“The Promise of a Great Future”
1 Peter 1:3-5
Introduction
During the Napoleonic Wars there came a strategic battle fought out upon the English Channel. The citizens of England lined the cliffs of Dover as they tried to look out upon the waters to determine which side was winning. Several hours into the battle, the English semaphores began flashing as the message was relayed across the waters, "Wellington defeated." Suddenly a deep fog rolled up and cut off the vision of the English citizens. A fog likewise rose in their hearts and they went back to their homes and shops and began preparing for what they considered to be sure defeat. A few hours later, however, the fog lifted and the English citizens were able to see the message clearly, "Wellington defeated the enemy." Their spirits were instantly rejuvenated as they began to greatly rejoice.[1]
There is a tremendous spiritual principle to be gleaned from this historical incident. It is the principle of perspective that hope provides. This world with its trials and tribulations has a way of rolling in and fogging our perspective of life. And so in verses 3-5, Peter lifts the fog of this present, passing world by giving us a glimpse of the hope that we possess.
Text
In 1 Peter 1:1-12, Peter establishes several theological truths about the salvation of believers. He wants us to understand what salvation means to believers. Last week, we learned that we were chosen by God (1-2). This week we are going to learn that we have the promise of a great future (3-5).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
John Piper states: “Our joy (as a believer) is based on the happiness of our future with God and the certainty that we will make it there. In other words, Christian joy is almost synonymous with Christian hope.”[2]
To better understand the basis for this hope, and correspondingly this joy, we need to understand the salvation that underlies this promise of a great future. So this week let us look at what Peter says about the:
- The cause and motivation of our salvation,
- The benefits of our salvation, and
- The security of our salvation
The Cause and Motivation of our Salvation[3]
First, let us consider the cause and motivation of our salvation. What does Peter state is the cause of our salvation? Peter states that God Himself is the cause of our salvation. He “caused us to be born again” (verse 3). In other words, it is not our effort nor our works that are the cause of our salvation. What does Peter state is the motivation for our salvation? Peter states that God did this out of “His great mercy.” In other words, it is not our worthiness nor our desirability, but His mercy which is the motivation or reason for our salvation.
Having now answered these two questions emphatically, notice Peter’s passion in verse 3. His statement almost oozes with excitement and amazement. Why don’t most of us exalt in our salvation like Peter? I would suggest that we don't exalt in our salvation like Peter because we don't understand it like Peter understands it and/or we don't believe it like Peter believes it.
What do I mean? Most of us have been taught (one way or the other) that God does not do the decisive work in salvation – we do. John Piper gets at this fact by asking a very insightful question: "How do you know that you were born from your mother's womb?" Most people answer: "I'm alive! I exist outside my mother's womb. I'm here." And that's right. That is all the answer that is needed. You would not answer: "I know I was born because I've got a birth certificate at home." Or, "I know I was born because I did some historical research at a hospital in Carmel, California and found a document with a little footprint on it that matches the curly lines on the bottom of my foot." Or, "I collected signed affidavits of three or four witnesses that saw my mother pregnant and soon after saw me in her arms." No, you would simply say, "I know I was born because I am alive."
But now suppose I asked an average evangelical churchgoer today: "How do you know you were born again?" How many would answer: "Because I am alive to God. I have a living hope. I have a living faith. I once had no spiritual life and now I am alive spiritually, with spiritual appetites and spiritual enjoyments. Once I was dead and now I am alive in God. The proof that I was born again is my life today!" Very few would answer this way. It is more likely that most would answer: "I asked Jesus into my heart.” Or, “I prayed to receive Christ.” Or, “I walked down an aisle and accepted Jesus.” Or, “I have an entry in my Bible where I pledged on June 6, 1990 that Jesus is my Lord."
Why is there such a difference in answering how we know if we were physically born and how we know if we are spiritually born? One reason is that we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we had nothing to do with our physical birth. It was done to us. We did not cause it. We did not choose it. It happened to us. But when it comes to our spiritual birth, millions of Christians have been taught in hundreds of ways that they themselves brought about their new birth. They chose it and they caused it. So when they are asked: "How do you know it happened?", they tend to answer, "Because I did the things I was taught you must do to be born again."
Let us now go back to the question I asked earlier: Why don’t we exalt in our salvation like Peter? It is because of this type of crummy perspective. It is because this kind of self-made Christianity can not explode with praise over our new birth and say with Peter: "Blessed be God, who by HIS GREAT MERCY caused us to be born again."
What am I trying to say? What is Peter saying here? I am encouraging you to:
- Reject the belief that you saved yourself,
- Accept the truth that God saved you (which is the uniform teaching of the New Testament[4]), and
- Give God the glory for our salvation.
Why? Because God is the cause of our salvation and His mercy is the motivation for our salvation.
The Benefits of our Salvation
In this passage, Peter praises God for the cause and motivation of our salvation. Secondly, Peter praises God for the benefits of our salvation. What are those benefits?
