PERSEVERANCE
OF THE SAINTS
By
Rev. John Wesley
On this subject we cannot do better than give
the following treatise by the Rev. John Wesley:
Many large volumes have been already published on this
important subject, but the very length of them makes them hare
to be understood, or even purchased, by common readers. A
short, plain treatise on this head is what serious men have
long desired, and what is here offered to those whom God has
endowed with love and meekness of wisdom.
By the saints, I understand those who are holy
or righteous in the judgment of God himself; those who are endued
with the faith that purifies the heart-that produces a good
conscience; those who are grafted into the good olive-tree,
the spiritual, invisible Church; those who are branches of the
true vine, of whom Christ says. "I am the vine, ye are the branches;"
those who so effectually know Christ, as by that knowledge to
have escaped the pollutions of the world; those who see the light
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and who have
been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, of the witness and the
fruits of the Spirit; those who live by faith in the Son of God;
those who are sanctified by the blood of the covenant-those
to whom all or any of these characters belong, I mean by the
term saints.
Can any of these fall away? By falling away,
we mean, not barely falling into sin. This, it is granted,
they may. But can they fall totally? Can any of these so fall
from God as to perish everlastingly?
I am sensible either side of this question is attended with
great difficulties, such as reason alone could never remove.
Therefore "to the law and to the testimony."
Let the living oracles decide; and if these speak for us, we
neither seek nor want farther witness.
On this authority, I believe a saint may fall away; that
one who is holy or righteous in the judgement of God himself may
nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
I. For thus saith the Lord: "When the righteous
turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity;
in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that
he hath sinned, in them shall he die." Ezek. 18:24
That this is to be understood of eternal death, appears from the
26th verse: "When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness
and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; (here is temporal
death;) for his iniquity that he hath done he shall die."
(Here is death eternal.)
It appears rather from the whole scope of the chapter, which
is to prove, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Verse 4. If you say, "That soul here means the body," I
answer, that will die, whether you sin or not.
Again, thus saith the Lord: "When I shall say to the righteous,
that he shall surely live; if he trust to his won righteousness,
(yea, or to that promise as absolute and unconditional,) and
commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered;
but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall
die for it." Ezek. 33:13
Again: "When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby." Verse 18
Therefore one who is holy and righteous, in the judgment of
God himself, may yet so fall as to perish everlastingly.
"But how is this consistent with what God declared elsewhere?
"If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments,
I will visit their offenses with the rod, and their sin with
scourges. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not
utterly take from him, nor suffer my truth to fail. My covenant
will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of
my lips. I have sworn once by my holiness, that I will not
fail David.'" Ps. 89:30-35.
I answer, there is no manner of inconsistency between one
declaration and the other. The prophet declares the just
judgment of God against every righteous man who falls
from his righteousness. The Psalmist declares the old
loving kindnesses which God sware unto David in his truth:
"I have found." saith he, "David, my servant; with my holy
oil have I anointed him. My hand shall hold him fast, with
my arm shall strengthen him. His seed also will I make to endure
forever, and this throne as the days of heaven."
Verses 20, 21, 29, it follows: "But if his children forsake
my law, and walk not in my judgment; nevertheless my loving
kindness will I not utterly take from him, not suffer my truth
to fail. My covenant will I not break. I will not fail
David His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun
before me." Verse 30, etc.
May not every man see that the covenant here spoken of relates
wholly to David and his seed, or children? Where, then, is
the inconsistency between the most absolute promise made to
a particular family, and that solemn account which God has
here given of his way of dealing with all mankind?
Besides, the very covenant mentioned in these words is not
absolute, but conditional. The condition of repentance, in
case of forsaking God's law was implied, though not expressed;
and so strongly implied that, this condition failing-not
being performed-God did also fail David. He did "alter the
thing that had gone out of his lips," and yet without
any impeachment of his truth. He "abhorred and forsook
his anointed," (verse 38,) the seed of David, whose throne,
if they had repented, should have been "as the days of heaven."
