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Peace of mind is
extremely important to a person's well-being. Polls conducted
have always rated "peace of mind" at the top of the
list of things necessary for happiness. And yet this "inner
peace" seems so elusive today.
Also, nobody
wants to live with a false sense of security. The ideal is peace
of mind brought forth by genuine security. This is exactly what
Jesus offers to His disciples. We are going to consider various
questions concerning security in Christ that have been debated
for centuries. "How secure is salvation and upon what is
this security based?" "Can a child of God ever forfeit
His salvation and be lost?"
HOPE
IN CHRIST
Christianity is
based upon a message of hope in the place of despair, faith
rather than doubt and purpose rather than emptiness. There is no
reason to live life or face eternity without hope. To do so
leads to cynicism. Paul reminded the Christians at Ephesus of
how they had been before: "...having no hope and without
God in the world."
(Ephesians 2:12)
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(1 Thessalonians
4:13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as
others which have no hope.
Apart from faith
the "eat, drink and be merry" philosophy makes tragic
sense. But there is something better
(1 Corinthians
15:32) If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at
Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us
eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
(1 Corinthians
15:57-58) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not
in vain in the Lord.
God has offered
to give dignity and purpose to our lives and peace to our souls.
Let us flee to Him for strong encouragement
(Hebrews
6:17-20) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the
heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it
by an oath: 18 That by two immutable things, in which it was
impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation,
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before
us: 19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an
high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The peace which
God offers does not depend upon outward circumstances. This
peace may be enjoyed in a mansion or in a dungeon and is
conditioned upon "hearing His voice"
(John 10:27-29)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father,
which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand.
We are only
protected by the power of God through our faith
(1 Peter 1:3-5)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a
lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.
It is entirely
possible for a Christian to leave His Lord and thereby leave the
security which He gives
(John 6:66-68)
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no
more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also
go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall
we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Other passages
in the Bible which show that security is based upon remaining in
Christ are abundant
(John 15:4-6)
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he
is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
We learn that
there is no condemnation to those who live in Christ
(Romans 8:13)
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
(Romans 8:37-39)
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Abiding in
Christ means keeping His commandments
(1 John 2:4-6)
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is
a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his
word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought
himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
ENDURANCE
God requires our
loyalty. There is no acceptable reason to deny our faith. There
is no loss or sacrifice so great that we ought to feel that our
Lord will excuse our disloyalty to Him, whether the loss of
possessions, money, friends, status or even the good will of our
family.
The Lord has
much to say about enduring faith. He tells us that we must be
willing to "endure to the end" even if our own brother
rise up against us
(Matthew
10:21-22) And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death,
and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against
their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye
shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that
endureth to the end shall be saved.
Jesus told us to
abide in His word
(John 8:31-32)
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Our perseverance
will bring us to our goal of eternal life
(Romans 2:6-8)
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them
who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are
contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Christians at
Corinth were urged to "hold fast to the word"
(1 Corinthians
15:1-2) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which
I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye
stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
We are told that
"in due we will reap if we do not grow weary"
(Galatians 6:9)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not.
Only if we
endure will we reign with Him
(2 Timothy 2:12)
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he
also will deny us:
We are God's
house and partakers of Christ if we "hold fast our
confidence" until the end
(Hebrews 3:6)
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if
we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end.
(Hebrews 3:14)
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of
our confidence stedfast unto the end;
God tells us
that we need endurance so that when we have done His will we may
receive what has been promised
(Hebrews 10:26)
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
The crown of
life belongs them that are "faithful unto death"
(Revelation
2:10) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful
unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
WARNINGS
AGAINST FALLING
God considers these
matters so important to our wellbeing that He has given repeated
warnings that it is possible to fall from grace. It would
certainly be wise to heed these warnings as we seek to avoid the
consequences of apostasy.
In the parable
of the sower Jesus illustrated the possibility of being saved
from sin and then returning to sin and being lost. Note
especially the seed that fell on the rocky soil
(Luke 8:4-15)
And when much people were gathered together, and were come to
him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out
to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and
it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And
some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it
withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among
thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8 And
other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an
hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He
that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked
him, saying, What might this parable be? 10 And he said, Unto
you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but
to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and
hearing they might not understand. 11 Now the parable is this:
The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the way side are they
that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out
of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 They
on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word
with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and
in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among
thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are
choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and
bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are
they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word,
keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
The disciple is
warned to take heed "lest he fall"
(1 Corinthians
10:12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall.
In fact, some
disciples at Galatia were "severed from Christ" and
had "fallen from grace"
(Galatians 5:4)
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are
justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
God also
predicted that in later times some would "fall away from
the faith" and therefore urged us to exercise care
(1 Timothy 5:8)
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of
his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel.
(Hebrews 3:12)
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
We are warned
that spiritual death awaits those who "stray from the
truth" if they do not turn back again
(James 5:19-20)
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert
him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from
the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall
hide a multitude of sins.
Yes, one can
have his named erased from the book of life
(Revelation 3:5)
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;
and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I
will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
SECURITY
AND PEACE
God offers security
and the peace which it brings by His grace. We receive and
maintain it by our own continued faith. This is our confidence
and hope. Our God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our
ability to bear, but He will allow us to be tempted and to
choose our own way. He will not forsake us. We must not forsake
Him
(1 Corinthians
10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common
to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
(Hebrews 13:5-6)
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content
with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The
Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto
me.
Yes, we can know
that we are right with God. This knowledge does not come from
intuition or feeling; feelings do not always lead to truth. We
can know by that which God has caused to be written
(1 John 5:11-13)
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that
ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
The peace of God
is not flimsy like that of the world
(John 14:27)
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid.
It passes
understanding in that it comforts and encourages the disciple in
good times and bad
(Philippians
4:7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
It rules the
heart and fills the man or woman of faith with gratitude
(Colossians
3:15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which
also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
CONCLUSION
The faithful
Christian knows that nothing will defeat him as long as he
abides in Christ. He is secure in that knowledge and his peace
is based upon it. God is always faithful.
(Romans 8:1)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.
(Romans 8:31)
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who
can be against us?
(Romans 8:37-39)
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
CAN
YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
Using this
lesson and your Bible, please look up the passages cited, then
answer the following questions.
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© 2000 for church of Christ, Oroville, Ca. All rights reserved.
Last revised:
February 22, 2007 . |
