#777 1689 Confession Perseverance Of The Saints

17:1 Those God has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect can neither totally nor finally fall from a state of grace. They will certainly persevere in grace to the end and be eternally saved, because the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. Therefore, He still brings about and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope and all the graces of the Spirit that lead to immortality. Even though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet these things will never be able to move the elect from the foundation and rock to which they are anchored by faith. The felt sight of the light and love of God may be clouded and obscured from them for a time through their unbelief and the temptations of Satan. Yet God is still the same; they will certainly be kept by the power of God for salvation, where they will enjoy their purchased possession. For they are engraved on the palms of His hands, and their names have been written in the book of life from all eternity. 

27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.… John 10: 27-29

…5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.… Philippians 1: 5-7

who have deviated from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already occurred, and they undermine the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.” 20 A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.… 2 Timothy 2: 18-20

18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. 20 You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.… 1 John 2: 18-20

31 if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments, 32 I will attend to their transgression with the rod, and to their iniquity with stripes. 33 But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.… Psalm 89: 31-33

31 Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 33 So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.… 1 Corinthians 11: 31-33

6 “Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. 7 Yet from the days of your fathers, you have turned away from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of Hosts. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’… Malachi 3: 6-7

17:2 This perseverance of the saints does not depend on their own free will but on the unchangeableness of the decree of election, which flows from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father. It is based on the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with Him, the oath of God, the abiding of His Spirit, the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace. The certainty and infallibility of their perseverance is based on all these things. 

29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined He also called; those He called He also justified; those He justified He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?… Romans 8: 29-31

…11 Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, 12 not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”…
…14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.… Romans 9: 11-16

“A woman once said to Mr. Spurgeon, ‘I cannot understand why God should say that He hated Esau.’ ‘That,’ Spurgeon replied, ‘is not my difficulty, madam. My trouble is to understand how God could love Jacob.’” (Newell)

…9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10 For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.… Romans 5: 9-11

…18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while, the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.… John 14: 18-20

…17 So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. 18 Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,… Hebrews 6: 17-19

…8 The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.… 1 John 3: 8-10

…39 I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will never turn away from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.… Jeremiah 32: 39-41

17:3 They may fall into grievous sins and continue in them for a time, due to the temptation of Satan and the world, the strength of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of means of their preservation. In so doing, they incur God's displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit; their graces and comforts become impaired; their hearts are hardened and their consciences wounded; they hurt and scandalize others and bring temporary judgments on themselves. Nevertheless, they will renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end. 

70 But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”…
…73 After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said, “for your accent gives you away.” 74 At that, he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.… Matthew 26: 70-75

…4 From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. 5 You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins? 6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.… 

7 No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and made us melt in the hand of our iniquity. 8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand. 9 Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!… Isaiah 64: 4-9

29 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.… Ephesians 4: 29-31

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.… Psalm 51: 10-12

…3 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah… Psalm 32: 3-5

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have treated the LORD with utter contempt, the son born to you will surely die.” 15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.… 2 Samuel 12: 13-15

31 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon , that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”… Luke 22: 31-33

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. 63 The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.… Luke 22: 61-63