He did "break the covenant of his servant, and cast his
crown to the ground." Verse 39. So vainly are these
words of the Psalmist brought to contradict the plain, full
testimony of the prophet!
Nor is there any contradiction between this testimony of God
by Ezekiel, and those words which he spake by Jeremiah:
"I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving
kindness have I drawn thee." For do these words
assert that no righteous man ever turns from his righteousness?
No such thing. They do not touch the question, but simply
declare Gods's love to the Jewish Church. To see this in the
clearest light, you need only read over the whole sentence:
"At the same time, saith the Lord, I will be the God of all the
families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the
Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace
in the wilderness; even Israel, when I caused him to rest.
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me (saith the prophet,
speaking in the person of Israel,) saying, I have loved thee
with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have
I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O
virgin of Israel." Jer. 31:1-4
Suffer me here to observe, once for all, a fallacy which is
constantly used by almost all writers on this point. They
perpetually beg the question, by applying to particular
persons assertions, or prophecies, which relate only to the
Church and nation, as distinguished from all other people.
If you say, "But it was particularly revealed to me, that
God had loved me with an everlasting love," I answer,
suppose it was, (which might bear a dispute,) it proves no
more, at the most, than that you, in particular, shall
persevere; but does not effect the general question,
whether others shall, or shall not.
II. One who is endued with the faith that purifies
the heart, that produces a good conscience, may nevertheless
so fall from God as to parish everlastingly.
For thus saith the inspired apostle: "War a good warfare;
holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put
away, concerning faith have made shipwreck." I Tim. 1:18-19
Observe, 1.
These men (such as Hymeneus and Alexander) had the faith that
purifies the heart-that produces a good conscience which
they once had, or they could not have "put away."
Observe, 2.
They "made shipwreck" of the faith, which
necessarily implies the total and final loss of it. For
a vessel once wrecked can never be recovered. It is totally
and finally lost.
And the apostle himself, in his Second Epistle to Timothy,
mentions on of these two as irrecoverably lost.
"Alexander (says he) did me much evil: the Lord shall reward
him according to his works." II Tim. 4:14
Therefore one who is endued with the faith that purifies the
heart, that produces a good conscience, may nevertheless so
fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
"But how can this be reconciled with the words of our Lord:
'He that believeth shall be saved'?"
Do you think these words mean, "He that believes" at this moment
"Shall" certainly and inevitably "be saved?"
If this interpretation be good, then, by all the rules of
speech, the other part of the sentence must mean, "He"
that does "not believe" at this moment,
"shall" certainly and inevitably "be damned."
Therefore that interpretation cannot be good. The plan
meaning, then, of the whole sentence is: "He that believeth
(if he continue in the faith) shall be saved; he that believeth
not (if he continue in unbelief) shall be damned."
"But does not Christ say elsewhere, 'He that believeth hath
everlasting life?' (John 3:36;) and, 'He that believeth on
him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come
into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life?'"
Verse 24
I answer, 1. The love of God is everlasting life.
It is, in substance, the life of heaven. Now, every one that
believes, loves God, and therefore "hath everlasting life."
2. Every one that believes "is"
therefore "passed from death (spiritual death) unto life."
3. "Shall not come into
condemnation." if he endureth in the faith unto the end:
According to our Lord's own words, "He that endureth unto the
end shall be saved;" and, "Verily I say unto you, If a man keep
my saying, he shall never see death." John 8:51
III. Those who are
grafted into the good olive-tree, the spiritual, invisible
Church, may nevertheless so fall from God as to perish
everlastingly. For thus said the apostle: "Some of the
branches are broken off, and thou art grafted in among
them, and with them partakest of the root of fatness of the
olive-tree. Be not high-minded, but fear; if God
spare not the natural branches, take heed lest
he spare not thee. Behold the goodness and severity of God! On
them which fell, severity; but toward thee goodness, if thou
continue in his goodness; otherwise thou shalt be cut off."
Rom. 11:17, 20-22.
We may observe here-
1. The person
spoken to were actually grafted into the olive-tree.