1. A “Living” Hope
First, we have a “living” hope. What is the basis of this “living” hope? The basis for this “living” hope is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Peter understood why it is that the resurrection brings hope. He understood that the resurrection of this One man signaled the resurrection of all those who are united to Him. That’s why in Acts 3, when Peter speaks of Jesus as "the author of life", he uses a very rare word (archegos) that conveys the idea that Jesus is the first one who has broken into the new world of resurrection life, and by doing so, has opened the way for all those who belong to Him to follow.[5]
2. An Indestructible Inheritance
But there is more. Not only do we have a “living” hope, we have an indestructible inheritance. Peter talks about an inheritance that can "never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you". Think about this in contrast to what Peter said about believers in verse 1: "strangers in the world, scattered". They have nothing. This world despises them and they have no home. But in reality, they are rich. Why? Because they have an inheritance that is as William MacDonald says: “death-proof, sin-proof, and time-proof.”[6]
The Security of our Salvation
In this passage, Peter praises God for the cause and motivation of our salvation. Secondly, Peter praises God for the benefits of our salvation. Finally, Peter praises God for the security of our salvation. The believer has the promise of a great future. The believer has a joy because of a future hope. Many have that wonderful assurance but sadly, many do not. This is so for various reasons:[7]
- Some doubt the reality of their committal to Christ. This is often related to inability to pinpoint a day and time of conversion because they believe that regeneration occurs at a specific moment in time.
- Some lack assurance because they question the correctness of “the procedure” they went through. “I didn’t go forward!” “I didn’t say the right prayer!”” I didn’t FEEL anything!” “I wasn’t baptized!”
- Some lack assurance because sin has a predominant place in their life. They fear that some “sin” will keep them from heaven.
In this passage Peter praises God for the security of our salvation. He praises God that we have eternal life. How can we “know” experientially[8] that we have eternal life? How can we be secure in our salvation? To assist you I want to:
- Introduce the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and
- Set forth a brief defense of the biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints
1. An Introduction to the Biblical Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is an oft-maligned and misunderstood doctrine of the Christian Church. At times it is taught as if it were synonymous with “eternal security” or “once saved always saved.” At other times, it is understood in such a way as to deny the possibility that a Christian might ever genuinely know he is saved this side of heaven. The biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, however, avoids both of these extremes. This doctrine embraces the belief that genuine believers can never lose their salvation while maintaining that a genuine believer will necessarily be sanctified in this earthly life. It embraces the truth that many believers go through periods of doubt while maintaining that a genuine believer can obtain assurance of his salvation. It embraces the truth a believer can go through periods of sinful rebellion but that true believers will never reject Christ. It embraces the truth taught in the parable of the soils[9] that merely “professing” Christians will fall away from their profession of faith but that true believers will persevere.[10]
2. A Brief Defense of the Biblical Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints
What is the biblical support for this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints? The biblical support for this doctrine centers around three key facts:
a. A Regenerated Believer Cannot Lose His Salvation
The Scriptures are replete with passages that clearly set forth this concept:
· Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39)
· Salvation belongs to God (I Peter 1:3-5)
· Paul’s guarantee of the inheritance of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14)
· Christ’s claim to lose none (John 6:39-40; 10:27-29)
There are other passages that “appear” to contradict this fact but time will not allow me to address them this morning. For those who are interested, I have borrowed material from Scott J. Simmons and included it in Appendix B. You can find that material on the blog site. That material deals with the following common objections:
· The Possibility of Apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-8)
· No Sacrifice for Sins (Hebrews 10:26-31)
· The Sin unto Death (1 John 5:16-17)
· Denying the Sovereign Lord (2 Peter 2:1)
· The Book of Life (Ex. 32:32; Ps. 69:23)
b. A Regenerated Believer Will Continue in Faith, Being Sanctified Until the End
The doctrine of perseverance teaches us much more than the fact that salvation can’t be lost. The doctrine of perseverance also acknowledges that those who have been regenerated by the Spirit will persevere in faith—they will not give up on their God-given faith. Specifically, there are three aspects to this perseverance:
· Sanctification, as well as regeneration, is an act of God’s grace. It is not the result of human effort (John 17:17; Romans 15:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-4). [11]
· Faith is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9).[12]
· God has the ability and commitment to preserve the faith of the believer and sanctify him during his earthly life (Philippians 1:6; 2 Thess. 3:3-4; 1 John 3:9; 5:18; Heb. 7:25; 2 Tim. 4:18).
