I am convinced the Bible supports the declaration
of Calvin when he writes, "The elect are also beyond
the danger of finally falling away; for the Father who gave them to be preserved
by Christ his Son is greater than all, and Christ promises to watch over them
all so that none may perish."[1] This hope that ought to bring much joy is
often countered by well-intentioned believers with the plethora of warnings and
threatenings given to even the elect of God.
We read such things as:
“For we have come to share in Christ, if
indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Hebrews
3:14, ESV) [Emphasis is mine]
Or
“he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to
present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you
continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the
gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven,
and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:22–23, ESV)
Or even this …
“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through
the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in
them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For
it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness
than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own
vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”” (2 Peter 2:20–22, ESV)
The answer that I believe best explains this
dilemma (i.e., God uses warnings as a means of grace to aid the Christian
toward holiness.) is often countered by several objections, e.g.:
1. We all have a free will and therefore we can,
at some time, choose to reject Christ.
2. I'm accused of making God's threatenings
hypothetical and therefore no warning at all.
I hope to address this in these blog posts.
A third area I intend to address relates to the question, "How does this
work?" How do severe warning
actually produce perseverance? The importance of this is obvious. If indeed God uses very real warnings to
direct His elect toward their final disposition in glory, then this not only
addresses the antinomy[2] between the promises and threats; but
more importantly it enables us to see the right and godly use of these warnings.
The
distinguished theologian, Rev.
Charles Simeon, offers this timely insight:
“It is certain that the Scriptures
speak much respecting the determination of God never to forsake his people[3]
----- we believe that God will fulfill his promises, and that not one of them
shall ever fail. But there are passages equally strong on the other side[4];
and they in their place need equally to be enforced. The former are necessary
to encourage hope: the latter, to excite our fear. The truth is, we apprehend, that no person is warranted in believing
himself a child of God, any farther than he has an evidence of it in the
conformity of his soul to the will of his heavenly Father."[5] [emphasis mine]
To
that truth, both parties on either side of this debate will agree. A false and despiteful characterization of
so-called Calvinism suggests the
opposite. This portraiture is entirely false and
must be refuted with all vigor.
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