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As a general term in theological use, assurance refers to a believer's confidence in God, God's response to prayer, and the hope of eternal salvation. In Protestant Christian doctrine , the term "assurance", also known as the Witness of the Spirit , affirms that the inner witness of the Holy Spirit allows the Christian disciple to know that ...
Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) arrived at the same conclusion in his own readings of the early church fathers. In responding to Calvinist William Perkins arguments for the perseverance of the saints, he wrote: "In reference to the sentiments of the [early church] fathers, you doubtless know that almost all antiquity is of the opinion, that believers can fall away and perish."
Eternal security, also known as "once saved, always saved" is the belief providing Christian believers with absolute assurance of their final salvation.Its development, particularly within Protestantism, has given rise to diverse interpretations, especially in relation with the defining aspects of theological determinism, libertarian free will and the significance of personal perseverance.
Free grace theologians emphasize the absolute freeness of salvation and the possibility of full assurance that is not grounded upon personal performance. [6] [7] Thus, Free Grace theology allows for the salvation of an individual despite moral failings, although the disobedient Christian will face divine discipline. [8]
Thus a first interpretation of the doctrine of perseverance of the saints acknowledges explanations of apparent apostasy like "evanescent grace," which avoids offering to the believer absolute assurance of salvation during life. Several Reformed theologians have expressed a non-absolute assurance of salvation view. [79] [80] [81] [82]
However, this salvation is not presented as automatic. Rather, a person must have faith in order to receive this free gift of salvation. In the penal substitution view, salvation is not dependent upon human effort or deeds. [103] The penal substitution paradigm of salvation is widely held among Protestants, who often consider it central to ...
'She is taken up by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all', 'the universal sacrament of salvation'." [ 6 ] The conviction that the Church herself is the primary means of grace can be traced back to Irenaeus , who was expressing a common conviction when he said: "Where the church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit ...
Some more recent theologians, such as Karl Barth, G. C. Berkouwer and Herman Ridderbos, have criticised the idea of an "order of salvation". [3] For example, Barth sees the ordo salutis as running the risk of "psychologizing" salvation and Berkouwer is concerned the ordering does not do justice to the "fullness" of salvation. [8]