There are other passages that “appear” to contradict this fact but time will not allow me to address them this morning. For those who are interested, I have borrowed material from Scott J. Simmons and included it in Appendix C. You can find that material on the blog site. That material deals with the following common objections:
· Many in the New Testament Have Lost Their Faith (2 Timothy)
· Salvation is Conditioned upon Perseverance (Col. 1:22-23; Heb. 3:14)
· Christ Will Remove Lampstands (Rev. 2:4-6)
· It Leads to Immorality
c. A Regenerated Believer May Pursue and Obtain Assurance of His Salvation
The doctrine of perseverance teaches us that salvation can’t be lost and that those who have been regenerated by the Spirit will persevere in their faith. Finally, it teaches that we may pursue and obtain assurance of our salvation. Peter encouraged his readers at the beginning of his second epistle to “be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The author of Hebrews writes, “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure” (Heb. 6:11). John writes to the faithful members of the church to give them assurance of their salvation—“that you might know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). What do these commands assume? These commands assume that it is possible for one’s calling, election and hope to be at one time unsure, and it gives professing believers hope that they can be made sure. It presupposes that it is possible for one who is elect and questions their election to become assured that they are in fact elect.
Practical Application
Least we end the lesson buried under another deep doctrinal point, in closing, I want to attempt to provide a biblical answer to a very important question: “How can I know if I am a true believer?” I will do so by first setting forth six (6) evidences that neither prove nor disprove one’s faith and conclude by setting forth eleven (11) tests from 1 John that can assist us in making our calling and election sure.
1. Evidences that Neither Prove nor Disprove One’s Faith[13]
• Visible Morality: Matthew 19:16-21; 23:27.
• Intellectual Knowledge: Romans 1:21; 2:17ff.
• Religious Involvement: Matthew 25:1-10
• Active Ministry: Matthew 7:21-24
• Conviction of Sin: Acts 24:25
• Assurance: Matthew 23
• Time of Decision: Luke 8:13, 14
2. Eleven Tests the Can Assist Us in Making Our Calling and Election Sure[14]
• Have you enjoyed fellowship with Christ and the Father? I John 1:2-3
• Are you sensitive to sin (1:5-10)
• Do you obey God’s Word? (2:3)
• Do you reject this evil world? (2:15-17)
• Do you eagerly await Christ’s return? (3:2-3)
• Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life? (3:4-10)
• Do you love other Christians? (3:10)
• Do you experience answered prayer? (3:22)
• Do you experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit? (4:13)
• Can you tell the difference between spiritual truth and spiritual lies or errors? (4:1-3)
• Have you suffered rejection because of your faith? (3:13)
Are you relying on evidences that neither prove nor disprove whether you are saved? If you are, I urge you to make your calling and election sure. Do you pass the tests set forth by John? If you do, you are ratifying the truth that a believer can pursue and obtain assurance of your salvation. If you do not pass the tests, I urge you to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel is made up of six simple truths:[15]
1. God Created Us for His Glory (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God made us to magnify His greatness - the way telescopes magnify stars. He created us to put His goodness and truth and beauty and wisdom and justice on display. The greatest display of God's glory comes from deep delight in all that He is. This means that God gets the praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
2. Every Human Should Live for God’s Glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)
If God made us for His glory, it is clear that we should live for His glory. Our duty comes from His design. So our first obligation is to show God's value by being satisfied with all that He is for us.
3. All of Us Have Failed to Glorify God as We Should (Romans 3:23)
What does it mean to "fall short of the glory of God?" It means that none of us has trusted and treasured God the way we should. We have not been satisfied with His greatness and walked in His ways. We have sought our satisfaction in other things, and treated them as more valuable than God, which is the essence of idolatry (Romans 1:21-23). Since sin came into the world we have all been deeply resistant to having God as our all-satisfying treasure (Ephesians 2:3). This is an appalling offense to the greatness of God (Jeremiah 2:12-13).
4. All of Us are Subject to God’s Just Condemnation (Romans 6:23)
We have all belittled the glory of God. How? By preferring other things above Him. By our ingratitude, distrust and disobedience. So God is just in shutting us out from the enjoyment of His glory forever (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The word "hell" is used in the New Testament twelve times - eleven times by Jesus Himself. It is not a myth created by dismal and angry preachers. It is a solemn warning from the Son of God who died to deliver sinners from its curse. We ignore it at great risk. If the Bible stopped here in its analysis of the human condition, we would be doomed to a hopeless future. However, this is not where it stops...
5. God Sent His Only Son Jesus to Provide Eternal Life and Joy (1 Timothy 1:15)
The good news is that Christ died for sinners like us. And He rose physically from the dead to validate the saving power of His death and to open the gates of eternal life and joy (1 Corinthians 15:20). This means God can acquit guilty sinners and still be just (Romans 3:25-26). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Coming home to God is where all deep and lasting satisfaction is found.
6. The Benefits Purchased by the Death of Christ Belong to Those Who Repent and Trust Him (Acts 3:19)
"Repent" means to turn from all the deceitful promises of sin. "Faith" means being satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Jesus. "He who believes in me," Jesus says, "shall never thirst" (John 6:35). We do not earn our salvation. We cannot merit it (Romans 4:4-5). It is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift (Romans 3:24). We will have it if we cherish it above all things (Matthew 13:44). When we do that, God's aim in creation is accomplished: He is glorified in us and we are satisfied in him - forever.
