"I would find more holiness in her than to glory in." John Calvin, Institutes of the
need for self-examination regarding the issue of security (CL). According to Hodges, the security is faith and vice versa and no other is necessary. evidence of regeneration. Assume that the great reformer taught it. same.
However, regardless of what the prospects were Calvino, in terms of faith, it is certain that he would not have supported this kind of soteriology that denies lordship. Calvin wrote: 'We must be careful Do not separate what the Lord has joined together perpetually. So what? That to the men are taught that it is impossible for them to be considered just by the merits of Christ without being renewed by His Spirit for a holy life. God does not receive anyone in its favor if at the same time it does not turn it into truly just" Henry Beveridge and Jules Bonnet, eds., Selected Works of John Calvin, 7 vols. (reprint, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1983) 3:246 (emphasis added). [Faith] is not a mere knowledge that flutters around. , [rather it] comes accompanied by a vivid feeling that finds its seat in the heart" Ibíd., 250.
7.John Owen's writings on security are a refreshing exception to this rule. Cf. Sinclair B. Ferguson, John Owens on the Christian Life (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1987), 99-124.
8. Faith... if it depended on works, it would lack all value, since neither the "I would find more holiness in her than to glory in." John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian religion, trans. Cipriano de Valera (Rijswijk: Ed. Foundation of Reformed Literature, 1999), I:568.
9.Bob Wilkin, 'Putting the Gospel Debate in Sharper Focus', The Grace Evangelical Society News (May 1991), 1.
10.The security separate from sanctification is the essence of antinomianism, which is often the result of an exaggerated emphasis in security as the essence of faith. Already at the beginning of the 19th century, Charles Hodge observed that trend: 'Those who make certainty the essence of Faith generally reduces faith to a mere intellectual assent. Sometimes they are rigidly strict, refusing to recognize as brothers those who do not they agree with them; and sometimes they are antinomians" Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, vol. II (Terrassa, Barcelona: CLIE, 1991), 325.
Berkhof, despite recognizing the danger of antinomianism, saw without an embargo that one could take the position that security is of the essence of faith, but keeping that perspective in balance. He wrote: 'Against It should be maintained that this secure knowledge belongs to the Roman. essence of faith; and in opposition to theologians such as Sandeman, Wardlaw, Alexander, Chalmers and others, that a mere intellectual acceptance of the truth is not the whole of faith" Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Challenge Books, 2005), 635.
11.In its New Testament context, the word [security] has referencias tanto objetivas como subjetivas. Las objetivas denotan el apoyo of the trust and certainty of the believer... As objective support, the security It refers to the experience of the believer... Inner security can be tested by moral and spiritual signs (cf. e.g. 1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 4:17; 1 Jn. 2:3-5, etc.) through which we know that we are in the truth and that our hearts are assured before God (1 Jn. 3:19)" H. D. McDonald, 'Assurance', The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1978), 79.
12.Juan Calvino,Institución de la religión cristiana,trad. Cipriano de Valera (Rijswijk: Foundation Ed. of Reformed Literature, 1999), I:608.
13.Ibíd, I:608-609.
14.The foundations of security are more objective than subjective; not they are as much within us as outside of us. Therefore, the basis of the security must rest on sufficient objective evidence" Robert F. Boyd, 'Assurance', Baker's Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1960), 70.
15.John Owen, The Works of John Owen, 16 vols. (reprint, London: Banner of Truth, 196), 6:549.
16.Ibid., 6:605.
17.The test that Juan is suggesting here is virtually identical to the self-examination that Paul was inviting to in 2 Cor. 13:5: Does Jesus Christ live in you? how about you?
18.Owen, The Works of John Owen, 6:397.
19.Ibíd., 6:396.
20.Ibid., 6:398.
21.Ibíd., 6:397.
22.For a more comprehensive discussion about security, see John MacArthur, Salvos without a doubt, trans. Nancy S. Fernández (Grand Rapids, MI: Spokesman, 2015.
Chapter 11
SAVED BY THE POWER OF GOD
In order to place the doctrine of perseverance in its correct perspective, it is It is necessary to know what it does not mean. It does not mean that everyone who professes faith in Christ and being accepted as a believer in the communion of saints be sure for all eternity and that I can maintain the certainty of salvation eternal. The Lord himself, when he was on earth, warned his followers about those Jews who believed in him: "If they remain faithful to my teachings, they will truly be my disciples; and they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free. will make free" (John 8:31, 32). He established a criterion by which it should be distinguish the true disciples, and this criterion consists of remaining faithful to the teachings of Jesus.
