to preserve me.' This is tampering with your eternal soul's well-being.
When tempted, reason: 'God has brought me this far by grace; grace keeps me on the way. I must say no to any path that will lead to death.'
Never reason from past grace to present laxity; that is devil's logic. The logic of grace is that I shall by the grace of God persevere in the ways of God.
A full transcript is available on the
tab. 100 paragraphs, roughly 49 minutes.
Machine transcription
Introduction: The Perseverance of the Saints and the Necessity of Continuing in Faith
This sermon was preached on Sunday morning, May 23, 1982, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now let us once again pause briefly to seek God's face in prayer for his blessing upon the ministry of the word. Our Father, we have confessed in the language of the hymn we have just sung, that if we are to understand your word, you must open to us its understanding. You must give us that ability to grasp its meaning.
You must work in our hearts the disposition of faith as well as understanding, and we would consciously acknowledge our utter dependence upon you for these things, and pray that from the youngest to the oldest, from the one least acquainted with the general contents of Scripture to the one who is most familiar with the Bible, to the one who is most familiar with the Bible, to the one most deeply knowledgeable of its truth. Oh, may each one hear your voice speaking through this book in this coming moments together. Hear us and answer us, we plead through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Now we come this morning in our study of the word of God to the fifth in a series of expositions focusing on a teaching of the Scriptures commonly called the Perseverance of the Saints, or perhaps more accurately for our purposes in this series of studies, the necessity of continuing in faith and holiness and obedience if we would seek to be found amongst the company of God's people in the last day. Now on the threshold of each of these,
I have asserted with, I trust, simplicity and clarity that the overall teaching of the Bible is very clear with respect to this question of how are sinful men and women and boys and girls rescued from their sins. And the Scriptures teach us that that work of divine rescue called salvation is all of grace and salvation. That is, it comes to us not because of what we deserve or what we have done, but out of the kindness of the heart of God. That salvation is not only all of grace, it is all of God.
It is not God taking us halfway and we take ourselves the rest of the way. The bridge from man's sinfulness to the state of divine deliverance is constructed wholly of grace. And by God. And thirdly, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that that salvation is all of Christ.
It is based upon His work, upon the uniqueness of His person. And yet the very same Bible which teaches us that salvation is all of grace, all of God and all of Christ, teaches with equal clarity that only those who are saved and saved are saved in Christ. If we have not ever received the grace of God's grace in Christ and then continue in the way of faith, of holiness and obedience have any grounds to believe, they will be found amongst the company of the saved at the end of the road.
And that teaching of Holy Scripture is I've already intimated is often called the perseverance of the saints. That all who are once saved shall be saved do so. And that teaching of Holy Scripture is I've already intimated is often called the perseverance of the saints. truly rescued from the power and dominion and guilt of sin all of them without exception exception shall persevere in faith holiness and obedience and yet not only is that perseverance a certainty it is a necessity and it is particularly that point that i have been careful to emphasize in these previous studies now our method of study has been very simple and
Method of Study and Overview of the General Epistles
i trust equally clear we have looked at key texts that is key statements in the bible as they come to us in the new testament we have considered the necessity of the perseverance of the people of god in the gospels the teaching of our lord is recorded in matthew mark luke and john then we have looked at key statements in the bible as they come to us in the new testament we considered the teaching of our lord is found in the letters of the apostle paul romans all the way through the book of philemon and then we considered the teaching of our lord is found in the book of hebrews that was last lord's day and now we come this morning to our fifth and
final study on the necessity of perseverance god willing next week we'll begin to consider the means of perseverance and and ultimately the ground of our perseverance but now this morning we want to round out our study on the necessity of our perseverance by considering the teaching of our lord is found in what we commonly call the general epistles that is the letters in the new testament after the book of hebrews and before the book of revelation now that section of holy scripture in which we have the three letters of peter the three letters of john
James' Testimony: The Nature of Saving Faith (James 2:14-26)
and the letter of jude are commonly called general epistles and it is that section of scripture to which we look this morning first of all then the book of james and i direct your attention this morning to two verses in the last paragraph of the second chapter the opening and closing versus of that paragraph james too over his four and 26. Now remember, we're concerned to focus upon one fundamental issue, namely the necessity of our continuance in faith and holiness and obedience to the end of the road if we would
be saved in the last day. Now James chapter 2 and verse 14. What does it profit, my brothers, if a man says that he has faith, but has not works? Can that faith, or more literally, can that kind of faith save him? Verse 26. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead,
even so faith apart from works is dead.