Does this make sense to you? Do you desire the kind of gladness that comes from being satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus? If so, then God is at work in your life. What should you do? Turn from the deceitful promises of sin. Call upon Jesus to save you from the guilt and punishment and bondage. "All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Start banking your hope on all that God is for you in Jesus. Break the power of sin's promises by faith in the superior satisfaction of God's promises. Begin reading the Bible to find His precious and very great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church and begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7). The best news in the world is that there is no necessary conflict between our happiness and God's holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus magnifies him as a great Treasure.
Appendix A
The Parable of the Soils (Mark 4; Matthew 13)
1. The Elements of the Parable
· The sower is not identified and could be anyone who sows the seed (Jesus, Evangelist, us, etc.).
· The seed is the Word.
· There are four kinds of soil upon which the Word is sown. Many read this story as though these various soils are four different kinds of people, who remain the same throughout all lifetimes. But what our Lord is describing here are not types of persons, but conditions of the heart at any given moment, i.e., conditions which are present when the Word is being sown.
2. The Callous (or Unresponsive) Heart
This is an example of a heart which is closed to the Word. It is hardened and will not receive the Word to even consider it. This kind of person is described when Scripture says: “Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” Sin builds a wall between the potential hearer and the Lord. And some hearts are so callused that they are completely closed to the Gospel message causing the Word to be stolen from the heart. That is, Satan comes along and steals the Word away from such a person when they will not receive it. He does not want the Word to remain long, lest it may find a break in that hardened heart and be received. So Satan comes and takes it away.
3. The Impulsive Heart
This is an example of a heart which, when the Word is sown, immediately responds. The seed takes root and grows up quickly. They have “religious” experience but no real root is put down. Perhaps they were in a meeting where the emotions of their heart so touched them that they responded to an altar call. For a while they continued in the “faith” but never made a real commitment of their lives to Jesus. They still held on to their own agenda and their own desires for their own lives. Jesus was only there to make things better for them, to make things happier, to make things more prosperous. There was no thought of sacrifice, commitment, or accountability. So, when the sun of God’s purging began to bear in on them and they were going to have to really lay their life down for Jesus, they leave the “faith” as quickly as they came. No fruit is produced. Why? They were never saved in the first place.
4. The Preoccupied Heart
This is an example of a heart which hears the Word but thorns spring up and choke it. Things like: a) the cares, worries, and concerns of the world, b) the deceitfulness of riches, and/or c) the desires for “things” choke out the life-giving Word. This type of heart loves this world more than the next. It produces no fruit and typifies many in the church who “profess” but do not truly believe.
5. The Receptive Heart
This is an example of a heart, which broken up and cultivated, allows the Word to take deep root and bear fruit. This heart bears fruit, thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold. This type of heart results in a character transformed into the likeness of Christ. It results in a heart that is surrendered to serve the living God. It typifies those who are truly saved. It typifies those that persevere to the end.
Appendix B
Borrowed from Scott J. Simmons – Perseverance: A Biblical and Reformed Doctrine
The Possibility of Apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-8)
Hebrews 6:4-5 describes a group of hypothetical people. It is evident that these are hypothetical people rather than real members of the congregation because the perspective of the passage changes from first person to third person in vv. 4-8. In other words, the author has broken from speaking directly to his readers, including them in “us” and “we,” and is now addressing “those” who have fallen away. The author is encouraging his readers “to press on to maturity” citing what would happen to those who fall away from the faith.
According to this passage, these hypothetical people have been “enlightened;” they have “tasted the heavenly gift;” they have “shared in” (or “partaken of”) the Holy Spirit; and they have “tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age.” The author says in verse 6 that once people have come to a point where they have gained these things, if they fall away, they “cannot be brought back to repentance.” Many interpret this to say that, if a genuine believer falls away from the faith, he has lost his salvation.
However, the text never says that they can fall away from the state of being saved. In fact, none of the characteristics used to describe these individuals require that they be saved. Philip Hughes, for instance, has noted that enlightenment has been a reference to Christian baptism at least since the second century, citing Justin Martyr’s First Apology as an example. Tasting the heavenly gift is more than likely a reference the Lord’s table. Given that both baptism and the Lord’s supper are spiritual sacraments, it is not surprising that the author would continue to say that they have shared in or partaken of the Holy Spirit. They may have “tasted the goodness of the Word of God” by hearing the word preached effectively. They may have tasted “the powers of the coming age” by witnessing miraculous signs and wonders during that apostolic age. There is every reason to believe that these people were described as having become communing church members who participated in the life and community of the early church. There is no clear indication, however, that they were saved members of the congregation. In fact, verse 9 seems to make clear that they should not be thought of as genuine believers. The author expresses confidence of “better things” concerning his readers—“things that accompany salvation.” Apparently, the author believed that the things he had mentioned in vv. 4-6 could be obtained without having salvation, since “better things than these” would include their salvation.