1 JOHNMURRAY
If there is any character in the New Testament prone to failure, it was
Simon Peter, for judging by the biblical record, none of the disciples of our Lord (excluding Judas, the traitor) stumbled more often or more miserably than him. Peter was the disciple who made the most mistakes and seemed to have the rare ability to say the worst at the most inadequate. He was impulsive, erratic, wavering; sometimes cowardly and at others weak, some even extremist. On several occasions, he deserved reprimands from part of the Lord, although none as severe as that recorded in Matthew 16:23: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me because you do not... you think of the things of God, but of those of men." That happened almost immediately after the climax in Peter's experience with Christ in whom he confessed "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" (Matt. 16:16).
The life of Peter illustrates another more important biblical truth: the power protector of God. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus hinted at
Pedro the spiritual battle behind the scenes for the soul of this: 'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I... I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned, strengthen your brothers. "brothers" (Luke 22:31, 32, emphasis added).
Pedro trusted in his willingness to stay with Jesus no matter what. outside the cost, that's why he said to the Lord: 'Lord, I am ready to go with you even' "to prison and to death" (v. 33). Jesus, however, knew the truth, and sadly she said to Pedro: "Pedro, I tell you that the rooster will not crow today before that you have denied three times that you know me" (v. 34).
Did Peter fail? Absolutely. Was his faith knocked down? Never. Jesus himself he was interceding on behalf of Peter and his prayers were answered.
Did you know that our Lord intercedes in the same way for everyone? authentic believers? We can glimpse the way he prays in John 17:11: I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one. as we are" (emphasis added). And continues saying:
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is Truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I have also sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, so that they too may be sanctified in the truth. But I do not pray only for these but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one just as you, Oh Father, in me and I in you, that they also may be in us; so that the World believes that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you have given me. that they may be one, just as we are one. I in them and you in me, so that that they may be perfectly united; so that the world may know that you have sent me sent, and that you have loved them as you have loved me
JOHN 17:15-23, EMPHASIS ADDED.
Look at why the Lord was praying: so that the believers would be protected from the power of the wicked and sanctified by the Word, so that they would share in their sanctification and their glory and be perfected in the unity with Christ and with one another. He was praying that they would persevere in the faith.
Was our Lord only praying for the eleven faithful disciples? No, since it explicitly includes all believers of generations but do not pray only for these but also for those who have
to believe in me through their word" (v. 20). That includes everyone. true Christians, even in our days!
The Lord himself continues with his intercessory ministry for the believers, even while you read these words: the Reina-Valera 1960 translates Hebrews 7:25 for which he is also able to save perpetually those who through him acercan a Dios, viviendo siempre para interceder por ellos"; y la ReinaValera 2015 as 'For this reason you can also completely save those who for' through him they approach God, since he lives forever to intercede for them" (emphasis added).
Completely saved
All true believers will be completely saved because the the ministry of Christ as High Priest guarantees it. We have been justified, we are being sanctified and we will be glorified, and no a true believer will not lose any stage of the process, even in this life. we will meet at different points along the way.
This truth has historically been known as the perseverance of the saints, and no doctrine has been so attacked by the theology of denial of the lordship. It was to be expected, because the doctrine of perseverance is antithetical to the entire system of the negation of lordship. In fact, what they pejoratively labeled as 'lordly salvation' is nothing but this same doctrine!
Perseverance means that "those who have true faith cannot lose it". neither completely nor finally lose , which reflects God's promise for 2
through Jeremiah: "I will make with them an everlasting covenant; I will not cease to do them..." Well. I will put my fear in their hearts, so that they do not depart from me. (32:40, emphasis added).
Esto contradice categóricamente el concepto dentro de la negación del the lordship that faith can evaporate leaving 'believers' who no longer believe (cf. USTG), in addition to opposing the radical teaching of denial of the lordship of which authentic Christians can decide to "abandon" the spiritual growth process (CL) and "stop confessing Christianity" It is the opposite pole of the type of theology that turns faith into a "historic moment", an "action" that is done only once to secure heaven, but does not offer any guarantee that the earthly life of the 'believer' will be
transformed (CL).
Perseverance was defined by the Westminster Confession of Faith those whom God has accepted in His Beloved, and who have been effectively called and sanctified by His Spirit, cannot fall either totally not definitely from a state of grace, but they certainly must be persevere in him until the end, and they will be saved eternally" (chapter 17, section I).
