Believers Will Persevere Part 3
In our last two entries on the perseverance of the saints, we saw God having a big part in accomplishing it. In Phil.1:6,"He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." But we also saw that man has an obligation, a responsibility toward persevering as well. Phil.2:12-13,"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Such actions as "must strive, "must hold fast, "must be diligent, describe actions found in the Word, that the saint must put forth, not in his own strength though, but in the Spirit of God, he can accomplish the task of finishing his course that his Lord has put him on. It is not a let go and let God mentality, but a trust God and get going mentality that will get us to the finish line. Today, we will look at the grounds or the foundation of this perseverance of the saints. This foundation is indeed an unmovable, unshakable, unfaltering rock that will not give way.
Today we will look at a four-fold foundation, two today, and two next time. It is a deep bedrock on which we travel to heaven on, that which will never crumble under our feet. The Westminster Divines that wrote the Westminster Confession of Faith state this, "This 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, and the abiding of the Spirit." Our perseverance is not at all based upon our will, strength, and desire, but upon God's. His will cannot be thwarted. Isa.54:10,"For the mountains may be removed, and the hills may shake, but My loving-kindness will not be removed from you." Isa.43:1-2 is another great promise from God's word as well.
One of these four grounds or foundations of perseverance in the Saint's life is the love of God the Father upon the immutability of the decree of election. Rom.8:30, shows us a golden chain that cannot be broken, it is strong and sure, "And these He predestined, He also called, and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified." This is like written in the past tense, surely to come about for the saint. English Puritan Thomas Watson spoke, It is not your holding God, but His holding us. When a boat is tied to a rock, it is secure, so, when we are fast tied to the Rock of Ages, we are impregnable."Isa.49:15 reminds us of God's staying power, "Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb, even these may forget, but I will not forget you."
The second of these grounds or foundation is Christ's merit and intercession. Hebrews 7:25 I believe is what we are getting at here. The author states, "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him (Jesus), since He (Jesus) always lives to make intercession for them. "The Apostle states in John 13:1,"Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." 2Cor.5:21 states "God made Him(Jesus) who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him(Jesus). Jesus prays to the Father in John 17:24,"Father, I desire that they(us)also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." Jesus makes it crystal clear for us, always praying for us according to His Father's will in heaven. Next time, two more foundation pieces that help us in our eternal security.
Elder Randy Slak
06/11/2024