Russ McQueen, 10/18/11
The Book of Hebrews has much to say concerning perseverance in the faith, and the importance of persevering. It can bring up questions about the assurance of our faith – such as, does our salvation depend upon our perseverance? Must we do certain things to secure our own salvation?
There is considerable uncertainty and confusion over the meaning of “saved by grace and not by works” as opposed to “saved by faith AND works.” Some say, “Oh yes, we are saved solely by God’s grace. But if we do this, or we don’t do that, then we can lose our salvation.” The latter statement holds that we are saved by grace PLUS works, and the person speaking claims to hold two contradictory positions – (1) that we are saved by grace alone and not by our works, and (2) that we are saved not by grace alone, but also by our own works. Clearly, both positions cannot be correct.
There is a dubious position that we are INITIALLY saved by grace alone, but that it is a tentative salvation. It’s only a deposit of salvation, so to speak, and the rest is up to us. In other words, John 6:39 & 10:25-30, Romans 8:1 and numerous other passages are dismissed. This position is referred to as “semi-Pelagianism.” Pelagius was an early false teacher, whose views that the fall of man has no effect on us and that we are able to win and secure our own righteousness, were denied and pronounced heretical by the Church. The Roman Catholic Church to this day holds a "semi-Pelagian" view (we are initially saved by grace, but we are only really saved, in the end, depending on what we have done) since our baptism. The 16th century Reformers, who launched the Protestant movement, re-established the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, and refuted Roman semi-Pelagianism. In the balance of this piece, I will not be addressing the semi-Pelagian view, as I consider it to be unsupportable scripturally, and because I am not an adherent to Roman Catholicism nor to any other church tradition holding this view.
I confess to having long been confused by contradictions and biblically questionable positions on salvation and perseverance. While I am still studying it out in scripture, the following expresses my conclusions so far, with some emphasis on Hebrews. If anyone has an opposing view, or something to offer that I have missed, please share it in “comments,” along with scriptural support. As I said, I am learning.
Saved by Grace Alone?
At one level, this is a simple matter. Christians are saved by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9, and others.) Christ followers (believers, converts, disciples) are saved by the finished work of Christ, whose work and righteousness is credited to their account, while their sin is charged to His. We could not be righteous on our own account in the past, before conversion, and we still cannot. Christ died for our sins, and He alone was qualified to do so. When our faith is in Him, our sins are irrevocably pardoned. His resurrection brings about new life in us, and His life is credited to us for our justification. (“He died for our sins and was resurrected for our justification” – Romans 4:25.)
These seem to be incontrovertible, Biblical principles, yet we are easily perplexed with various passages of scripture. Some hold that once we are saved by grace, we cannot lose our salvation. Examples include John 10:28, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:30, Jude 24-25, and many others. Various other passages, at first blush, SEEM to suggest otherwise, including some in Hebrews chapters 3, such as:
“And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” (Heb. 3:6);
“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Heb. 3:14).
I do not advocate the study of single verses of scripture, because their meaning so often depends upon the context in which they are given. The context of the Book of Hebrews is perseverance in the faith, since the New Covenant in Christ is far superior and replaces the Old Covenant. We can look more at this in a moment. For now, consider the following from 1st John:
“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” (1st John 2:19, speaking of the early Gnostic heretics and false teachers).
An Indicator of Salvation
Here is a key which I believe the Book of Hebrews, and 1st John, and James, and indeed the entire New Testament makes abundant: Believers in Christ persevere in the faith. This is the consistent message and theme of Hebrews and much of the New Testament. The converse is also true: those who have not actually entered into saving grace and God’s enduring pardon do not persevere. “We HAVE COME TO [past tense] share in Christ, if we indeed hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Heb. 3:14) This is not saying that we will earn our share in Christ sometime in the future, if we can manage to hold on; it is saying, I believe, that if we NOW HAVE a share in Christ, we WILL hold on. This distinction is very important.
Consider Hebrews 3:6 - “And we ARE his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” This says we ARE [now] His house if we hold fast [into the future]; it does not say, “if we hold fast into the future, we will at some time in the future become His house.” There is a universe of difference between these two readings, and I would be interested in hearing about contrary views.
Perseverance itself is not what saves us, or else we would be “saved by our works,” which is unscriptural. Perseverance identifies and authenticates those who have already been converted, and are saved. Perseverance is in the category of “sanctification,” the process of growing in Christ, which requires, of course, that we be “in Christ.” That means perseverance. Works of all kinds, done in the process of sanctification following conversion, are the RESULTS of salvation, not the CAUSE of it. We stumble at times, we sin at times, and we are at all times within the grace of God as converted, saved people. Hebrews, along with the rest of the New Testament, emphasizes the theme of perseverance.