The truth does not deny the possibility of miserable failures in experience. Christian. The Confession also states:
Nevertheless, it is possible that believers, due to the temptations of Satan and the world, due to the prevalence of corruption that remains in them, and due to negligence of the means for their preservation, fall into serious sins; and for some time they remain in them; for which they will attract God's displeasure; they will grieve His Holy Spirit; they will be excluded to some extent from your graces and comforts; they will have hardened hearts; and their wounded consciences; they will hurt and they will scandalize others, and bring upon themselves temporary judgments (section III).
In Chapter 8, we already addressed the reality of sin in the experience of believer, so it should be clear that the theology of lordship does not include the idea of perfectionism. However, the people who have delved into the teaching of the denial of lordship is often confused in as far as perseverance is concerned.
A Christian layman who had accepted the teaching of denial of my lord wrote me a seventeen-page letter, drafted with much education, explaining his rejection of the doctrine of lordship. His complaint is that the the theology of lordship 'seems to allow nothing other than a Christian life highly successful.
Zane Hodges makes a similar accusation:
The conviction that every Christian will live a basically life until the end Success is an illusion that is not backed by instruction and warnings. of the New Testament. It is not surprising that those who do not perceive this aspect de la revelación del Nuevo Testamento hayan empobrecido su capacidad para to motivate both themselves and other believers. Tragically, often they fall again into the technique of questioning the salvation of those whose lives do not they seem to meet the biblical standards, but in doing so they are weakening the foundation for the believer's security and taking part (although in a way involuntary) in the harassment of the gospel . 3
No defender of lordship salvation that I know teaches that every Christian will live a basically successful life until the end, Professor Hodges is right in stating that the New Testament does not supports such a concept.
John Murray, in defending the doctrine of perseverance, acknowledged the difficulties that this presents: "Experience, observation, history biblical and certain passages of Scripture seem to provide very strong arguments convincing arguments against the doctrine that has been called 'the perseverance of the saints? Isn't the biblical record, as well as the history of the church, full of examples of those who shipwrecked their faith? . 4 Surely the Bible seems to be full of warnings to the people of the church. so that he does not fall (cf. Heb. 6:4-8; 1 Tim. 1:18, 19; 2 Tim. 2:16-19), which according to Zane Hodges, proof that Christians can fall: 'If someone thinks that true Christians cannot renounce, has not been paying attention attention to the Bible. It needs to return to the New Testament, this time with the "open eyes" (CL).
God, however, does not contradict Himself, which is why the warning passages ... do not deny the many promises that affirm that believers will persevere: But anyone who drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again but the water that I will give him will be in him a fountain of water springing up for life eternal (John 4:14, emphasis added) I am the bread of life. He who comes to me 5
He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never thirst. "Until you lack no gift, while you wait for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, he will confirm them until the end, so that they may be irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is God, through to whom they were called to the communion of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly complete; that all of their being —both spirit, soul, and body— be kept spotless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he who He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:23, 24, emphasis added); They went out from among us, but they were not of us; for if they had been They would have stayed with us. But they went out so that it would be. it is evident that not all were of us" (1 Jn. 2:19, emphasis added); "And to the one who is powerful to keep them from falling and to present them irrefutable before His glory with great joy; to the only God, our Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, be the glory, the majesty, the
dominion and authority before all ages, now and forever centuries. Amen" (Jude 24, 25, emphasis added).
Charles Horne observed: "It is remarkable that when Judas urges us to to keep ourselves in the love of God (v. 21) conclude with a doxology directed to him who is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless in the presence of his glory (v. 24). The warning passages are means used by God in our lives in order to fulfill the purposes of His grace . 6 We could add that the warning passages like verse 21 of Judas reveal that the writers of the Bible have always been very willing to alert those whose salvation could be based on a spurious faith. Evidently, the apostolic authors were not deluding themselves some of each of the people in the churches they were in were written converted authentic (cf. CL).
Saved once, saved forever?
It is vital that we understand what the biblical doctrine of perseverance is. It does not mean that the people who 'receive Christ' can live from the way they please without fear of hell. The expression 'security' "eternal" is often used in this sense, and the same goes for "except". "once saved, always saved." R. T. Kendall, in his defense of this last one expression, thus defines its meaning: 'The person who truly believes once Jesus rose from the dead and is confessed as Lord, he goes to go to heaven when I die, but that's not all: that person will go to heaven when I die regardless of the works (or lack thereof) that accompany that faith Kendal declares: "I hope no one takes this as a 7
attack on the Westminster Confession because it is not . But if it is 8 exactly that! Kendall is specifically attacking the claim of Westminster believes that faith cannot fail, for it believes that it can be. described as a unique look: "We just have to see it as it carries with the sinned once to be saved . 9 This is a large-scale assault on the doctrine of perseverance defended. by the Westminster Confession, but worse, it perverts it itself. Writing. Unfortunately, it is a perspective that has come to to have a widespread acceptance among the Christians of our time.
