# Help me rephrase this sentence, please.



## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Jan 24, 2016)

I am working through some various materials to teach a class on the doctrines of grace. I ran across this sentence from Nathan Pitchford on the issue of the perseverance of the saints: "God's preservation of the saints is not irrespective of their continuance in the faith (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Heb 3:14; Heb 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-27; Heb 12:14; Rev 21:7-8; Rev 22:14-15). 

The "not irrespective" is throwing me off in trying to restate the point as simply as possible. Thoughts?


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## TheOldCourse (Jan 24, 2016)

It's basically a double negative. God's preservation of the saints takes into account their continuance in the faith. Or perhaps "includes" or "encompasses" would be better ways to state it.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Jan 24, 2016)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> "God's preservation of the saints is not irrespective of their continuance in the faith (1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Heb 3:14; Heb 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-27; Heb 12:14; Rev 21:7-8; Rev 22:14-15).


God's preservation of the saints takes into account their continuance in the faith...." Why? For it they are His workmanship....etc.


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## timfost (Jan 24, 2016)

GulfCoast Presbyterian said:


> "God's preservation of the saints is not irrespective of their continuance in the faith."



Otherwise, it would be called "eternal security" and not "perseverance of the saints." Perseverance without perseverance wouldn't live up to its name.


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## GulfCoast Presbyterian (Jan 25, 2016)

Thank you all. I understand the theological concept, but I was really struggling with the sentence structure, and trying to determine if there was a grammatical issue that did not line up with the theology and cited references. "Not irrespective" is not part of my normal vocabulary.


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## timfost (Jan 25, 2016)

Double negatives are not unconfusing.


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## Ben Mordecai (Jan 25, 2016)

I would rephrase, "God's preservation of the saints does not mean that it applies to those who do not continue in the faith."


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