2. This olive-tree
is not barely the outward visible Church, but the
invisible, consisting of holy believers. So the text:
"If the first-fruit be holy, the lump is holy; and if the root
be holy, so are the branches." Verse 16. And, "Because
of unbelief, they were broken off. and thou standest by faith."
3. These
holy believers were still liable to be cut off from the
invisible Church into which they were then grafted.
4. Here is not
the least intimation of those who were so cut off
being ever grafted in again. Therefore those who are grafted
into the good olive-tree, the spiritual, invisible Church, may
nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
"But how does this agree with he 29th verse: 'The gifts
and calling of God are without repentance'?"
The preceding verse shows: "As touching the election, (the
unconditional election of the Jewish nation,) they are beloved for
the father's sake"-for the sake of their forefathers. It follows
(in proof of this, that "they are beloved for the fathers' sake,")
that God has still blessings in store for the Jewish nation: "For
the gifts and calling of God are without repentance;"
for God doth not repent of any blessings he hath given them,
or any privileges he hath called them to. The words here referred
to were originally spoken with a peculiar regard to these
national blessings. God is not a man, that he should lie, neither
the son of man, that he should repent." Num 23:19
"But do not you hereby make God changeable? Whereas 'with him is
no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' James 1:17" By no
means. God is unchangeably holy; therefore he always loveth
"righteousness, and hateth iniquity."
He is unchangeably good; therefore he pardoneth all that "repent, and
believe the gospel." And he is unchangeably just; therefore
he "rewardeth every man according to his works."
But all this hinders not his resisting, when they are proud,
those to whom he gave grace when they were humble. Nay, his
unchangeableness itself requires that, if they grow high-minded,
God should cut them off; that there should be a proportionable
change in all the divine dispensations toward them.
"But how then is God faithful?' I answer, in fulfilling every
promise which he hath make, to all to whom it is make, all who
fulfill the condition of that promise. More particularly,
1. "God is faithful"
in that "he will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are
able to bear." I Cor. 10:13 2.
"The Lord is faithful to establish and keep you from evil;"
(if you put your trust in him;) from all the evil which you
might otherwise suffer, through "unreasonable and wicked men."
II Thess. 3:2,3. 3.
"Quench not the Spirit; hold fast that which is good;
abstain from all appearance of evil; and your whole spirit, soul,
and body, shall be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will
do it." I Thess 5:19 etc. 4.
Be not disobedient unto the heavenly calling; and "God is faithful,
by whom ye were called, to confirm you unto the end, that ye may
be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Cor.
1:8-9 Yet, notwithstanding all this, unless you fulfill the condition,
you cannot attain the promise.
"Nay. But are not 'all the promises, yea, and amen'?" They are firm
as the pillars of heaven. Perform the condition, and the promise
is sure. Believe, and thou shalt be saved.
"But many promises are absolute and unconditional." In many,
the condition is not expressed. But this does not prove there is
none implied. No promises can be expressed in a more absolute from,
than those above cited from the eighty-ninth Psalm. And yet we have
seen a condition was implied even there, though none was expressed.
"But there is no condition, either expressed or implied, in those
words of St. Paul: 'I am persuaded that neither death, not life,
nor hight, nor depth, nor any creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.'" Rom. 8 38-39.
Suppose there is not, (which will bear dispute,) yet what will this
prove? Just thus much-that the apostle was at that time fully
persuaded of his own perseverance. And I doubt not but many
believers at this day have the very same persuasion, termed in
Scripture, "The full assurance of hope." But this
does not prove that every believer all persevere, any more than
that every believer is thus fully persuaded of his perseverance.
IV. Those who are
branches of the true vine, of whom Christ says, "I am the vine,
ye are the branches," may nevertheless so fall from God as to
perish everlastingly.
For thus saith our blessed Lord himself: "I am the true vine, and
my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that bearth not
fruit, he taketh it away. I am the vine, ye are the branches. If
a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;
and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are
burned." John 15:1-6
Here we may observe,
1. The persons spoken
of were in Christ-branches of the true vine.
