“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
(John 10:28)
The perseverance of the saints rests in the reality that they are born of God and that nothing can separate them from Christ. Indeed, true beginnings of grace cannot end, because the grace that begins their spiritual life also secures its continuance.[1]
Christ gives this assurance in the strongest terms: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” It would be little consolation to know that neither Satan nor wicked men could take Christ’s sheep from His hand if their remaining sin could finally remove them from His keeping. The promise therefore includes preservation not only from enemies without but also from corruption within which, if left unrestrained, would bring the soul to ruin.
Where the foundation of true grace has been soundly laid, temptations may come, failures may be grievous, fears may be strong, and spiritual comforts may be disrupted, yet none of these overturn the foundation God Himself has established. The believer may be terribly shaken without being finally overwhelmed. Perseverance of the saints does not hang on an uncertain future achievement by which present grace will someday be proved genuine.
Perseverance does not make grace true; true grace produces perseverance. Continuance in faith and obedience manifests the reality of discipleship, it does not create that reality. Christ’s words concerning those who continue in His Word show that perseverance reveals the genuineness of grace already given. As a wheel turns because it is round rather than turning in order to become round, so the true believer perseveres because God has instilled within him genuine spiritual life.
Christ is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith. The grace that lays the foundation also raises the building and completes it. Believers therefore need to continually pray to be kept, taught, strengthened, preserved from temptation, and increased in faith because perseverance depends on the ongoing assistance of Christ.
Scripture makes it clear that preservation of the believer does not derive from an indestructible power inherent in grace apart from God. Adam possessed holiness and fell; the apostate angels possessed created integrity but did not continue in it. Rather, the security of believers lies in the faithfully attending, preserving power of Christ.
Contemplations:
- Your Hand Is Stronger Than Every Enemy. I adore You because the safety of Your sheep rests in Your hand. Satan cannot tear us away, and no amount of evil can destroy the spiritual life You have given. Even the corruption remaining within us cannot finally overthrow Your preserving purpose. You hold Your people, and You do not let go.
- What You Begin You Finish. You are the Author and Finisher of my faith. The same power that quickened me continues to sustain me. The same Christ who brings His people into spiritual life keeps them through every stage until the work is completed. Let me look to You continually, not only as the One who began salvation, but as the One who finishes it.
- My Wavering Does Not Mean the Foundation Has Failed. Temptations can rattle me and fears can disturb me, still You are able to preserve Your grace in me. Keep me from measuring Your preserving power by the intensity of present trouble. And let every test deepen my dependence on You.
- Your Preservation Makes Me More Watchful. You promise that Your sheep will never perish, but that does not give me permission to be spiritually lazy. You preserve me through holy fear, vigilance, prayer, obedience, and my continual use of Your appointed means. I adore the wisdom by which Your promise strengthens rather than weakens diligence. Make assurance produce watchfulness in me. And let confidence in Your keeping hand make me cling more closely to You rather than presume upon Your grace.
Prayer (Adoration):
Lord Jesus Christ, I adore You as the Shepherd who gives eternal life to His sheep and preserves them so that they shall never perish.
Their security does not depend on their strength, but on Yours. Satan may assault, wicked men may oppose, temptations may shake, and residual sin may rise from within, yet nothing can finally remove those whom You truly hold from Your hand.
Where You have implanted spiritual life, You preserve it. Where You have laid the foundation, You continue building the building. Where You have begun faith, You remain its Finisher.
Keep me from thinking that perseverance is an achievement by which I show grace to be genuine. True grace itself produces perseverance because Your preserving power undergirds it.
I am grateful that You do not save and then leave Your people to themselves. You continually strengthen, teach, restrain, preserve, and uphold them. Every step depends on Your keeping.
Keep me from turning this glorious promise into presumption. Make me watchful, prayerful, diligent, and fearful of sin. Let the certainty of Your preserving grace increase my dependence on You and my careful use of every means You have appointed.
And when I am shaken, remind me that Your hand has not moved. When I am weak, remind me that Your strength has not diminished. When temptation rises, teach me to look outside myself to the Shepherd who keeps His own.
I adore You that those to whom You give eternal life shall never perish.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
John 6:29; 1 John 2:25; Matt. 25:46; Rom. 6:23
[1] Anthony Burgess, An Expository Comment, Doctrinal, Controversial, and Practical upon the Whole First Chapter to the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, (London: A.M. for Abel Roper .., 1661), 461-462.
