Will This Article of Faith Be Rewritten?

Elder Ronald Lawrence, who pastors Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in Tennessee stated the following in a sermon entitled “Predestination & Providence/Perseverance & Preservation”:

"The last time we read anything about Lot in Genesis, chapter nineteen, he is in an immoral relationship with his two daughters; they are going to bear two sons by him, and he is drunk. Hardly an example of perseverance. He did not persevere, did he? Obviously not." (Predestination & Providence/Perseverance & Preservation, Elder Ronald Lawrence)

 Yet the article of faith per the church he pastors says:

"We believe that such as are called by His grace and justified shall finally persevere in Holiness, and never fall finally away." (see Here)

So the sermon denies perseverance, yet the article of faith confirms it.   What sort of message is being sent to the members of the church when they hear one thing from the pulpit, but read the exact opposite when they venture onto their home church’s website?  Why, which one are they to believe?  Perseverance is true or not true?

More than likely the local church is thoroughly ingrained in their anti-means, Antinomian system just like most of their contemporaries and are in firm opposition to the idea that the saints of God shall persevere in holiness.  However, they have yet to do what most of their sister churches have been doing in recent years, which is alter this particular article of faith to make it palatable to modern day Hardshellism.

When will the word perseverance be taken out and substituted with preserved? And what about that word holiness?  Surely, they can’t have people thinking that only “they that have done good” (John 5:29) will make it to Heaven!  Lots of unconverted folks that Jesus failed to save from the habit of sin must be given a place as well, correct?  Yeah, the article of faith can’t possibly say what the word of God says on this matter:

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14)

So that needs to be omitted as well.