What are Christians?
Faith is the instrument through which we receive grace and are saved from sin and granted the righteousness of Christ. But what kind of faith is “saving faith?” Is ANY statement in favor of Christ a statement that is tantamount to saving faith? How about, “Christ is cool?” Or, “Christ is ok by me!”? How about “I accept a relationship with God?”
I submit that saving faith is Biblical faith in Christ and the Gospel, and it is faith that perseveres! If a so-called believer or follower of Christ does not know Christ or the Gospel beyond butterflies in the stomach, and/or does not persevere in the faith, then it is not saving faith, and it never was. I hasten to repeat here that this does not say temporary setbacks, discouragements or lapses mean a person is not saved; I am saying that the Bible says those who are His will persevere.
False conversions are rampant in America. That’s why most Americans identify themselves as “born again,” yet most Americans do not know what that means. The trouble with the question, “Can Christians lose their salvation?” is the word “Christians.” The modern church culture often lacks a consistent, Biblical definition of “Christians.” Some think Christians are those who have “asked Christ into their hearts” or “prayed the sinner’s prayer.” Some think they are those who attend church, volunteer, and keeps their noses clean. Others think people are “Christians” merely by virtue of living in America, a so-called “Christian nation.” There are many who believe Christians are those who keep the Ten Commandments (though most of them cannot recite all ten.) Some believe Christians are those who believe in God, or who are at least not atheists (see James 2:19, which by the way says nothing about demons believing in Christ or the Gospel.)
Christians may well have done (or strived to do) all of these things, but the Bible gives us a different definition of Christians, and of saving faith. Although the Bible gives us a different definition, we seem not to pay a lot of attention to that, opting instead for the popular, surface-level indicators and going with them. It is troubling that so many put their faith in such false indicators.
Scripturally, Christians are those who have put their faith and trust in the Biblical Christ and in the Gospel of Christ, and whose faith is the kind that perseveres. Christians abide “in Christ,” not in non-biblical, ear-tickling, false doctrines and ideas. Christians do not revert or sell out to paganism, social correctness, Americanism masquerading as Christianity, or religious and moral relativism. The Book of Hebrews calls those who have identified with the visible Church, or who may be considering it, to believe the authentic and true Gospel of Christ, and to persevere in it. If they truly do have that kind of faith, then they WILL persevere despite any amount of pressure to do otherwise.
I do not believe anyone can be saved by grace and then “lose” their salvation. However, I also do not subscribe to the popular idea that “making a decision for Christ” or “accepting Jesus” or “raising one’s hand when no one is looking” or “praying the prayer” or “inviting Jesus into one’s heart” or “joining Church X” proves or constitutes conversion. We are saved by grace, through faith – believing in Christ and the Gospel. “Holding fast” then to the Gospel of grace and persevering in faith authenticates (but does not cause) conversion. Saved, converted people will commit sins, for which they will not be condemned (Rom. 8:1), but they will NOT renounce their faith, nor fail permanently to persevere in it. Such a person has an advocate with the Father and is forgiven. He or she also is an active disciple who is growing in Christ.
Decision-ism
In modern times, we tend to act as if raising one’s hand or “going forward” seals the deal. Many think this is the end of the process. Millions of unsaved Americans self-identify as “born again,” because somewhere along the line they raised their hand. This kind of “decision-ism” is rampant, for we are zealous to count conversions; however, decision-ism is simply not scriptural. Please note that decisions are scriptural, but adding the “-ism” on the end creates a false doctrine. Where did Jesus or the Apostles ever say, “If you raise your hand in church, or if you ever prayed the prayer, you are saved!”? All Christians make a decision, but that decision is not what saves them. Saved, converted people persevere in their faith in the truth of Christ and the Gospel, once the message is delivered to (taught, instilled in) them, and they have believed and trusted in it.
Continuous belief in Christ, abiding and persevering in Him, and becoming disciples (growing, persevering followers of Christ) in the Spirit of God is the mandate and the pervasive teaching of scripture. We are not expected to do it perfectly – if we were, we would not be in constant need of grace. We are perfect only because He is perfect. “Doing” things that other followers of Christ seem to endorse is NOT what saves us – in fact, the reverse is true: conversion by grace alone, through faith alone, is necessary for anyone to persevere and persist in following Christ. The trade-off here is “cheap”, “easy,” “shallow” faith (not really Biblical faith at all) vs. saving, persevering, growing faith as taught and exemplified by the apostles.