2. Some of these branches
abide not in Christ, but the Father taketh them away.
3. The branches
which abide not are cast forth-cast out from Christ and his Church.
4. They are not only
cast forth, but withered; consequently never grafted in again;
nay,
5.
They are not only cast forth and withered, but also cast into
the fire; and,
6.
They are burned. It is not possible for words more strongly
to declare, that even those who are now branches in the true vine my
yet fall as to perish everlastingly.
By this clear, indisputable declaration of our Lord, we may interpret
those which might be otherwise liable, to dispute; wherein it is
certain, whatever he meant besides, he did not mean to contradict
himself. For example: "This is the Father's will, that
all which he hath given me I should lose nothingg."
Most sure, all that God hath given him, or, as it is
expressed in the next verse, "every one which believeth on
him" -namely, to the end-he "will raise up at
the last day," to reign with him forever.
Again: "I am the living bread; if any man eat of this bread,
(by faith,) he shalllive forever." John 6:51.
True-if he continue to eat thereof. and who can doubt of it?
Again: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know then, and they
follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand."
John 10:27-29
In the preceding text, the condition is only implied; in this
it is plainly expressed. They are my sheep that hear my
voice, that follow me in all holiness. And "if ye do those
things, ye shall never fall." None shall "pluck you
out of my hand."
Again: "Having loved his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end." John 13:1 "Having loved
his own." (namely, the apostles, as the very next words,
"which were in the world." evidently show,) "he loved them
unto the end" of his life, and manifested that love
to the last.
Once more: "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom
thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one."
John 17:11
Great stress has been laid upon this text; and it has been
hence inferred, that all those whom the Father had given him
(a phrase frequently occurring in this chapter) must
infallibly persevere to the end.
And yet, in the very next verse, our Lord himself declares that
one of those whom the Father had given him did not persevere
unto the end, but perished everlastingly. His own words are:
"Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost,
but the son of perdition." John 17:12 So one even
of these was finally lost-a demonstration that the phrase,
"those thou hast given me," signifies here, if not in most
other places too, the twelve apostles, and them only.
On this occasion, I cannot but observe another common instance
of begging the question-of taking for granted what ought to
be proved: it is usually laid down as an indisputable truth,
that whatever our Lord speaks to, or of, his apostles, is to be
applied to all believers. But this cannot be allowed by an who
impartially search the Scriptures. They cannot allow, without
clear and particular proof, that any one of those texts which
related primarily to the apostles, (as all men grant,) belong
to any but them.
V.
Those who so effectually know Christ as by that knowledge
to have escaped the pollutions of the world, may yet fall back
into those pollutions, and perish everlastlingly.
For thus saith the Apostle Peter: "If, after they have escaped the
pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, (the only possible way of escaping them,)
they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter
end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better
for them not to have know the holy commandment delivered
unto them." II Pet. 2:20-21.
That the "knowledge of the way of righteousness"
which they had attained, was an inward, experimental knowledge,
is evident from that other expression, they had "escaped the
pollutions of the world"-an expression parallel to
that in the preceding chapter, verse 4, "having escaped the
corruption which is in the world." And in both
chapters, this effect is ascribed to the same cause-termed in
the first, "the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory
and virtue" in the second, more explicitly, "the knowledge
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
And yet they lost that experimental knowledge of Christ,
and the way of righteousness; they fell back into the same
pollutions they had escaped and were again "entangled therein
and overcome." They "turned from the holy commandment
delivered to them," so that their "latter end was worse then
their beginning."
Therefore those who so effectually know Christ as by that
knowledge to have escaped the pollutions of the world, may yet
fall back into those pollutions, and perish everlastingly.
And this is perfectly consistent with St. Peter's words, in the
first chapter of his former Epistle: "Who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation."
Undoubtedly so are all they who ever attain eternal salvation.
It is the power of God only, and not our own, by which
we are kept one day, or one hour.
VI.
