Like many, I’ve been digging through material from the John 3:16 conference as well as reading Lemke’s article and the various responses in the Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry. In each of these one thing has continually surprised and perplexed me: the notion that Calvinists believe eternal security is dependent on human works. 

In brief, what is eternal security, or perseverance of the saints? It is the belief that those who truly belong to Christ will not fall away from the faith. One cannot be a Christian one day and no longer a Christian the next. The Scriptural basis for this belief comes from several places. In Philippians 1:6 Paul expresses confidence that God will complete the work begun in believers; Romans 8:29-30 presents several aspects of the Christian life as a definite, continuous chain: those foreknown are predestined then called then justified then glorified; John 6:39 tells us that the will of the Father is that the Son would lose none of those given to him. Security of the believer is a definite notion in Scripture.

Up to this point there is no real disagreement among those who believe in eternal security. The argument seems to be with the idea that those who are secure will persevere in the faith – continue living faithful lives in faith to God. Somehow we are accused of believing in salvation by works. Here is a broader look at eternal security as I – and many other Calvinists and, perhaps, some non-Calvinists – understand it.

Being born again, regenerated, has to mean something. When a person is born again an actual change has taken place in that person’s life. God has done something to that person so that he is no longer dead in his sins but is made alive with Christ. He is no longer a slave to sin. He will sin but he will not “go on sinning” – his life will no longer be a life characterized by sinfulness. Biblical support for this can be found throughout but nowhere is it clearer than in 1 John.

James and Paul also tell us that those who are born again will have the things of God coming from their lives. There will be fruits of the Spirit. Saving faith will produce good works. The Christian life is not just one that avoids doing bad things, it also does good things. A born again person resists sin and is active in obedience to Christ. Not perfectly so, this is why we must be sanctified. Becoming more like Christ is an ongoing process that is never complete this side of Heaven.

If a person is active in his rebellion against God while claiming to be a Christian, where is the evidence for his claim? If his life is characterized by his sin, where is he meeting the expectation of 1 John?

If a person is saved it will be evident in his life and he will persevere in obedience. If he does not persevere, he will not experience the “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). This does not mean he has lost his salvation, this means he was never saved. He had no true change. He was not born again.

A person does not remain born again on the basis of their works, but their works demonstrate that they have been born again. Many can claim to be saved and might live moral lives for a time. If they turn from that claim or turn away from obedience they show their claim was false.

What is the basis of a person’s ability to persevere? A transformed heart and life, filled with strength by the Spirit of God. This is all God’s work. No one can persevere, no one can obey, unless God is at work through him. Without God a man’s every act is sin. Only with God can a person do anything good. Any resisting of sin, any obedience, comes from the grace of God. Any perseverance comes only as a gift of God’s grace.

How can someone claim Calvinists really believe persevering salvation is by human works when Calvinists believe even good works come only by the grace and power of God? If I persevere in obedience and faith it is only because God has transformed me, has regenerated me, has made me be born again (1 Peter 1:3: According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again…).

Thanks be to God who has accomplished everything needed for our salvation.