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The last point of Calvinism is

5.  PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

He That Overcometh

That language sounds right to me, but especially like “total depravity,” the first point, it depends on how one explains it.  Why it seems good is because of certain scriptural language, chiefly two in particular.  One, the New Testament describes the truly saved person as him or he “that overcometh” (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7).  In an explicit way, 1 John 5:4-5 say:

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

True believers will overcome or persevere.  One of the ways you know a person is not a true believer or who possesses saving faith is that he will not overcome.  If it’s true, real, or living faith, it will persevere or overcome.  What does someone overcome?  Scripture would most characterize it as trials, temptations, snares, or tests, brought by Satan or the world system that Satan orchestrates.  Jesus explained it in the parable of the soils as the sun beating on the soil, the stony or rocky does not have root and cannot endure.

Abiding in the Vine

Two, Jesus used the metaphor of abiding in the vine (John 15).  Often, because of a wrong view of sanctification, evangelicals messed up this doctrine.  “Abide” (meno) comes from a simple Greek word that means “remain.”  Truly saved people, people with true saving faith, will abide or remain.  They will not defect like Judas or Demas (2 Tim 4:10).

The reason true believers remain, that is, don’t lose their salvation, is that God keeps them.  Once in His hand, no man can pluck them out of His hand (John 10:27-30).  He keeps them by His power (1 Peter 1:5).  Paul expresses it this way in Philippians 1:6:

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

God began the work of saving grace and He will complete it.  Despite the testing of Satan, Job persevered, which  testified of His saving righteousness.

Perseverance contrasts with a form of eternal security doctrine that eliminates an enduring or steadfast faith.  True and saving faith through the New Testament does endure all the way into eternity.  The eternal life of eternal security resulting through faith in Christ continues as more than just a quantity of life, but also a quality of life.  The eternal life received by saving faith proceeds from the nature of God.  That life of God will characterize the one who possesses it according to His moral attributes.

Regeneration and Perseverance

Is everything that I have described the actual doctrine of the perseverance of the saints?  I’m afraid not.  For Calvinists, unless regeneration preceded faith, then man’s contribution would have mixed with God’s in a non-saving way.  Regeneration as a consequence of faith, Calvinists say, will not persevere.  Man thus contributes to and fails at staying saved.

Endure to the End, Shall Be Saved

In other words, every point of Calvinism fits with all the others, so that if one is wrong, all are wrong, no matter how much each one is right.  Some thing or many things are right within each point, but enough is wrong to make the point itself in general wrong.  Perhaps no point is more right of the points of Calvinism than the perseverance of the saints.  Jesus said in Matthew 24:13:

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

“Shall be saved” is a future tense verb.  This is ultimate salvation, what some call “eschatological salvation.”  It takes in justification, sanctification, and glorification.  If God truly justifies someone, he will endure to the end.  Even though it is God keeping and sanctifying, the New Testament describes the cooperation of the believer in this.  Paul commands the believer to ‘work out his own salvation with fear and trembling’ (Philip 2:12).  Peter explains this as ‘giving diligence to make your calling and election sure’ (2 Pet 3:10).

To emphasize some modification of Calvinism, I will rename this point

5.  GOD’S PRESERVATION OF HIS SALVATION GUARANTEES MAN’S COOPERATION WITH IT

Many Calvinists wouldn’t disagree with that point.  Many non-Calvinists, who claim belief in eternal security, would reject it.  Man cannot cooperate without the will and work of God in saving him.  If God does save him, he will cooperate with what God does.  This fulfills the teaching in Romans 8:29.  Whom God foreknew, He predestined to conform to the image of His Son.  Every man God justifies, He also sanctifies.

From my reading of Calvinists, I contend that the points of Calvinism do not change the plan of salvation.  I hope you noticed that I didn’t say, “the doctrine of salvation.”  A Calvinist would receive and would not reject that (1) every man is a sinner, (2) he deserves a penalty for sin, (3) Jesus paid that penalty, and (4) he must believe in Jesus Christ.  I’m saying that Calvinism itself does not change the gospel.  The points of Calvinism in themselves do not result in a false gospel or salvation by works.  According to historians, Baptists have been more Calvinist than Arminian.  I write that, less an endorsement of Calvinism, but as it is a repudiation of Arminianism.

I reject a lot that Calvin believed, his ecclesiology, eschatology, infant sprinkling, and more.  The corrupt doctrine in the points of Calvinism, although I’m saying is not a false gospel, has bad consequences.  The points of Calvinism as taught by historical Calvinism leads people astray on numbers of doctrines.  All false doctrine causes problems.  Every problem for every church and every Christian comes to some misalignment with or deviation from the true teaching of the Word of God.  This includes several various aspects of the points of Calvinism.

A BETTER LIST

You don’t need Calvinism or Arminianism.  Certain aspects of both you’ll find in the Bible.  I call on everyone to reject both.  Either will send you a wrong direction.  Instead latch on to what scripture really teaches, which I hope you will see in the alternative points I provided.

Maybe you don’t even need a list or five points. I’m not saying you do. However, if you’re going to have a list of points, I contend mine is better than Calvinism or Arminianism.  It will allow for whatever truth either of those doctrinal positions provide.  Instead of conforming to a system, perhaps mine will conform to the full counsel of the Word of God.  Let’s review them (look back through the series as all of these points were longer there).

1. SPIRITUAL BANKRUPTCY
2. ELECTION ACCORDING TO FOREKNOWLEDGE
3. AVAILABLE SUBSTITIONARY SACRIFICE
4. SUFFICIENT GRACE TO SAVE
5. PRESERVED SAINTS COOPERATE

You’re not going to get the fun acrostic T.U.L.I.P. here.  I didn’t even try (SEASP?).  I warn you, don’t anyone call these the “five points of Brandenburgism.” Okay?  And despite not having a pretty flower to remember, just stop and smell some roses while you review these five instead.