John Murray, noticing this trend almost forty years ago, he defended the expression 'perseverance of the saints':
It is not advisable for this doctrine to be replaced with the designation 'Security of the believer," not because the latter is wrong, but because the former the formula has been drafted in a much more careful and inclusive manner. It is not it is true to say that the believer is sure of his salvation no matter how much he sins and is unfaithful.
Why is it not true? It is not true because it declares an impossible combination. It is true that the believer sins; they can commit a serious sin and wander astray. a long time. But it is also true that a believer cannot give themselves up to sin; cannot remain under the dominion of sin; cannot become guilty of certain kinds of infidelity. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to say that a the believer is sure of their salvation regardless of their later life of sin and infidelity. The truth is that faith in Jesus Christ is always dependent. from a life of holiness and faithfulness. And, therefore, it is never appropriate to think of a believer apart from their fruits of faith and holiness. To say that a believer is secure, Whatever the degree of your addiction to sin in your life as a believer, it is theft. the faith in Christ of its own definition, and promote that abuse that turns the grace of God in libertinism. The doctrine of perseverance is one that affirms that believers persevere. It is not that they will be saved apart from their perseverance or continuity, but their perseverance will be something certain. By consequently, the security they possess is inseparable from their perseverance. Isn't it Is this what Jesus said? 'But he who endures to the end will be saved.' (Matt. 24:13).
Let us not take refuge in our laziness nor promote our sinful nature based on the distorted perspective of the doctrine of the security of the believer. Rather, let us appreciate this doctrine and acknowledge that we can maintain our security in Christ as long as we let us stand firm in faith and holiness . 10
Any doctrine of eternal security that overlooks perseverance It will be distorting the very doctrine of salvation. Heaven without holiness ignore all the purpose for which God chose and redeemed us:
God chose us for this very purpose: "In the same way, he chose us in him [Christ] from before the foundation of the world so that we would be holy and without spot before him" (Eph. 1:4). We were predestined to be made conforming to to the image of Christ in all his immaculate purity (Rom. 8:29), a decision divine that assures us that we will be like him when he comes (1 John 3:2). From this Indeed, Juan deduces that everyone who has this hope purifies himself accordingly. as Christ is pure (1 John 3:3). His use of the phrase 'everyone' ensures that the
those who do not purify themselves will not see Christ nor will they become like him, since by their the lack of holiness shows that they were not predestined for that. From this In this way, the apostle delivers a fatal blow to antinomianism. . 11
Thus, God's own holiness requires that we persevere: 'Grace God ensures our perseverance, but that does not mean that this perseverance stop being ours We cannot reach "the prize of 12 supreme calling of God in Christ Jesus" unless we continue "to the "meta" (Phil. 3:14), but when we focus on our "salvation with fear and "tremor" (Phil. 2:12) we discover that "God is the one who works in [us] both the wanting and the doing to fulfill his good will" (v. 13).
The result of your faith
Perhaps no apostle has understood the protective power of God in the the life of an inconsistent believer like Peter, whom God had preserved and helped to mature through all kinds of blunders and failures (among them serious sins and concessions) even denial repeated of the Lord accompanied by curses and oaths! (Mat. 26:6975). Peter, however, was kept in the faith by the power of God despite of his own mistakes, which is why it is appropriate that he was the instrument used by the Holy Spirit to put this glorious promise in writing:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his greatness mercy has made us born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; for an incorruptible inheritance, incorruptible and unfading reserved in the heavens for you, who are guarded by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the final time. In this they rejoice, despite the fact that for now, if it is necessary, may be temporarily distressed by various trials, so that the test of your faith —more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested with fire —may it be found worthy of praise, glory, and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ. They love him without having seen him. They believe in him and, although they do not see him now, believing in him they rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, obtaining thus the end of their faith: the salvation of his life.
1PEDRO 1:3-9
Peter was writing to the believers scattered throughout Asia Minor, who were facing a horrible persecution that had begun in
Rome was spreading throughout the Roman Empire. After the the fire of the city of Rome, Nero blamed the Christians for the disaster and suddenly the believers became the object of a tremendous persecution everywhere. These people feared for their lives and had fear of failure if their faith was put to the test.
