Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-10
A SUNDAY SERMON
Rev. Mr.. Thacker on the FinaI
Perseverance of the Saints.
An Earnest and Thoughtful Discourse Mt
tho Second Presbyterian Church Sunday
Morning Text. John 10: ss-Thcy Shall
Never Perish.

Rev. j. Earnest Thacker. pastor of
the Second Presbyterian Church.
| preached Sunday morning on THE
First Presence of the Saints" taking
! John, 1923. as the foundation for his
| remarks. He said:
SUNDAY MORNING DISCOURSE.
Some one said to me the other day,
II think it would be presumption for
me to say, I know I am saved I
not to accept the plain Scripture
which says, I'VE know we have passed
from death unto life, these things have
l written unto you that we may know
that ye have eternal life know
| whom I have believed" The words
| of our text are from Christ himself,
and If they mean anything they guar
antee the peace, the safety, the ever
y trust in Him. The text shows us that
| God the father and God the Son have
united In their determination to save
forever every believer.
FIRST THIS DOCTRINE DOES
| NOT MEAN O. That the Christian
may not sin. Even the beloved John
| said. IF we say that we have no sin
we deceive ourselves and the truth is
not in u.s." (2). 1t does not mean that
| we will be saved without perseverance
| In holiness. Not do as you please, but
as God pleases and be saved. He that
has this hope in him purifeth him
self even as He is pure" (3). Not with
out taking advantage of the means of
grace. This is the love of Cod that
| we keep his commandments" "a. It
does not teach that there are not some
| In the visible church who will not be
lost. Many shall say unto me in that
| day have we not prophesied in thy
name &c. 1 never knew you, depart
| from me-"
IN THE SECOND PLACE. 1t does
mean: Those who really believe in
| Christ are once accepted in the beloved
can never finally fall away and be lost.
This we believe %. For the nnturc of
the Covenant of Grace, God did from
all eternity make with Christ n Cove
nant OF grace engaging to give to him
the souls of all who really believe
In Him as reward for his vicarious
suffering. II will make an ever
lasting covenant with them, L will
not turn away from them 70 do them
to do them good, and they shall not
depart from me- Not only does God
Give the believer to Christ, but lie
keeps him, Kept by the power of
God, &C." Can the Godhead break the
covenant made between themselves?
BY no means. (2). From what God
says of the Church. The invisible
church is made up OF all who love Je-
sus In sincerity and truth, of whatever
name or denomination. OF this church
Christ says. "They are built upon the
foundation OF the apostles and prophets
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
corner stone in whom all the building,
not part of It, being htly framed to-
gether groweth into a holy temple in
the Lord" He calls the church His
body. 1--WE are all members of that
one body" He calls the church His
bride. Is n single FURNISHED stone to
be lost out of the temple which God Is
building, in which His own Son is the
chief corner stone? Is His body to be
mutilated by the loss of n single mem
Der? Is He to lose His bride or even
part Of Her? No. no. (3). From the
nature OF regeneration. 1t is a super
natural power that regenerates, COM
pared to that power that raised Jesus.
IS Jesus TO be raised again? 1t is call
ed the new birth. Can a man that is
born be unborns Can n man that is
born of the Spirit into everlasting life
ever be unborn. (4). From the nature
of Justification. 1t is IAN act of Gods
free grace wherein he pard0neth all
our sins and accepteth us as righteous
In His sight only for the righteousness
OF Christ imputed to us and received by
faith alone" He who trusts to his
own goodness for his salvation may
well feel doubtful, but who trusts to
the righteousness of Christ need never
fear. go. From the fact Of Christ's
intercession "If any man sin we have
an advocate with God" and one whom
God heareth always. Heb. 7;2o "Where-
fore he is able TO save them to the ut
termost that come unto God by Him.
seeing he ever liveth to make interces-
sion for them" So as long as the in
tercessor lives may the true believer
live. O). From the plain teaching of
the Bible. They shall never perish.
They shall not come into condemna
ton. BE confident of this very thing.
that he which hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ"
IN THE THIRD PLACE LET US
NOTICE SOME OF THE OBJEC-
T1ONS TO THIS DOCTRINE OF
SCRIPTURE. FIRST, some say it
leads to Incidence on the part of the
Christian. I answer, %. God takes
care of the results of his teachings and
commandments. We are to believe and
obey. 60. The example Of the most
useful Christians dsproves such
statement Can you find people more
firm in faith, more consecrated to God
more abundant in, labors than Luther
Calvin and the large majority Of Chris
tan denominations who are so active
in this great missionary century?
These teach and believe this doctrine
CD. Human philosophy contradicts it.
Does a man stop work because he is
certain of success. BY no means. 1t
increases his zeal. 1t inspires him to
greater effort. 90. He who will not