In this particular paragraph, beginning with verse 14 and concluding with verse 26, the apostle or James is concerned to set forth the nature and the quality of saving faith. That's the theme of this paragraph. That's why I read the opening and closing verses in which the subject of the nature of faith is central. Notice the question. Can that
kind of faith save him? . Verse 26, as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. The subject of this paragraph is not works, but faith.
The subject is faith. And for a more detailed exposition, I highly recommend Pastor Nichols' treatment of this paragraph in his series of studies on justification. But suffice it to say, for our purposes this morning, the subject is not works, but faith. More particularly, the nature of that faith to which the promises are made.
Now, probably all of us here this morning knows John 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Perhaps not.
Not quite so many of us, but many of us know Ephesians 2 and verse 8. For by grace are you saved through faith. But now the question, in what is the nature of that faith to which these promises are given? That whosoever believes should not perish.
Upon believing, I have the promise that I will not perish. By grace are you saved through faith. The salvation which is all of grace. And all of God comes to us in the way of faith.
But now, what is that faith? Is it a mere nodding of the head to some propositions about myself and God and Christ and the cross and the resurrection and the ascension and the gift of the Holy Spirit and everlasting life? Is that what it is? Well, according to James in chapter 2, verses 14 to 26, the faith which is unto salvation, the faith which truly unites us to Jesus Christ and therefore to all the virtue of his obedience and death, that faith is a faith which will always be productive of good works.
And if a man professes to have faith in Christ unto the saving of his soul, that is not a faith unto the transformation of his life into a pattern of good works, James says that kind of faith cannot save him. It is like a dead body. As the body apart from the spirit is dead, it has no animation, no life. It is just the empty shell.
So faith that does not find itself attached to and embodied by a pattern of good works is dead faith. Dead faith.
The Bible has a doctrine not only of dead works which will damn the soul, the effort to bring to God what we have done as stairs by which we hope to climb to heaven. God calls those works dead works. So it has a doctrine of dead faith which leads to the same hell. And the teaching of James is very clear that if our faith is not productive of a pattern of life, marked by good works, that is works done by the rule of the word of God, by the power of the spirit of God unto the glory of God,
that faith is dead faith which will lead to the experience of the second death, even outer darkness and rejection from the presence of God. And so James adds his testimony to the testimony of all, all the other biblical writers that it is essential for us to persevere in a way of faith. And here the emphasis falls upon faith not as a notional religious experience, but faith in its practical concrete expression in a pattern of good works.
And anyone who says with his lips that he has saving faith, but does not have a pattern of good works to demonstrate, the reality of that faith, James says, can that kind of faith save him? It's a rhetorical question to which the answer of the scripture is clear. No, such a faith cannot save him. Now then turn over to the fifth chapter of James.
James' Testimony: Saving a Soul from Death (James 5:19-20)
We'll take these two testimonies from James.
And here we have James concluding exhortation and assertion. Now notice what is pictured in these verses. My brethren, James 5, 19 and 20. My brethren, if any among you err from the truth and one convert him, let him know that he who converts a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins.
And you see what is pictured? James is, describing a situation in which someone in the midst of the Christian community errs from the truth. Look at the language of verse 19. My brethren, if any among you errs from the truth.
You see the picture? He's not saying, my brethren, if any sinner out in the world rejects the truth and you are instrumental to convert him, you will save that soul. No, no, he is not talking about those on the outside. He is talking about people within the Christian community.
