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Ordinary Time

Key Doctrines

Perseverance of the Saints

The Reformed teaching (the 'P' of TULIP) that those truly regenerated by God will persevere in faith to the end and cannot finally fall away.

Not To Be Confused With

Perseverance (the saints WILL persevere, kept by God) differs from 'eternal security' as often popularly taught (a one-time decision guarantees heaven regardless of life). Arminians and Catholics hold that true believers can finally fall away.

Grounded in texts like John 10:28 ('no one will snatch them out of my hand') and Philippians 1:6. It is preservation as much as perseverance: the saints continue because God keeps them. The warning passages (Heb 6; 10) are read by its defenders as the means God uses to keep his people, and by its critics as real possibilities of apostasy — see assurance and eternal security.

Related Terms

Related Word Studies

Perseverance of the Saints — Definition | Theologos Media | Theologos Media