Preservation and Perseverance

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: John 6:37-40
Psalters: 262, 100, 80, 54
Applicatory to the Lord's Supper
  1. Preservation.
    1. The preservation of the saints is that work of God’s grace whereby He preserves believers Christ through faith to the very end unto salvation and glory, so that they fight the good fight of faith and never fall away from the grace they once received.
    2. The certain perseverance of the saints is rooted in God’s eternal election: “all that the Father giveth Me.”
      1. This gift to Jesus consisted of the choice of a certain, definite number of individuals.
      2. God’s giving them to Jesus, the Savior, to be the objects of His saving work and care.
      3. God’s giving is gracious; it is an “election of grace” (Rom. 11:5,6).
  2. All those given to Jesus come to Jesus – they are drawn by irresistible grace (44).
    1. Election determines the end (resurrection, eternal life) and the way to the end: faith, believing, coming.
    2. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints does not maintain that all who profess to be Christians are certain of heaven.
    3. The perseverance of the saints is a fruit of the operation of the Holy Spirit through the Word.
      1. Grace does not destroy the rational moral nature of man, but preserves it (Canons III,IV-16).
      2. The grace of preservation is manifested in and through the saints as their persevering.
      3. The certainty of our perseverance serves as an incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude and good works.
  3. All those who come will not be cast out, i.e., their salvation is certain.
    1. Jesus wants His own to be assured, even as they see many reject Jesus.
    2. The elect are not only redeemed and renewed, but also are kept in faith by the power of God (I Peter 1:5).
      1. All those spiritually united to Christ through regeneration and faith are eternally secure in Him (Isa. 43:1-3; Rom. 8:29,30).
      2. And it is the very nature of the spiritual life of the saints, for it is an eternal life.