Perseverance of the saints
This concept was initially developed by Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century, based on the idea of predestination by predeterminism.
The doctrine of perseverance of the saints is rooted in this understanding of predestination and continues to be a central tenet of Reformed theology today.
[20][21][22] During his conflict with the Pelagians, however Augustine seemed to reintroduce certain Manichean principles into his thought,[23][24][25][26][27][28] a shift notably influenced by the controversy over infant baptism.
[30] According to Manichean doctrine, unborn and unbaptized infants were condemned to hell due to their physical bodies.
He taught that among those regenerated through baptism, some receive an additional gift of perseverance (donum perseverantiae) enabling them to maintain their faith and preventing them from falling away.
[39][16][40] Between the 5th century and the Reformation in the 16th century, theologians who upheld Augustinian soteriology, included: Gottschalk (c. 808–868),[41] Ratramnus (died 868),[42] Thomas Bradwardine (1300–1349),[43] Gregory of Rimini (1300–1358),[44] John Wycliffe (1320s – 1384),[45] Johann Ruchrat von Wesel (died 1481),[46] Girolamo Savonarola (1452–1498)[47] and Johannes von Staupitz (1460–1524).
[58] As the Westminster Confession of Faith put it: "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass.
"[59] Concerning salvation, Calvin expressly taught that it is God's sovereign decision to determine whether an individual is saved or damned.
[67][68][69][70][71] According to this concept, the Holy Spirit can create in some people effects which are indistinguishable from those of the irresistible grace of God,[72] producing also a visible "fruit" in their life.
[73] Temporary grace was also supported by later Calvinist theologians such as Theodore Beza, William Perkins,[74] John Owen,[75] A. W. Pink[76] and Loraine Boettner.
[78] Thus a first interpretation of the doctrine of perseverance of the saints acknowledges explanations of apparent apostasy like "evanescent grace," which avoids offering to the believer absolute assurance of salvation during life.
The process leading to eternal security unfolds as follows: Initially, the believer must embrace the Calvinist system, emphasizing unconditional election and irresistible grace.
[11] Groups such as the Primitive Baptists, originating in Georgia in the early 20th century,[95] officially embraced this form of eternal security due to their strong Calvinist beliefs.
The other interpretation rejects these explanations, asserting that believers, through introspection, can know with absolute certainty that they are elect, thus allowing belief in eternal security.
[66] This reality, regardless of explanations for definitive apostasy, undermines the practical utility of "perseverance of the saints," hindering assurance of salvation.
This critique has been advanced by various non-Calvinist sources, including proponents of free grace theology,[99] and advocates of conditional preservation of the saints, such as Arminians.
[100] Within the perseverance of the saints framework, the phenomenon of definitive apostasy is generally explained by Calvinist theologians by the "evanescent grace" concept.
[119][120] "Phenomenological-false believer view": Hebrews 6:4-6 does not refer to regenerated individuals, but to unbelievers who have received God's gifts and benefited from His grace yet remained skeptics.
[122][117] "Phenomenological-true believer view": Oropeza asserts that the recipients of the letter to the Hebrews had faced persecutions, and the author acknowledges that some members had become apostates despite their genuine conversion experiences.
The author warns the current audience that despite their past benefits and experiences confirming their faith, they too could fall away if they continue in their state of malaise and neglect, with dire consequences for apostasy.
