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overcome by evil and fall in sin. It is maintained that the life of regeneration and the habits that
develop out of it in the way of sanctification can never entirely disappear. Moreover, we should
guard against the possible misunderstanding that this perseverance is regarded as an inherent
property of the believer or as a continuous activity of man, by means of which he perseveres in
the way of salvation. When Strong speaks of it as “the voluntary continuance, on the part of the
Christian, in faith and well-doing,” and as “the human side or aspect of that spiritual process
which, as viewed from the divine side, we call sanctification,” — this is certainly liable to create
the impression that perseverance depends on man. The Reformed, however, do not consider
the perseverance of the saints as being, first of all, a disposition or activity of the believer,
though they certainly believe that man co-operates in it just as he does in sanctification. They
even stress the fact that the believer would fall away, if he were left to himself. It is, strictly
speaking, not man but God who perseveres. Perseverance may be defined as that continuous
operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine grace that is begun in
the heart, is continued and brought to completion. It is because God never forsakes His work
that believers continue to stand to the very end.
C. PROOF FOR THE DOCTRINE OF PERSEVERANCE.
The doctrine of perseverance may be proved by certain statements of Scripture and by
inference from other doctrines.
1. DIRECT STATEMENTS OF SCRIPTURE.
There are some important passages of Scripture that
come into consideration here. In John 10:27-29 we read: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no
one shall snatch them out my hand. My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than
all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Paul says in Rom. 11:29: “For
the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.” This means that the grace of God revealed
in His calling is never withdrawn, as though He repented of it. This is a general statement,
though in the connection in which it is found it refers to the calling of Israel. The apostle
comforts the believing Philippians with the words: “Being confident of this very thing, that He
who began a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ,” Phil. 1:6. In II Thess.
3:3 he says: “But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and guard you from the evil one.”
In II Tim. 1:12 he sounds a note of rejoicing: “For I know Him whom I have believed, and I am
persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
And in 4:18 of the same Epistle he glories in the fact that the Lord will deliver him from every
evil work and will save him unto His heavenly kingdom.
2. INFERENTIAL PROOFS.
The doctrine of perseverance may also be proved in an inferential
way.