Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 749
Delivered on Lord’s-day Morning, MAY 12, 1867, by, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
“The righteous also shall hold on his way.”- Job 17:9.
WE are thrice happy in having a goodly number of young beginners in our midst. Our springtide is cheered and beautified with many blossoms of hopeful converts. They have just begun to go on pilgrimage and would be as happy as the birds of the air were it not that some of them are grievously afflicted with the fear that they shall not hold out to the end. This is one of their daily torments, that, after all, they shall be false to Christ—that the Grace of God will fail them, or that they will fail to depend upon it—that having begun well they shall by-and-by be hindered and shall not obey the truth.
Now, perhaps a little plain conversation upon that subject may help to relieve them of their fears. Ignorance about Divine Truth is not bliss and is not the friend to bliss—“the soul without knowledge is not good.” The more we know concerning the doctrines of the Gospel the better for our comfort if by faith we are able to receive them. Many and many a doubt and fear now oppressing the people of God might be driven like chaff before the wind if they were but better established in the Truths of God relating to the points under their consideration. If they did but know more fully what God has revealed they would tremble less at what Satan suggests.
It is, therefore, with the view of very simply talking about this matter of holding on the way of the heavenly pilgrimage that I have taken this text this morning. May God the Holy Spirit bless it to us. First, we intend to say, this morning, that the Believer must hold on his way—it is necessary that he should do so. Secondly, it is exceedingly difficult for him to do so—the perseverance of the saints is surrounded with enormous perils. Yet, thirdly, this perseverance is guaranteed by Divine promise. But, fourthly, it is only guaranteed to certain persons whose character is described in the text as being “the righteous.” These shall hold on their way.
I. First, then, it is absolutely essential to final salvation that we should be PARTICIPATORS IN FINAL PERSEVERANCE. It has been said by some that he who once believes is therefore saved. I shall not deny the truth of that statement—but it is an unguarded mode of speech— and does not place the truth in the most Scriptural form. I would infinitely prefer to assert, that, “He who truly believes, shall by Divine Grace continue to do so, and therefore shall be saved.”
It is not true that, supposing a man did once believe and then became altogether an unbeliever, he should be saved. If that were possible, that the Believer should altogether fall from the Grace of God and become in all respects changed into an unbeliever, he would be damned. On this point the Word of God is very clear and decided—read the 24th verse of the 18th chapter of Ezekiel: “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.”
If it were possible for one who had entered upon the way of righteousness—truly entered upon it—to turn from it, utterly and totally, the consequences must be his final destruction, for Paul tells us, “It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame” (Heb. 6:4-6). That is not the point we raise at all in the discussion of final perseverance. We do not admit the possibility of total apostasy in the case of the real Believer in Jesus, but believe that he will hold on his way and so be saved, but only saved by being enabled to hold on his way.
We hold that in order to ultimate salvation it is absolutely indispensable that everyone who is a Believer should continue to be a Believer— that he who is made by Grace to be holy, should continue to be holy—that he in whom the Divine life is placed, should never lose that Divine life. It is the keeping of that life which we believe ultimately ends in perfection and everlasting bliss.
1. The necessity of final perseverance is very clear if you look at the representation of the Believer in the Word of God. He is frequently compared to a traveler. And no traveler reaches his journey’s end merely by starting upon the road. If it should be a journey of seven weeks’ length, if he shall sit down after journeying six weeks, he certainly will not reach the goal of his desires. It is necessary, if I would reach a certain city, that I should go every mile of the road. One mile would not take me there, nor if the city were a 100 miles distant, would 99 miles bring me to its streets. I must journey all the length if I would reach the desired place.