24 JUNE (1877)
The final perseverance of the saints
‘The righteous also shall hold on his way.’ Job 17:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING (Spurgeon): John 10:1–30
Scripture does not teach that a man will reach his journey’s end without continuing to travel along the road; it is not true that one act of faith is all, and that nothing else is needed of daily faith, prayer and watchfulness. Our doctrine is the very opposite, namely, that the righteous ‘shall hold on his way’, continuing in faith, repentance and prayer, and under the influence of the grace of God. We do not believe in salvation by a physical force which treats a man as a dead log and carries him towards heaven whether he wills it or not. No, he holds on, he is personally active about the matter, and plods on up hill and down dale till he reaches his journey’s end. We never dreamed that, because a man supposes that he once entered on this way, he may conclude that he is certain of salvation, even if he leaves the way immediately.
No, but we say that he who truly receives the Holy Spirit, so that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall not go back, but persevere in the way of faith. It is written, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved’; this cannot be if he is left to go back and delight in sin as before; therefore, he shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Though the believer to his grief will commit many a sin, yet the tenor of his life will be holiness to the Lord, and he will hold on in the way of obedience. We detest the doctrine that a man who has once believed in Jesus will be saved even if he altogether forsakes the path of obedience. We deny that such a turning aside is possible to the true believer.
FOR MEDITATION: Consider some of the references quoted by Spurgeon. Apostasy is a danger (1 John 2:19), but the final perseverance of the saints is supported by (a) the nature of the life imparted at regeneration (John 4:14; 1 Peter 1:23), (b) our Lord’s own express declarations (John 3:14–16, 36; 6:47, 51; 10:28), (c) our Lord’s intercession (Luke 22:31–32; John 17:11–12; Hebrews 7:25), (d) the character and work of Christ (John 13:1; 2 Timothy 1:12), (e) the tenor of the covenant of grace (Isaiah 54:10; 55:3), (f) the faithfulness of God (Malachi 3:6; John 6:39; Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:8), and (g) what has already been done in us (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:9–10; 8:29, 33–35, 38–39; Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6).
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 186.
The final perseverance of the saints
‘The righteous also shall hold on his way.’ Job 17:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING (Spurgeon): John 10:1–30
Scripture does not teach that a man will reach his journey’s end without continuing to travel along the road; it is not true that one act of faith is all, and that nothing else is needed of daily faith, prayer and watchfulness. Our doctrine is the very opposite, namely, that the righteous ‘shall hold on his way’, continuing in faith, repentance and prayer, and under the influence of the grace of God. We do not believe in salvation by a physical force which treats a man as a dead log and carries him towards heaven whether he wills it or not. No, he holds on, he is personally active about the matter, and plods on up hill and down dale till he reaches his journey’s end. We never dreamed that, because a man supposes that he once entered on this way, he may conclude that he is certain of salvation, even if he leaves the way immediately.
No, but we say that he who truly receives the Holy Spirit, so that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall not go back, but persevere in the way of faith. It is written, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved’; this cannot be if he is left to go back and delight in sin as before; therefore, he shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Though the believer to his grief will commit many a sin, yet the tenor of his life will be holiness to the Lord, and he will hold on in the way of obedience. We detest the doctrine that a man who has once believed in Jesus will be saved even if he altogether forsakes the path of obedience. We deny that such a turning aside is possible to the true believer.
FOR MEDITATION: Consider some of the references quoted by Spurgeon. Apostasy is a danger (1 John 2:19), but the final perseverance of the saints is supported by (a) the nature of the life imparted at regeneration (John 4:14; 1 Peter 1:23), (b) our Lord’s own express declarations (John 3:14–16, 36; 6:47, 51; 10:28), (c) our Lord’s intercession (Luke 22:31–32; John 17:11–12; Hebrews 7:25), (d) the character and work of Christ (John 13:1; 2 Timothy 1:12), (e) the tenor of the covenant of grace (Isaiah 54:10; 55:3), (f) the faithfulness of God (Malachi 3:6; John 6:39; Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:8), and (g) what has already been done in us (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:9–10; 8:29, 33–35, 38–39; Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6).
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 186.
24 JUNE (1877)
The final perseverance of the saints
‘The righteous also shall hold on his way.’ Job 17:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING (Spurgeon): John 10:1–30
Scripture does not teach that a man will reach his journey’s end without continuing to travel along the road; it is not true that one act of faith is all, and that nothing else is needed of daily faith, prayer and watchfulness. Our doctrine is the very opposite, namely, that the righteous ‘shall hold on his way’, continuing in faith, repentance and prayer, and under the influence of the grace of God. We do not believe in salvation by a physical force which treats a man as a dead log and carries him towards heaven whether he wills it or not. No, he holds on, he is personally active about the matter, and plods on up hill and down dale till he reaches his journey’s end. We never dreamed that, because a man supposes that he once entered on this way, he may conclude that he is certain of salvation, even if he leaves the way immediately.
No, but we say that he who truly receives the Holy Spirit, so that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, shall not go back, but persevere in the way of faith. It is written, ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved’; this cannot be if he is left to go back and delight in sin as before; therefore, he shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Though the believer to his grief will commit many a sin, yet the tenor of his life will be holiness to the Lord, and he will hold on in the way of obedience. We detest the doctrine that a man who has once believed in Jesus will be saved even if he altogether forsakes the path of obedience. We deny that such a turning aside is possible to the true believer.
FOR MEDITATION: Consider some of the references quoted by Spurgeon. Apostasy is a danger (1 John 2:19), but the final perseverance of the saints is supported by (a) the nature of the life imparted at regeneration (John 4:14; 1 Peter 1:23), (b) our Lord’s own express declarations (John 3:14–16, 36; 6:47, 51; 10:28), (c) our Lord’s intercession (Luke 22:31–32; John 17:11–12; Hebrews 7:25), (d) the character and work of Christ (John 13:1; 2 Timothy 1:12), (e) the tenor of the covenant of grace (Isaiah 54:10; 55:3), (f) the faithfulness of God (Malachi 3:6; John 6:39; Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:8), and (g) what has already been done in us (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:9–10; 8:29, 33–35, 38–39; Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6).
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 4), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2007), 186.
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