John 10:22-30

Series Summary: This is the last of a four part series entitled The Depths of Grace in which we’ve been examining our Reformed doctrine of grace through the lens of what are commonly called the “Five Points” of Calvinism. These five doctrines, often summarized by the acronym TULIP, are: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints (those following Jim Osterhouse’s book will note he re-titles these doctrines to give the acronym FAITH). Together these doctrines articulate the Biblical emphasis on how we can be completely assured of our salvation because it depends not at all on what we’ve done but entirely on what God has done for us.
This Week’s Message: This week we’ll look at the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints. This doctrine refers to the commitment of God to ensure that those he has chosen for eternal life never fall away from him. It’s often summarized by the phrase “Once saved, always saved.” That’s why some have preferred to call it the “Preservation” of the Saints–since the emphasis is on what God does, and not what “the saints” do. We “persevere” only because God “preserves.” Although God’s children are still capable of grievous sins and of wandering away from him for a time, God ensures that we cannot finally fall away from him entirely and lose our salvation.