Preserved by Grace, Persevering by the Spirit
Beloved, have you ever thought about the difference between God preserving us and our perseverance? When we understand the difference, this can bring great comfort to the Saints, because our perseverance does not rest in our own strength. Or the ability to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. It rests in the faithfulness of God. The Bible teaches us that every true believer is preserved by God. And, because God preserves His people, they will persevere to the very end. We remain faithful because our God is faithful. Our perseverance is not the cause of our salvation; it is the evidence that God is preserving us.
The moment God saves us, He preserves us, he declares us righteous, because of His finished work. We are not justified because we have earned God's favor. We are justified because Christ lived the perfect life we could never live, died on the cross for our sins. By faith alone we are united to Him, and His righteousness is credited to us. That standing before God never changes because it rests upon Christ and not upon us. We must remember Romans 8:30: "And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."
Paul speaks of our future glorification with such certainty that he describes it as though it has already happened. From God's eternal perspective, His saving work cannot fail. Those whom He justifies, He will most certainly glorify. There are no exceptions and no losses along the way. However, while our justification is complete, our sanctification is still taking place. We are not left alone. The Holy Spirit lives within us, shaping us into the likeness of Christ. Daily He convicts us, comforts us, strengthens us, and helps us produce the fruit of holiness. This is the “Perseverance of the Saints” We do not persevere on our own. It is the Holy Spirit working within us, giving us both the desire and the strength to continue. That is why I like to say it this way: we are preserved by God through justification, and the Holy Spirit helps us persevere by continually sanctifying us.
Our standing before God is secure because of Christ, while our daily walk is strengthened by the Spirit. The same grace that saves us is the grace that sanctifies us. We believe that perseverance of the saints does not depend on our own free will. It depends on the unchangeableness of election. This all comes from the free, unchangeable love of God the Father and the intervention of Jesus Christ and union with Him and the abiding of the Holy Spirit. This is the nature of the covenant of grace. The certainty and infallibility of our perseverance is based on all these things.
What a comforting reminder. Our perseverance does not depend upon how tightly we can hold on to Christ. It depends upon the Father's eternal purpose, the Son's finished work, and the Holy Spirit's abiding presence. That changes everything. When life becomes difficult, we do not tighten our grip on Christ. Instead, we let go of the things of this world because we know Christ is already holding us in His hands. Our confidence is not found in the strength of our hands but in the strength of His.
We carry scars from the battles of life. They should remind us of His preserving grace. They testify that we have walked through the flames of this world and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are still standing. We are not trophies of our own determination. We are trophies of God's grace. Paul reminds us of this confidence in Philippians 1:6: "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Please, loved ones notice who began the work? God did! Then notice who finishes the work? God does! The Lord never begins a work He does not complete. Every believer is safely held from beginning to end by His sovereign grace.
Think about what our churches would look like if every believer truly embraced this wonderful truth. Instead of living in fear, we would live with joyful assurance. Instead of depending upon ourselves, we would learn to depend upon the Holy Spirit. Instead of hiding our scars, we would praise God for carrying us through every trial. Instead of boasting in ourselves, we would rejoice in His loving faithfulness.
Brothers and Sisters, our salvation begins with God's grace. Our justification rests upon God's grace. Our sanctification grows by God's grace. Our preservation continues through God's grace. Our perseverance is empowered by God's grace. And one day our glorification will be the final display of God's grace. From beginning to end, every part of our salvation belongs to the Lord. What wonderful comfort this gives us. Our hope has never rested in our own strength, but in God’s unfailing strength. The Father chose us, the Son redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, strengthening us daily until we stand before our Savior in glory.
So, beloved let us continue to walk faithfully, not trusting in ourselves but in the God who preserves His people. Let us gladly submit to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, knowing that every step of obedience is the evidence of His grace at work within us. And let us encourage one another with this glorious truth: the God who saved us is the God who will surely keep us. So then, Brothers and Sisters, as always, stay Bold in the Lord and Strong in His Word.
