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Perseverance of the Saints

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By Daniel Agafonov
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Perseverance of the Saints

Preservation of the Saints

The elect are not only redeemed by Christ and renewed by the Spirit, but also kept in faith by the almighty power of God. All those who are spiritually united to Christ through regeneration are eternally secure in him. Nothing can separate them from the eternal and unchangeable love of God. They have been predestined to eternal glory and are therefore assured of heaven.

Biblical Support

The following verses show that God’s people are given eternal life the moment they believe. They are kept by God’s power through faith and nothing can separate them from His love. They have been sealed with the Holy Spirit who has been given as the guarantee of their salvation, and they are thus assured of an eternal inheritance.

John 3:16 - LSB

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 10:27-30 - LSB

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Isaiah 43:1-3 - LSB

1 The Redemption of Israel
But now, thus says Yahweh, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3 For I am Yahweh your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

Isaiah 54:10 - LSB

10 For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says Yahweh who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 32:40 - LSB

40 And I will cut an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.

Matthew 18:12-14 - LSB

12 The Parable of the Lost Sheep
“What do you think? If any man has one hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 In this way, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

John 3:36 - LSB

36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life…

John 5:24 - LSB

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 6:35-40 - LSB

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:47 - LSB

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

John 17:11-15 - LSB

11 And I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

Romans 5:8-10 - LSB

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Romans 8:1 - LSB

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:29-30 - LSB

29 Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers; 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.

Romans 8:35-39 - LSB

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction, or turmoil, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were counted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 - LSB

7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, eagerly awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, beyond reproach in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - LSB

13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

2 Corinthians 4:14 - LSB

14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

Ephesians 1:5 - LSB

5 by predestining us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Ephesians 4:30 - LSB

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Colossians 3:3-4 - LSB

3 For you died and your life has been hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - LSB

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.

2 Timothy 4:18 - LSB

18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 9:12 - LSB

12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Hebrews 10:14 - LSB

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 12:28 - LSB

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

1 Peter 1:3-5 - LSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 John 2:19, 25 - LSB

19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be manifested that they all are not of us. 25 And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.

1 John 5:4, 11-13, 20 - LSB

4 For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the overcoming that has overcome the world—our faith. 11 And the witness is this, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have that life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

Jude 1:1 - LSB

1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Jude 1:24-25 - LSB

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Other Verses

Philippians 1:6 - ESV

  1. 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.

Isaiah 43:1-3 - ESV

  1. But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
  2. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
  3. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Isaiah 54:10 - ESV

  1. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 32:40 - ESV

  1. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.

Matthew 18:12-14 - ESV

  1. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
  2. And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
  3. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

John 3:16 - ESV

  1. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:36 - ESV

  1. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 5:24 - ESV

  1. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:35-40 - ESV

  1. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
  2. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.
  3. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
  4. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
  5. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
  6. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:47 - ESV

  1. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

John 10:27-30 - ESV

  1. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
  2. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
  3. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
  4. I and the Father are one.”

John 17:11-12 - ESV

  1. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
  2. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

John 17:15 - ESV

  1. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Romans 5:8-10 - ESV

  1. but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
  2. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
  3. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 8:1 - ESV

  1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:35-39 - ESV

  1. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
  2. As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
  3. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
  4. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
  5. nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 - ESV

  1. so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
  2. who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  3. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - ESV

  1. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2 Corinthians 4:14 - ESV

  1. knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

2 Corinthians 4:17 - ESV

  1. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Ephesians 1:5 - ESV

  1. he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

Ephesians 1:13-14 - ESV

  1. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
  2. who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30 - ESV

  1. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Colossians 3:3-4 - ESV

  1. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
  2. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - ESV

  1. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  2. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

2 Timothy 4:18 - ESV

  1. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 9:12 - ESV

  1. he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:15 - ESV

  1. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 10:14 - ESV

  1. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 12:28 - ESV

  1. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

1 Peter 1:3-5 - ESV

  1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
  2. to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
  3. who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 John 2:19 - ESV

  1. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

1 John 2:25 - ESV

  1. And this is the promise that he made to us — eternal life.

1 John 5:4 - ESV

  1. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.

1 John 5:11-13 - ESV

  1. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
  2. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
  3. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:20 - ESV

  1. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Jude 1:1 - ESV

  1. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

Jude 1:24-25 - ESV

  1. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
  2. to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
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