Returning to Chapter 17 of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, we continue our study of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace. They shall certainly persevere in it to the end and be eternally saved.
Previously, my exposition went only as far as the phrase “sanctified by His Spirit.”
Sanctified by the Spirit (continued)
The Confession reminds us that those who are united to Christ—accepted in the Beloved—and effectually called by God are also sanctified. That is, they are set apart unto God and made holy.
This sanctification, however, is not like the ceremonial purifications we find in the Old Testament. Under the new covenant, God sanctifies not merely the outward person, but the very heart. As he promised through the prophet Ezekiel:
I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26–27)
This divine heart-change inevitably leads to a transformed life. As Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Co 5:17).
This inside-out transformation is further illustrated in Ephesians 2. Paul begins, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:1–2). But then he makes a pivotal statement: “But God, being rich in mercy … even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4–5).
And what is the result of this spiritual resurrection? “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10).
Those who once walked in sin now walk in righteousness. A change of heart inevitably leads to a change of life, of affections, of thinking, of desire. Simply put, if the Spirit sanctifies the inside, the outside will not remain the same.
While the Bible does not explicitly list two kinds of sanctification, it presents a clear distinction through the tenses of the verbs it uses. On the one hand, sanctification is described as a definitive, past-tense act of God—a monergistic work of the Spirit. On the other hand, it is also presented as an ongoing, progressive pursuit of holiness—a synergistic process involving the believer’s active obedience.
Consider Paul’s words to the Corinthian church: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1Co 1:2). Here, sanctification is treated as an accomplished fact. Similarly, later in the same letter, he writes, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1Co 6:11).
Paul groups sanctification with regeneration and justification as past events, accomplished by the Spirit. This is often referred to as positional sanctification, since it marks a change in one’s status before God—from belonging to Adam’s fallen race to being adopted into God’s redeemed family.
Although I use that term sparingly due to potential misunderstandings, the category it represents is biblically valid.
The second facet is often termed progressive sanctification, referring to the believer’s ongoing growth in holiness. For example, “Strive … for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). Also consider: “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1).
This aspect is not a one-time event but a continual pursuit, a Spirit-empowered striving after holiness.
We could also speak of a third aspect: our future sanctification, which will be complete at glorification. In that sense, believers have been sanctified, are being sanctified, and will be sanctified.
While these distinctions can be helpful, they can also be misunderstood. Some accept the idea of positional sanctification, acknowledging that God has joined them to Christ, set them apart, and declared them holy, but neglect or even reject progressive sanctification. They assume that a change in status need not lead to a change in life.
This mindset often underlies popular phrases like “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved.” The idea is that one may be positionally sanctified even if they show no evidence of practical holiness. But the Bible will not allow such a separation.
Again, consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6. After warning that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, he writes, “Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified” (1Co 6:11). This is not a mere change in status; it reflects a radical transformation. The Corinthians had turned away from their former sins. Though not perfected, they had begun a new walk in righteousness.
The Confession summarizes it this way: “This sanctification extends to every part of man, yet it remains incomplete in this life. Some remnants of corruption remain in every part, and from this arises a continual and irreconcilable war [between the flesh and the Spirit].”
Yet even in its incompleteness, this sanctification is real and active. The believer now walks a different path. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2, “We once walked [in sin] … but God made us alive … that we should walk [in good works]” (Eph 2:2, 5, 10).
Positional sanctification, then, is not merely a legal shift in status. It is the beginning of progressive, lifelong sanctification. It initiates a process that God himself ensures will unfold.
As Paul exhorts in Philippians, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Php 2:12–13). Here we see the interplay of divine initiative and human response. God plants the desire for holiness; the believer brings it to expression.
This is precisely what Ezekiel foresaw: “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Eze 36:27). Jesus echoes the same truth, saying, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27).
Returning to the Confession:
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, and given the precious faith of His elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace. They shall certainly persevere in it to the end and be eternally saved.
Of course they will. That is the promise of the new covenant. Christ’s sheep will follow him. They will walk in the Spirit. They will bear fruit. And Jesus assures them, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” (Jn 10:28).
Those who are sanctified by the Spirit will persevere. And they will be saved.
