Chapter 17
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Work through what the church teaches, with the Scripture behind it close at hand. Tap a reference to read it right where you are. The creeds, confessions and catechisms here are historic and faithful, and good to read, but they are not all part of what this church professes.
To learn what we profess, see Our Beliefs.
1. Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from which source He still begets and nourisheth in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality;
John 10:28-29 KJV Read in context
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Philippians 1:6 KJV Read in context
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
2 Timothy 2:19 KJV Read in context
19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
1 John 2:19 KJV Read in context
19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them,
Psalm 89:31-32 KJV Read in context
31If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
1 Corinthians 11:32 KJV Read in context
32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
yet He is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of His hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.
Malachi 3:6 KJV Read in context
6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
2. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election,
Romans 8:30 KJV Read in context
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 9:11 KJV Read in context
11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Romans 9:16 KJV Read in context
16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him,
Romans 5:9-10 KJV Read in context
9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
John 14:19 KJV Read in context
19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
the oath of God,
Hebrews 6:17-18 KJV Read in context
17Where in God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
the abiding of His Spirit, and the seed of God within them,
1 John 3:9 KJV Read in context
9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
and the nature of the covenant of grace;
Jeremiah 32:40 KJV Read in context
40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.
3. And though they may, through the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time continue therein,
Matthew 26:70 KJV Read in context
70But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
Matthew 26:72 KJV Read in context
72And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Matthew 26:74 KJV Read in context
74Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
whereby they incur God's displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit,
Isaiah 64:5 KJV Read in context
5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
Isaiah 64:9 KJV Read in context
9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
Ephesians 4:30 KJV Read in context
30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
come to have their graces and comforts impaired,
Psalm 51:10 KJV Read in context
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:12 KJV Read in context
12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded,
Psalm 32:3-4 KJV Read in context
3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves,
2 Samuel 12:14 KJV Read in context
14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
yet shall they renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.
Luke 22:32 KJV Read in context
32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luke 22:61-62 KJV Read in context
61And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
King James Version (1769 text), public domain. Text from eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society.