Will This Last?

How to know our relationship with God is secure.

There are many relationships in our lives that don’t last. We might see a divorce, friends we lose track of, or maybe even the death of someone we loved. So, maybe you are wondering about this new relationship with God…will this last?

God tells us, “I will never fail you, nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). When we place our faith in Jesus, wanting Him in our lives, we become His child and forever can rest secure in His love. The following Scripture will help you see what is now true of your relationship with Him.

We did not earn a relationship with God, nor do we have to struggle to hold onto it. The Bible is clear about this. Once we placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we were accepted by God.

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous [in right standing, ok with him]. He did this through Christ Jesus when [on the cross] he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” (Romans 3:22-24)

The following Scripture will help you see what is now true of your relationship with Him.

Before we became Christians

You may not have been aware of the following. However, before becoming Christians, the Bible describes us as:

enemies of God (Romans 5:10)
helpless (Romans 5:6)
ungodly (Romans 5:6)
sinners (Romans 5:8)
lost (Matthew 18:11)
poor (Revelation 3:17)
blind (2 Corinthians 4:4)
under God’s judgment (John 3:36)
dead through our sins (Ephesians 2:1)
foolish, slaves to passions (Titus 3:3)
doing evil deeds (Colossians 1:21)
far from God (Ephesians 2:13)
without hope (Ephesians 2:12)
walking in darkness (John 8:12)

Now that we are Christians

From the moment we receive Christ into our lives, we have a new relationship with God, and a new life. Here is how the Bible describes us now that we have Christ in our life. We are:

at peace with God (Romans 5:1)
a child of God (John 1:12)
completely forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
brought near to God (Ephesians 2:13)
sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
no longer living in darkness (Ephesians 5:8)
members of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13,14)
loved by God (1John 4:9,10; John 15:9)
given eternal life (John 3:16)
secure in God’s love (Romans 8:38,39)
saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8,9)
Christ dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17)
chosen by God (Ephesians 1:4,5)
crossed from death to life (John 5:24)
alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:15)
righteous in God’s eyes (2Corinthians 5:21)
led by a caring Shepherd (John 10:27)

Jesus said, “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). He describes that further saying, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:28-30). He holds us securely.

Further we can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Jesus fully paid for our sins and once we thank Him for that, receive Him into our lives, desiring for our lives to be His, He makes us His child, giving us full forgiveness and acceptance with Him.

Our Relationship is Protected

This relationship is protected, not by what we do, but because of God’s character and Jesus’ death on our behalf. Jesus purchased our relationship with Him, canceling the penalty of sin that stood between us and God. And so we become His child, forgiven, indwelt by Him, declared righteous in His eyes, because Jesus covers our sin. Unfortunately, we still will sin. We still will find ourselves choosing to do things our way instead of God’s way. But this does not change the security of our relationship with Christ. We stand secure in this relationship, because of what God says about it. “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).

Salvation through Jesus is purely God’s gift, received once by faith. At that moment we have begun a relationship with God that lasts eternally. Our relationship with Christ does not hinge on personal holiness, or levels of faith, or sacrifices, or good works or religious acts. God doesn’t intend for our focus to be on our performance. He desires our focus to be on Jesus.

Unlike other relationships we have in this world, our relationship with God is secure because He brought us into this relationship in the first place,and He is faithful to keep us unto eternal life. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”