Calvinism Is So Yesterday, Part 5: Persistence of the Saints

The final point in the common summary of Reformed Theology is the “p” in the TULIP and it represents the notion of Once Saved Always Saved, then described by the term, “Perseverance of the Saints.”

The thinking goes like this:

1. Man is utterly depraved in the spiritual sense so God must choose and elect individuals to believe on Him.  They cannot and will not seek Him unless He does.  If He doesn’t, they will go to hell and burn forever.  It sounds harsh, but this is the end result of the first point.
2. The second, Unconditional Election, states the when God chooses to elect someone, His election is not based on anything the person is, was or isn’t.  He elects according to His own will and Man has nothing that he or she can contribute to it.
3. The third point, Limited Atonement, stands on the two former points with a logic that says, “since God does the electing of the reprobate soul, the atonement for that soul’s sins by Christ is applicable.  That said, however, His atonement was not for the world, but is limited exclusively to those whom God will or has elected.  The framers and promoters of TULIP are well aware that if they concede to Yeshua paying for the sins of the world, then the world has been justified before God.  This is too much for a Calvinist to embrace – they need to believe that most of the world remains unprotected by the blood of Christ apparently because in the face of that most of the world (in their mind) is going to hell and only those whose sins have been paid will be saved.
4. The fourth point is that when God elects a person, His will reigns and the freewill of Man (which is denied by them altogether in the face of God’s Sovereignty) is wholly overrun by His will to elect.  This was labeled, Irresistable Grace.

The fifth and final letter of the TULIP then, falls right in line with the rest of the points and with an admitted “logic” states that because God is sovereign, and He elects who He will save, and that He had His Son pay only for the “elects” sin, and the election is unconditional, and irresistible, then the election cannot be lost.  Ever.  In the face of the whole of scripture, I would agree but only to the terminology used and say that nobody can “lose” the salvation that they have received by the grace and gift of God – but people can certainly choose to walk away from it.  This perspective continues to fortify the idea of eternal freewill for all of God’s human creations.  Let’s wrap this series up with a short discussion on this last point remembering that Reformed Theology is obliterated and non-existent when just one of the five points are removed.

The first example I will appeal to in an effort to disprove five point Calvinism is the simple but remarkably insightful teaching of Yeshua commonly called, the parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:19-23,

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.  

The wayside soil event describes anyone/someone who hears the “word of the Kingdom” but does not understand it (does not have ears to hear) and the wicked one comes and takes what was “sown in his/her heart.”  This type of person never understood what was taught so they never had the liberty to abandon it.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

In this second “heart soil” example given by God with us, the person involved “receives the seed,” which means that “he hears the word (of the kingdom), and with joy receives it (believes it, understands it) yet, Yeshua says, “he has not root in himself,” (the word never dives deep, so) “he endures for a while” but when tribulation or persecution arises because of the message, over time he is offended (and here I would add, “so he walks away from what was sown.”)  What caused this person to walk away?  Yeshua says, “tribulation or persecution because of the teaching, and he is offended.”

We see a living scriptural example of this “walking away” when Yeshua openly teaches the disciples of His that they had to “eat his flesh and drink His blood,” and the scripture says, 

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” John 6:66

Yeshua  continues with His parable of the sower and offers up another reason that believing souls walk away from the faith, saying,

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

In this example, the person hears the word, again so much so that they take root and begin to grow, but, “the cares of this world and/or the deceitfulness of riches,” choke the word, and the person becomes, “unfruitful.”

So, again, Yeshua plainly taught that reality that people can believe, even joyously, and still walk away from the word planted because their worldly cares or riches overwhelm them and they are choked out, unable to bear fruit.  Yeshua wraps the parable up with and example of a person who successfully abides in Him, and He describes them in the following way, saying,

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

In John chapter 15:1-8, Yeshua offers up another simple teaching to His disciples.  As you read His words ask yourself the following, 

Is it possible to be a branch of the vine without first abiding in Him and growing?

How does Yeshua describe “branches” that will not abide in Him?  What is their lot?

What is the big “if” describing in verse 7?

What is it about a branch in the vine that glorifies the Father? 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Obviously, Yeshua was under the impression that both seeds sown and branches that have grown in Him have the capacity to fail, to become unfruitful, and to wither away.  In all of these examples, the seed or the branch has believed, grown and even taken root.  But this does not insure that they will forever remain as the doctrine on Once Saved always Saved suggests.  

Finally, we can look to the written warnings given by the living apostles to the believers in that day and we get a very clear understanding that the ability to once believe and then depart was entirely possible even in that day.  Consider the following as some examples:

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

2^nd Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

The fact of the matter remains – the scripture stands in plain contextual sight against most of the Reformed collective ideas surrounding the five points and we find ourselves admitting that if there ever was a time when God elected souls it would have been in reference to the Nation of Israel, the Apostles, and then the Bride of Christ in that day.  Following the victory over all things that once stood in the way of human beings being reconciled to God – sin, death, Satan, hell – all people have ostensibly been returned back to Eden and are free to choose this day whom they will serve.   This idea is anathematic to the mind of a Reformed Theologian and all that says to me is Calvinism is so yesterday.