In an article titled "Final Perseverance of the Saints" in "The Signs of the Times" periodical for April 10, 1833, (see here), we see further proof of what the first Hardshells believed about the perseverance of the saints and how it is exactly what is denied by today's Hardshells who now claim to believe in only "preservation" but not in "perseverance." We stand here in this blog for the genuine "primitive" teaching of the Baptists on this issue. In this article we have these words (All emphasis mine):
"All that can be fairly drawn from the word if, is this: If you persevere, that will prove the reality of grace: If after making a profession, you should afterwards fall away, that will prove you never had the grace of God in truth, notwithstanding all the profession you have made: as St. John argues, "They went out from us because they were not of us; for had they been of us they must needs have continued with us."
The article also says:
"If men have some natural awakenings and alarms of conscience, if they are outwardly reformed, and make a profession of religion, immediately, they are set down as believers, and should they afterwards fall from their profession it is vainly supposed by some that they are fallen from grace. How could they fall from that which they never had? This appears to be one of the prevailing errors of the present day. Preaching up reformation as if it was regeneration. I must insist upon it, that there may be reformation where there is no regeneration, but there can be no regeneration without reformation."
Notice that these first Hardshells were correct to understand that an "awakened" sinner is not necessarily a regenerated sinner. I have written much on this topic of "awakened sinners" already.
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