Perseverance of the saints is fine by the definition above IF it said, “…SHOULD continue doing…” Surely we would not say that Perseverance of the saints is doing whatever you want to do whether partying, lying, cheating, etc. which many do whether Calvinists or Christians SO they are NOT persevering hence have turned away from God SO all a Calvinist or Christian can do is say, “Well they were NOT really saved!” I do not take that stand since it is unbiblical and I will show why NOW.
1 Corinthians 5
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
SO in these scriptures I see that this Christian man was having sex with his father’s wife. Paul goes on to say that the believers there were puffed up and were not doing anything about it so Paul tells them when they come together to deliver that believer up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. THAT saint IS NOT preserving so Paul is going to give him over to the destroyer for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved.
NOW that is pretty heavy, to say the least. But let’s find out more on this Christian who was living in deliberate sin.
6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
Paul deals with this Christian man again in his second epistle telling them to forgive him because they heaped heavy punishment on him for the things he did but now he has a godly sorrow because he repented of his hideous acts.
NOW I want to give a couple more examples using a few other Christians.
II Timothy 4
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
In this scripture we see that Demas loved the world more than the things of God so he left the faith once delivered to the saints.
Col 1:21-23
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Paul is showing here that the truths of being found holy, unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of the Lord is CONTINUING in the faith, staying with the Lord, walking daily in his Spirit. He is NOT saying, “Okay, you received the Lord 20 years ago and you haven’t sought him out in the last 5 years BUT you are still alright because what you did 20 years ago was a genuine act of salvation, you meant it and you were made a new creature in Jesus Christ.”
That sounds good to many BUT it is not biblical, the truth is in verse 23 which says,
A believer is one who believes. If you are still believing what you confessed years ago then your life will show it. JUST as IF you quit believing your life will show that too. If you have a daily relationship, fellowship with the Lord you will definitely know it as well as the ones you talk with daily will know it.
In closing, do I believe in perseverance of the saints? Sure IF they are submitting to God and resisting the devil then they are persevering? IF they are not doing those two things then they are NOT persevering. By the way, a saint of God is one who has been truly born again by the blood of Jesus Christ by repenting and receiving the Lord of Glory into his life. God is working on people all the time and if you know he is dealing with you then answer his call and receive him into your life. He loves you ever so much. If you REALLY received him as your Lord and Saviour, you will definitely KNOW it and so will others.