Now, before it get lost.
Three thoughts:
1. Abide, but what is abiding, sinless perfection?
2. Get the seal, but how do we get it, by our own merit? Think of King David, how was it that he was called the "man after God's heart", will not the legalists protest? was he really sinless or was so morally upright according to the legalists standards? How about Abraham? _ now grace is not liberty to sin, but we have to learn deeply from the accounts of our great forefathers in faith, on how they presented and prostrated themselves before God on the good and sad realities of life, and how God has blesssed them so much.
3. Endure to the end, but how is the perseverance of the saints ensured. I know doctrines cannot save us, neither our own delusions and biases. But as one goes on to realize the realities of life after our conversion, we can but only bow before the Lord God our Father and cry 'Abba', thou oh Lord God, according to thy grace and mercy please help me to the end, over and over again!
We are indeed weak, but we can at least rise from our slumber and fight, for the Lord God is with us and has given us an assurance that we will endure to finish our faith, our race to the end according to His counsel, according to His appointed time, according to the abundance of His grace and saving power. The Lord Knew us even before the foundation of the world, he knew our triumphs and fall and how He will lead us back to the right path, like what happened to Peter.
He is helping us not because we come to fellowship every sunday, or pay our tithes, or preach great sermons. The Lord is good to us because the Lord God is God, abounding in mercy, abounding in grace abounding in love. The Lord God, the mighty one of Israel, has declared and promise the 'elect' that He will lost none of us, so let us rise from our feeble knees, repent, let the Lord clean our lives and walk humbly with Him. No merits, no rights, no privileges, no bitterness, for what he promised He will surely make it pass.
Yes, the doctrines about perseverance of the saints or OSAS neither offend me now as before. In one way or another they had served to enlighten me, had strengthened my faith, and challenged me and other believers to move on and finish our race to the end according to the plan and promises of God.
Though I may not agree to all specific affirmations and denials that these doctrines do declare, Neither of the classical view of the 'perseverance', the foreknowledge based view, or the unperverted OSAS, promote grace that gives license to sin, but they do testify to the veracity of eternal security of the believers.
Now can the elect fall? yes we can.... so we have to seriously heed the warnings and received those painful discipline,... but we will not,.... because God is keeping us, as He promised.
To our reformed, pelagian, and OSAS brothers, treasure and understand well your doctrine on security of the believers but don't let them become stumbling block for any of God's sheep, for His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways.
To those who have quoted Charles G. Finney... that he had his own sermons about perseverance of the saints. |