Pedro wrote them this letter to encourage them, which is why he reminded them that they were foreigners in this world, citizens of the sky, a royal aristocracy, children of God, residents of a kingdom that is not of this world, living stones, a holy priesthood and the people acquired by God. He told them that they did not have to to fear threats or be intimidated, that they should not be disturbed by the hostility of the world and that they should not be afraid when they suffer.
Why? Because Christians are "guarded by the power of God. through faith." Instead of giving them doses of understanding and compassion, Pedro pointed out their absolute certainty as believers. He knew that they could end up losing all their earthly possessions and even their lives, but wanted that they would know they would never lose what they had in Christ and that their inheritance celestial was guaranteed. They were being protected by divine power and her faith would bear everything, so they would persevere through their trials and in the end they would be found worthy: their love for Christ would remain intact. Aun ahora, en medio de sus dificultades, Dios proveería la liberación spiritual they needed, according to their eternal plan. The six means of The perseverance that follows summarizes the way in which God sustains each one. Cristiano.
We are born again to a living hope
God... has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; for an inheritance incorruptible, untainted, and unfading reserved in the heavens for you all" (vv. 3, 4). Every Christian is born again for a hope long live, that is to say, a hope that lives forever, a hope that does not he can die. Pedro seems to be contrasting with mere hope. human, which is always a dying or dead hope. The hopes and human dreams inevitably dissipate and come to an end disappointing us, hence Paul told the Corinthians: 'If only in in this life we have had hope in Christ, we are the most miserable of
all men!" (1 Cor. 15:19). This living hope in Christ cannot to die and God guarantees that it will finally come to a complete fulfillment, total, glorious and eternal: 'We have hope as an anchor of life, sure and firm" (Heb. 6:19).
It has clear implications beyond the antinomian concept of eternal security. Once again, the question is not only whether Christians they are saved forever and are safe from hell "no matter what it means more than that: our hope does not die and our Faith will not fail. This is the heart of the doctrine of perseverance.
This passage, however, does teach eternal security as well, for we are guaranteed "an incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance" reserved in the heavens" (v. 4). Unlike everything in this life, that can be corrupted, spoiled, aged, oxidized, corroded, to be stolen or losing its value, our heavenly inheritance is reserved for we where remains incorruptible, uncontaminated and unfading. Our complete inheritance, which will one day be the culmination of our living hope, is 'reserved in the heavens', 'not like a reservation of hotel that can be canceled unexpectedly, otherwise as something permanent, that cannot change . 13
Have you noticed that we have already received part of that inheritance? Ephesians 1:13, 14 says: "Having believed in him, they were sealed with the Spirit Saint who had been promised, who is the guarantee of our inheritance for the redemption of what was acquired, for the praise of his glory" (cf. 2 Cor. 1:22; The word 'guarantee' in verse 14 comes from the Greek term arrabōn, what does 'deposit, advance' mean: when a person believes for the first time, the Holy Spirit moves to your heart and becomes the deposit or a deposit that guarantees our eternal salvation. It is a down payment on the inheritance. Christian, just as the guarantee that God will complete the work that He has started. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God in whom sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30, emphasis added).
We are kept by the power of God Himself.
[We are] kept by the power of God through faith for salvation "prepared to be revealed at the final time" (v. 5). That is a statement. very rich that guarantees the consummation of the eternal salvation of all
believer. The expression "the salvation to be revealed in the final time" is refers to the complete and final salvation from the curse of the law, from the power and the presence of sin, of all corruption, of every stain of iniquity, of every temptation, sadness, pain, death, punishment, judgment, and anger. God has already He who began the work in us will complete it until the end (cf. Phil. 1:6).
If we examine this sentence closely, we will find the phrase 'They are' saved by the power of God through faith": we are saved by the power of a supreme God, omnipotent, sovereign, omniscient and almighty. The verb tense refers to a continuous action, so that even now we are being saved: 'Neither death nor life nor angels nor neither principalities nor present nor future nor powers nor height nor depth nor neither anything created can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord" (Rom. 8:38, 39); "If God is for us, Who is against us?" (Rom. 8:31); "[He] is able to keep them without fall and to present them faultless before His glory with great joy" (Jud. 24).
Moreover, we are saved through faith. Our persevering faith in Christ. it is the instrument of God's protective work, who did not save us separately neither keeps us away from her. Our faith is a gift from God that He preserves and nourishes through his protective work. The preservation of our faith is his work, just like any other aspect of salvation. Our faith is initiated, guided, preserved, and fortified by the grace of God.