Professed followers of Jesus Christ. And he says, if anyone among you errs from the truth and you become the instrument in God's hands to do what? To convert him, that is to turn him from that path. He says, this you should know.
You have been used in a noble work. Having thus been used, verse 20, you have turned the sinner from the error of his way and have accomplished two things by the blessing of God. You have saved a soul from death and you've covered a multitude of sins. Notice he does not say, you've saved a soul from loss of rewards.
He doesn't say, you have saved a soul from shame and embarrassment at the return of Christ. He said, if one among you turns aside from the truth and in true compassion and zeal for his well-being, you go after him and you plead with him and you point out his sin and you call him back to the way of truth and righteousness and God blesses your effort and he's turned back into the way you have saved him. You've saved him from a path which would have led to nothing less than death. Death in this context, as in so many, has reference to nothing less than the second death.
You'll save a soul from death. Not a body, a soul. And what is the death of a soul? It is hell, destruction, outer darkness, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
You see what James is saying? He's saying, Christians, Christians are not armed with a proper perspective to help one another unless they believe the doctrine of perseverance not only for themselves but for their professing Christian brothers and sisters.
You see it? So when we see one amongst us turning aside, why do we go with earnestness and compassion and be willing to risk the friendship in order to try to turn them? Because we believe if they continue in that path, it's a path which leads to death. It leads to death and destruction and hell.
And then he says the second thing, you not only save the soul from death, but you'll cover a multitude of sins. And how are sins covered? Only in the blood and righteousness of Christ. He is saying you will become God's instrument to bring them back into that path in which they can have the assurance that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sins, even the sins, the backsliding, which if continued could have led ultimately to apostasy.
But the very fact that they have been converted, turned again, is evidence that they are within the framework of the covenant of grace and that they shall not ultimately fall. You remember the Lord's dealings with Peter? Peter, Satan hath desired you to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you, and when you...
When you are converted, when you are turned again, strengthen your brethren. And Peter is an example of one who was turned from his way of error, the error of denial of Christ, and was brought back into the way of bold confession of his Savior. But the issue that is at stake, dear brethren, and we must believe this, is the issue of life and death. Sins uncleansed or sins cleansed.
Sins covered or sins that cry out for judgment in the day of the great unfolding in the presence of God. So James adds his testimony to all the previous testimony that it is necessary for the people of God to persevere in faith and holiness and obedience unto the end and that this perseverance is a matter of life and death. Now just listen. Look over the page to 1 Peter.
Peter's Testimony: Guarded Through Faith (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Now we let Peter add his testimony. One testimony from his first letter, one from his second letter. Now this wonderful epistle, which focuses on the sufferings of the people of God, begins after the ordinary greetings with what we would call a doxology. A doxology is a hymn of praise to God.
Now notice verse 3. Blessed or praised be the God and Father of us, our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, what is he to be praised for? Well, he tells us, who according to his great mercy begot us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
So he is urging his readers as well as setting an example for his readers of what it is to bless God for this great salvation which God has brought to men through the Lord Jesus and in particular one which he has sealed by the resurrection of his Son. He has begotten us again unto a living hope through or by the resurrection of his Son. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus among many other things is proof that all who are in him by faith will also be raised at the last day. Death is not the end of us.
We have a living hope. That we shall be raised with him at the last day and forever be with the Lord. He has begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection. And then he goes on to describe that hope in some detail.
Verse 5. Who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. I'm sorry, I skipped over verse 4. Unto an inheritance.
Here's the description. Incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you. There's a description of our hope that we have an inheritance that is non-corruptible. It is undefiled.
It does not fade away. It's reserved in heaven for every true believer. There's our hope. Undefiled, incorruptible, reserved in heaven.
Now the question is am I going to get it? Am I going to make it? Am I going to attain to that inheritance? Verse 5.
Who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Yes, all who have this salvation are kept by the power of God until they attain to the final dimensions of that salvation. We have been begotten again unto a living hope and all who have shared in the power of the divine begetting who have been born of the Spirit they will not fail to attain that hope. They shall come to their inheritance.
