It was a few years after I made my decision to follow Christ before I realized I was His forever. I had read this in the Bible, but because of what I had gone through in life I just could not get my head wrapped around this fact. Being human means, we have all been rejected and replaced at different times in our lives. Many of us have learned not to trust others to keep their word. We have gone through things like the death of a loved one, or a divorce that was never supposed to happen. This world has conditioned us to not believe in the “True Love” only God can give. But the fact is, any person who will put their trust in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is “Forever” a child of God, AMEN! I will “Never” be rejected or replace by my Father God if I am a His child. When I made the decision to follow Christ I give all authority over my life to Him, I am no longer on my own. God keeps me, not the other way around. I will never lose my salvation because He cannot fail!
John 3: 15-16 makes it clear, “Whoever, believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life”. Eternal means forever, our salvation cannot be taken from us. According to Ephesians 4:30, “Christ followers are sealed for the day of redemption”. A seal is placed on something so it cannot be opened until a specific time. The day of redemption is the day Christ breaks the seals and welcomes us home. So, you see, whatever anyone tells you, God will never leave you, if He did He would be a liar and that He is not!
One of my favorite passages in the Bible regarding this topic is Romans 8: 38-39, which states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NIV). The key here is “Not anything in all creation” can separate a Christ-follower from the Love of God. Our salvation is not based on our love for God, but on God’s great Love for Us! You see Christ Jesus paid for our salvation, which God had promised. God’s Holy Spirit then placed a seal of redemption on us which was not to be broken. If we are true believers and have taken Jesus’ gift of salvation we are His for eternity, but the key is true believers.
Being a true believer or Christ-follower is more than just belonging to a church or walking down an aisle, these things are part of it, but just the beginning. A true Christ follower will continue to grow in faith. It’s like a caterpillar that eventually changes into a beautiful butterfly. We start out like a small child and grow into adulthood. This growth continues until death! Christ-followers will become new creatures according to 2 Corinthians 5:17. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and begins the transformation. We become “True Believers in Christ” and are forever changed!!
The fact is, not everyone who calls him or herself a Christ-follower is a “True” believer. 1 John 3:6 explains that a true Christian cannot live in unrepented sin. 1 John 2:19 goes on to say that anyone who leaves the faith is showing that he or she was never really a “True” believer. This person may have been religious and acted the part but had never given him or herself completely to Christ. You can usually recognize them by their lack of fruits or what they do for others and God (Matthew 7:16). Romans 7:4 says, “The redeemed in God belong to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (NIV). This does not mean that we don’t backslide or sin, we are still humans living in a sinful world
but bought with the blood of Christ through our Faith in Him.
The most miserable time in my life has been when I have backslidden. The Holy Spirit that lives in me makes sure that I understood I am going against the will of God. Whatever the reason Christ followers backslides is not important, the importance is the fact that we must go to God and be honest about what we have done and ask forgiveness or repent. God loves His children and is grieved when they turn away. God has promised to forgive us if we only come to him and ask. Hosea 14:4 states, “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them” (NIV). Although we understand that we will be forgiven, we need to put up a fight against backsliding. 1 John 1:9 explains, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (NIV). God through Jesus Christ will make us clean again! 
So, as I see it, I am more secure than ever because I can trust in my faith in Jesus Christ. If you are questioning your faith in Jesus and have been playing a part, please consider trusting fully in the gift He gave you at the Cross. The death and resurrection of Jesus was payment for your freedom from this world of doom and sin. God is waiting patiently to forgive you so His Holy Spirit can place that seal of redemption on you for an eternity with Him. God Bless…
Your Sister in Christ,
Jacque Barnes