However, to say that faith is a gift of God's grace that he preserves. It does not mean that this operates apart from human will, for it is ours. we: we believe and we stand firm because we are not passive agents in this process. The means by which God preserves our faith demands our full participation. We cannot persevere aside from faith, but only through faith.
We are strengthened by the trial of our faith
They rejoice in this, despite the fact that for now, if necessary, they are momentarily afflicted by various trials so that the testing of your faith more precious than gold that perishes, although it is tested by fire—be found worthy of praise, glory, and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ Ped. 1:6, 7). Here we discover the most important means that God uses to
to preserve our faith: it subjects it to tests.
The brief expression 'in this they rejoice' can catch the reader off guard. distracted. Remember that the recipients of this epistle were facing persecutions that threatened their own lives and feared for their future, but Pedro says: 'In this they rejoice.' How could they rejoice?
Trials bring joy because they strengthen our faith. James said exactly the same: 'My brothers, consider it pure joy whenever you... find in various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (James 1:2, 3). Temptations and trials (which in Greek are the same word) will not weaken or shake true faith but rather all on the contrary, it strengthens them. People who lose faith during a trial they show that they never had true faith, for authentic faith it arises from the strongest tests in life.
The tests themselves are nothing to be happy about and Pedro acknowledges it: "A despite the fact that for now, if necessary, they are momentarily distressed by various tests" (v. 6). They come like a fire to burn the dross of metal, but that's what it's about, since the resulting faith is much more glorious. Once the fire has passed, what remains is a purer, brighter faith. strong.
Who does God test our faith for? For Himself? Is He trying to find out if it is real? Of course not, because you already know. Try our faith for our own benefit, so that we know that our faith is authentic; the test to refine it, strengthen it, and make it mature. What comes out of the crucible is 'more precious than gold' (v. 7), because, unlike this, Faith tested has an eternal value. Gold may perhaps survive the fire of refiner, but does not pass the test of eternity.
Pedro was not filling the ears of these Christians with empty words, for he himself had experienced the accumulated joy resulting from the trial of the persecution: Acts 5:41 says that the Apostles 'departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been deemed worthy of suffer disgrace for the Name" (emphasis added). Is it necessary that Did they also leave with a stronger faith? They had suffered, but their he had passed the test. The great confidence of the believer consists in knowing that your faith is real, so the trials produce that mature faith through the which God protects us.
We are preserved by God for supreme glory
The proof of your faith... may be found worthy of praise, glory, and honor in the revelation of Jesus Christ" (v. 7). Here is a surprising promise: the the final result of our tested faith will be praise, glory, and honor before the appearance of Christ. This praise is directed from God towards the believer, not the other way around! Peter is not talking about us going to to praise, glorify, and honor God, but rather for His approval in our favor.
1 Peter 2:20 says: 'If you endure when you do good and suffer,' "this is indeed acceptable before God." As the lord of the faithful servant, God will say: Well done, good and faithful servant... enter into the joy of your lord Romans 2:29 says: 'A person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that which is of the heart.'
from the heart, in spirit and not in the letter. The praise of such a one does not come from the men but of God" (emphasis added). True faith, examined and tested, receives praise from God.
Look at 1 Peter 1:13, where the apostle writes: 'Therefore, with your mind... prepared to act and being sober, place your hope completely in the grace that is brought to them in the revelation of Jesus Christ." What is that grace? 'Praise, glory, and honor.' In 4:13 it says: 'Rather, rejoice in' to the extent that they share in the sufferings of Christ, so that also in the revelation of his glory rejoice with joy." Paul says: "For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the the glory that will soon be revealed to us" (Rom. 8:18).
Some people misunderstand 1 Peter 1:7 and think that it states that our faith has to wait until the second coming to manifest as authentic; 'The proof of your faith... may be found worthy... in the revelation of Jesus Christ," as if the outcome were uncertain until that day. However, it What that verse actually says is that our faith, already examined and tested As true, is waiting for its eternal reward. Here there is no insecurity, but in reality, it is quite the opposite: we can be sure of the final outcome, because God himself is keeping us through from faith until that day.
We are motivated by love for the Savior
They love him without having seen him. They believe in him, and although they do not see him now, believing in him they rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy" (v. 8). This is a
profound statement about the character of authentic faith. I am convinced I am not mistaken in stating that the two key factors that guarantee our perseverance, from a human point of view, is our love and our trust in the Savior. Peter knew this better than anyone.