Why? They are kept by the power of God and they are kept by that power, notice, unto what? Unto the salvation ready to be revealed. God's power will keep them right up to the point of obtaining the inheritance.
That's the salvation ready to be revealed at the coming of Christ. See, the certainty kept by the power of God unto salvation. But now what two words are in the middle?
Through faith. See it? Who by the power of God are guarded through unto salvation.
And if we read the text like this, we see that we turn the teaching of God's word into a tragic and damnable lie. If we read it this way, who are guarded regardless of what they do unto salvation.
We have totally twisted the teaching of the Bible. We are not guarded by the power of God regardless of what we do. We are guarded by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And therefore this text clearly teaches no one has any grounds to say, I am kept by God's power.
I am being preserved to the obtaining of the inheritance unless he says that in the way of faith. Continuous trust in reliance upon and submission to the Lord Jesus. Continuous commitment to the world of unseen spiritual reality even as we see in the context in the face of suffering and opposition. Verse 6 and following.
Wherein you greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you have been put to grief in manifold trials that the proof of your faith you see what he's saying the people of God believe not in a context of convenience or whenever everything in the way of faith suits their natural inclination but when the way of faith leads through a field of cut glass and through a field of danger and opposition and hostility they are committed irrevocably to Christ in faith and they are guarded
by the power of God through faith and the very evidence of God's power working in them is that they are that they continue in the way of faith unto salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. So Peter sets the issue before us very clearly and the issue is this that you and I are in the way to the inheritance only when we are found in the way of faith. Now if you believe that then how will you treat anything that blurs the eye of faith that blurs the eye of faith that dims the vision of faith's eye that in any way
slows the pace of faith's step if you believe you are guarded by the power of God through faith how will you treat anything that weakens faith you'll treat it as your mortal enemy neglect of the word faith comes by hearing hearing by the word of God neglect of the deep intimate communion of God's people our faith is strengthened as we are we interact with others of faith and if we believe dear people that we are guarded by the power of God through faith then we shall on the one hand negatively resist everything that erodes the vital actings of faith and positively we shall engage
Peter's Testimony: The Danger of Entanglement and Overcoming (2 Peter 2:20-22)
by the grace of God in every God ordained discipline by which faith is strengthened and deepened in our hearts. Now hasten on to 2 Peter as we see the necessity of persevering in faith and holiness and obedience in Peter's second letter chapter 2 now the setting of this exhortation in verses 20 to 22 is Peter's warning about false teachers notice the subject is introduced in verse 1 of chapter 2 but there arose false prophets among the people as among you also there shall be false prophets teachers
who shall privily bring in destructive heresies you see the apostles did not have the silly notion so current in our day that it's not what you believe that matters the thing that really matters is that you be sincere about what you believe it is not the object of your faith but it is faith itself that is important my friends that notion so current in our day finds no foundation in the bible the bible says what you believe is the difference between life and death and heaven and hell the bible says in second Thessalonians people who believe a lie shall be damned
now you might convince a man that if he'll just flap his arms hard enough and fast enough he can jump from the top of the world trade center and float down to the street below and you might so psych him up and convince him that he's prepared to jump off and flap his arms but the sincerity of his faith will not keep him from being dashed to pieces on the concrete below the realities of the power of gravity will prove more powerful than his power of positive thinking you see so it's not enough to say well I really believe sincerely the issue is do you believe the truth and Peter warns
about false teachers who shall bring in what destructive heresies if you believe their lies you'll be destroyed by their lies now it's in that context that he goes on to say that the real attraction of these false teachers is they promise a way of liberty which is in reality a way of bondage notice how he brings this to a climactic statement in verse nineteen promising them liberty while they themselves are the bond slaves of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same as he also brought into bondage so he warns about this people these false teachers who seem to pounce particularly upon those who just profess