One should object that, technically, the text does not say that they will never be brought back to salvation; rather it says that they cannot be brought back to repentance—that is, they will never again repent before God. Those who adopt the Arminian position on perseverance must therefore admit that if this passage teaches that salvation can be lost, it also teaches that once one loses his salvation, he will never repent to gain it back. The individual will never again even seek repentance, suggesting that the human will is prevented from repenting should a believer fall away. This view of the human will clearly contradicts the Arminian doctrine of free will that is presented in Arminian soteriology. The Calvinist, however, believes that human will is bound to his own sinful nature, so that he will not seek repentance unless regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The status of the one who falls away is no different than the one who never professes faith.
It is important to note some uncertainties with this passage. In particular, the author of Hebrews does not go into detail describing what “falling away” entails. Certainly it includes a denial of the Christian faith and a breaking away from God’s covenanted community. However, Peter’s sin of denying Christ three times was forgivable, for Peter was renewed to repentance (John 21:15-25). From a practical and pastoral perspective, it must be recognized that people say many things at many times that do not reflect truthfully their hearts’ beliefs, desires and intentions. People go through times of denial, even betrayal, without necessarily committing the sin of apostasy.
No Sacrifice for Sins (Hebrews 10:26-31)
Hebrews 10:26-7 teaches us that “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” This is often cited as a clear indication that salvation can be lost. Of course this does not state that those who “keep on sinning” are saved. It says that they have “received the knowledge of the truth.” It may be that they profess to believe in the truth without possessing genuine faith, so that in fact they are not genuine believers.
However, the text seems to present one more danger. The one who continues sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth has “treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified.” Here it says, presumably, that this person has been sanctified by the blood of the covenant. At least two responses can be made to this claim. For one thing, hJgiavsqh (he was sanctified) has no subject expressed. The text may be read “by which it [that is, the covenant] was sanctified.” This is an acceptable translation grammatically and contextually; given the theology of Old Testament sacrifices, blood can be seen as sanctifying the covenant.
However, even if we grant the translations found in the NIV and NASB, being “sanctified” can simply mean to be “set apart.” It is not necessarily synonymous with “saved.” For instance, in 1 Cor. 7:14, Paul claims, “For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” Clearly the intent of the word “sanctified” here is not that the unbelieving spouse is saved. The unbelieving spouse is said to be “holy” because they are set apart and under the influence of the church through the believing spouse. The same use of the word “sanctified” may well be intended here.
Both Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10 seem to assume a particular understanding of the covenant that has been lost among many evangelicals today. The book of Hebrews distinguishes between God’s covenanted community (the visible church) and the sum total of all believers (the invisible church). Hebrews 6 and 10 clearly state that professing believers may experience much of the life of the church community, including baptism, the Lord’s supper, the preaching of the Word, etc. In fact, the author of Hebrews can (possibly) refer to them as being “sanctified” by the covenant. However, none of this requires them to be members of the invisible church (see the parable of “the wheat and the tares” for a confirming example). Nevertheless, those who leave the covenanted community because of apostasy have lost that covenantal relationship to the Lord and are prevented from being renewed to repentance. Those who are regenerated believers, those who possess “better things” that “accompany salvation” (Heb. 6:9), will never lose their salvation; their salvation belongs to the Lord.
The Sin unto Death (1 John 5:16-17)
At the close of John’s first epistle, the apostle warns that us about a “sin unto death,” or, as the NIV puts it, a “sin that leads to death.” Those committing a sin not unto death should pray and God will forgive them. Yet for those committing the sin unto death, John says, “I am not saying that he should pray about that.” Some would speculate that this is referring to believers who have sinned so greatly (apostasy, etc.) that they will not be able to receive God’s forgiveness any longer.
This is certainly a difficult passage, complicated by the fact that it does not define the “sin unto death.” Yet rather than speculating about the nature of that sin, it is necessary to look for clues within the context of the epistle itself. It has long been known that this epistle was written to refute a heresy that had divided the church. This heresy seems to have been both doctrinal and ethical. Doctrinally, it appears that John’s opponents were teaching a docetic heresy—that is, a heresy which denied that Jesus Christ was truly human. This is evidenced by the fact that John’s opponents denied: (1) that Jesus is the Christ (2:22), (2) that he is the Son of God (2:23; 3:23; 4:15; 5:5,9-12), and (3) that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (4:2; cf. 2 Jn. 7), effectively denying the incarnation. Furthermore, they denied that Jesus Christ “came by the water and the blood;” rather, they held that He came “by the water only” and not by the blood (5:5-8). The terms “water” and “blood” are best interpreted as references to Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion. In 1 John 5:5-8 in particular, it seems evident the docetism they had embraced was adoptionistic. The heresy seems to be similar to an ancient heresy taught by a man by the name of Cerinthus, who taught that a divine “Christ” descended upon a human Jesus at his baptism and then departed him at his death.
