Debate Review II

On the second night of the debate, in my second affirmative, I introduced arguments from the Book of Romans to prove the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and the impossibility of their apostasy.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."  (Rom. 5: 8-10)

I argued from this passage that those who are truly once saved in time by the death of Christ will surely be saved in the end.  When Paul said "being now (in the present) justified by his blood we shall be saved (in the future)" he was saying that once a person is saved in the present, he will surely be saved in the future, or "once saved, always saved."  He also repeated the same affirmation when he said "being reconciled (now in the present) we shall be saved (in the future)."    This argument was never refuted by my opponent.

"Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."  (6: 8-9)

Again, Paul affirms that if one is truly saved now in the present, then he will surely be saved in the future, or in the end.  He affirms this when he says "if we be dead (if we be saved now), then we shall also live with him (or be finally saved)." 

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."  (8: 11)

Again, Paul affirms that if one is saved now, he will surely be saved in the end.  "If the Spirit dwells in you now, then you will be saved in the resurrection." 

None of these verses or the arguments from them were ever refuted by my opponent.

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (6: 14)

I argued that those who are under grace will not have sin to reign over them and can therefore not be lost.  Again, this argument was never refuted by my opponent.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (8: 28-39)

From these words I made several arguments.  First, I argued that the number of the finally saved (glorified) was not less than the number initially saved, which it would be if any of those who were called and justified failed to be glorified.  My opponent never made an attempt to answer this powerful argument.

Secondly, I argued that Paul affirmed that Christ being given to a man secured him.  If Christ has been given for me, then everything else will surely be given to me, including my perseverance in grace. 

Thirdly, I argued that no one for whom Christ died and suffered the penalty of sin could possibly be lost and that this was the argument of the Apostle. 

Fourthly, I argued that nothing could separate the truly elected, called, and justified man from the love of God.

None of these arguments were ever refuted by my opponent. 

"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand."  (Rom. 14: 4)

From this passage I argued that Paul expressly says that those who are the Lord's servants will be "upheld" or "made to stand."  Their perseverance was guaranteed by the promise and power of God  Again, this argument was never ever addressed by my opponent.