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Charlie Bing's Argument against the Perseverance of the Saints

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  • Charlie Bing's Argument against the Perseverance of the Saints

    Charlie Bing, an advocate of Free Grace Theology, wrote an article against the Perseverance of the Saints. Here is the link: http://www.gracelife.org/resources/gracenotes/?id=49

    Here is what Bing says in the article:
    The concept of The Perseverance of the Saints has been a part of various Christian theological systems from early Christianity. Simply stated, this teaching says that a true Christian will persevere in faith and good works to the end of life and so proves he or she is eternally saved. If a professed Christian does not persevere to the end of life, it proves that person was not a true Christian after all.

    While perseverance emphasizes the Christian enduring through God's power, preservation emphasizes the Christian secured by God's promise. Preservation means that when God promises eternal life to believers in Jesus Christ, He will keep them secure with no possibility of ever losing their salvation.

    Preservation of believers, not perseverance of the saints, is the view taught by God's Word and is consistent with the gospel of salvation by grace.

    The argument for perseverance

    Perseverance is taught by differing theological systems. The Reformed Calvinist position (It is the P in their TULIP) argues that since man is totally unable to respond, individuals must be unconditionally elected and they alone receive the benefits of Christ's atonement through God's irresistible grace. The faith that must be given to man as divine enablement to believe also becomes the power to keep one in the faith to the end of life. At the other end of the theological spectrum, the Arminian system argues that a person is saved only as long as he perseveres.

    In both systems, works are necessary to prove and validate one's salvation. Without enduring good works, no one is finally saved. In both systems, assurance is temporary, that is, one can be sure of salvation only as long as he perseveres. Many in both systems admit that absolute assurance is impossible because no one can predict the future.
    What is your response to Bing's article? My response is that there is a big difference between the consequence of being born again and the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. Perseverance is one of the consequences of being born again. However, perseverance is not the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints does not teach that sinners are saved by their perseverance. This doctrine does not teach that perseverance merits salvation or wins God's favor. This doctrine does not contradict the fact that sinners are saved by God's alone.

    The imputed righteousness of Christ is the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. Christ's atonement, Christ's resurrection, and Christ's righteousness imputed to the believer is the sole basis upon which a person gets to heaven.
    Last edited by Jaxb; 09-26-2016, 05:24 PM.

  • #2
    Source: http://www.gracelife.org/resources/gracenotes/

    Conclusion

    Preservation, not perseverance, is the promise of the gospel. If this is misunderstood, the gospel of grace is nullified. Salvation is not based on our persevering performance, but on God's preserving promise, purpose, and power.

    © Copyright Original Source



    His argument, as I understand it, is that the term "perseverance" in TULIP is missleadingly wrong. Since it is not the saints' act of perseverance but God's act of keeping them.
    . . . the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; . . . -- Romans 1:16 KJV

    . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: . . . -- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 KJV

    Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: . . . -- 1 John 5:1 KJV

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    • #3
      I don't agree that Perseverance of the Saints is a works gospel. However, it can sometimes lead to a works gospel because it is factually incorrect to say that all Christians will persevere.

      The Bible specifically teaches that Christians can sin after getting saved, and even sin to the point of death. It specifically teaches that God disciplines his children, punishes Christians for oppressing each other, etc. Also, it teaches that Christians can make shipwrecks of their faith. There is an example of John the Baptist seeming even to doubt whether Jesus is the Messiah. So the teachings of the Bible are why Perseverance of the Saints is wrong.

      Also, the Bible teaches that we should place our trust in the promise of God. See, e.g., 1 John 5:10-12. In contrast, people who believe in the factually incorrect doctrine of Perseverance have a tendency to believe that God has saved them only when they behave. In Hebrews 11, the Bible teaches that we cannot behave unless we first believe that God exists and that he will reward us. A major point raised in the Sermon on the Mount is that we should store up rewards in heaven because they cannot be lost, and if our reward is in heaven then our heart will be with God and cause us to live rightly. By causing people to doubt whether they will be rewarded (as opposed to being sent to hell for all eternity), Perseverance hinders people from behaving properly.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Obsidian View Post
        I don't agree that Perseverance of the Saints is a works gospel. However, it can sometimes lead to a works gospel because it is factually incorrect to say that all Christians will persevere.

        The Bible specifically teaches that Christians can sin after getting saved, and even sin to the point of death. It specifically teaches that God disciplines his children, punishes Christians for oppressing each other, etc. Also, it teaches that Christians can make shipwrecks of their faith. There is an example of John the Baptist seeming even to doubt whether Jesus is the Messiah. So the teachings of the Bible are why Perseverance of the Saints is wrong.

        Also, the Bible teaches that we should place our trust in the promise of God. See, e.g., 1 John 5:10-12. In contrast, people who believe in the factually incorrect doctrine of Perseverance have a tendency to believe that God has saved them only when they behave. In Hebrews 11, the Bible teaches that we cannot behave unless we first believe that God exists and that he will reward us. A major point raised in the Sermon on the Mount is that we should store up rewards in heaven because they cannot be lost, and if our reward is in heaven then our heart will be with God and cause us to live rightly. By causing people to doubt whether they will be rewarded (as opposed to being sent to hell for all eternity), Perseverance hinders people from behaving properly.
        It is true that the doctrine can be abused or that people can come to the wrong conclusions about it and start to think that they are saved by their deeds.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Jaxb View Post
          Charlie Bing, an advocate of Free Grace Theology, wrote an article against the Perseverance of the Saints. Here is the link: http://www.gracelife.org/resources/gracenotes/?id=49

          Here is what Bing says in the article:


          What is your response to Bing's article? My response is that there is a big difference between the consequence of being born again and the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. Perseverance is one of the consequences of being born again. However, perseverance is not the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints does not teach that sinners are saved by their perseverance. This doctrine does not teach that perseverance merits salvation or wins God's favor. This doctrine does not contradict the fact that sinners are saved by God's alone.

          The imputed righteousness of Christ is the basis upon which God declares a sinner righteous. Christ's atonement, Christ's resurrection, and Christ's righteousness imputed to the believer is the sole basis upon which a person gets to heaven.
          IMHO, Preservation by God causes, or is manifested on earth as, perseverance by the elect/saints. STM they are indivisible, two facets of a single reality, that God alone sees all the facets of. But the elect do not cause the preservation by God (!!!). One might as well suggest that saving faith in Christ causes the Incarnation, when such faith is a fruit of it.

          Comment


          • #6
            It's surprising how many ideas can be turned on their heads and used for a purpose opposite of the original one. In its original Calvinist context, it was part of the idea that our faith is due to God's grace. That includes its continuance. It was also a consequence of trust in God. The God who came to us in Christ, and who drew us to himself through the Holy Spirit, will not abandon us later in life, but will continue to support us.

            When you try to turn faith and trust into a mathematical system that can prove is and isn't "saved," you get into trouble. I think this happened to Calvin at times, though the Calvin scholar Leith says Calvin's primary motivation was in fact to help people trust in God, and some of his more extreme statements are atypical. In Calvin's followers it often got worse.

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