A reminder of a point I’ve made many times in various places: Nothing objective guarantees subjective faithfulness. The objectivity of the covenant is real and it matters. Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the preached gospel are all gifts, objectively speaking. They are all grace in tangible form. Church membership — life in the body and bride of Christ — is a gift as well. Being born into a Christian family, culture, or nation are all gifts as well. But all of these gifts must be received with a working, persevering faith in order to result in final salvation. Nothing objective guarantees subjective faithfulness — and that means apostasy, or covenant breaking, is a possibility. Nothing objective guarantees subjective faithfulness — this means the danger of covenant presumption (as demonstrated often in Israel’s history, especially by the Pharisees, e.g., Matthew 3, John 8, etc.) is a very real danger. Taking God’s gifts for granted rather than receiving them with gratitude and obedience is the essence of antinomianism. God’s gifts — the means of grace — are not unconditional blessings. If the conditions are not met, the gifts simply intensify the judgment one receives. To whom much has been given, much will be required. Those who are brought into the gracious covenant must keep covenant.
The means of grace are effectual. We must be able to say “baptism now saves you” without crossing our fingers or flinching. But we also keep in view the whole picture of how these means are effectual. The parable of the soils is a good explainer for this truth.
Consider: The Israelites were saved in their baptismal Red Sea crossing. But then many were destroyed in the wilderness (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1ff; cf. also Jude 5, which says the same people who were “saved” were then “destroyed.”) Or consider the case of Ham. He was saved on the ark, through the baptism of the flood (cf. 1 Peter 3), but then later cursed when he fell away. Gifts can be forfeited through unbelief. Covenant status can be lost. The warnings of Scripture are not hypothetical, they are real.
The book of Jeremiah largely makes the point that nothing objective, by itself, apart from subjective faithfulness, brings salvation. Israel is in danger of judgment. Jeremiah announces this judgment. But the false prophets cry out “Peace! Peace!” when there is no peace. They think mere possession of the temple, priesthood, and sacrifices will make Israel immune to judgment. They were wrong.
Likewise, Galatians makes this point in the NT. Galatians, contrary to some evengelical interpretations, cannot be read as an anti-ritual polemic. Paul does not shy away from the objective efficacy of baptism in 3:27. But the objective is not enough. Salvation also requires subjective faith directed towards Jesus as the God-sent, God-incarnate Christ.
Some today want to rest on a connection to the Bishop of Rome or apostolic succession or walking an aisle during an altar call. Others rest on heritage or lineage. But we can never presume upon the grace of God. Yes, God is gracious and his means of grace really are effectual. But, as Calvin taught us, there is an offer/reception paradigm at work. What God offers in the Word and sacraments must be received by a living faith.
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