the Christian faith verse eighteen for uttering great swelling words of vanity they entice in the lust of the flesh by lasciviousness those who are just escaping from them that live in error here are people who are just embracing the Christian message they've heard the message you are a sinner God's wrath is against you but God in Christ has made a way whereby that wrath can be turned aside if you will repent of your sin turn your back upon running your own life doing your own thing acknowledge your sinnerhood and place your trust solely in Jesus Christ you will be delivered from the bondage and power and guilt of sin
you will become a child of God people hear that message and they are just in the process as it were of coming under its power and escaping from the defilements of the world when those come along and say hey look look that message they're going to give you the other side of it pretty soon if they haven't already it tells you you've got to say no to your flesh you've got to say no to sin you've got to say no to the world we have a better message that is total freedom and total liberty they promise liberty all the while they're the bondage slaves of corruption sound familiar? people who come and say do you want to be liberated from the puritanic ethic that has cursed
American society this silly notion that the only place for sex is in a marriage bed between a husband and wife committed to one another for life oh that's bondage we're your liberators you can have sex with anyone anything anywhere anyhow and it's all to liberate you slaves of corruption
nothing new under the sun it was happening then these prophets of liberty Peter warns about them well it's as though someone says well Peter you've used some pretty strong words but where the rubber meets the road or as some of our British friends would say at the end of the day what difference does it make and now look at verses 20 to 22 here's the difference look at the warning for if after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the last state is become worse
with them than the first for it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness isn't that interesting Peter's description for the gospel it's the way of righteousness than having known it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them you see his emphasis he's calling the gospel the way of righteousness and the holy commandment it has happened unto them according to the true proverb then he quotes a proverb that's found in the book of Proverbs and the other one was just a common proverb amongst people the dog turning to his own vomit again and the sow that it washed to wallowing in the mire
what's at stake I'll tell you what's at stake eternal life and eternal death are at stake notice his description now here are people who have come to sufficient knowledge of Christ through the gospel that they have escaped the defilements of the world they've had something of a conversion isn't that what it says does your bible read like mine does is that what it says they've escaped the defilements of the world they've had something of a conversion the world no longer holds them like it once did it no longer permeates the entirety of their perspective and attitude and activity there's been an escape from the world
through what not through self-help look what the text says it's come through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they've heard gospel preaching they didn't hear some smooth talking lily handed mealy mouth preacher saying be sweet be nice do little good things and you go to heaven at last no No, no, they heard the real vigorous biblical gospel saying, you're a sinner.
Christ alone is the Savior. You must repent and believe. They had the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Isn't that what your Bible says?
That's what mine says.
In other words, they came under such influences of the gospel that it all the marks of conversion. But then what happened? Here are the two key words. Notice, they are again entangled and overcome.
And it's very interesting. This word entangled, in the same family of words as the word used later on by Peter, or earlier by Peter in his first letter, for braided hair. Now this is the verbal form. Now what happens when you braid hair?
You take some strands of hair here and strands of hair here. I had seven sisters. I still have seven sisters. And they all had braids.
Until the eighth grade. Then there was a family ritual when their braids got cut. And I'll not go into that. It's interesting, but it has no place in the pulpit.
But suffice it to say that many a time I saw my mother braiding that hair, bringing this strand over and this one, this one. She's entangling, you see, those strands of hair. Now here's the picture. Someone has escaped the defilement of the world.
They've had an apparent conversion because the gospel has come to them. The pure, biblical, apostolic. The gospel. But then what happens?
The world begins to weave its strands into their lives again. To the point where the power of the world now, notice now, it overcomes them. And they are brought back into that obsession with the flesh, with the world, with sensual pleasures, with living for now and this age. And Peter says if they are entangled and overcome, it is worse with them now than before their apparent conversion.
Why? Because when they first were in the world and the gospel came to them, they were without God, without hope, without the knowledge of Christ. But now to go back to the world is to go back with a conscience and an understanding enlightened by the gospel. It is worse for them now than it was in their original state.
But in going back, they show that they were never changed from dogs to sheep.
