These are the notes from our discussion on June 25.
Four views that Christians hold concerning what is commonly referred to as perseverance of the saints or eternal security. I have attempted to summarize complicated positions into short statements. Inevitably, this removes nuance and detail, but hopefully these statements—while incomplete—are not incorrect.
1. Classical Calvinism: Believers are eternally secure based on a covenant made within the Trinity before the foundation of the world to redeem a people for himself. True believers remain true believers and look like true believers until death.
2. Moderate Calvinism: Christians are eternally secure based on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness (obtained by faith) and God’s promises to the believer. Behavior is not indicative of the believer’s eternal state.
3. Moderate (Reformed) Arminianism: The believer is saved by being “in Christ.” The only way a Christian can lose salvation is by renouncing his or her faith in Christ. This loss is irrevocable.
4. Wesleyan Arminianism: Faith in Christ is the key to a relationship with God. A Christian can lose salvation by unbelief or unconfessed sin. Yet this loss could be remedied by through renewed repentance.
Theologically, someone might hold to a view that true saints persevere based on these ideas:
1) Our salvation is rooted in God’s character, not ours.
2) If God is the author of salvation, we can’t write in a plot twist.
3) God is outside of time. If he chose us in a timeless state, we can’t be unchosen.
Scripturally, these passages are often used to “prove” the idea of perseverance of the saints.
John 5:24, 6:39–40, 10:28–30; Romans 8:29–31, 11:29; Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:14; Jude 24–25.
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