All the five points of Calvinism work together in harmony. Because man is dead in sin (Total Depravity), he can not come to God on his own and must depend on God to draw him near (Irresistible Grace). Those that God draws near are those he chose to save (Unconditional Election) and he sent his Son to die for all the sins of those people (Limited Atonement). Because God begins the process of sanctification and it is the work of God in salvation, God will not lose those that are in him (Perseverance of the Saints).
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37-40) Jesus explains that it is the Father's will that he will never lose any of those given to him, so that they will not perish. Those that come to Jesus will never be cast out. Never is a very definitive to word and does not leave any room to negotiate at a later date.
"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) Here, Christ is speaking specifically of his sheep, the believers. A few verses prior, Christ identifies the sheep by those who hear his voice, and he knows them. The sheep are given an eternal promise and a guarantee that there is no one or nothing that can snatch them from God's (Father and Son) hand.
"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours." (John 17:9) In the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays specifically for those that have been given to him from the Father. By declaring those that were given to the Son, are also property of the Father is very comforting. The Creator of the world will surely never lose anything that belongs to him. "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24) Later, Jesus also asks the Father to let those given to him be with him in the glory of the Father. The idea that Christ's prayers would go unanswered seems ludicrous.
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) Our persevering to the end depends upon the grace of God. When Christ returns, 'the day of Jesus Christ', he will raise his people from the dead, and they will reign with him.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39) The Apostle Paul makes a very strong claim and assurance for the believer that nothing can separate them from God. While there may be people who are against us on Earth, those that attack us do not have the ability to attack our faith and salvation, as that is protected by God.
"...So that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:7-9) Paul gives believers assurance that God, who began the work of sanctification in them, will complete it. He uses another definitive word by saying "...Christ, who will sustain you to the end..."
It should be noted that just because someone professes to be a Christian, does not mean that they are really a Christian. You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16-20). A true Christian does not produce bad fruit. So does this mean that someone who once professed faith, but is now out of the faith, lost their salvation? Absolutely not. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19) "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
The teaching of "once saved, always saved" is not the same as Perseverance of the Saints, and is not Biblical. "Once saved, always saved" is a product of "easy believism" and many modern evangelical churches teach this. This teaching is not saving anyone, but rather is leading many today who once walked the aisle at church, and said a prayer straight into Hell. If someone continues to live in sin, has not repented and turned to Christ, and isn't producing "good fruit", then they will be among those that Jesus will declare, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." A Christian can not continue in their sins. While the Christian will still sin and may occasionally fall into deep sin, the gift of repentance will be exercised. If they leave the Church, and don't return, they were never a part of the flock to begin with.
As with all of the Doctrines of Grace, the five points of Calvinism, the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints is beautiful because it displays God's sovereignty, and with that sovereignty believers can rest assured that their salvation will be preserved. If left to man to work out his salvation by himself and to maintain his salvation, there can be no doubt that no one would be saved. Our entire being- our heart, mind soul, and body- is infected with sin. There is no way we could keep ourselves in right standing before God. Thankfully, we have an advocate who assures us that nothing can snatch us from his hands.
"Therefore, while we all labour naturally under the same disease, those
only recover health to whom the Lord is pleased to put forth his healing
hand. The others whom, in just judgement, he passes over, pine and rot
away till they are consumed. And this is the only reason why some
persevere to the end, and others, after beginning their course, fall
away. Perseverance is the gift of God, which he does not lavish
promiscuously on all, but imparts to whom he pleases. If it is asked how
the difference arises – why some steadily persevere, and others prove
deficient in steadfastness, we can give no other reason than that the
Lord, by his mighty power, strengthens and sustains the former, so that
they perish not, while he does not furnish the same assistance to the
latter, but leaves them to be monuments of instability."- John Calvin, "Institutes of the Christian Religion"
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