The idea of “faithful faith” is a distinguishing mark of RENEW.org and historic Restoration Movement theology. Article 5 (Faithful Faith) of Renew’s Faith Statement for Leaders reads:
“We believe that people are saved by grace through faith. The gospel of Jesus’ kingdom calls people to both salvation and discipleship—no exceptions, no excuses. Faith is more than mere intellectual agreement or emotional warmth toward God. It is living and active; faith is surrendering our self-rule to the rule of God through Jesus in the power of the Spirit. We surrender by trusting and following Jesus as both Savior and Lord in all things. Faith includes allegiance, loyalty, and faithfulness to him.”
Someone unfamiliar with the debate may read that and ask, “As opposed to what?”
The answer is this: as opposed to a theology that proposes that Christians can live their lives with no outward indication that they are actually followers of King Jesus. That is to say, a disciple of Jesus will continue to grow in maturity into the image of Jesus throughout their lives. A “Christian” who never grows into the image of Jesus needs to ask themselves whether they have truly committed themselves to Jesus and His kingdom.
On the extreme other side of the theological fence are those that believe that salvation comes through a belief that doesn’t require faithful allegiance to King Jesus and His kingdom, and/or that they do not need to continue in faithful allegiance to remain in His kingdom.
The terms “perseverance of the saints,” “eternal security,” and “once saved, always saved” have become synonymous with the theological idea that Christians cannot apostatize and thus will be saved in the end no matter what. And while these three terms have come to be synonyms, they are originally three distinct concepts.
“While these three terms have come to be synonyms, they are originally three distinct concepts.”
By briefly tracing the history of these three concepts, we may discover how we came to the modern debate between “faithful faith” and “once saved, always saved.”
Starting with “Perseverance of the Saints”
For the sake of brevity, we won’t completely cover the formation of “perseverance of the saints,” but the concept begins to be developed by Augustine and reaches full fruition with John Calvin and other reformers who studied Augustine. Officially, the concept of “perseverance of the saints” states that the elect will remain faithful throughout their lives. Thus, “perseverance of the saints” and “faithful faith” agree that Christians will be faithful and grow in their Christlikeness throughout their lives.
The difference is that “perseverance of the saints” states that Christians will remain faithful and grow in their faith because God has unconditionally elected them to grow into the likeness of Jesus (Romans 9:29) and ultimately unto salvation. Anyone who is not faithful unto the end was not elected by God and does not receive salvation. By contrast, the “faithful faith” side of the debate holds that Christians remain faithful through the power of the Holy Spirit, their free will, and allegiance to King Jesus. Thus, there is the possibility that by their free will they can apostatize and abandon the Faith.
Where this becomes interesting to our debate is when and how “perseverance of the saints” transformed into “eternal security” and then into “once saved, always saved.” As we attempt to teach “faithful faith,” we need to be aware of what the church culture around us means by the terms they use and where those ideas come from.
“‘Perseverance of the saints’ states that Christians will remain faithful and grow in their faith because God has unconditionally elected them to grow into the likeness of Jesus.”
From “Perseverance of the Saints” to “Eternal Security”
In 19th century America, many Protestants began to move away from 5-Point Calvinism due to evangelical fervor, but many retained the concept of “perseverance of the saints.” They adopted a soteriology that stated that salvation was open to all, but that once someone is saved, they will remain in the faith.
One place this phenomenon can be observed is the Southern Baptist Convention. This is not to demonize or attack the SBC, but the SBC is a uniquely American institution that begins in the 19th century and ultimately grows into the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Because of its size and influence, SBC theology and soteriology can often be found in other churches and denominations all over the nation. Therefore, the SBC can be a bellwether for American Christianity.
In the mid-19th century, in order to distinguish themselves from 5-Point Calvinists, Southern Baptist churches began to use the term “security of the believer” which ultimately became “eternal security.” However, when Southern Theological Seminary was founded, it still used the term “perseverance of the saints.” The Abstract Principles of 1858 are considered the founding principles of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Article XIII is a particular take on “perseverance of the saints.”
“Because of its size and influence, SBC theology and soteriology can often be found in other churches and denominations all over the nation.”
From the Abstract of Principles of 1858, Article XIII. Perseverance of the Saints:
“Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
Notice that the article reads that Christians who fall away will be brought back into repentance, assumedly by the temporal judgments that befall them as a result of their sins. So, at this point most evangelical Protestants still held that true believers would remain faithful to the end, either through God’s unconditional election, or through free will, the power of the Holy Spirit, and faithfulness. Even the Baptist Faith and Message of 1925 reads, “Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors.” Faithfulness distinguishes true believers from those who only profess to be Christians.
From the Baptist Faith and Message 1925, Article XI. Perseverance:
“All real believers endure to the end. Their continuance in well-doing is the mark which distinguishes them from mere professors. A special Providence cares for them, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
“At this point most evangelical Protestants still held that true believers would remain faithful to the end, either through God’s unconditional election, or through free will, the power of the Holy Spirit, and faithfulness.”