The ethical dimension to this heresy was two-fold. The adversaries exhibited a lack of obedience and a lack of love. In 1 John 1:6-10, John describes the claims of his opponents as teaching that sin does not affect one’s fellowship with God (1:6) and as claiming that “we have no sin” (1:8). I. Howard Marshall states, “It… seems that they did not accept the validity of any commands given by Jesus.” It appears that John’s opponents were antinomian, for they seem to have believed that they were above the law of God and were without sin before Him, regardless of their behavior. Consequently, they had a cavalier attitude toward sin and a seared conscience toward God (1:6; 2:4). Since they considered themselves to be above God’s law, they exhibited a superior attitude towards other people as well. Consequently their lives could be characterized by a lack of love. They were liars because they claimed to “love God” and “be in the light,” yet they hated their brothers (2:9-11; 4:19). They may have demonstrated a lack of charity towards the poor and needy in the congregation (3:17).
The doctrinal and ethical dimensions to this heresy would certainly suggest that those who embrace it would be considered apostate. And 1 John 2:19 suggests that John’s opponents were at one point church members. However, the apostle says, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (2:19). These opponents may well have been church members, but they didn’t “really belong” there. They weren’t genuine believers; if they were, they would have stayed. The fact that they left proved that they were never genuine believers. However, their sin (which can be described loosely as apostasy) is probably what John refers to as “the sin unto death.” It was committed by those who were merely professing believers. As such, there’s no reason to think that John is teaching that salvation may be lost. In fact, 1 John 2:19 quite clearly states the contrary—those who are genuinely saved, will “remain with us.”
Denying the Sovereign Lord (2 Peter 2:1)
Perhaps the strongest passage in support of the possibility of losing salvation is found in 2 Peter 2:1, where Peter claims,
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Here there are some false prophets who introduce “destructive heresies,” denying the Lord “who bought them,” resulting in their own destruction. It appears that those who are denying the Lord are people whom the Lord bought and redeemed. If true, this would certainly suggest that the false prophets were that the false prophets were saved and had forfeited their salvation by teaching false doctrines.
One possible explanation is that it may be that the Lord had only “bought them” in the eyes of the false prophets. They believed themselves to be saved, purchased by the Lord. This is a believable suggestion, especially given the weight of Scripture which explicitly claims that salvation cannot be lost. If the Lord bought/atoned for these false prophets, then any sin they could possibly commit has already been paid for by Christ’s death and resurrection. For God to then punish this redeemed person for his sins (whether they be apostasy, false prophecy, or the like) would be to render Christ’s atoning death null and void. It is a breach of justice—double jeopardy in the fullest sense of the term—for God to condemn someone for his sins if He has already condemned Christ in his place. In fact, the substitutionary nature of the atonement, so clearly taught throughout Scripture, would be rendered meaningless if such were the case. If the doctrine of substitutionary atonement in Scripture is true, then it is impossible for the Lord’s redeemed people to lose their salvation.
The Book of Life (Ex. 32:32; Ps. 69:23)
In an imprecatory section of Psalm 69, David writes about his enemies, “May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous” (v. 28 [v. 29 Heb.]). Some believe that the fact that someone’s name can be wiped from this “Book of Life” proves that people’s salvation may be lost. However, David here is only referring to his enemies, and there is no indication that they were ever saved. In order for this to be a proof text that salvation may be lost, it must first be shown that they were saved. Many believe them to be saved since they were once listed in the “book of life,” which they identify with the Book of Life in Revelation. However, the RSV perhaps more accurately translates this verse with “the book of the living.” In fact, the word translated “life” (NIV, NASB) in Hebrew (µyYIj', “living”) is probably best viewed as an adjective, not a noun. The LXX even translates this as “ejxaleifqhvtwsan ejk bivblou zwvntwn” (“Let them be blotted from the book of [the] living”). This is probably not a reference to the Book of Life as described in Revelation. It is simply David’s way of praying that these will die so that they can be judged (“not counted among the righteous”).
A similar example can be found in Exodus 32. After Moses found the Israelites worshipping the golden calf, he went to the LORD and asked that either God forgive them or blot his name from His book. The LORD replied, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book” (v. 33). He then punished the people with a plague. Because the punishment that God inflicted appears to be one of physical suffering and death, it may be assumed that the book described here is the same described in Psalm 69. This is the book of the living; to be blotted from that book is to die.
The book of Revelation does refer to a “Book of Life.” In this book are written the names of those who “belong to the lamb” (Rev. 13:8). Their names have been there “from the creation of the world” (Rev. 17:8). In these two verses, those who are not in this book will be astonished and worship the beast; the text assumes that those who are in the book of life will not worship it. In Rev. 20:11-15, those whose names are written in the Book of Life escape judgment according to what they have done as recorded in the “books;” instead, they enter the New Heavens and New Earth (Rev. 21:27). Only those whose names are not in the Book of Life suffer from judgment according the “books.” In Rev. 3:5, in fact, the overcomer is told that his name will never be blotted from the book of life, and “everyone born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 5:4).
