Jesus Christ Prays That Our Faith Not Fail

I pray for them.

I do not pray 

for the world but

for those whom

You have given Me,

 for they are Yours.

John 17:9

 

     It is not merely the certainty of the salvation of those that believe; but their certain perseverance in holiness.This is a contradiction in terms for salvation to be aligned with sin. This is what Paul teaches by means of inspiration from the Holy Spirit that in the first part perseverance in holiness is secured by the influence of the Holy Spirit, further in part by all the means adapted to secure that end: i.e., instructions, admonitions, exhortations, warnings, the means of grace, and the dispensations of His providence. It has been spoken of in these blogs that God from before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-29) in His love determined all things, He determined the end, further He and He alone knows the end of all things, He determined that as well, therefore since He has determined the end then by necessity He has determined the means for its accomplishment.

 

     God is immutable, He is infinitely great and gratuitous, therefore it is certain that believers will be saved, He will accomplish His determined end. Paul writes this so eloquently so that our faith can be assured: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, or any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of "God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).Paul's statement and belief begs us to question ourselves; are we so persuaded? do we live as we believe and are so persuaded? It is not enough to have the knowledge that God is so and that we are counted worthy by Him to be secure, it is through the living out our faith day by day, in every circumstance, that it is God first, God second, God third, Him and nothing else. We wrote earlier that it is by the power of the Holy Spirit but we too have a part and Peter writes: "But also for this very reason (Peter just spoke that we are partakers of the divine nature), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. for if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8). 

 

     As Paul teaches us that perseverance of God's children does not rest upon the indestructible nature of faith, or on the imperishable nature of the principle of grace in the heart, or on the constancy of the believer's will, but solely on solely what is out of ourselves, that is not what is within ourselves, that by our own power. Yes, we must demonstrate perseverance, it is our faith demonstrated in works and by such means we can be sure of our salvation and our call, our election: "Therefore brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble" (2Peter 1:10). It is not for God we make our election sure, our election and calling are immutable; it is for us and for our witness to the world. Perseverance is due to the purpose of God, to work in Christ, to the indwelling in the Holy Spirit, furthermore it is to that mysterious primal source the immutable love of God. We do not keep ourselves; we are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation: "who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Peter 1:5). 

 

Do not love the world

    or the things

in the world. if anyone

     loves the world,

the love of the Father 

    is not in him.

                  1 John 2:15

Grace and Peace Be Multiplied

Richard L. Crumb