After denying Christ, Peter had to meet him face to face and to face the questioning of his love. Jesus asked him three times he loved him, and that deeply saddened him (John 21:17), since for supposedly loved Christ, that's why he returned to him and was restored: Peter's faith was purified through this trial. Here in 1 Peter I see a beautiful humility when Peter praises these suffering believers and says: "To they love him without having seen him. In him they believe, even though they do not see him now." He had to to remember that when he denied Christ he was sufficiently he looked for their eyes to meet (Luke 22:60, 61). Surely the pain from his own failure remained very real in his heart, even after so many years.
A normal relationship implies love and trust for someone to whom we know each other face to face, but Christians love someone they cannot to see, to hear or to touch. It is a supernatural love granted by God: 'We we love because he first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19).
Christians who lack this love do not exist. Peter is saying categorically that loving Jesus Christ is the essence of what it means to be Cristiano (in fact, there would be no better way to describe the expression essential of the new nature that says it is a continuous love for Christ). Remember that 1 Peter 2:7 says 'So for you who believe... "The screen is of utmost value," and consider what Paul said in the last verse. from Ephesians: "Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love" (6:24). Romans 8:28, one of the most known from the Bible, refers to believers as 'those who love Him [ God]," but Paul makes his statement stronger regarding this in 1 1 Corinthians 16:22: "If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed." The theology of the denial of lordship ignores this crucial truth, for consequently today many people whom unfortunately have The love for the Lord Jesus Christ is lacking; a false message is being transmitted to them. hope of heaven. True Christians love Christ because of his love for us produces our love for him (1 John 4:19), which is one of the guarantees that we will persevere to the end (Rom. 8:33-39). Jesus said "If
they love me, they will keep my commandments" (John 14:15) and "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves me" (v. 21), but instead "The He who does not love me does not keep my words" (v. 24).
Those who have dedicated themselves to Christ long to promote His glory and serve Him. with the heart, the soul, the mind, and their strength; they delight in its beauty and them loves to talk and read about him, in addition to having communion with him; they desire know him better and in more depth because their hearts drive them to wanting to be like him. Perhaps, like Peter, they often stumble and fall. pathetically when the sinful flesh attacks their desires for holiness, but Like him, true believers will persevere until the goal is reached. finally reached Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been 14 manifested what we will be. But we know that when he is manifested, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
Robert Leighton said the following in an excellent commentary on 1 Peter written in 1853:
Believe and you will love; believe a lot and you will love a lot; insist on the strong and deep. convictions about the glorious things that Christ spoke to us about, and that will decree more love. If men truly believed in their worth, they would really love it. According to this, because the rational creature cannot avoid affecting everything that in which he firmly believes in order for it to be worthy of his affections. Oh, this incredulous mischief is what makes the heart turn cold and dead for with God! Therefore, try to believe in the excellence of Christ in Himself, in His love for us and in our interest in it, and this will ignite such a fire in your heart that will make it rise in a sacrifice of love for him . 15
Thus, our love for Christ is another of the means that God uses. to ensure our perseverance and that love and faith that accompany it are an indescribable joy, full of glory (1 Pet. 1:8).
We are saved through a faith that works
"Obtaining the end of your faith: the salvation of your soul" (1:9): here Peter It is talking about a present liberation. 'Obtaining' is a verb in present of voice media that could be translated literally as receiving in the present for yourselves." This present salvation is "the end" of our faith, a faith that works. In practical terms, it means a real-time liberation from sin, guilt, condemnation, anger,
ignorance, anguish, confusion, hopelessness (everything that dishonors). Pedro is not referring to the perfect consummation of salvation that mentioned in verse 5.
The salvation presented here in verse 9 is a constant salvation, in present tense. Sin no longer has dominion over us (Rom. 6:14), that's why there is no way we won't manage to persevere. Of course there will be moments when we will falter because not always Everything will be fine. In fact, it will seem that some people experience more. failures than successes, but no true believer can fall into a established incredulity nor in permanent reproach. Allow that possibility is a disastrous misinterpretation of God's protective power in the lives of His chosen ones.
Peter begins his first epistle this way and at the end of it he takes up the theme of perseverance, writing then: "And when they have suffered for a little time, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, He Himself will restore you, support you, strengthen you and he will establish them" (5:10).