Appendix C
Borrowed from Scott J. Simmons – Perseverance: A Biblical and Reformed Doctrine
Many in the New Testament Have Lost Their Faith (2 Timothy)
Perhaps the most notable objection to the doctrine of perseverance is to bring up the numerous people mentioned in Paul’s letters to Timothy who were said to have lost their faith or destroyed the faith of others. Paul said that Hymenaeus and Alexander “shipwrecked their faith” (1 Tim. 1:18-20). In Paul’s next epistle, Paul mentioned that Hymenaeus along with Philetus “wandered away from the truth” by teaching a heretical view on the resurrection which “destroy[ed] the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:17). Alexander opposed Paul’s message and thus did Paul a great deal of harm (2 Tim. 4:14-15). Demas deserted Paul because he “loved the world” (2 Tim. 4:10).
In response, it must be noted again that many people have made professions of faith who are not genuine believers. Such is clear in the New Testament as well as in experience. It may well be that these individuals who turned from the Christian gospel to heretical teachings never truly had a genuine faith. It could be that their faith was largely superficial, and therefore they were easily seduced by heretical teachings (see the parable of “the sower and the seed” for a confirming example of this). In fact, in 1 John 2:19, quoted earlier, John states that if they were genuine believers, they would not have left the faith.
Salvation is Conditioned upon Perseverance (Col. 1:22-23; Heb. 3:14)
Near the opening of his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes that Christians have been reconciled by Christ’s physical body through death for the purpose of presenting them holy in God’s sight. However, he provided one condition—“if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.” A similar emphasis can be seen in Hebrews 3:14. “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”
Some claim that these verses assume that some may not continue in their faith, and therefore they will lose their salvation. However, it must be admitted that Paul and the author of Hebrews are addressing churches, and some of the members of those churches may only profess faith; they may not yet possess genuine faith. Certainly some of those may fall away from their profession. At the same time, it must also be stated that for genuine believers, there is no conflict here with Reformed theology. All the elect will by God’s grace continue in their faith, and as a result, they will be presented before God “without blemish and free from accusation.” It is only those who persevere that are genuinely saved.
Christ Will Remove Lampstands (Rev. 2:4-6)
In Revelation 2, John recorded Christ’s words as He addressed the church in Ephesus. Jesus had a scathing rebuke for them. They had lost their “first love.” If they refused to repent, Jesus says, “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” Some may infer from this that people in the church of Ephesus were once believers and lost their faith. If they refuse to repent, their salvation will be lost. However, it must be recognized that Jesus is speaking to the church as a whole, not to individuals in it, and the “lampstand” represents the church of Ephesus, not individuals (Rev. 1:20). On a corporate level, a church may be judged. However, there’s no reason to believe that individual believers in that church to have lost their salvation. When Israel was exiled to Babylon as a corporate judgment, believers were exiled along with nonbelievers. Likewise, when a church “lampstand” is removed, individual believers will find fellowship elsewhere or plant another church.
Leads to Immorality
Berkhof has noted that some object to the doctrine of perseverance believing that such a doctrine would only increase one’s license for sin. However, a proper understanding of the gospel message should indicate otherwise. In fact, hidden within this objection appears to be a desire to coerce moral behavior out of the threat or fear of punishment. It is assumed that if one believes and thus fears that he may lose his salvation if he becomes too disobedient, he will make a stronger effort to live morally. Should one take away the threat of eternal damnation, he has taken away any reason to be moral. Yet not only does this kind of objection fail to understand the true nature of regeneration, but it also inevitably resorts to the lowest sort of moralism that Paul abhorred. This kind of objection betrays an incentive towards righteous behavior based on fear and coercion; Christians must conform to the law, and if they fail too terribly, they will be damned.
Paul, on the other hand, unequivocally affirms that “there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). The motivation of fear and law do nothing to increase righteous behavior (Col. 2:23). In fact, they only increase one’s desire to sin (Rom. 5:20; Rom. 7:7-8; Gal. 3:19). The law is powerless to generate obedience in the believer; the believer is therefore regenerated by the Spirit to keep the law, not out of fear of condemnation, but out of a renewed desire to display gratitude to His Savior (Rom. 8:3-4), “stirring up the grace of God that is in them.” The law does function positively therefore as a “rule of life” precisely because the threat of condemnation has been taken away.
The fact is that a justified believer is free from fear of eternal punishment for disobeying God’s commands (Rom. 6:14; 1 John 4:18). He has already been declared righteous by virtue of Christ’s obedience. In fact, it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4), and the reality of our forgiveness and assurance of salvation is a far more powerful motivator than fear. Berkhof writes, “It is hard to see how a doctrine which assures the believer of a perseverance in holiness can be an incentive for sin. It would seem that the certainty of success in the active striving for sanctification would be the best possible stimulus to even greater exertion.”
