Perseverance of the Saints

Of all the theological topics the church has debated over the past 500 years, none stirs up as much controversy as the perseverance of the saints – specifically, is our salvation secured by our own obedience or by the faithfulness of God? One side stresses the responsibility of man in the call to perseverance, yet the byproduct of the resulting theology is often lives that continually oscillate between piety and corruption. The other side argues against the ability for us to maintain what we couldn’t even earn in the first place, yet often results in lives that look anything but redeemed. Moreover, each side is armed with equally convincing, Biblically-based arguments. How do we reconcile these views? Should we even try?

Our focus this week, as we close out the Dead Works series, is on the perseverance of the saints. We will attempt to answer this question with a sound, systematic reading of God’s Word, one that gives little attention to our natural desire for quick, easy answers. Our approach also will be mindful of the various perspectives we all bring to this topic, and in that mindset, will aim to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.