Perseverance of the Saints

After answering her question on God's election of His saints and their responsibility, she then asked about eternal security and the idea of "once saved, always saved". Here was her question and my answer. 

What is meant by the perseverance of the saints?

The perseverance of the saints is the term, that came out of the Reformation and is used in the Canons of Dort, that speaks to the sovereign power and grace of God that secures and completes the salvation of His elect until the end of time and their glorification in Heaven. This doctrine consists of two parts’ eternal security and the believers assurance.

First, eternal security in the power of God to secure and preserve His elect to the salvation He elects them to. Eternal security refers to God’s power to keep those whom He has saved (John 10:28). This also includes the sealing of the Spirit and the fact that those God has chosen and called cannot lose the calling and choice of God in salvation (1 Peter 5:10). The eternal security of the believer is a mix of the preservation of God in those whom he loves and the perseverance of the believer in killing sin, bearing fruit, and delighting in God.

The second part of perseverance of the saints is the full assurance of the elect of their salvation and grace of God. Assurance describes the peace that a believer feels in knowing that his sins have been forgiven and that he is a child of God (1 John 5:13). Assurance comes from the Holy Spirit in the believer, as they bear good fruit, delight in God, and are encouraged by a local body of saints. As someone once said, “we are justified by faith alone but a faith that saves is never alone”.

As R.C. Sproul quotes in the final chapter of his book, “Chosen by God”, “once in grace, always in grace. Another way of stating it is, ‘if you have it [salvation] you never lose it; if you lose it, you never had it’” (2010 pg. 253). Yes, the Bible consists of many warning passages to the Elect. But these are their to remind the elect to be diligent and persevere in their walk with God. Because God is sovereign over salvation and His elect, those whom He chose in His grace, for His glory, in His good pleasure for salvation, He will keep until that salvation is finished and the elect persevere until glory.