At the same time, there is a Biblical fear that a Christian may undergo. Times of persistent sin in our lives may cause us to question whether or not we are in fact saved. A genuine believer never needs to fear losing his salvation or falling under God’s judgment, but all professing believers are called to, with fear and trembling, work out their salvation (Phil. 2:12-13). There is the possibility that believers might have false confidence in their salvation.
[1] Dwight Edwards, “1 Peter: The Life That Lasts”
[2] John Piper, “God’s Great Mercy and Our New Birth”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[3] Adapted from material in: John Piper, “God’s Great Mercy and Our New Birth”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[4] (a)I was dead in trespasses and sins and God, in the great love with which he loved me, made me alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5). I did not raise myself from the dead. God raised me. I was spiritually non-existent. But then God created a new person, and I became a new creation in Christ (Eph. 4:24; Gal. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:17). I did not create myself. God created me. (b) I was blind to spiritual things. Flesh and blood could not help me. But the Father in heaven mercifully and sovereignly opened my eyes to see that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:17; cf. 11:27; Acts 16:14). God caused me to see and acknowledge his truth. (c) I was self-willed, rebellious, proud, going my own way and would never in a hundred years have come to Jesus on my own, and God drew me: "No one can come to me (Jesus said) unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). (d) I had no repentance in my heart, no sorrow for my sin or passion to change, but God graciously granted me repentance and lead me to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:25). (e) I had no faith, no desire to look like a weakling and depend on another. But God, in his great mercy, granted me to believe (Phil. 1:29) and saved me by faith. But my choice was the gift of God; the effect and not the cause of new birth. I was born, as John 1:13 says, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." -- John Piper, “God’s Great Mercy and Our New Birth”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[5] Derek W. H. Thomas, “Help for the Painful Trial: Sermons on 1 Peter”
[6] William Mac Donald, I Peter: Faith Tested, Future Triumphant, p. 16, as cited by D. Edmond Hiebert, 1 Peter (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), p. 61.
[7] Adapted from Jeff Spry, “Perseverance of the Saints”
[8] “The word “KNOW” is used forty-two times in this short letter from John. John concludes his letter with the verse above, letting us know that he wrote all that came before (chapters 1-4) so that we may know we have eternal life. When John writes KNOW, he means more than simply KNOWING ABOUT. It is possible for anyone to simply know facts, even Satan. The word here speaks of FELLOWSHIP. There are 2 words for “know” in NT: a) One speaks of INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE.
b) The other is EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE. This same word used throughout Bible as husband/wife’s knowledge of each other. For instance, in Matthew 1:25, the word is used to describe the sexual relationship between Joseph and Mary. Obviously, the Bible is not saying that Joseph came to understand who Mary was and by this awareness she became pregnant. Instead, Matthew is letting us know that Joseph and Mary had marital relations and got to “know” one another in a very intimate way. This type of intimacy speaks of more than simple cognitive realization.” -- Jeff Spry, “Perseverance of the Saints”
[9] See Appendix A.
[10]Scott J. Simmons, Perseverance: A Biblical and Reformed Doctrine
[11] Of course, this does not mean that it is impossible for us to disobey the Holy Spirit once we are saved. Even Paul acknowledges that it is possible to quench (1 Thess. 5:19) or grieve (Eph. 4:30) the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature is still with us, hanging like a “body of death” over our lives (Rom. 7:24-25). It is this sin nature that makes it impossible for us to sanctify ourselves; because of it we at times resist sanctification. However, the Holy Spirit has regenerated us, causing us to delight in obeying Him at the core of our regenerate being (Rom. 7:22). The Holy Spirit will continue to sanctify us by transforming us, renewing our minds that we might die to the sin nature and live for Him (Rom. 12:2; Phil. 1:6). – Scott J. Simmons, Perseverance: A Biblical and Reformed Doctrine
[12] Here it seems clear that faith is considered to be a gift of God. However, some will object that tou`to (“this”) is neuter and therefore pivstew" (“faith”) cannot be its antecedent, since it is feminine. However, it is possible (though not common) for a pronoun to refer to the so-called “natural gender” of its antecedent rather than to its grammatical gender. Yet even if “this” does not refer to “faith” then it must refer to something else, and all the other possible antecedents are either feminine or masculine. Therefore, one must suggest it refers to something like the “salvation process.” If so, however, this “process” would certainly include faith. So, even if one objects to this verse as proof that saving faith is God’s gift on grammatical grounds, it still stands as proof on contextual grounds. This interpretation is confirmed in Rom. 12:3, where Paul calls us to think of ourselves “in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” – Scott J. Simmons, Perseverance: A Biblical and Reformed Doctrine
[13] Jeff Spry, Perseverance of the Saints
[14] Jeff Spry, Perseverance of the Saints
[15] Adapted from material in: John Piper, “Quest for Joy”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[16] Adapted from material in: John Piper, “God’s Great Mercy and Our New Birth”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[17] Jeff Spry, Perseverance of the Saints
[18] Jeff Spry, Perseverance of the Saints
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