The precious faith of God’s elect
The 1689 Baptist Confession includes a phrase not found in the Westminster Confession. It states that those who persevere are “given the precious faith of His elect.” This wording is drawn from the First London Baptist Confession of 1644, demonstrating theological continuity with earlier Particular Baptist thought.
Here again, the saints—true believers—are the subject of the statement, but the emphasis remains on God’s gracious activity in their lives. The faith by which they persevere did not originate within them; it was given to them by God.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which was certainly influential in the formulation of the Confession, makes this clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8–9).
Similarly, Paul writes in Philippians, “It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should … believe in him” (Php 1:29).
Faith, then, is not self-generated. It is graciously granted. And this aligns with everything we have already considered. If, as Scripture teaches, we begin our spiritual lives dead in sin, hostile to God, and enslaved to unrighteousness, then we cannot possibly conjure faith from within. As Jesus told certain Jews, “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:26–27).
In Acts 16, we read of Lydia how “the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Ac 16:14). Her heart did not open itself. The initiative was entirely the Lord’s. Again, faith is “the gift of God” (Eph 2:9).
The Confession refers to this as “the precious faith of His elect,” a phrase echoing Peter’s language: “To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Pe 1:1, KJV).
This faith is “precious” because it is how we receive Christ and all his benefits. As John writes:
To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12–13)
Or consider John 3:16: “Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Paul makes the same point in Galatians: “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ … in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law” (Gal 2:16).
And in Romans 3:
The righteousness of God [is] through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe… and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus … to be received by faith … so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:22–26)
In every case, faith is the instrument by which justification and eternal life are received.
While Scripture stresses the necessity of faith, it also prompts an important question: What is faith? More specifically, what is saving faith? How can one know whether they truly possess it?
Hebrews 11:1 offers a foundational definition: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith involves trusting God’s Word even when the fulfillment is not yet visible. It brings assurance and inward conviction rooted in divine promises.
I often encourage my children to trust me. At the pool, for example, my son hesitates to leave the steps, even with floaties, because he can’t see how things will turn out. When I tell him, “I’ll hold you; I won’t let you go,” and he chooses to step out, that act is faith. He trusts my word without proof, and that trust produces action.
God told Abraham to look at the stars and promised, “So shall your offspring be” (Ge 15:5). Despite his old age and childlessness, Abraham “believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Ge 15:6). He trusted in the unseen fulfillment of God’s Word.
It is crucial, however, to understand that not all belief qualifies as saving faith. The Confession wisely defines it this way: “The principal acts of saving faith focus directly on Christ—accepting, receiving, and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.”
This definition emphasizes that saving faith has both a divine source, God’s grace, and a proper object, Christ alone. It also stresses that faith is more than mental agreement; it is resting in Christ as the only hope of salvation.
Scripture identifies at least three forms of non-saving or spurious faith.
First, intellectual belief without trust. James observes, “Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (Jas 2:19). They know the truth but do not love or trust God.
Second, emotional, temporary faith. In Jesus’ parable of the sower, some receive the word with joy but fall away in testing (Lk 8:13). This is circumstantial faith, not enduring trust.
Third, superficial, self-serving faith. John records that “many believed in [Jesus’] name when they saw the signs … But Jesus did not entrust himself to them” (Jn 2:23–24). Their faith was shallow, sparked by miracles but lacking actual dependence on Christ.
In contrast, saving faith consists of three essential components often summarized as knowledge, assent, and trust.
Knowledge involves understanding the fundamental truths of the gospel. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Ro 10:17).
Assent means agreeing that those truths are real and relevant. As Paul warns in Titus 1:16, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” Genuine assent involves the heart, not just the lips (Isa 29:13).
Trust is resting in Christ alone for forgiveness and life. As Peter preached, “There is salvation in no one else” (Ac 4:12).
Thus, saving faith has a source: the grace of God. It has an object: Jesus Christ. It has an instrument: empty hands contributing nothing, receiving everything.
Like the tax collector in Jesus’ parable, true faith cries, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” and is met with the pronouncement, “This man went down to his house justified” (Lk 18:13–14).
Finally, notice the phrase, “the precious faith of His elect.” This reference to divine election packs significant theology into a single clause. It echoes the “U” in the TULIP acronym: Unconditional election.
