260 – An Overview of Preservation and Perseverance

SEMESTER 4

260 – An Overview of Preservation and Perseverance

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: SOTERIOLOGY IV LESSON # 60
THE DOCTRINE OF PRESERVATION
AND PERSEVERANCE OVERVIEWED

Read Ps. 37:18-40 and I Cor. 10:13.

INTRODUCTION:

1. The key to all understanding of this doctrine is understanding God.
2. If God is sovereign, He has a purpose and His purpose shall stand.
3. A god who does not, or cannot, know, decree and execute his purpose is no god at all.
4. If his purposes are frustrated by his creatures, he is not omni­scient and is not god.
5. Thus, to learn if we are secure, we must learn if He decrees our security.

I. WHAT IS HIS PURPOSE FOR THE SAINTS NEGATIVELY

1. Not that we should feel false security in an imaginary contract. (II Cor. 13:5, II Pet. 1:10)
2. Not that we should feel comfort in commitments or good deeds. (Mat. 7:21-23)
3. Not that we should live in disregard to God and go to heaven. (Eph. 2:8-10, Jn. 8:31, I Cor. 6:9-11)
4. Not for grace to accommodate antinomianism. (Rom. 6:1-12)

II. WHAT IS HIS PURPOSE FOR THE SAINTS POSITIVELY

1. That we should be a cleansed and holy people. (Eph. 1:4)
2. That we should be Christ-like in this life. (Rom. 8:29, Acts 15:9)
3. That we should pursue holiness. (Rom. 6:22, II Cor. 7:1, I Thes. 3:13, Tit. 2:3, Heb. 12:14)
4. That we should manifest conversion in our lives. (Eph. 4:22, Phil. 1:27, James 3:13, I Pet. 1:15, II Pet. 3:11)
5. That we should have everlasting life. (Jn. 6:37-39, Jn. 17:2-4, Jn. 17:22-24)

III. THE DOCTRINE IN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE

1. To be rightly understood, this doctrine must not be seen in bits and pieces, nor supported by mere proof texts. It must be seen in an overall perspective.
2. That God has an eternal purpose in and for all whom He calls. (Rom. 8:28-30)
3. That whom He has foreknown in eternal election, He has predestinat­ed to conformity to the image of Christ. (Rom. 8:29)
4. That in, and subsequent to, that predestination there is calling, justification and ultimately, glorification.
5. That for this to be accomplished God must and will preserve His own.
6. That the effect of that preservation is not just external and eternal, but internal.
7. Thus, all that is begun in regeneration and conversion is perpetuated in preservation.
8. We shall pursue these great doctrines after this pattern.