Can you grasp the magnitude of this promise? God Himself restores, affirms, strengthens and establishes its children. Although its purposes for the future they imply some pain in the present, nevertheless he will give us grace to to endure and persevere. Even when we are personally attacked by the enemy, we are being personally perfected by God (he is it. doing it himself). He will fulfill his purposes in us, after leading us to the fullness, to settle on solid ground, to make ourselves strong and to establish ourselves upon a firm foundation: all these terms speak of strength, firmness.
The problem of quantification
This question inevitably arises: To what extent must we persevere? Charles Ryrie wrote:
So we read a statement like this: "A moment of failure does not invalidate the credentials of a believer." My immediate reaction to it is to wish ask if two moments would indeed do it. And a week of desertion, or a month, or One year? Or two? How serious does a failure have to be and how much time should it take? last long before we must conclude that that person was not actually saved? the teaching of lordship recognizes that "no one is going to obey perfectly", but the
the crucial question is simply how imperfectly one can obey and still to be sure of having 'believed'...
...We have been told that a moment of defection does not mean an invalidation or that "the true believer will never completely stray away." Could it to separate almost completely, or ninety percent, or fifty percent one hundred and still be sure that he has been saved?...
To tell the truth, all this relativity leaves me in confusion and uncertainty. Any desertion, especially if it is continuous, would make me feel unsure of my salvation; every serious sin or lack of willingness will have the same result. If I arrive at a crossroads in my Christian experience where I choose the wrong path and continue on it, does that mean that in reality I never Was I on the Christian path? How long can I walk without bearing fruit before let a defender of the lordship appear to conclude that I was never really Save? (USTG, emphasis added).
Ryrie suggests that if we cannot precisely define how much failure it is for a Christian, true security becomes impossible. He wants that the terms be quantified: "Could you step aside almost completely, " or ninety percent, or fifty percent?" In other words In this way, Ryrie is suggesting that the doctrines of perseverance and the security are incompatible and surprisingly, wants a doctrine of the security that allows those who have strayed from Christ to feel sure of your salvation.
There are no quantifiable answers to the questions posed by Ryrie. It is it is true that some Christians persist in sin for extended periods of time, but those who do lose their right to true security. "The serious sin or the lack of willingness" should certainly make them the person will carefully contemplate the question of whether they really love the Sir. Those who completely separate (and not completely separate, not even one ninety or fifty percent) show that they never had true faith.
Quantification also poses a dilemma for teaching denial of lordship. Zane Hodges speaks of faith as a 'moment historical." How brief must that moment be? Someone who listens to a a debate between a Christian and an atheist could believe for a moment when I heard the Christian speak, but was immediately pushed back to the doubt or agnosticism due to the arguments of the atheist. Would we classify that as person as a believer? It could be suspected that some of the defenders of the denial of lordship would respond that yes, although that
perspective goes against everything that the Word of God teaches about faith.
Jesus never quantified the terms of his demands, for he always made them Therefore, any of you who does not renounce all things whoever has, cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33); "He who loves father or he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me "He who loves his life will lose it; but the he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25). Although these conditions are impossible in human terms (Mat. 19:26) , that does not alter or mitigate the truth of the gospel and certainly 16
it's also not an excuse to go to the other extreme and get rid of everything need for a commitment to Christ.
Ryrie's comments express another theme that is worth considering, the question of whether the teaching of lordship is inherently critical: 'How much How long can I go without fruit before a defender of the lordship appears? to conclude that I was never really saved?" Zane Hodges does Similar comments: 'The teaching of lordship reserves the right to to strip those who profess to be Christians of their profession of faith and "incorporate them into the rows of the lost" (CL).
It is clear that no individual can judge the heart of another, for a what it means to challenge people to examine themselves (2 Cor. 13:5) and another very different to put oneself in the position of being the judge of another Cristiano (Rom. 14:4, 13; Stg. 4:11).
Sin embargo, aunque los cristianos nunca deben ser críticos, el cuerpo de la the church collectively has the responsibility to maintain purity highlighting those who live in constant sin or abandonment of the faith and distancing them from her. Our Lord gave very specific instructions about how to handle the situation of a believing brother who falls into such sin: first we must deal with him or her privately (Matt. 18:15), but if he refuses to listen then one must "tell it to the church" (v. 17); if the sinner persists in his lack of repentance, he must be considered as gentle and publican" (v. 17). In other words, it must be reached with the evangelize that person to Christ as if they were completely unbelieving.
Este proceso de disciplina es la manera en que Cristo manifiesta su government over the church. He then stated: "Truly I say to you that everything that aten en la tierra habrá sido atado en el cielo, y todo lo que desaten en la tierra it will have been unleashed in heaven. Once again I tell you that, if two of you