Reference: Perseverance of the saints
Easton
their certain continuance in a state of grace. Once justified and regenerated, the believer can neither totally nor finally fall away from grace, but will certainly persevere therein and attain everlasting life.
This doctrine is clearly taught in these passages, Joh 10:28-29; Ro 11:29; Php 1:6; 1Pe 1:5. It, moreover, follows from a consideration of (1) the immutability of the divine decrees (Jer 31:3; Mt 24:22-24; Ac 13:48; Ro 8:30); (2) the provisions of the covenant of grace (Jer 32:40; Joh 10:29; 17:2-6); (3) the atonement and intercession of Christ (Isa 53:6,11; Mt 20:28; 1Pe 2:24; Joh 11:42; 17:11,15,20; Ro 8:34); and (4) the indwelling of the Holy Ghost (Joh 14:16; 2Co 1:21-22; 5:5; Eph 1:14; 1Jo 3:9).
This doctrine is not inconsistent with the truth that the believer may nevertheless fall into grievous sin, and continue therein for some time. (See Backslide.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, 'Come nigh hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God;
All of us like sheep have wandered, Each to his own way we have turned, And Jehovah hath caused to meet on him, The punishment of us all.
Of the labour of his soul he seeth -- he is satisfied, Through his knowledge give righteousness Doth the righteous one, My servant, to many, And their iniquities he doth bear.
From afar Jehovah hath appeared to me, With love age-during I have loved thee, Therefore I have drawn thee with kindness.
and I have made for them a covenant age-during, in that I turn not back from after them for My doing them good, and My fear I put in their heart, so as not to turn aside from me;
even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened. Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here is the Christ! or here! ye may not believe; read more. for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.
and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish -- to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand; my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;
my Father, who hath given to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck out of the hand of my Father;
and I knew that Thou always dost hear me, but, because of the multitude that is standing by, I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send me.'
and I will ask the Father, and another Comforter He will give to you, that he may remain with you -- to the age;
according as Thou didst give to him authority over all flesh, that -- all that Thou hast given to him -- he may give to them life age-during; and this is the life age-during, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and him whom Thou didst send -- Jesus Christ; read more. I did glorify Thee on the earth, the work I did finish that Thou hast given me, that I may do it. 'And now, glorify me, Thou Father, with Thyself, with the glory that I had before the world was, with Thee; I did manifest Thy name to the men whom Thou hast given to me out of the world; Thine they were, and to me Thou hast given them, and Thy word they have kept;
and no more am I in the world, and these are in the world, and I come unto Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, whom Thou hast given to me, that they may be one as we;
I do not ask that Thou mayest take them out of the world, but that Thou mayest keep them out of the evil.
'And not in regard to these alone do I ask, but also in regard to those who shall be believing, through their word, in me;
And the nations hearing were glad, and were glorifying the word of the Lord, and did believe -- as many as were appointed to life age-during;
and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.
who is he that is condemning? Christ is He that died, yea, rather also, was raised up; who is also on the right hand of God -- who also doth intercede for us.
for unrepented of are the gifts and the calling of God;
which is an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory.
having been confident of this very thing, that He who did begin in you a good work, will perform it till a day of Jesus Christ,
And you -- once being alienated, and enemies in the mind, in the evil works, yet now did he reconcile, in the body of his flesh through the death, to present you holy, and unblemished, and unblameable before himself,