From “Eternal Security” to “Once Saved, Always Saved”
Another organization that exercised a considerable amount of influence on the theology and soteriology of American evangelicalism in the 20th century was Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). When even Southern Seminary was beginning to move toward liberalism, DTS remained one of the most conservative seminaries in the nation. As a result, it influenced many theologically conservative churches throughout America, especially in the South. One of these influences was a particular theology that came to be known as “free grace.”
“Free grace” is the concept that salvation is imparted to believers through merely trusting in Jesus’ death as payment for their sins. Salvation does not necessarily produce conformity to the image of Jesus, nor is a life of faithfulness required to enter the kingdom of God. Consequently, “free grace” holds that believers cannot “lose their salvation”—for any reason—after they become a Christian. DTS does not exclusively teach “free grace,” but many influential pastors who graduated from DTS spread the belief throughout the United States. When people say, “Once saved, always saved,” they are generally referring to “free grace,” not “perseverance of the saints” or “eternal security.”
“When people say, ‘Once saved, always saved,’ they are generally referring to ‘free grace,’ not ‘perseverance of the saints’ or ‘eternal security.'”
This introduction of “free grace” into American churches led to what is known as the “Lordship Salvation” debate. This debate was a pushback against “free grace” and focused on whether a Christian must accept Jesus as both Savior and Lord, or only as Savior. Even John McArthur, an ardent Calvinist, argued that a Christian must accept Jesus as Lord. However, McArthur still holds that God’s unconditional election will stop a true believer from falling away from faithfulness to Jesus as Lord.
Those who hold to “perseverance of the saints” or “eternal security” offer different explanations for how someone can appear to be a faithful believer at first and then fall away from faithfulness. Five-Point Calvinists tend to hold that those who fall away were not elect and simply expressed a false belief that was a result of “common” or “effervescent” grace. Conversely, those who do not hold to unconditional election argue that the believer who falls away must have made a false profession of faith—either from misunderstanding the gospel or from not truly committing their life to Jesus. In contrast to both of these, “free grace” holds that the person who lives a life of unfaithfulness does not fall away but only loses rewards in heaven.
DTS remaining conservative during the mid-20th century, while other seminaries were influenced by liberalism, gave it a considerable amount of influence in conservative churches and other seminaries in the nation. As a result, “once saved, always saved” grew in popularity in American evangelicalism.
“DTS remaining conservative during the mid-20th century, while other seminaries were influenced by liberalism, gave it a considerable amount of influence in conservative churches and other seminaries in the nation.”
Unfortunately, most evangelical Christians in America do not know when or how this belief became popular in their churches. Most Christians I know who hold to this position believe that “once saved, always saved” is what Christians have always believed and taught. However, the reality is that throughout most of Christian history, the majority of Christians have not held or taught this belief.
Even after the Conservative Resurgence in the SBC, influences from Free Grace could still be seen within it. When the Baptist Faith and Message was revamped in 1963 and again in 2000, Article V. God’s Purpose of Grace was pulled straight from “The Abstract of Principles” of 1858, Article XIII. Perseverance of the Saints, with one major change. See if you can catch it…
From the Baptist Faith and Message 1963/2000, Article V. God’s Purpose of Grace:
“All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
The phrase, “Yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance” was dropped. This was a shift from “perseverance of the saints” to “once saved, always saved.”
“This was a shift from ‘perseverance of the saints’ to ‘once saved, always saved.'”
The Modern American Landscape
I believe that the above statement (Article V) is in direct contradiction to earlier statements in the Baptist Faith and Message, such as:
“There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour. . . . Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.”
It appears that the Lordship Salvation debate was influential when they revamped the Baptist Faith and Message. These earlier statements from the document argue that someone must repent, accept Jesus as Lord, and that they will continue to grow in regeneration. Then, Article V in 2000 throws in a loophole: “Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation . . . yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
“It appears that the Lordship Salvation debate was influential when they revamped the Baptist Faith and Message.”
If you were to ask evangelicals in the United States which of those two statements they agree with, I believe that most would be more inclined to agree with the loophole. Unfortunately, there would probably be quite a few who agree with both statements even though they are contradictory. But that is where we are currently in American Christianity. It is a mishmash of theology that offers up loopholes and escape clauses so that believers can avoid living a life of faithfully imitating and obeying King Jesus as His disciples.
This is why RENEW.org firmly stands on the principle of “faithful faith.” It is the best representation of what Scripture teaches about believing in King Jesus and giving Him our full allegiance. Having a faithful faith is what was taught by Jesus, the apostles, the early church, and the Church Fathers.
“Faithful faith” is a clear explanation of the expectations that we should have of our church members. Holding to faithful faith allows us to confront those who have fallen away with the seriousness of their actions and invite them back to a clear standard of faithfully following Jesus as a member of His church. “Faithful faith” is a clarion call in a world of theological confusion.
