Divine and Self Keeping, Both

     As with just about every Bible subject, there is an extreme at each opposing end of the spectrum. Some religionists insist that God keeps man securely saved and safe. "Man’s spiritual preservation is wholly of God, without any participation or human condition," say they. Hence, the doctrine of "once saved, always saved." The opposite doctrine involves human self-sufficiency and efficacy. "Salvation and preservation is altogether determined by man, God merely watches from afar," say they. The first mentality results in no sense of urgency and responsibility on the part of man, the "God does it all" thinking. The second mindset promotes the thinking of the too often average Pharisee of Jesus’ day, "I take all the credit" (Luke 18: 9-14).

     While such verses as Joshua 1: 7 may not be speaking to the exact continuum that I am presenting in this treatment of God and man in the matter of spiritual preservation, there are certain applicable principles. Consider the resident warning:

     God in the matter of man’s preservation. The scriptures are replete with teaching that clearly and irrefutably shows God has an active and important role in the keeping of his children. Any theology that omits or denies divine keeping is a most sad and futile doctrine.

     God keeps the mouth of the saved. The words we speak are so important as they can and do affect so many with whom we come into contact. Words can either encourage or discourage others and thus influence their salvation or being lost. Consider the Spirit led teaching of David:

     God is able and does keep the saved saved. There are many verses in the Bible that set forth the assurance that God keeps his own people. Consider one of many:

     God is involved in the keeping of the heart and minds of his people. The Christian finds much encouragement in verses that teach God’s important and powerful involvement in their salvation. Consider Paul’s statement:

     God in his sovereignty and providence is actively involved in preserving his people from the wicked. The righteous have enemies, those who hate them because the righteous are who and what they are and they are, conversely wicked (cp. Luke 6: 27). Such resentment can result in bitter and cruel persecution. The righteous, though, have the promise of God seen in such verses as the following:

     God is active in keeping the saved from presumptuous sins. Presumptuous sins are such by their essential nature that offer doom and spiritual recovery. From such, it is difficult to return (cp. Num. 15: 30ff.). Notice God’s presence in such circumstances of avoidance:

     God is able and willing to keep the soul of the faithful. The view that God is a detached God is so cold, I do not know how any can embrace such a view. Yet, many do. Observe the prayer of David and the dependence that characterizes it:

     Now let us turn our attention to man in the matter of his own spiritual keeping and preservation. We have definitely observed the teaching of the Bible about God’s active role in man’s salvation. I shall now prove that man also has a role and important part to play in the maintaining of his spiritual acceptance with his God. This is a Bible truth that many deny, yet, such is irrefutably taught. We shall notice some areas in general that stress man’s volition and participation.

     The saved are to keep themselves out of the business of others. So many human relationship problems are created and continued with destroying results due to meddling in other people’s business. How can such be averted?

     Man is responsible for keeping his own heart. No man is totally passive as to his role and still pleasing and faithful to God. Those who say, "God does it all and overpowers human will and volition" are sadly mistaken. Consider the teaching of the Wise Man:

     The mouth and the words it utters are to be under the control and guidance of man. Those who believe, "God controls my mouth to the extent that I have no responsibility regarding what is said or the consequences of my speech" are most foolish. David decidedly stated:

     Man is responsible for his body and its actions. Many would agree that those who wantonly engage in sin, all the while denying any responsibility for their actions are wrong. Yet, some professing Christians maintain a similar belief in saying that the spirit is not responsible for the deeds of the flesh. Yet, we read such teaching as the subsequent:

     Christians are individually and personally responsible for effecting unity with fellow Christians. Unity is not something that is based on compromise and doctrinal concession. Such is clearly taught in Ephesus 4: 3-7). Notice the role of Christians in the matter of religious unity:

     Christians are enjoined by God to keep themselves in the faith. Paul’s words to the fellow preacher Timothy rebound with human, individual duty and participation. Observe Paul’s teaching:

     We have seen God’s role and part in man’s salvation and also man’s role and part in his own salvation. No one can successfully deny that the scriptures teach both God and man are involved. Is there, then, a contradiction? Nay, verily! The apparent contradiction is the result of what man fallaciously teaches about the role of God and man, such extremes as we mentioned at the outset. I do not know why it is so difficult for many to realize and accept that both God and man are active in man’s salvation. Be it understood that we are not saying that the scriptures teach that man has an equally important role in respect to efficacy. Compared to the mercy, sovereignty, and grace of God, man’s role is minuscule. Yet, man has a role without which man cannot be saved. Hence, the "whosoever willeth" expressions found in the scriptures (cp. John 3: 16).

     Many passages, in fact, emphasize both God and man, their several responsibility. "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phili. 2: 12, 13). Notice how Paul stresses man’s part in "working out his own salvation;" (v. 12) and in the very next verse places the accent on God’s involvement (v. 13). It is not, "Divine and Self Keeping, Which?" but rather, "Divine and Self Keeping, Both." Since both God and man are respectively involved, man can elect to go his own way and, thus, "fall from grace" (Gal. 5: 4). He can, put another way, elect to "receive in vain God’s grace" (2 Cor. 6: 1).

     In the sublime subject, then, of man’s spiritual preservation and keeping, both God and man are necessary. Any doctrine or theology that denies this Bible truth is patently false. I close by including another wonderful passage in which both God and man are clearly seen as active in man’s sanctification: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thes. 5: 23, 24).