By Colton Corter
Perseverance of the Saints (1)
Finally we come to the final preservation of the saints. Look at John 6 one last time with me. On the heals of God’s sovereign election and calling comes God’s persevering of His elect. God has given some to Christ for salvation and all those that have been given will come (v.37). This decision is irreversible. God’s determination to finish the good work that He started is as sure as His will. God’s will is unchanging our only objective hope in a world of failing subjectivity. Christ has come to do the Father’s will and will do just that. Verse 39 reads: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lost nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” Take rest in this purpose, dear Christian. If you are in Christ, you were given to Christ by the Father’s plan of election. Since you are, therefore, in the elect of God you will never be lost! On the contrary, Christ will raise us up with Him on the last day. This is a secure promise. None of the elect will fall away. This verse is modified by verse 40. The will of the Father is not simply that we would get through but that we would see Him and have eternal life. God’s will for our perseverance is that we would look and live. Eternal life begins at the moment of regeneration. Our seeing Christ and our perseverance go hand in hand.

Perseverance of the Saints (2)
Could you leave Christ? Can anyone cause you to be separated from Christ? If you are a sheep of God, you hear His voice. This sweet voice calls us outward to embrace Him as our all in all. His voice calls us to turn from idols to superior joy in Him. This voice calls us to follow Him (10:27). John 10:28 shows again the reality of God’s preserving power. God gives His sheep eternal life. Christ has purchased the benefits of the New Covenant by His blood. These purchased by Christ will never perish. Naturally, this does mean we will not taste physical death. Instead it means that we only die once. But we do not stay dead in Christ. We will never perish, suffering the wrath of God because Christ keeps us believing in Him. Since He has purchased us, He keeps us. Finally, verse 28 tells us, no one can snatch God’s sheep out of His hand. We are children by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us. Our redemption is sure. Nothing can separate us from God. Satan has no ground of accusation. We are worse than he could ever accuse and yet in Christ we find our righteousness, our salvation. God Himself will never shake us out of His hand. His wrath no longer stands over against us. Once enemies, we are now God’s children; not bastardized children, but actual children due to the merits of Christ. We cannot jump out of God’s hands. See your frailty. How often would you jump out of God’s hand? But you will not. God’s grace constrains us and points us to the surpassing beauty of Christ. This keeps us. Our gaze is fixed on Christ and propels us forward, past our sin and idols. No one can snatch the believer from Christ. This is not due to our ability to stay but in God’s ability to hold on.

Colton Corter is a student at SBTS and member at Third Avenue Baptist Church. You can follow him on Twitter @coltonMcorter.