Dogs who return to their vomit manifest their doggish nature. And these people show that they were dogs, though they had the appearance of sheep. And furthermore, you may wash the sow and take the mud from her skin, but you cannot take the mud from her heart. And if you put her near the mud, she's back in it because sow she was and sow she is.
And so she is. And so she is. And so she is. And so she is.
And so she is. And so she is. And so she is. And so she is.
And so she is. And so she will die unless God changes a sow into some other creature that doesn't love mud.
Now, you see how the doctrine of perseverance is set before us. And I tremble for some of you sitting here this morning because Peter does not say that this process of escaping, entanglement, and being overcome necessarily has any limited time span.
Some may escape and have all the marks of being converted for six months, a year, two, three, five, ten, fifty and it will do a man no good who had all the marks of a converted man for forty years if he is entangled and overcome it will become evident at the last that the root of the matter was never in him child of God may become entangled but he will never be overcome
he may be entangled for a lengthy period of time as was David but the root of the matter being in him he will never be overcome will you say pastor how can I know the line between the two if you're a Christian you don't want to know where it is you don't want to know where it is you don't go with a magnifying glass to see where it is so you can come as close to it as possible if one strand of the world is woven back into your life it may be the first of many that will entangle entangle you and overcome you cut off that strand in the name of God
The Seriousness of Perseverance: Life and Death
and do it this morning you see it's life and death man life and death dear girl life and death dear boy Peter had no doctrine of eternal security that pandered to carnal confidence and to spiritual carelessness well I had to move on to the witness of John and Jude but our time is gone let me seek to draw this to a pointed
and practical conclusion this morning we have looked now at the testimony just of our good friends James and Peter they have told us exactly what our Lord told us when we looked at his witness in the gospels he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved what the great apostle Paul told us in his epistles those who continue are those who will be saved precisely what the book of Hebrews taught us we are made partakers of Christ if we continue to hold our confidence firm unto the end
Application to Unbelievers: Enter the Narrow Gate
now what does this say to you who sit here this morning who have never come into vital union and relationship with Jesus Christ well it tells you my friend you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot be saved you cannot continue in faith holiness and obedience until you get into the way of faith holiness and obedience we've been dealing about the way that leads to life but if you are here and you've never taken your stance as a guilty undone sinner before the God of heaven and fled to his dear son Jesus Christ for mercy and salvation that's the issue you need to be occupied with you need to come through the gate which opens up to you upon the narrow way
which leads to life and isn't that precisely what Jesus said in Matthew's gospel chapter 7 enter in by the narrow gate for narrow is the gate and straighten the way which leads unto life and we've been talking about the way today but oh my friend let me spend just a moment and point you to the gate the gate of true conversion through which you must enter if you would ever be found upon the way that leads to life you must enter that gate Jesus said there is no other way and he himself declared I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father but by me and I would urge you in the simplest terms I can use
Application to Believers: Engage in God-Appointed Means
consider, consider, consider your relationship to God and to his son and his salvation but then dear child of God what does this say to you and to me well I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed out I've already pointed in the direction of its inevitable application to our consciences do we believe with James that a professed faith that does not produce a pattern of good works is dead faith do we believe with Peter we're kept by the power of God through faith do we believe that to be entangled and overcome is to be in a state far worse than if we never escape the pollutions of the world and if we believe that we will be found engaged
we will be found engaged with all of our powers in the use of every God-appointed means to be kept upon the way and as I conclude this morning I want to read from an old Southern Baptist writer he wrote most of his book of systematic theology in church order when he was blind almost blind his knowledge of the word of God is an amazing thing he just weaves scripture into his sentence structure page after page his name is J.L. Dagg D-A-double-G he's just recently been reprinted and this is his statement on perseverance
it's one of the finest I've ever found may God help us to lay it to heart perseverance in holiness is the only infallible proof that the heart is right perseverance in holiness is the only infallible proof that the heart is right and he who ceases to persevere on the presumption that his heart is right believes without the proper evidence and is woefully hazarding his eternal interest on his presumption you get what he's saying? he who ceases to persevere on the assumption oh well my heart is right
