The Means of Our Perseverance

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Ps. 19 The Means of Our Perseverance Canons of Dort - Fifth Head of Doctrine - The Perseverance of the Saints Sermon Outline for August 12, 2007 by Elder Dennis R. Tuuri Intro: The Sower and the Soils (and Living Plants) Parable and Dort III, IV, Article 9: The fact that many who are called through the ministry of the gospel do not come and are not brought to conversion must not be blamed on the gospel, nor on Christ, who is offered through the gospel, nor on God, who calls them through the gospel and even bestows various gifts on them, but on the people themselves who are called. Some in self-assurance do not even entertain the Word of life; others do entertain it but do not take it to heart, and for that reason, after the fleeting joy of a temporary faith, they relapse; others choke the seed of the Word with the thorns of life's cares and with the pleasures of the world and bring forth no fruits. This our Savior teaches in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13). V. Rejection 7 Who teach that the faith of those who believe only temporarily does not differ from justifying and saving faith except in duration alone. For Christ himself in Matthew 13:20ff. and Luke 8:13ff. clearly defines these further differences between temporary and true believers: he says that the former receive the seed on rocky ground, and the latter receive it in good ground, or a good heart; the former have no root, and the latter are firmly rooted; the former have no fruit, and the latter produce fruit in varying measure, with steadfastness, or perseverance. I. The Law of God (And its Temporal Judgments) v. 11 - By Them Thy Servant is Warned Reading the Bible: Jn. 17:17; Ps. 119:24, 11; Mt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16 Poker, Prayer and Accountability Applying the Bible: Dt. 4;17 II. Proper Introspection v. 12 - Unknown Errors and Secret Sins III. Meditation v. 12 – Pos. 119:97, 15, 23, 99 IV. Study v. 12 – Ezra 7:10; Heb. 5:12 V. Prayer v. 13 A. For Cleansing From Secret Sins B. For Preservation From Life-Dominating High-handed Sins VI. Humility v. 14 - Then I shall be blameless VII. Community VIII. God – Omniscient, Loving, Omnipotent, Saving