As mentioned, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints isn’t the saints persevering to stay saved (otherwise that would be conditional security) but the saints persevering as a result of being saved. The acronym TULIP wasn’t invented by John Calvin. Rather, it was made to summarize what Calvin taught. Calvinism was, according to Charles H. Spurgeon, a nickname given because of what Calvin taught. Yet, Calvin was just a man and the reformers never called themselves reformers, they just wanted to be biblical. The term the perseverance of the saints was made to differentiate fake converts from true ones. Often mistaken as works salvation, it isn’t since the focus is the result of salvation that comes out of authentic faith.
Hebrews 12:2 talks about looking unto Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith. It was that for joy and love that was set before Him, endured the cross. John Piper’s devotional on June 28 says that what faith performs is sometimes unspeakably hard. Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith, talks about the heroes who, by faith, did what was difficult. James 2:14-26 differentiates the authentic faith vs. a phony faith. Faith without resulting in works is inauthentic. Yet today, we have this teaching creeping in the churches today that says that people can get saved and never change. How can Jesus be the author and finisher of the faith, leave saved people barren?
If there’s any reason why the saints persevere, it’s the result of preservation. This is what preachers like John F. MacArthur and Paul David Washer are stressing out. These guys were falsely accused to teach works salvation by the easy believism crowd. What they emphasize is that true faith continues. A false faith can only profess but never bear fruit. Meanwhile, true faith bears fruit even if it starts out rather minuscule. The parable of the sower mentions the production yield was either a hundred, sixty, or thirty. Thirty percent yield? That’s very small and yet God is merciful to preserve those who didn’t bear as much fruit.
John 15:1-8 tells us about the two types of branches. I can’t buy the interpretation that the fruitless branches are still Christians. The fire can only represent Hell. If the branch isn’t bearing much fruit, it has to be pruned. The pruning comes in the form of God’s chastising either through common difficulties in life, persecution (which often, ironically can make timid Christians bold), and any way possible to get the thirtyfold bearing to bear more fruit. Pruning is done so it will bear much fruit. Hebrews 12 deals with God’s discipline. Pruning is never a pleasant experience. However, it bears much peaceable fruit.
As a Calvinist now, I’m going to insist that TULIP is all about God’s grace. I persevere not to be saved or to stay saved. I persevere because I’m saved. I may fail to persevere but I can’t fall away completely. The preservation will lead to perseverance. The fruit of good works is inevitable. Even non-Calvinist brethren can agree with me on this, “Only fake converts will think they can sin after salvation. Truly saved people don’t.”
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