"PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS"
Larry Yarber
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Galatians 5:4).
We remember the five points of Calvinism by using the acrostic TULIP. Each letter in this word stands for one of the points of Calvinism. The last letter in our acrostic is P, which represents the false doctrine of the "Perseverance of the Saints", better recognized as "Once Saved, Always Saved". This doctrine claims that once a person has obeyed the gospel, they can never sin in such a manner as to be eternally lost. This, despite the numerous scriptures, like the one above, which teach just the opposite.
Paul was aware of the possibility of apostasy, even in his own life, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1st Corinthians 9:27). He was also aware of the possibility of apostasy in others, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1st Corinthians 10:12). Luke spoke of those who had already fallen from grace, as did Peter and Jude, "And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place" (Acts 1:24-25). And, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell; and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;" (2nd Peter 2:4). And again, "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude v6). Peter even warned of a greater severity of punishment for those who once knew and then have turned away from the holy commandments delivered unto them, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning" (2nd Peter 2:20). As one can clearly and readily see, the possibility of apostasy is ever present and prevalent. We must always be on guard against it.
Now, let us look at a few passages which are sometimes used to teach this false concept. "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" (Jude v1). Here it is argued, when one is preserved, just like the foods we put in cans, he cannot spoil or perish. This is true as long as we abide in the preservative or the preservative abides in us, which is Christ. But, when we sin, Christ withdraws from us and we are no longer preserved (2nd John v9). "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:29). Again, this is a true statement. No man can separate us from the love of Christ and of God (Romans 8:35-39), but we can separate ourselves from God through sin, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). Again, it is said that that which is sealed cannot perish. This is true. But, we are only sealed as long as we refrain from grieving God's holy Spirit. When we sin against God, we grieve His Spirit, and the seal is broken (Genesis 6:5-7).
Our names can be removed from the book of life, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Exodus 32:33). Once saved, always saved, is a doctrine of man and not of God.