We turn now to the positive side: having dwelt upon what is not signified or implied by the final perseverance of the saints, let us now endeavour to show whereof it consists. And here it should be duly noted that the Holy Spirit has not restricted Himself to a single expression but has used a great variety of words to describe this duty and blessing. In matters of great spiritual importance God has employed many different terms in His Word for the instruction, comfort and support of His people. Out of the scores which set forth the believer’s perseverance we may cite these. It is to “continue following the LORD our God” (1Sa_12:14). It is to walk “in the paths of righteousness” (Psa_23:3), to be “steadfast in the Covenant” (Psa_78:37), to “endure unto the end” (Mat_24:13). It is to “deny self and take up the cross daily” (Luk_9:23), to “abide” in Christ (Joh_15:4), to “cleave unto the Lord” (Act_11:23). It is to “press toward the mark” (Php_3:14), to “continue in the faith grounded and settled” (Col_1:23), to “hold faith and a good conscience” (1Ti_1:19), to “hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Heb_3:6). It is to “run with patience the race that is set before us” (Heb_12:1), to “stablish our hearts” (Jas_5:8), to “be faithful unto death” (Rev_2:10).

In the limited space at our disposal it is advisable to epitomize the main branches of this subject under a few heads. 1. Spiritual perseverance is the maintaining of a holy profession or a continuance in the Word and Doctrine of Christ. Wherever saving faith is imparted the soul receives the Scriptures as Divine revelation, as the very Word of God. Faith is the visive faculty of the heart by which the majesty and excellency of the Truth is perceived and by which such conviction and certainty is conveyed that the soul knows it is none other than the living God speaking to him. Faith “hath received His testimony” and thereby “hath set to his seal that God is true” (Joh_3:33). Henceforth he takes his stand on the impregnable rock of Holy Writ and neither man nor Devil can move him therefrom: “the voice of a stranger he will not follow” (Joh_10:5). While one who is not regenerated may intellectually believe and verbally profess his faith in the whole of revealed Truth, yet no regenerate person will repudiate the same.

“Some shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” (1Ti_4:1). How many have done so within the memory of our older readers! Those who were looked upon as towers of orthodox succumbed to “evolutionism” and the “higher criticism.” Those who were regarded as staunch Protestants became ensnared by Romanism. Multitudes of the rank and file who were once members of evangelical churches and teachers in the Sunday Schools have been poisoned by infidelity and repudiated their former beliefs. But all such cases were merely the chaff being separated from the wheat-thereby causing the true to stand out more plainly from the false. “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest” (1Co_11:19). When many of Christ’s disciples went back and walked no more with Him the Apostles were not shaken, for when He asked, “Will ye also go away?” their spokesman answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66, 68).

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed” (Joh_8:31). That is one of the marks of those who are disciples of Christ in reality and not only in appearance. They are all “taught of the LORD” (Isa_54:13) and not merely by men, and “I know that whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it” (Ecc_3:14). False Christs and false prophets may seek to beguile them but it is not possible to deceive the elect (Mat_24:24). Hymeneus and Philetus may err concerning the Truth, even denying the resurrection, and in consequence “overthrow the faith of some,” yet we are at once assured, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seat, the Lord knoweth them that are His” (2Ti_2:17-19)-none with a saving faith can be overthrown. And why? Because they are enabled to continue in God’s Word. Uninfluenced by “current opinion” or “modern thought,” the child of God, even though the last one left on earth, would “hold fast the profession of faith without wavering” (Heb. 10:23).

2. The maintaining of holy affections and principles. It should be clearly understood that perseverance is not a distinct and particular grace, separate from all others-rather is it a virtue which crowns all virtues, a grace which sets a glory on every other grace. The first stirrings of the new life are seen in conviction of sin and contrition for the same, yet repentance is not an act to be performed once and for all, but a grace to be exercised constantly. Faith is that which lays hold of Christ and obtains from Him pardon and cleansing-but so far from that being something which needs not to be repeated, it is an experience which requires to be renewed day by day. The same holds good of love, of hope, of zeal. Perseverance is the continued exercise of holy affections and principles so that we do not merely trust for a while, love for a while, obey for a while and then cease; but forgetting those things which are behind we press forward to those before. “These all died in faith” (Heb. 11:13)-they not only lived by faith, but they continued doing so to the very end of their earthly pilgrimage.

