THE DOCTRINE OF PRESERVATION

By Gary Ray Branscome

One important area in which law and gospel are often confused has to do with divine preservation. That is, with the fact that just as God has saved us by His grace, He keeps us by His grace. As it is written, “You… are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1Peter 1:4-5).

When a man who does not understand the gospel reads the words, “The soul that sins will die,” or “The wages of sin is death,” he may assume that he can only be saved by not sinning (Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23). And, if he believes that, he may live in fear of slipping up. However, once we understand the gospel, that fear is gone! Why? Because the words, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin,” tell us that our salvation does not depend on us (1John 1:7).

The same holds true when it comes to divine preservation. God’s promise to keep us from falling is part of the gospel. However, when one who fails to understand that reads the words, “Those on the rock are those, who… believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away,” or “I buffet my body, and bring it under my control: lest… I, after having preached to others, might be rejected,” he may assume that he has to keep himself from falling from grace (Luke 8:13, 1Corinthians 9:27). And, if he believes that, he may live in fear of slipping up. However, once we understand that God has not only saved us by His grace, but also keeps us by His grace, that fear is gone. Why? Because the words, “You… are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” tell us that “staying saved” does not depend on us (1Peter 1:4-5).

I am not saying that a believer cannot lose salvation. If I did I would be contradicting the Bible. What I am saying is that it is God who keeps you from losing salvation. The danger of loosing salvation is very real, and God wants you to know that. However, the words, “All the promises of God in Him [Christ] are yea, and in Him Amen,” tell us that if you have faith in Christ, you also have His promise to “keep you from falling,” (Jude 1:24).

Just as the words, “The wages of sin is death,” are law, while the words, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us of all sin,” are gospel; the words, “I buffet my body, and bring it under my control: lest… I, after having preached to others, might be rejected,” are law, while the words, “You… are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,” are gospel (Romans 6:23, 1John 1:7, 1Corinthians 9:27, 1Peter 1:4-5). And, because, “The law is not meant for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious,” the warnings of the law do not apply to those who trust in Christ (1Timothy 1:9). On the contrary, the words, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin,” tell us that no sin is imputed to those who trust in Christ (Romans 4:8). That means that the passages that warn us of the danger of losing salvation are there as a curb, to keep any church members who do not fully understand the gospel from doing something that could harden their heart and result in their destruction.

The following passages warn us of the danger of falling.

“Let him who thinks that he is standing take heed lest he fall” (1Corinthians 10:12).

“Christ is of no benefit to those of you who seek righteousness by the law; you are fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4).

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, And have then fallen away, to be brought back again to repentance” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you who do evil” (Matthew 7:22).

“If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning” (2Peter 2:20).

The following passages assure us that God will keep us by His grace.

“I am convinced, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38).

“Being confident of this, that He who has begun a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

“You… are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1Peter 1:4-5).

“I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than anyone; and no one is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:28-30).

“The Lord is faithful, and will strengthen you, and keep you from evil” (2Thessalonians 3:3)

“May… the God of peace sanctify you entirely; and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and will bring it to pass” (1Thess. 5:23-24).