Perseverance of the Saints

Definition and Meaning

The perseverance of the saints is the teaching that God keeps those He has truly saved to the end. Although the word "perseverance" suggests steadfast endurance, the doctrine places its emphasis less on the believer's own power to hold on than on God's preserving of the saints. For this reason it is also called the "preservation of the saints." According to this doctrine, those who have been justified through true faith may fall into sin for a time, but they are ultimately restored in grace and attain final salvation. It is the last of the five points of Calvinism and is closely connected with the doctrine of predestination.

Biblical and Historical Background

Those who accept this doctrine point to passages such as John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39, and Philippians 1:6. They read these verses as teaching that God brings to completion the salvation He has begun. Opponents cite warning passages such as Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-29, and 1 Corinthians 10:12, holding that the possibility of falling away from the faith is real.

Augustine regarded perseverance to the end as itself a gift of God. During the Reformation, John Calvin carried this idea forward. When the Arminian party left the question open in the Remonstrance of 1610, the Canons of Dort (1618–1619) formally defined the doctrine of perseverance. The Westminster Confession of Faith likewise devotes a separate chapter to it. By contrast, the Lutheran tradition and Wesleyan theology have taught that believers can lose their salvation by rejecting grace.

In Korean Churches

Among Korean Protestant denominations, positions on the doctrine generally follow their theological traditions:

• Presbyterian: Korean Presbyterian denominations that adopt the Westminster Confession of Faith as their doctrinal standard generally accept perseverance as official teaching. Preachers frequently present it as a ground for assurance of salvation and comfort, while also stressing the fruit of sanctification as the mark of a true believer.
• Methodist and Holiness: Denominations in the Wesleyan tradition, such as the Korean Methodist Church and the Korea Evangelical Holiness Church, hold that believers can backslide and fall from grace. They therefore tend to emphasize continual repentance and a holy life.
• Pentecostal: Pentecostal denominations such as the Korea Assemblies of God are generally understood, much like the Wesleyan tradition, to emphasize the believer's responsible response.
• Baptist: One strand among Baptists accepts the doctrine of eternal security ("once saved, always saved") while rejecting the other points of Calvinism. Views vary, however, from church to church and from pastor to pastor.

Even denominations that accept the doctrine of perseverance warn against using it to justify a life without repentance. The issue continues to be discussed as part of the debate over predestination and free will.