“Blessed are they that mourn” (Matt. 5:4). Mark well the tense: not they that mourned in the past, but who still do so. Even Pharaoh and Ahab, yea, Judas also, had transient qualms of conscience that were nothing more than the stirrings of nature. But the child of God has within him a deeper principle, a principle of holiness which is contrary to evil, and this makes its possessor grieve over his sinfulness. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness”: not only who once hungered after righteousness, but who long ardently for it now. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation” (Jas_1:12): how much theology is to be found in the grammar of Scripture! “To whom coming as unto a living Stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, precious” (1Pe_2:4): yes “coming” for fresh supplies of grace, for further counsel and instruction, for heart-reviving communion. “Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments” (Rev_16:15): they upon whom the benediction of God rests are not those who once ran well, but whose graces continue in exercise.

Christians are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1Pe_1:5). God does not preserve His people by the mere putting forth of physical power, but by renewing their graces, particularly their faith. It is through their continued reliance upon Christ, their trusting in the Divine promises and on God’s perfections and His promise to fulfill them, their keeping of His commands and their overcoming the world (1Jn_5:4) that the saints are secured from fatality. And their faith is maintained by Christ’s constant intercession-“I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not”-and God’s response thereto, who fulfills “all the good pleasure of His goodness in them and the work of faith with power” (2Th_1:11). This does not mean that the Christian’s faith continues in unabated exercise all his days, for as the most fruitful tree passes through a wintertime of non-bearing so it often is in the experience of the believer-yet as the life is still in the tree though leafless, so faith remains and bursts forth afresh. “Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief “ expresses his general course.

3. The maintaining of holy conduct or good works. When a person’s understanding has been supernaturally enlightened and his affections Divinely renewed there cannot but follow a radical change of conduct, though this is made more prominent and radical in some cases than in others. The difference is much more apparent in one who was thoroughly irreligious and guilty of gross outward sins before his new birth than another who was regulated by the training of pious parents and preserved from debauchery. Yet even with the latter a “new creation” must express itself in a new life: the Word will be read and meditated upon not so much as a duty but a delight. Prayer will be engaged in not perfunctorily but heartily-the Lord’s people will not only be respected but loved for whatever of Christ may be seen in them. Honesty and truthfulness will mark his dealings with his fellows not only because this is right but because he would not grieve the Spirit. Daily work is performed not as an irksome task which must be done but as a service gladly rendered unto Him whose Providence has wisely and graciously ordered his lot.

At regeneration God imparts spiritual life to the soul, and all life is followed by motion and operation. Before the new birth the soul was spiritually dead, and at the new birth it was entirely passive, being wrought upon by God. But after the new birth the soul becomes active. Perseverance, then, is the endeavours of the soul to concur with God’s quickening of it. Hence it is that the Christian life is often described under the figure of walking: “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph_2:10). The motions of the body are transferred to the soul which by faith and love is conducted along the way of God’s statutes (Eze_36:27). Walking is a voluntary action and the renewed soul has pleasure in the path of godliness. Walking is a steady and continuous action, and not a spasmodic and irregular one: so the Christian pursues an obedient course not by fits and starts but steadily and steadfastly. Walking is a progressive motion, moving onwards to a goal: so the Christian normally goes on “from strength to strength” (Psa_84:7). Walking as such is incessant for it ceases as soon as we sit down by the wayside: so the Christian life is a walking to the very end of his pilgrimage and until Heaven is reached perfect rest is not entered into.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jud_1:20-21). It is by such exhortations that the Christian is stirred to use the means that make for constancy. Care has to be taken if there is to be spiritual growth. It is not sufficient to be established in the faith, we must daily increase therein: the foundation is laid that a house may be erected thereon, and that is built steadily, bit by bit. For this prayer is required: this is the channel through which health and strength are obtained. Neglect of prayer is followed by arrested growth, nay, by decay of graces, for if we go not forward we backslide. To pray aright the assistance of the Holy Spirit has to be sought. Further, we must keep ourselves in God’s love by avoiding everything which displeases Him and by maintaining close and regular communion with Him. Should we leave our first love, we must repent and do the first work, (Rev_2:4). Finally, hope must be kept in exercise: the heart fixed upon the glorious prospect and consummation awaiting us.

