Strange Veiw of Perseverance of the Saints

I'm going to a seminary that is evangelical, conservative and dispensational. Some of the professors are Calvinists or Calvinistic at least. I don't know of anyone who is on faculty that is Arminian in their view of soteriology. Of the five points of Calvinism the one that gives most people problems is limited atonement. However, there seems to be a oft repeated other problem with Calvinism and that is the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. What I understand perseverance of the saints to mean is that God is the one that keeps you in his care. Broadly speaking, this is the same doctrine that goes by the names such as 'security of the believer' and 'once saved always saved'. Some how though the interpretation of perseverance of the saints by many of the students at the school is that perseverance is something that is achieved. It makes Calvinism a sort of salvation by the good work of keeping on keeping on. At first I thought some of the students had greatly misunderstood the teaching. However, it seems that at least some people are teaching perseverance of the saints in such a way as to imply that salvation is achieved by the work of individuals being faithful to the gospel. This a strange turning of Calvinism on its head. I would be interested if anyone else knows of this strange form of Calvinism being taught.

Comments

jazzycat said…
Perseverance by works would not be a strange form of Calvinism. It would not be Calvinism at all, because all five points fit very logically together. It all boils down to man’s inability to seek God on his own (Eph 2:1) and God’s ability to draw men through regeneration (John 3:3 & John 6:44). The atonement is without a doubt limited unless one believes in universalism. Either the extent or the power must be limited. If it was intended for everyone but did not accomplish this end, then the power of God must be limited. The other choice is that it was intended for the elect only which limits the extent. I think scripture does teach man’s responsibility to respond and cooperate with sanctification. This does not mean that these deeds of sanctification have any merit toward justification.
12:25 AM
pruittcommunications said…
Jazzycat,

On the idea that it would not be Calvinism at all, yes you are right. However, when someone claims to be a Calvinist but has somehow turned it on its head, so to speak, I don't think this is a trademarked term where we can get a court order to tell them to cease using the term improperly. (Hey, now there is an idea, I could trademark Calvinism (tm).) So I chose to talk about it in terms of how some people are apparently twisting this doctrine.

I agree with you fully that one's veiw limits the atonment in the extent of what it does or to whom it applies. Logically those who do not hold to the Calvinistic form of limited atonment are saying that atonment is limited in what it does. I beleive that when my Lord died, he died to save me. I find it somehow lacking that he died give me a second chance. Perhaps I was unclear, but I'm a five point Calvinist.

Thanks commenting on my blog. I found your coments a value. I will try to clean up any dangling thoughts next time.
10:42 AM
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