PERMANENCE
1John 1:5-9
V. 9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1John 1:5-9
V. 9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
1John 5:1, 13
The Message: “Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten... My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality is not an illusion.”
The Message: “Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-begotten... My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality is not an illusion.”
“Want to play 4-Square?” Shakira asked her third-grade classmate, Keith, as they ran outside for recess.
“Nah” Keith said, kicking stones.
Shakira persisted. “Your eyes are red. Is there something wrong?”
Shakira persisted. “Your eyes are red. Is there something wrong?”
Keith looked away, and sniffed.
“Please tell me what's wrong” Shakira said, sitting on the swing.
Keith swallowed hard. Keeping his eyes on the ground, he admitted, “I hit Nina, my little sister.”
“Oh…Is she OK?”
“Yeah… But I hate myself!”
“This is an easy fix, Keith. Just pick Nina up and holding tightly, whisper, ‘I’m sorry’ into her ear.”
“Yeah, I get that. But what does Jesus think of me, now?”
“Same thing as He thinks of me when I mess up, Keith. Can you sense Him waiting for your apology?”
“Is that why my heart’s breaking?”
"There's a fix for that, too. It’s called repentance.” Re-PENT-ans means admitting wrong, with sorrow, then refuse to repeat it. “Jesus will forgive sin after it's repented."
Permanence (PERM-a-nens meaning immovable eternalness) is the best cure for anyone who doubts salvation. Just because the conscience blasts accusations for a wrong, doesn’t mean that anything’s lost. Our salvation is secure—permanently: we're still adopted into God’s family, still co-heirs with Jesus. Unconfessed sin is the problem. Keith’s broken heart is a hollow empty feeling--like he lost something. That’s what separation from the Father feels like. Keith’s thoughts declare him unworthy—and that his place in heaven?—possibly lost forever.
Many people think their eternal security is at risk when they sin. They actually think God changes His mind about their salvation. But that’s impossible! What a shame to lose assurance of salvation over sin. The bad guy is unconfessed sin. Listening to that Liar, (the devil) often causes people to lose salvation assurance. Jesus remains our high priest—at the right hand of the Father in heaven—forever (Hebrews 8:1-2). No one can sin beyond God’s grace!
“Thanks for getting me to tell Jesus that I’m sorry, Shak” Keith said. “I feel better now.
Take Home Nugget
Often God’s discipline, or people’s guilty consciences, charge that we’ve lost our salvation. But the opposite is true! The Father disciplines those He loves, so correction is proof that we’re (still) His children (Hebrews 12:6-7).
Our salvation is secure because God’s Word is sure.
J.D. Griffith
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