_2 Tim. 2:19_—“_Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness_”; that is, the temple of Christian character has upon its foundation two significant inscriptions, the one declaring God’s power, wisdom, and purpose of salvation; the other declaring the purity and holy activity, on the part of the believer, through which God’s purpose is to be fulfilled; _1 Pet. 1:1, 2_—“_elect ... according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ_”; _2 Pet. 1:10, 11_—“_Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ_.” C. That it leads to indolence.—Answer: This is a perversion of the doctrine, continuously possible only to the unregenerate; since, to the regenerate, certainty of success is the strongest incentive to activity in the conflict with sin. _1 John 5:4_—“_For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith_.” It is notoriously untrue that confidence of success inspires timidity or indolence. Thomas Fuller: “Your salvation is his business; his service your business.” The only prayers God will answer are those we ourselves cannot answer. For the very reason that “_it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure_,” the apostle exhorts: “_work out your own salvation with fear and trembling_” (_Phil. 2:12, 13_). D. That the Scripture commands to persevere and warnings against apostasy show that certain, even of the regenerate, will fall away.—Answer: (_a_) They show that some, who are apparently regenerate, will fall away.