From: spk@aber.ac.uk (Stephen Kingston)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Subject: Once Saved, Always Saved.
Date: 7 Apr 92 11:22:42 GMT
Reply-To: spk@aber.ac.uk (Stephen Kingston)
Organization: Computer Science Dept., University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

I come now to what I would say is the most exciting conclusion of
the doctrines which are commonly known as calvinism. The term 
"calvinism" is somewhat misleading, for I am certain that this is
what Jesus taught, and St Paul expounded after Him. Calvin invented
no new doctrines, but merely preached again the doctrines of the
church Fathers.

So what is this exciting conclusion? it is simply what is called
"the Perseverence of the Saints", or in modern English "Once saved,
always saved."

Now this, above all, seems to be a hotly disputed point in the
Christian church. There is much confusion on the issue, and I think
that much of this confusion has arisen from the Calvinists who have
attempted to apologise for their beliefs, and thus make them more
palatable to the reasoning man.

Nevertheless the gospel is foolishness to Greeks precisely because
they demand wisdom. (1 Cor 1)

Let us define what exactly is meant by the perseverence of the saints.
It is summed up in verses such as 1 John 5:13:

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye
may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Or, to put it another way:

Whosoever once truly believes on the name of Jesus Christ will be
saved.

The offer is open to us all. *Whosoever* once truly believes.
Furthermore we only have to truly believe *once*. It takes very little
faith to gain eternal life, even faith as small as a mustard seed.

Now many Calvinists have played on the word "truly", saying that if a
man backslides then he was never truly saved. This is to
*misunderstand* the very gospel of Christ. We are justified by *faith*
and not by works. If our salvation is dependent on works after
conversion then it is still salvation by works. Are we to be motivated
by a spirit of fear that we should go back into the bondage of law? By
no means.

Now it is of course true that there will be some who are not
effectually called, and thus will not truly believe. We see this in
the parable of the sower:

"Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and
taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and
be saved."

Luke 8:12

But I believe that we can all say with a certainty whether we truly
believe, and if you can say "yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is God,
died for my sins and is my Lord", then I say that you have indeed once
truly believed and there need be no fear that you will ever lose your
salvation. None.

This is high doctrine. This is a truth which brings such great
assurance. I *know* that I am saved in eternity regardless of what I
do. My salvation is secure, and made so by the grace and love of God.

This assurance gives me liberty too, for now I can do good works with
no secret agenda, no ulterior motive. I can offer good works to God in
response to his love, and thus these works are a spiritual worship.

If I am compelled to do good works in order to maintain my salvation
then the motive of these works is fear and the goal is eternal life
for myself (a selfish aim), but if I know (as I do) that I am saved
*regardless* of what I do then my good works are motivated by love
with the goal of glorifying God, and that is when they become pleasing
to Him.

This is what it means to be saved - to know that God has saved me from
death and hell and given me new life with Him. No-one can pluck me
from his hand, for I am eternally secure in his great love for me.

Now this is the exciting conclusion of the gospel as Paul preached it.
We can know that we are safe in our Father's hands. Eternally safe.

This is why I have laboured to write these articles, because this
truth gives me such a great assurance, and I only hope and pray that
if you are unconvinced that you too will see the truth of this matter
and you too will know God's assurance.

Of course, if you are unconvinced then you will have a multitude of
questions. I will try and deal with these in my next few articles.

Stephen.
-- 
Gweleis i rac neb nym gweles pop annwyl. ef diwyl yneges. Gweleis i pasc.
(I saw the one above all men,  he saw me;  he, the beloved of his people,
who fulfills his mission. I saw Easter.) "Yspeil Taliesin" ---Taliesin---
spk@uk.ac.aber --- spk%uk.ac.aber@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk --- Stephen Kingston
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