so persevering is not important he says he believes without the proper evidence without proper evidence and is hazarding his eternal interest the doctrine is that grace in the heart will produce perseverance to the end and where the effect is not produced the cause does not exist what is the cause of perseverance? grace in the heart perseverance to the end if there is no perseverance effect there is no cause there is no grace every man therefore whatever his past perseverance professions and attainments may have been has reason to take alarm if he finds his heart inclined
to depart from Christ and the greater his past attainments may have been the greater is the occasion for alarm because his case if he falls away will so much more resemble that in which renewal to repentance will be the case is impossible in other words when you are tempted to sin don't you ever reason this way oh well I've been in the way five years I've been in the way ten years I've got ten years of accumulated evidence that I'm a true child of God and knowing that no true child of God will ever perish I can venture
into this bypass meadow with impunity God is committed to preserve me I have ever been a sinner I have every evidence to believe I'm a true Christian I may therefore sin with the assurance that God will bring me back my friend you are tampering with your eternal soul's well-being when you thus reason you're turning the grace of God into lasciviousness the way you ought to reason is this God has brought me one year two five ten fifteen twenty it is now grace that put me in the way
grace that's kept me on the way when I see a meadow so attractive so appealing oh it looks so comfortable and so innocent I know that whatever is tangential to the straight way that leads to life cannot be of God though I may feel a pull I say oh God thou who has brought me into the way kept me in the way kept me upon the way give me grace in the way and to say no to that path which will lead to death
and until you begin to look at every path of backsliding and worldliness as an ultimate path of apostasy you're not looking at it biblically never reason from past grace to present laxity never that's devil's logic is our good friend the devil's logic that's what our good friend pastor blaise would say that's the devil's logic the logic of grace is that I shall by the grace of God persevere in the ways of God and be kept by the power of God unto salvation
Concluding Prayer
may God write his own word and its implications upon our hearts for our good and for his glory let us pray our father once again we have contemplated portions of your word which are plain which are pointed some of which are frightening and yet these are your very words which are life and salvation and health to the souls of all who will receive them in faith and in obedience
and we pray that the Holy Spirit who originally gave these words through James and through Peter would now be with us now press them deeply into our consciences into our memories and we pray that the same spirit will move our hearts to embrace them in faith and in obedience Lord accomplish your sovereign designs through the preaching of the word this morning we pray for those who have never come into the way who have never come in repentance and faith to your dear son
may your Holy Spirit rivet the truth of their need upon their consciences and give them no rest until they repent and believe the gospel Lord we cry to you that you will not leave us at the mercy of the folly of our own hearts but hedge us up into the way of blessedness and life we plead through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen
This transcript was generated by automated speech recognition and may contain errors.
It is provided for study and reference only; the audio recording is the authoritative source.
Passages Expounded
James 2:14-26
This passage is central to defining the nature of saving faith, asserting that true faith is always accompanied by works.
James 5:19-20
This text highlights the serious consequence of a believer erring from the truth, emphasizing that intervention can save a soul from death.
1 Peter 1:3-5
This passage describes the believer's living hope and inheritance, stressing that they are guarded by God's power *through faith*.
2 Peter 2:20-22
This passage serves as a severe warning against apostasy, illustrating that those who return to the world after an apparent conversion prove their lack of true change.
Texts Expounded
auto_stories
This passage is expounded to demonstrate that saving faith is never alone but is always productive of good works, distinguishing it from 'dead faith'.
auto_stories
Martin expounds this passage to show that turning a brother from error saves a soul from death, illustrating the serious consequences of backsliding and the necessity of intervention.
auto_stories
This doxology is expounded to highlight the living hope and incorruptible inheritance of believers, emphasizing that they are guarded by God's power *through faith*.
auto_stories
This passage is expounded as a stark warning about those who escape the world's defilements through knowledge of Christ but then become entangled and overcome, demonstrating that their latter state is worse than the first.