Kept by the Power of God: A Study of Perseverance and Falling Away

by I. Howard Marshall

This is a very controversial subject which disturbs many people. - If you do get disturbed it will be because of the emotion usually surrounding the subject of “eternal security.” - If you get upset it will NOT be caused by the manner in which Dr. Marshall has presented the subject. It is the contention of the author that there is biblical truth in both the Calvinistic and the Arminian position concerning this volatile subject, and that each camp should candidly recognize the value of the other's positions. John Wesley once wrote, “The truth of the Gospel is within a hairsbreadth of Calvinism.” Quite a concession for the chief spokesman of Arminianism! Dr. I. Howard Marshall echoes the contention of Wesley, and then goes even beyond it. “The full Arminian position is as much open to error as is extreme Calvinism. My aim is to reach beyond the Calvinist-Arminian controversy to a position which is biblical.”

Genres: Theology

282 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Ian Howard Marshall (12 January 1934 – 12 December 2015) was a Scottish New Testament scholar.[1] He was Professor Emeritus of New Testament Exegesis at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He was formerly the chair of the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical and Theological Research; he was also president of the British New Testament Society and chair of the Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians. Marshall identified as an Evangelical Methodist. He was the author of numerous publications, including 2005 Gold Medallion Book Award winner New Testament Theology.[2] He died of pancreatic cancer in 2015.[3]

Reviews

[James Korsmo]

In this classic study (published originally in 1969 and republished with a new substantive epilogue in 1995), Marshall looks at a key theological issue in the New Testament, the perseverance of believers. In a setting of persecution, the question of perseverance is one that arises often in the NT texts, and it is an important pastoral issue still today. But it is also extremely useful as a lens through which to view the NT understanding of salvation, election, judgment, and many other interconnected ideas. In short, it is a vital test case, or maybe better put, it is essential data for a robust NT doctrine of God and of salvation.

Marshall digs in to the relevant NT texts by first investigating the OT and Jewish background concerning perseverance. He then moves through the various corpora in the NT: the Synoptics, Acts, Paul, Pastorals (may or may not be by Paul, but treated separately from though with an eye toward the undisputed Pauline corpus), Hebrews, the Catholics, and the Johannine literature. This systematic study is largely exegetical, as Marshall works carefully with the individual texts on their own before summing up each author's perspective.

Marshall then brings all of this data to bear on a conclusion: "We can say firmly that, while it is possible for a Christian to fail to persevere after a genuine experience of salvation, yet, with all the promises of a faithful God to sustain those who trust in Him, the main emphasis of the New Testament is on confidence and assurance of final salvation" (210). In short, while we can't explain away the possibility of falling away, believers may be "confident of persevering through the power of God" (199).

I am greatly appreciative of Marshall's study. I think it is a wonderful exegetical survey of this important area. And I think it provides an important testimony to the work of God in salvation. It obviously has much bearing on the Calvinist-Arminian debate (though Marshall prefers the designation "non-Calvinist" in this context because the second position isn't necessarily in conformity with Arminius). He has many insightful discussions of election, calling, monergism vs synergism, and some of the other relevant theological areas that are touched on by this topic. I greatly benefited from this book, and think Marshall has taken a robust, biblical line on the question of perseverance and, more broadly, on God's working in salvation.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall writes as a biblical scholar, not encumbered by a theological system, and he examines Scripture's idea of perseverance. It is at times methodical, but is also consistently reasonable. Much as I love John Owen and John Calvin, their readings of Hebrews 6 come through a distinct lens that tells them the author of Hebrews cannot be saying what he is indeed saying about apostasy. Marshall exegetes those texts and many others to talk about the necessity of saints persevering in the faith. And, while the prose does not sing, it is joyful, because God can be trusted.

"The believer is not told that he is one of the elect and therefore cannot fall away, not is there any particular character of his faith which indicates that he is the kind of person who cannot fall away. He is simply told to continue in obedience and faith and to trust in the God who will keep him from falling. He perseveres by persevering. Perseverance is not some particular quality of faith or something to be added to faith, but the fact that faith continues."

[Ken Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I’m simply grateful that this book exists. I wanted to read a book from a non-Calvinist perspective on Christian assurance, and I.Howard Marshall has provided this rarity. And what I found so persuasive about this book is that it’s more an exegetical study than a topical study. Marshall painstakingly walks us through passage after passage of the New Testament, showing that our “assurance of final salvation does not rest primarily upon the evidences of election but rather on [our] Saviour.” In other words, salvation rests in our Saviour rather than a system. That is a huge comfort to me, and why I wanted to read a book like this. It gives me the language and the background that I wanted in order to speak more Biblically about the assurance that is ours in Jesus!

[Michael Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for all who want to genuinely enter the "eternal security" debate. Marshall covered much ground and depth in his theological discussion. He seemed balanced and fair in his approach. I am surprised this book was not required reading in seminary and I wish I would have read it many years ago.