In Christian theology, perseverance, often fully termed as “perseverance of the saints,” is a doctrine asserting that those who are truly regenerated and justified by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ will continue in that faith and will not permanently fall away. This concept is central to Reformed theology and is one of the five points of Calvinism, often summarized by the acronym TULIP.
The doctrine of perseverance is grounded in the belief that salvation is entirely the work of God—from election, through justification, to glorification—and that God will infallibly preserve His elect. It underscores the eternal security of the believer, who, despite facing sin, the world, and personal failures, will not ultimately fall away from the state of grace but will persevere to the end.
Key biblical passages supporting this doctrine include John 10:28-29, where Jesus states that His sheep will never perish and no one will snatch them out of His hand, and Philippians 1:6, which expresses confidence that God who began a good work in the believers will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
This doctrine offers comfort to believers, assuring them of God’s unwavering commitment to fulfill His promises, leading them through sanctification to their final glorification.
