Perseverance in anything is not automatic. It certainly does not come automatically in the Christian faith. That’s why there are so many instructions in the Bible about persevering in trials, enduing difficulties, being patient in suffering, running the race, and abiding in Christ. Assurance is not gained by persevering. Persevering in trials by faith is often the result of having assurance. It’s the result of knowing that in Christ I am totally accepted by God (Eph. 1:6).

A lack of assurance is often caused by a misunderstanding of one’s position in Christ. When a person trusts in Christ to save them, he or she receives everlasting life. They have passed from death to life (John 5:24). The very perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to the sinner (II Cor. 5:21). The Holy Spirit immediately seals the believer until the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30). The new believer belongs to God. He has become a child of God (John 1:12). And he or she is kept safe in their new position in Christ (I Peter 1:5; John 10:28). Even a lack of perseverance in faith cannot affect their position as a child of God. Lot, Saul, Solomon, and Demas are examples of saved men who failed to persevere.

Assurance and perseverance are both rooted in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although you can suck it up and persevere in the old nature (even unbelievers persevere some immense difficulties), Biblical perseverance is a result of dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit for the strength to endure in faith. It’s not a result of you or me trying to do something for God. If you or I are anxious or fearful or bitter about life’s circumstance, we may be persevering, but we are not persevering in faith. Persevering in faith comes by resting in Him and His word, trusting Him in the moments of time and the circumstances of life. It’s resting in the Lord, trusting in Him for the outcome. It’s learning to be content in whatever state I am (Phil. 4:11). Therefore, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).  

A person who believes the gospel is immediately delivered from the penalty of sin. He is justified by faith; declared righteous in his positional standing with God. But justification never guarantees that a believer will persevere to the end of life in faith and good works. People teach that; the Bible doesn’t.

The Bible does encourage believers to persevere so that they won’t be barren and unfruitful (II Peter 1:5-8). The writer of Hebrews encouraged them to “not cast away your confidence which has great reward” (Heb. 10:35). They needed to endure the trial which would result in a great reward.

Reward is distinct from a gift. Everlasting life is a gift (Rom 3:23). A gift is not earned. It is freely offered with no strings attached. If there are qualifiers to a gift, it is no longer a gift but an exchange. For example, if I gave you a car and in return required you to give me a ride whenever I need it, the car would not be a gift but an exchange for a service. Gifts cost nothing. However, reward is earned by faithfully following the Lord. Reward is only possible for believers. Unbelievers cannot earn reward because they do not have a relationship with God.

The Hebrew Christians already had “an enduring possession in heaven” that could not be lost (Heb. 10:34). They needed to hang in there to receive a great reward. It would glorify God and be good for them. Since they were already citizens of heaven, they were not being encouraged to persevere so they would go to heaven.

Everlasting life is not a reward for faithfulness. It’s a gift offered freely by God to anyone who believes the gospel. It’s received by faith and last forever. If everlasting life could be taken away, it wouldn’t be everlasting, would it? It would be temporary until you did something that caused God to remove it. And it also wouldn’t be a gift then, if it could be taken away.

As Christians we should encourage one another to hang in there. Life is difficult. God allows trials in our life. We can never grow to spiritual maturity if we give up and quit. You and I can never lose everlasting life, but in the end we will have failed to glorify God if we fail to persevere in the trials of life by faith.

Many well-meaning teachers proclaim that a true believer will persevere in faith and good works to the end of life. But if one must persevere in faith and good works, then it would be impossible to know that we will end up in heaven. You could never know until the day you died, if you did enough or was faithful enough. And that violates Scripture that tells us we can know (I John 5:13).

This teaching often comes from incorrectly understanding the distinction between justification and sanctification.  A person who understands the gospel and believes it is saved immediately from the penalty of sin (Eternal separation from God). Their destiny has changed. They are now destined for heaven. Justification occurs in the court room of God where He pronounces a guilty sinner not guilty. Once you’re saved you can never perish, and no one can snatch you out of God’s hand (John 10:28).

There are numerous examples of people in the Bible who believed and were saved immediately. Someone heard the gospel, they believed it, and they immediately became a citizen of heaven. The Philippian jailer is one example (Acts 16:30, 31).  Cornelius, a Gentile, is another example (Acts 10:34-48). At the preaching of Peter, “The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

Sanctification requires perseverance; not justification. If one is to grow spiritually, it will require perseverance. Believers should persevere and not give up. But that is different for every believer. And there are consequences for failing to persevere in faith and good works. But a lack of perseverance will never prevent a born again believer from entering into God’s presence. Learn to discern the distinction and rest completely in the assurance of your salvation by faith alone in Christ alone!

In the last post Abel was identified as the very first prophet. He prophesied of a coming Messiah (Christ) that would die for sin and rise from the dead. The purpose was to fulfill God’s promise to Adam and Eve of a Deliverer who would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3).

God immediately taught Adam and Eve that an innocent victim would have to die for the guilty. That was a consequence of disobedience, often referred to as sin.  The result of Adam’s sin was death. Death in the Bible refers to separation. In Adam and Eve’s case, they immediately experienced relational death with God. Their disobedience resulted in fear, guilt, and shame causing them to hide from Him. They had lost their relationship with God. They were no longer righteous in their standing with Him.

But God in His infinite mercy and grace came looking for them. They had sewn fig leaves together to cover themselves. It was the works of their hands. But God offered to them skins of an animal, picturing a future substitutionary sacrificial Victim. The ultimate substitutionary Victim would be the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).  It would be His work on their behalf because He is the only acceptable covering – His robe of righteousness (Is. 61:10).

Anyone from the beginning of time could be restored to fellowship with God by faith in His provision. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). 

In the third chapter of Assurance of Heaven, I demonstrate from Scripture how simple God made it to be restored to fellowship with Himself. Its people that make it complicated and convoluted by adding to the gospel.  In following posts we’ll look at some wrong gospels that cause Christians to lack assurance.