Dictionaries :: Perseverance

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Perseverance:

pur-se-ver'-ans: The word occurs only once in the King James Version (Eph 6:18), where it refers quite simply to persistence in prayer. In theology (especially in the phrase "final perseverance") the word has come to denote a special persistency, the undying continuance of the new life (manifested in faith and holiness) given by the Spirit of God to man. It is questioned whether such imparted life is (by its nature, or by the law of its impartation) necessarily permanent indestructible so that the once regenerate and believing man has the prospect of final glory infallibly assured. This is not the place to trace the history of a great and complex debate. It is more fitting here to point to the problem as connected with that supreme class of truths in which, because of our necessary mental limits, the entire truth can only be apprehended as the unrevealed but certain harmony of seeming contradictions. Scripture on the one hand abounds with assurances of "perseverance" as a fact, and largely intimates that an exulting anticipation of it is the intended experience of the believer (see Joh 10:28 above all, and compare among other passages Ro 8:31-37; 1Pe 1:8,9). On the other hand, we find frequent and urgent warnings and cautions (see e.g. 1Co 8:11; 9:27). The teacher dealing with actual cases, as in pastoral work, should be ready to adopt both classes of utterances, each with its proper application; applying the first, e.g., to the true but timid disciple, the latter to the self-confident. Meanwhile Scripture on the whole, by the manner and weight of its positive statements, favors a humble belief of the permanence, in the plan of God, of the once-given new life. It is as if it laid down perseverance" as the divine rule for the Christian, while the negative passages came in to caution the man not to deceive himself with appearances, nor to let any belief whatever palliate the guilt and minimize the danger of sin. In the biographies of Scripture, it is noteworthy that no person appears who, at one time certainly a saint, was later certainly a castaway. The awful words of Heb 6:4-6; 10:26,27 appear to deal with cases (such as Balaam's) of much light but no loving life, and so are not precisely in point. Upon the whole subject, it is important to make "the Perseverance of the Saviour" our watchword rather than "the Perseverance of the saint."

Written by Handley Dunelm

Nave's Topical Bible

Perseverance: General Scriptures Concerning

1Ch 16:11; Job 17:9; Psa 37:24, 28; 73:24; 138:8; Pro 4:18; Jer 32:40; Hsa 12:6; Mat 10:22; 24:13; Mar 4:3-8; 13:13; Luk 10:42; 22:31, 32; Jhn 6:37, 39, 40; 8:31, 32; 10:28, 29; 15:4, 5, 7, 9; Act 11:23; 13:43; 14:21, 22; Rom 2:6, 7; 8:30, 33-35, 37-39; 11:29; 1Cr 1:8, 9; 15:1, 2, 58; 16:13; 2Cr 1:21, 22; 5:9, 15; Gal 5:1, 10; 6:9; Eph 4:14; 6:13, 18; Phl 1:6, 27; 3:16; 4:1; Col 1:10, 22, 23; 2:7; 1Th 3:8, 13; 5:21; 2Th 2:15-17; 3:13; 2Ti 1:12, 13; 2:1, 3, 12; 3:14; 4:18; Tts 1:9; Hbr 2:1; 3:5, 6, 14; 4:14; 6:1, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18; 10:23, 35, 36; 12:1-15; 13:9, 13; Jam 1:4, 12, 25; 5:10, 11; 1Pe 1:4-7; 5:8; 2Pe 1:10, 11; 3:17, 18; 1Jo 2:19, 27; Rev 2:7, 10, 11, 17, 25-28; 3:5, 11, 12, 21; 14:12; 16:15; 21:7, 8; 22:11

Perseverance: References Concerning

See CHARACTER; INSTABILITY; STABILITY

Perseverance: Instances Of:

Jacob, in prayer,

Gen 32:24-26.

Caleb and Joshua, in representing the land of promise,

Num 14:24, 38.

Thematic Subject Guide

Perseverance:

Gen 32:24-26Num 14:24; Num 14:381Ch 16:11Job 17:9Psa 37:24; Psa 73:24; Psa 138:8Pro 4:18Jer 32:40Hsa 12:6Mat 24:13Mar 4:3-8Luk 10:42; Luk 22:31Jhn 6:37; Jhn 6:39-40; Jhn 8:31-32; Jhn 10:28-29; Jhn 15:4-5; Jhn 15:7; Jhn 15:9Act 11:23; Act 13:43; Act 14:21-22Rom 2:6-7; Rom 8:30; Rom 8:33-35; Rom 8:37-39; Rom 11:291Cr1:8-9; 1Cr 15:1-2; 1Cr 15:58; 1Cr 16:132Cr 1:21-22; 2Cr 5:9; 2Cr 5:15Gal 5:1; Gal 5:10; Gal 6:9Eph 4:14; Eph 6:13; Eph 6:18Phl 1:6; Phl 1:27; Phl 3:16; Phl4:1Col 1:10; Col 1:22-23; Col 2:71Th 3:8; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 5:212Th 2:15-17; 2Th 3:132Ti 1:12-13; 2Ti 2:1; 2Ti 2:3; 2Ti 3:14; 2Ti 4:18Tts 1:9Hbr 2:1; Hbr 3:5-6; Hbr 3:14; Hbr 4:14; Hbr 6:1; Hbr 6:11-12; Hbr 6:15; Hbr 6:17-18; Hbr 10:23; Hbr 10:35-36; Hbr 12:1-13; Hbr 12:15; Hbr 13:9; Hbr 13:13Jam 1:4; Jam 1:12; Jam 1:25; Jam 5:10-111Pe 1:4-7; 1Pe 5:82Pe 1:10-11; 2Pe 3:17-181Jo 2:19; 1Jo 2:27Rev 2:7; Rev 2:10-11; Rev 2:17; Rev 2:25-28; Rev 3:5; Rev 3:11-12; Rev 3:21; Rev 14:12; Rev 16:15; Rev 21:7-8; Rev 22:11

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

Perseverance: An Evidence of Reconciliation with God

Col 1:21-23

Perseverance: An Evidence of Belonging to Christ

Jhn 8:31; Hbr 3:6,14

Perseverance: A Characteristic of Saints

Pro 4:18

Perseverance: To Be Manifested In

Seeking God

1Ch 16:11

Waiting upon god

Hsa 12:6

Prayer

Rom 12:12; Eph 6:18

Well-doing

Rom 2:7; 2Th 3:13

Continuing in the faith

Act 14:22; Col 1:23; 2Ti 4:7

Holding fast hope

Hbr 3:6

Perseverance: Maintained Through

The power of God

Psa 37:24; Phl 1:6

The power of Christ

Jhn 10:28

The intercession of Christ

Luk 22:31,32; Jhn 17:11

The fear of God

Jer 32:40

Faith

1Pe 1:5

Perseverance: Promised to Saints

Job 17:9

Perseverance: Leads to Increase of Knowledge

Jhn 8:31,32

Perseverance: In Well-Doing

Leads to assurance of hope

Hbr 6:10,11

Is not in vain

1Cr 15:58; Gal 6:9

Perseverance: Ministers Should Exhort To

Act 13:43; 14:22

Perseverance: Encouragement To

Hbr 12:2,3

Perseverance: Promises To

Mat 10:22; 24:13; Rev 2:26-28

Perseverance: Blessedness Of

Jam 1:25

Perseverance: Want Of

Excludes from the benefits of the gospel

Hbr 6:4-6

Punished

Jhn 15:6; Rom 11:22

Illustrated

Mar 4:5,17