“I am not sure I am married.” What a statement! People know whether they are married or not. A person may not act as though they are in a marriage relationship but once they make that commitment to someone, they have entered into a relationship, they are identified as married. People break their marriage commitments with such things as divorce, stepping out, or separating. But all along the way, they know whether or not they are married. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful wife who is committed to our relationship. Jeneen and I will be celebrating 45 years of marriage this summer.
When a person enters into a relationship with Jesus Christ, is it a permanent relationship? Can we fall in and out of it? Can we lose our relationship by some act or series of acts? If we can lose it, our relationship with Christ is never more stable than we are. This is why the Bible teaches that the security of our salvation is rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ. He provides a complete salvation, based upon Himself and His work. He keeps us in the relationship the same way, His working and keeping of His promises to us.
Stability in our relationship with God comes from Him. He is the solid rock, a foundation which can never be destroyed, and He’s the constant who will never leave or forsake us according to His promise. Our relationship is based upon Him, bringing security, stability, and confidence that He will always be in the relationship. This gives us the ability to grow, sometimes making mistakes, stepping into sin, doing the wrong things, doing right things the wrong way or not maintaining our walk with Him. We can always come back to Him, experiencing forgiveness, cleansing, making the relationship right, clean, active in participation, and experiencing the sweetness of fellowship with Him.
Yes, it is important for us to know we are saved. We would never be committed to a relationship if we are unsure of it. If we could lose our salvation, we all would. Those who teach you can lose it do not understand the finished work of Christ, the term – justification, and the problems associated with such teachings. If a person teaches that you could lose your salvation, then they can also teach you what you must do to keep it. Losing your salvation is a doctrine of men and is often used to control people.
If you want to study further, I wrote about this subject in my study book, Steadfast and Stable. It is available through BJU Press, Amazon, and Christian Book Distributers.
Monte Leavell 