Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 6:1 (Spring 1993)
Article: A Voice from the Past: The Perseverance Of The Saints
Author: Frederick W. Grant

A Voice from the Past:
The Perseverance Of The Saintsa

Frederick W. Grant1

The question as to what is commonly called “the perseverance of the saints,” includes in it another and a most serious one. That question is as to the footing upon which the believer, justified by faith, stands before God. Thus it is a point of the greatest moment to ascertain what the Scripture truth is. It is not too much to say, that the nature and character of the peace which as Christians we enjoy, and of our life and walk as such, are all materially affected by the view we entertain with regard to the truth before us.

I would at once then put the question, What is the nature of the salvation we have received, and what the footing upon which we now stand as believers before God?

I. In Christ2

Clearly, we stand as such, before God “in Christ,” “accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph 1:6.) Christ in glory, risen from the dead, having finished in our behalf the work of atonement, stands as our representative in the presence of God. So fully, that what He has passed through for us we are accredited with. Thus we are said to be “dead,” “buried,”

JOTGES 6:1 (Spring 93) p. 54

“quickened,”3 and “raised up” with Him; and even “seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 6:8; Eph 2:5–6.) His being in heaven for us is thus as if we had actually gone in there and taken possession already of our final home; and there we are, presented to the eye and heart of God as identified with Him who, “when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Our former state and condition as sinners has thus found its judgment in the cross. “Our old man was crucified with Christ:”—not should, or shall be, but “was;” not was crucified in me, but “with Him.” (Romans 6.) Thus, for God and for faith, the old standing has passed away. “We are not in the flesh” (Rom 8:9); “not of the world, even as Christ is not of the world.” (John 17:14.) To sum up all in a word, the apostle’s words as to the Christian’s place are, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:17.)

I know that all these things are read, or sought to be read, in the light of experience, and referred to an inward work in the soul instead of to our place in Christ, and what belongs to it. Yet Scripture says distinctly in this last case, as in others, “if any man be in Christ,” and then uses expressions which would certainly not be true of “any man in Christ,” (mark) if applied to the inward work. “All things new,” who indeed can pretend to, that knows anything of himself? Thus these blessed texts taken from their true application are made instruments of self-torture for souls seeking honestly but blindly to find in themselves evidences that they are accepted of God. While, with the eye on Christ, and the knowledge that we are in Him, and therefore, “as He is, so are we” (You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.