Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Growing Up in Grace: Our Security in Christ

18 but grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory (honor, majesty, splendor), both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 AMP

 We've been in a brief study concerning growing up spiritually in the Grace of God. We've established that by planting the right roots of knowing who we already are in Christ will produce growth in our life in Christ. When we know who we are and what we have because of Christ, fleshly desires, and sinful habits will in time fade away. In Him is found true and lasting freedom. 

 We also established that understanding our love and acceptance in Him frees us from guilt, shame and allows for unhindered growth. In our last study, we discussed how hearing the true gospel of Christ allows for growth that is uncontaminated by religious tradition. Getting the root right always produces the right fruit.

 Today, I sense the impression to continue studying growth in Grace. Another area that is essential for proper growth in Him is to understand our complete security in Christ. Too many believers are insecure in their relationship with Father God. Religious traditional teaching about God, people's own experiences with their own father, are the main reasons for this. 

 This is why it is essential that we properly reveal the loving goodness of our Father in Heaven to a lost World. His everlasting, unconditional love will heal hearts and reshape images people have of God. Misrepresenting the Father to the people is not something God takes lightly. In fact, this is why Moses couldn't enter the Promise land. He made it appear God was angry with the people when He wasn't. (see here). 

Secure in Him forever

 When the Golden Gate bridge was being constructed the builders installed safety nets so the workers would not perish during the construction phase, (here). When the workers knew even at that height they were secure, they produced much labor. Had they not had a safety net, do you believe they would be so productive? 

 This is what the security in Christ brings us. When we know we will never again perish, we are able to grow and produce fruit. Even when we stumble and fall we can immediately get back up and continue walking. 
28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.” John 10:28-30 NLT
 We are forever secure in our Father's hands. He promised we would not perish or be lost again. Knowing this great promise we can freely pursue God's plan for our lives. Religious, performance minded folk believe that assurance of our salvation, knowing we can never perish causes us to live contrary to our new nature. 

 Religious tradition tends to think that by removing our assurance and ministering an idea of eternal insecurity that this will motivate people to grow up in God and cease from wrong living. Fear then becomes the driving factor as to why we live right. God then moves from being God the Father to the "godfather". 

 We better get right or God is going to "get" us. One slip up and you've lost your salvation. Threats of loss of sonship and blessings are what drives you to keep your heart and mind pure. How well does this style of ministry work? It leaves many broken, burnt out, and breaking away from the church, and walking out on their "relationship" with God.

 I've got some good gospel news. God is going to get you. He is going to get you saved. He is going to get you healed and whole. He is going to get restoration to you. He is getting new life and abundance to His people. He is not mad or disappointed in His Church. 

 In Christ, we are cleansed from all our sins. We are as righteous as Jesus. We are eternally saved and secure. He purchased eternal redemption for us, not temporal redemption, (see here). We now rest in our eternal redemption. This is where we find real and lasting fruit. 

 Reject the notion of an eternal insecure salvation. We have eternal salvation because of the Finished Work. Once you truly and sincerely received the Lord Jesus and His free gift, you are forever saved and can never again be lost or perish. Because we are always in His hands and can never permanently fail or fall our potential and possibilities in Him are endless! 
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