Arminian Today

XXI. ON THE PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS

1. QUERIES. — Is it possible for true believers to fall away totally and finally:

2. Do some of them, in reality, totally and finally fall from the faith?

3. The opinion which denies “that true believers and regenerate persons are either capable of falling away or actually do fall away from the faith totally and finally,” was never, from the very times of the apostles down to the present day, accounted by the church as a catholic doctrine. Neither has that which affirms the contrary ever been reckoned as a  ; nay, that which affirms it possible for believers to fall away from the faith, has always had more supporters in the church of Christ, than that which denies its possibility of it’s actually occurring.

XXII. ON THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

1. QUERIES. — Is it possible for any believer, without a special revelation, to be certain or assured that he will not decline or fall away from the faith,

2. Are those who have faith, bound to believe that they will not decline from the faith?

3. The affirmative of either of these questions was never accounted in the church of Christ as a catholic doctrine; and the denial of either of them has never been adjudged by universal as a heresy.

4. The persuasion by which any believer assuredly persuades himself that it is impossible for him to decline from the faith, or that, at least, he will not decline from the faith, does not conduce so much to consolation against despair or against the doubting that is adverse to faith and hope, as it contributes to security, a thing directly opposed to that most with which we are commanded to work out our salvation, and which is exceedingly necessary in this scene of temptations.

5. He who is of opinion that it is possible for him to decline from the faith, and who, therefore, is afraid lest he should decline, is neither destitute of necessary consolation, nor is he on this account, tormented with anxiety of mind. For it suffices to inspire consolation and to exclude anxiety, when he knows that he will decline from the faith through no force of Satan, of sin, or of the world, and through no inclination or weakness of his own flesh, unless he willingly and of his own accord, yield to temptation, and neglect to work out his salvation in a conscientious manner.

One fallacy about Arminianism I often hear and read on Calvinist sites is that Arminians hold that one can “lose their salvation.”  This is not completely true.  Not all Arminians agree to this position.  Some Arminians hold that a person is eternally secure (or “once saved, always saved”) while others do not.  I myself hold to apostasy though I don’t use the language of “losing one’s salvation” since in fact we don’t find our salvation and then drop it along the way.  Salvation is found in the Lord Jesus (John 1:12) and we don’t lose our salvation like we lose a penny.  The language simply is poor.

Is there room in Arminianism for those who hold to perseverance of the saints?  I think there is and the early Remonstrants must have as well.  Concerning this doctrine they said:

That those who are incorporated into Christ by true faith, and have thereby become partakers of his life-giving Spirit, as a result have full power to strive against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and to win the victory; it being well understood that it is ever through the assisting grace of the Holy Spirit; and that Jesus Christ assists them through his Spirit in all temptations, extends to them his hand, and if only they are ready for the conflict, desire his help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling, so that they, by no deceit or power of Satan, can be misled nor plucked out of Christ’s hands, according to the Word of Christ, John 10:28: “Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” But whether they are capable, through negligence, of forsaking again the first beginning of their life in Christ, of again returning to this present evil world, of turning away from the holy doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good conscience, of neglecting grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the Holy Scripture, before we ourselves can teach it with the full confidence of our mind.

Notice that the Remonstrants stated that we must study the Scriptures when it comes to the issue of apostasy.  I appreciate their humility.  Too often we make theological assumptions when its better to just say that we don’t know and we are willing to study the Bible to find an answer.  I have done this before while witnessing.  If someone asks a question I can’t answer, I don’t try to provide an answer but tell them that I will search the Scriptures to find an answer.  I am not too prideful to admit that I don’t know all the answers.

When it comes to apostasy, I do believe the Scriptures teach that a believer must remain a believer to be eternally saved.  I believe in full assurance of our salvation if we are in Jesus Christ by faith (1 John 5:11-13).  The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16) but Romans 8:12-14 makes it clear that we are not to submit to the flesh but to the Spirit.  If we do this, we will live in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17) and have eternal life in Him.  I could go on but I do believe, based on my studies from Scripture, that apostasy is possible (Romans 11:20-22; Hebrews 6:4-20).

Yet I could find friendship and would count as brethren in Christ who disagree with me.  I would challenge them to examine the Scriptures and not hold to eternal security simply to live in sin or to keep someone they love in the kingdom despite their sinfulness.  I have seen this too many times.  God grants us victory over the flesh in Him (1 Corinthians 10:13) and there is no sin that we can’t overcome through His power.  Furthermore, I love that Jesus keeps me (John 10:27-30).  I love that nothing can separate me from His love (Romans 8:38-39).  I love that I am protected through faith by the power of God (1 Peter 1:5).  I love that He is able to keep me from falling (Jude 24-25) and He sanctifies me (Hebrews 10:10, 14).  I love all these promises but I don’t ignore the warning passages of the New Testament.  I love them as well.