Safe In The Arms Of Christ

One of the key distinctives of Baptist (and Reformed) theology is "perseverance of the saints" -- or as Baptists like to call it today: "once saved, always saved." I say it's distinct because many denominations don't hold this view, such as the Methodists, Wesleyans, Catholics, Lutherans, Churches of Christ, and the list goes on. This doctrine is one of many that I try to keep in the front of my mind while reading scripture, and this week, I came across a passage that I believe supports the Baptist/Reformed position. Here's John 6:35-40:

³⁵ Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

The key verses start at verse 37. All of those that the Father gives to the Son will come to the Son, and Christ "will never cast out" those who come. Then in verse 39, Jesus says it is the will of the Father that Christ "should lose nothing of all that he has given [him]." Verse 40 reinforces this idea by saying that all who have come to Him will be raised up with Him on the last day.

So, I continue to hold fast to this promise and the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. I don't believe that a true Christian can fall away from God. I believe there's "faith" and then there's "saving faith." We can believe some of these bible stories and work deligantly in our churches for social and moral causes and cry out "Lord, Lord" and never have a saving faith. But, once you have a saving faith, Christ is bound by his perfect service to the Father to "raise [you] up on the last day."