Paul writes, “He chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). Also, “Though [Jacob and Esau] were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad … [God’s] purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls” (Ro 9:11).
In Acts 13:48, we read, “As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” Belief follows divine appointment. Paul affirms the same in 1 Thessalonians: “We know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1Th 1:4–5).
In summary, those who persevere are those whom God has chosen from eternity past, effectually called to himself, graciously granted faith, united to Christ, accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by his Spirit.
As with the rest of Scripture, the Confession begins the doctrine of perseverance not by highlighting the believer’s faithfulness, but by exalting God’s faithfulness. As Paul writes, “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph 1:4–6).
Neither totally nor finally fall
Having surveyed the gracious work of God in the lives of his people, those whom he has accepted in the Beloved, effectually called, sanctified, and given the precious faith of his elect, the Confession now presents the assured outcome of that work: “[They] can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace.”
This statement does not deny the possibility of sin in the believer’s life. Scripture is filled with examples of saints who fell into grievous sin. David, described as a man after God’s own heart, fell into lust, adultery, deceit, and murder (1Sa 13:14). Peter, who confidently vowed never to forsake Christ, did precisely that.
Yet even in these failures, we see the sustaining hand of God. As Psalm 37:24 states, “Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
The Confession does not claim the saints will never fall; rather, it affirms that they will not fall totally or finally. These two adverbs are crucial.
To fall totally would be to fall utterly and irreversibly, to be lost entirely. But for those in Christ, this is impossible. The intercession of Christ and the indwelling of the Spirit guarantee otherwise. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, “who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it” (Eph 1:13–14). The Spirit does not depart from them, but continues his work of conviction, correction, and sanctification, drawing them back to repentance.
Nor can believers fall finally. That is, they will not perish in the end. Their final perseverance is secure. Jesus affirms this in John 10:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father … 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 10:27–30)
God may permit his people to wander or falter for a season, but he will not allow them to be lost. He has established boundaries by his grace. The state of grace into which believers have been brought is not temporary; it is sustained by the unchanging faithfulness of God.
Peter exemplifies this truth. Though he denied Christ with curses, Jesus had already secured him in prayer:
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31–32)
Peter’s restoration was guaranteed, not because of his resolve, but because of Christ’s intercession.
Paul offers a similar assurance to the Corinthians. Despite their many shortcomings, he writes:
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus … 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 1:4–9)
The ultimate ground of the believer’s perseverance is not found in human strength, but in divine faithfulness. God, who called his people into fellowship with his Son, will preserve them in that fellowship until the end.
The state of grace
The Confession continues, “They can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace.”
This phrase summarizes the outcome of God’s saving work. Having established that believers are chosen by the Father, effectually called by the Spirit, united to Christ, and given the precious gift of faith, the Confession now assures us of the result. Those whom God has brought into the state of grace will neither fall utterly (totally) nor perish in the end (finally). Their salvation is secure.
Immediately following, the Confession adds, “They shall certainly persevere in it to the end and be eternally saved.”
Here, the doctrine of perseverance reaches its full expression. Because salvation is rooted entirely in the sovereign work of God, from election to regeneration, justification, adoption, and sanctification, the ultimate perseverance of the saints is not only possible; it is certain.
Note the unambiguous language: “They shall certainly persevere.” There is no room for doubt, no qualification or condition that might introduce uncertainty. Paul echoes this confidence in his letter to the Philippians: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Php 1:6).
The believer’s perseverance is not based on the unshakable faithfulness of God, who began the work and will complete it.
They shall persevere
This line in the Confession marks the first mention of the believer’s action: “They shall … persevere.” Up to this point, the focus has been exclusively on God’s gracious work. Now the believer’s role is introduced, but even here, the emphasis remains on God’s grace.
Notice the phrase, “They shall certainly persevere in it.” In what? “In the state of grace.”
The saints do not persevere by stepping outside of grace and sustaining themselves through effort alone. They remain in grace. The perseverance of the saints is the perseverance of grace.
This mirrors Jesus’ own words: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22). Yet even this endurance is a gift sustained by God. Believers do not maintain their salvation by sheer willpower or spiritual discipline. Instead, they continue as believers because God continues to uphold them in his grace.
As the Confession makes clear, the believer is a believer by God’s grace, and he or she remains a believer by God’s grace.