Sure you do. I could pull up and post many articles by Calvinists that say there are different kinds of faith, but only true saving faith will save a man.
Here is a quote from John MacArhur
See what MacArthur says? If you have not been regenerated you cannot have true faith, saving faith.
And would you disagree? Would you say one would have faith but still not be regenerate?
But this leaves you with a serious problem, how do you know you have been regenerated? Did Jesus come down and speak to you like he did to Paul?
This also implies the unregenerate can have a false, non-saving faith. In fact, I have read several Calvinist authors that have said this directly.
So, how do you know your faith is true and saving? It is very possible that you could be unregenerate. If so, in your depraved state you could easily deceive yourself in believeing you have true saving faith when you do not. [/quote]
Here's a quote from James
Jas 2:14-26
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
And that is why I asked about perseverance in the OP. It seems to me that the only way a Calvinist can have assurance that they are elect is by persevering. But that is not much help because Calvinists freely admit that persevering does not prove a person is elect. There are lots of folks that go to church and read their Bible that are lost as a goose.
But this presents another problem as well. A Calvinist cannot be sure he will persevere unless he knows for a fact he is elect. But he cannot know that.
So, you see, it is a vicious circle of doubt. You cannot know you will persevere if you cannot know you are elect, and you cannot know you are elect unless you persevere.
You are the only one running in a circle. I'm know I'm elect because I'm saved.