Disguised legalism
There is another trap between these two options of cheap faith and persevering faith, and that is the trap of legalism, whatever else it may be called by its practitioners. This is the teaching, in its various forms, that once a person has made a “commitment to Christ,” (not the greatest description of initial conversion), they have entered into salvation via their pledge to do good deeds, become active church members, serve others, stop all sinning, and obey God. We might even tell such a person that they now must “be the Gospel” or “do the Gospel,” and carry out the Great Commission.
Believing in Christ and the Gospel is not the same as “making a commitment” to Christ. Initially, we receive His complete forgiveness for sins and His free (to us, not Him) gift of eternal life. We receive grace this way precisely because our “commitment” wasn’t worth anything to begin with. We were malignant sinners, fallen and depraved. Rather than contributing anything (as if we had anything to offer), or promising to do so, we first receive His commitment and His gift to us. Baptism into Christ is the public demonstration of our death to the old life and resurrection with Him into new life. It celebrates what we have received, not what we have done or made a promise to do. Yes, of course we move in new directions, because as disciples we enter into the process of sanctification, in which we participate and persevere by God’s continuous grace.
As disciples, we continue learning more about our faith, the faith of our fathers, and the doctrines of the scriptures and the Church. For century after century, the formal part of this learning process of disciples was called “catechism,” and was supported by lifelong adherence to creeds and confessions that were learned, memorized and taught in both churches and homes. The Gospel was repeated and repeated, without ever being considered “old” or “a given” or being taken for granted. This is the “message that was given,” in which we are exhorted in scripture to persevere. If as we acquire this learning (assuming it is biblically correct learning) we do not really believe it, then we do not have faith in the truth of scripture, or in Christ, and we therefore cannot persevere in it. Merely saying, “Christ is in my heart,” without knowing who he was and is, what He did and is doing, how all of this affects us and our eternity, what it means about the path ahead, whether or not I am “saved,” whether I can lose my salvation, etc., is, by itself, not necessarily indicative of saving, persevering faith.
Perseverance in the faith of the apostles is indicative of saving faith. This is why we must continuously remind one another of that faith, and of the Gospel of Christ, and why we must continually encourage and exhort one another to endurance and perseverance.
Saying “I have made a commitment to Christ to live my life for Him” is a good thing, and part of the life of a disciple of Christ, but if we allow that to be our entire profession, we have fallen away from the message of the Gospel and smack into legalism. Our commitment to Him, in terms of good works and how we live, results from having received His grace; it does not earn or merit His grace. If our “doing” crowds out His doing, and if our supposed goodness is given more attention and priority than His, and if the message we were first given is crowded out by all of our “doing,” then perseverance in the faith is in jeopardy.
Closing Observations
Saving faith perseveres. It endures. Many early Christians, including some of those to whom Hebrews was written, endured all the way to the stake, the cross, the beasts, the chopping block, the sword, and the flaying knives. They persevered in their faith in Christ, because they were convinced of who He was, what He did, and the wonderful, eternal promises He personified. No other system could entice them, and no amount of popular pressure or physical and emotional torture could move them to recant. While none of this steadfastness saved them, their eternal salvation and security was very much in evidence through their enduring testimony.
All of this, by the way, has been very sobering to me. I have certainly not walked according to these truths (assuming for a moment that all I have shared is, in fact, true) all my life, nor has my experience been anything close to precise in these categories. If you ask me when I was converted and saved by grace through faith in Christ, I cannot give you the date, time and place. I can tell you when I first made a public confession of faith in Christ, and when and where I was baptized, but perseverance in the faith has been, for me, less definite. My “sanctification graph” has been choppy to say the least, kind of like the stock market lately. It has gone “up” over time, but with lots of volatility. I can cite some of the milestones along the way, but if absolutely pressed for a salvation date, my very best and most honest answer is that it happened over a three-day period in about AD 33, on a Roman cross in Jerusalem, and at a rich man’s tomb nearby.
My testimony is not how effectively I “live the Gospel” or “obey God.” I strive to learn obedience, as best I can in Christ and the Holy Spirit, but my testimony is that God saved me when I could not save myself by any means, and He continuously grants me the unmerited, unearned favor to grow in Him when I could never do so on my own. We can draw encouragement from the scriptures, such as 2nd Timothy 1:12 – “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
Finally, in very early church history, in the times of Roman persecution, some followers of Christ would recant their faith under pressure. These were typically newer converts. The believers who remained would take these recanters back in, disciple (teach, catechize) them in the faith, and ensure that they had every chance to come to saving faith that perseveres. There were numerous cases in which the recanter came to saving faith, and then actually went to the Roman authorities and TOLD them they were Christians, then were arrested, tortured and martyred for their faith. This, it seems to me, should provide a rich and deep model for how we in today's Church should view perseverance, catechism, discipleship, doctrinal training, and sanctification.
.