4. Such maintaining of a holy profession, holy affections and holy action is necessary in order to salvation. The very term “salvation” clearly implies danger, and of none can it be said that they are completely safe until they are completely delivered from danger. Certainly the Christian is not so while sin remains in him and he is left in a wicked world and exposed to the assaults of the Evil One. “See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from Him that speaketh from Heaven” (Heb_12:25). Multitudes of those who came out of Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, fed on the manna and drank of the water from the smitten rock, afterward perished in the wilderness and we are told, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition . . . wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1Co_10:10-11), for a holy God will no more be mocked now than He would be then.

As we have pointed out, 1Pe_1:5 places salvation in the future-as also does Rom_13:11; 1Ti_4:16-unto which the saints are kept by the power of God through faith. Heaven can only be reached by continuing along the sole path that leads there, namely, the “Narrow Way.” Those who persevere not in faith and holiness, love and obedience, will assuredly perish. Whatever temporal faith, natural love, goodly attainments, and confident assurance may appear for a while, they are a bed shorter than a man can stretch himself upon and a covering narrower than the soul can wrap itself in (Isa. 28:20). Many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many and because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall (not merely wane or cool off, but) wax cold. “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mat_24:13). All temptations to deny the Faith, to forsake Christ, to go back into the world, to give free rein to the lusts of the flesh must be resisted to our last breath or our profession will prove worthless.

5. Enablement for this perseverance is wrought in the saints by God. Their deliverance from a total and final falling away is not owing to any power or sufficiency in themselves. Though their moral agency is not impaired and though continuance in well-doing is required of them, yet their enduring unto the end is not to be attributed unto their fidelity nor to the strength of the new nature which they received at regeneration. No, Christian perseverance depends wholly and entirely on the will and fidelity, the influence and energy of God working in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure, making them perfect in every good work to do His will, working in them that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (Heb_13:21). It is God, who having begun a good work in them, will carry it on “until the day of Jesus Christ” (Php_1:6). “If the Holy Spirit were taken from the believer, and he left to himself to stand or fall, he would immediately cease to be a believer and fall totally from a state of grace” (S. Hopkins).

Freely will any renewed person subscribe to the following lines-

If ever it should come to pass

That any sheep of Christ should fall away,

My feeble, fickle soul, alas!

Would fall a thousand times a day;

Were not Thy love as firm as free,

Thou soon wd’st take it Lord, from me.”

6. Christian perseverance is consistent with being sanctified but in part. It is most important that this is clearly stated, lest the Lord’s people conclude they are outside the pale of the Covenant. At the new birth a holy principle or nature is imparted to them, but the old and sinful nature is not eradicated, nor is it to the slightest degree improved. Indwelling corruptions are as much opposed to God as they were before conversion, and just as active. Pray against them as he may, strive against them as he will, yet the believer is constantly overcome by them: frequently does he have to exclaim with David, “iniquities prevail against me” (Psa_65:3). The experience described in Rom_7:14-25 is that of every genuine Christian. God gives no man such a measure of grace in this life as to make him sinless. “In many things we all offend” (Jas_3:2), and by sudden surprises and under great temptations believers may fall into particular gross outward acts of sin, yet, by God’s grace they will not become totally corrupt and sinful as the unregenerate are, nor do they sin with their whole heart. Christian sanctification, then, is the maintaining of holy affections and actions in the midst of native depravity and all its out-flows. Despite great discouragements their faith and grace never wholly fail. Sanctified but in part now, glorified in the future.

7. From all that has been before us it will thus be seen that perseverance can be predicated only of those who “know the grace of God in truth” (Col_1:6), who experience its supernatural operations in their own souls. Not a suppositional grace which may be held in reckless abandonment, but a spiritual grace which causes its possessor to walk cautiously. What Scripture teaches is that there never was, never will be, and never can be such a thing as the total and final falling away of one who has really repented and trusted on Christ. That in every instance where a Divine miracle of grace has been wrought that soul shall stand when this world and all its works shall be burned up. Rightly has it been said, “The question of the perpetuity of grace is the question of a genuine Gospel. Is grace permanent, then the Gospel is a reality. Is grace temporary, then the Gospel is a will o’ the wisp, a phantom benediction-it is nothing more than a dream of blessedness from which one may awake to find himself bereft of all that raptured him” (G. S. Bishop).