Those who "see the light of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ," and who have been "made partakers of the
Holy Ghost," of the witness and the fruits of the Spirit,
may nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
For thus saith the inspired writer to the Hebrews: "It is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakest of
the Holy Ghost, if they fall away, to renew them again to
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of
God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Heb. 6:4-6
They "were once enlightened"-an expression
familiar with the apostle, and never by him applied to any but
believers. So, "The God of out Lord Jesus Christ give unto
you the spirit of wisdom and revelation: the eyes of
your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward that believe."
Eph. 1:17-19 So again: "God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ." II Cor. 4:6
This is a light which no unbelievers have. This is a light
which no unbelievers have. They are utter strangers to
such enlightening. "The god of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of
the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them."
Verse 4
"They had tasted of the heavenly gift, (emphatically so called,)
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost."
So St. Peter likewise couples them together: "Be baptized
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost," (Acts 2:38,) whereby
the love of God was shed abroad in their hearts, with
all the other fruits of the Spirit. Yea, it is remarkable
that our Lord himself, in his grand commission to
St. Paul, (to which the apostle probably alludes in these
words,) comprises in these three particulars:
"I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, (here contracted into that one expression,
"they were enlightened,") that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, ("the heavenly gift,") and inheritance among
them which are sanctified;" (Acts 27:18;) which are made
"partakers of the Holy Ghost"-of all the sanctifying
influences of the Spirit.
The expression, "They tasted of the heavenly gift," is taken
from the Psalmist: "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Psalms 34:8. As if he had said, Be ye as assured of his love as
of anything you see with your eyes; and lets the
assurance thereof be sweet to your soul, as honey is to
your tongue.
And yet those who had been thus "enlightened,"
had "tasted" this "gift," and
been thus "partakers of the Holy Ghost," so
"fell away" that it was "impossible to renew
them again to repentance."
"But the apostle makes no supposition at all. 'If they shall
fall away.'"
I answer, the apostle makes no supposition at all. There is
no ifin the original.
*Translated
it says, "It is impossible to renew again unto repentance
those who were once enlightened and have fallen
away;" therefore they must perish everlastingly.
"But if so, then farewell all my comfort."
Then your comfort depends on a poor foundation.
My comfort stand not on any opinion, either that
a believer can or cannot fall away, not on the remembrance
of any thing wrought in me yesterday; but on what is to-day;
on my present knowledge of God in Christ, reconciling what is
to-day; on my holding the light of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ; walking in the light as he is in
the light, and having fellowship with the Father and with the
Son. My comfort is, that through grace I now believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and that his Spirit doth bear witness with
my spirit that I am a child of God. I take comfort in this and
this only that I see Jesus at right hand of God; that I
personally for myself, and not for another. Have a hope full
of immortality; that I feel the love of God shed abroad in my
heart, being crucified to the world, and the world crucified
to me. My rejoicing is this, the testimony of conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly
wisdom, but by the grace of God, I have my conversation in
the world.
Go and find, if you can, a more solid joy, a more blissful comfort,
on this side of heaven. But this comfort is not shaken, be that
opinion true or false, whether the saints in general can or
cannot fall. If you take up with any comfort short of this,
you lean on the staff of a broken reed, which not only bear
your weight, but will enter into your hand and pierce you.
VII.
Those who live by faith may yet fall from God, and perish
everlastingly.
For thus saith the same inspired writer: "The just
shall lived by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul
shall have no pleasure in him." Heb. 10:38.
"The just"-the justified persons-
"shall live by faith,"even now shall
he live the life which is hid with Christ in God; and
if he endure unto the end, he shall live with God forever.
"But if any man draw back," saith the Lord,
"my soul shall have not pleasure in him"-that
is, I will utterly cast him off; and accordingly the
drawing back here spoken of is termed, in the verse
immediately following, "drawing back to perdition."
"But the person supposed to draw back is not the same with him
that is said to live by faith."
I answer, 1.
Who is it, then? Can any man draw back from faith who
never came to it? But, 2.
