In this fallen world, there is not much that we can say is a guarantee. People let us down. The Stock Market can go up or down. The weather may change from sunny to rainy. However, there is one constant we can rely on, our Good Father God. That is the truth and integrity of His Word and the work of redemption, the Finished Work of Christ Jesus.
Jesus' perfect work on the Cross guarantees that anyone who places their trust in Him alone will have eternal life. In this life, there aren't many guarantees. It is such good news to know that God isn't fickle like mankind usually is. What He declares is absolute truth. What He accomplished in the Finished Work is complete. It is done.
In many quarters of the Body of Christ, it seems our salvation is on shaky ground. That it's not a guarantee that after you believe you will see Heaven when you pass on. Oh, they'll say it's a guarantee if you initially trust in Christ that you're saved, however after this momentary trust, your salvation now depends on your performance, your faithfulness, your achievements and accomplishments and ability to remain sinless.
Paul shows us otherwise;
5 Now He who has made us and prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the [Holy] Spirit as a pledge [a guarantee, a down payment on the fulfillment of His promise]. 2 Corinthians 5:5 AMP
The Apostle Paul more than likely wouldn't be welcomed in most churches today. He spoke in tongues, believed in the Gifts of the Spirit as currently active, and he also believed in healing. He is the vessel God used to bring us this truth of the Gospel of Grace and the eternal security of the believer. Basically, Paul goes against the grain of the religious traditions of most churches.
Checklist/rule-keeping Christianity seems to be the norm in most congregations. Now, this doesn't mean God doesn't love the Church. The Church is the Body and Bride of Christ. It's just that the Body has some wrong thinking within birthed from fearful traditions and those seeking to control others.
Traditions have turned what is guaranteed into what is now questionable by many believers. This is just the work of the enemy. The enemy likes to put a question mark where God puts a period. Traditional religion does the same.
God declared once you're saved it's guaranteed eternal life. Yet tradition says otherwise. One reason is they don't realize eternal life is something you possess the moment you believe. Eternal life isn't something you receive when you die. No, it's the believer's current, present possession.
If you've believed you have eternal life right now. Paul declared this guarantee is a seal. A seal is on the outside of the envelope. It secures the contents until the seal is opened by the recipient.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 NLT
Our salvation is a guarantee. It is not a promise resting on an unsteady foundation. That is the faulty ground of our performance or promise to remain faithful or sinless. No! Our eternal salvation rests in the perfect redemptive work of Jesus Christ. When we put our trust in Him alone, He gave us the down payment of the Spirit within our hearts. The Holy Ghost within is all the proof we need that we possess eternal life now and forever.
God is a Good God! He is faithful to His Word and the ratification of the Finished Work. He fully accepted, approved and confirmed the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Because of this finished work we who believe are made Righteous, sanctified, and forgiven once for all time. Because of this new creation, we are also guaranteed eternal life in Christ. An eternally secure salvation is part and parcel of the Finished Work of Christ the Lord!
When we place clauses, addendums, stipulations on God's Word and the Finished Work we dishonor God. When ministries or churches fashion traditions that create fear, uncertainty, and remove the security of the believer, know they are discrediting the work of Jesus. Any traditional religious idea that diminishes the full work of redemption is a subtle scheme of the enemy attempting to get believers to believe the lies of the enemy.
In summation, God has declared us eternally saved. The Finished Work procured our eternal redemption. The enemy using/creating religious ideas is attempting to dissuade us from believing all God has done for us. Guard your thinking and focus on the Finished Work and what Jesus has done and reject the lies of the enemy and walk in the fullness of what Grace purchased.
Image by yorkshireman from Pixabay
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