Had the text been fairly translated, there had been no pretense
for this objection; for the original
*is translated
thus "the just man that lives by faith," (so the expression
necessarily implies, there being no other nominative of the
verb,) "draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
"But the apostle adds: 'We are not of them who draw back unto
perdition.'" And what will you infer from thence? This is
so far from contradicting what has been observed before, that
it manifestly confirms it. It is a farther proof that
there are those "who draw back unto perdition," although the
apostle was not of that number. Therefore those who live by
faith may fall from God, and perish everlastingly.
"But does not God say to every on that lives by faith, 'I
will never leave thee nor forsake thee'?"
The whole sentence runs thus: "Let your conversation be
without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye
have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee not forsake
thee." True-provided "your conversation be without
covetousness," and ye "be content with such things as ye
have." Then you may "boldly say, The Lord is my helper,
and I will not fear what man shall
do unto me."
Do you not see, 1.
That this promise, as here recited, relates wholly to
temporal things? 2.
That, even thus taken, it is not absolute, but conditional?
3. That the
condition is expressly mentioned in the very same sentence?
VIII.
Those who are sanctified by the blood of the covenant may so
fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
For thus again saith the apostle: "If we sin
willfully after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no
more sacrifice for sin; but a certain fearful looking for of
judgement and fiery indignation, which shall devour the
adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment
shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the
Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing?" Heb. 10:26-29.
It is undeniably plain, 1.
That the person mentioned here was once sanctified by the
blood of the covenant.
2.
That he afterward, by known, willful sin, trod under foot the Son
of God.
3.
That he hereby incurred a sorer punishment than death,
namely, death everlasting.
Therefore those who are sanctified by the blood of
the covenant my yet so fall as to perish everlastingly.
"What! can the blood of Christ burn in hell? Or can
the purchase of the blood of Christ go thither?"
I answer, 1.
The blood of Christ cannot burn in hell, no more than it can be
spilled on the earth. The heavens must contain both his
flesh and blood until the restitution of all things. But,
2.
If the oracles of God are true, one who was purchased by
the blood of Christ may go thither. For he that was
sanctified by the blood of Christ was purchased by the
blood of Christ. But one who was sanctified by the blood
of Christ may nevertheless go to hell-may fall under that
fiery indignation which shall forever devour the adversaries.
"Can a child of God, then, go to hell? Or can a man be a
child of God to-day, and a child of the devil to-morrow?
If God is our Father once, is he not our Father always?"
I answer, 1.
A child of God-that is, a true believer-(for he that believeth
is born of God,) while he continues a true believer, cannot
go to hell.
2.
If a believer make shipwreck of the faith, he is
no longer a child of God; and then he may go to hell,
yea, and certainly will, if he continues in unbelief.
3.
If a believer may make shipwreck of the faith, then a man
that believes now may be an unbeliever some time hence; yea,
very possibly to-morrow; but if so, he who is a child of God
to-day, may be a child of the devil to-morrow. For,
4.
God is the Father of them that believe, so long as they
believe; but the devil is the father of them that believe
not, whether they did once believe or no.
The sum of all is this: If the Scriptures are true, those
who are holy or righteous in the judgment of God himself;
those who are endued with the faith that purifies the heart,
that produces a good conscience; those who are grafted into
the good olive-tree, the spiritual, invisible Church; those
who are branches of the true vine, of whom Christ says,
"I am the vine, ye are branches;" those who so
effectually know Christ as by that knowledge to have escaped
the pollutions of the world; those who see the light of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and who have been
made partakers of the Holy Ghost, of the witness and of the
fruits of the Spirit; those who live by faith in the Son of
God; those who are sanctified by the blood of the covenant,
may nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly.
Therefore let him that
standeth take heed lest he fall.
*
Rev, John Wesley quoted the greek at this point. Currently
the editors do not have the software that would insert the
greek into this article. We hope to correct this problem in
the future.
Dr. Thomas Ralston quoted this directly from John Wesley
in Elements of Divinity. If
you should have any questions about this article, you may
contact IMARC.
