There are no “what if’s” in relation to our salvation by grace through faith, you either have been born-again or you have not.
There is no grey area of moving towards salvation, this blessing incomparable does not happen over time, it is not worked towards, there are no works that will attain it for you or be accepted by the Almighty, nor are there any works that will maintain it, or that would cause it to be removed from you.
Once you are hid in Christ you cannot unhide yourself, nothing that you can do can make you the unrighteousness of God in Christ.
I could complete this letter with nothing but verses from the Scriptures verifying these truths and refute all those that claim otherwise with attempts from His Holy Word. Once you are born again you cannot be unborn.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Mat. 16:27)
We have the assurance of our salvation, the question for us is not losing it or having it removed, we are Christ’s and He is ours, that will never change, it is not even the emotions we experience at times when we are in that dry and thirsty land, when it seems as if the Most High has withdrawn Himself from us, those moments when we doubt our assurance.
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 43:5)
The questions for us are, in part, our rewards or the loss of them, and that question can only be answered in this life by you.
In humility, without pride, without a hint of vainglory or self-interest, can you look back on the path that you have been set on, the path that started at His cross, that went past the empty tomb, that leads to the strait gate, can you look back and say with all honesty, here is where I put forth effort, here is where I submitted to the will of the Holy Spirit, here is where I was profitable for the Kingdom of the Lord my God.
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)
I realize that nearly all of us who contemplate that moment of accounting envision seeking His mercy for our mistakes, for the times we were hesitant, when we knew what we were supposed to do, what we were supposed to say, but did not. We do not think of excuses, we seek for His understanding, His mercy.
I ask this question of you today then, contemplate it well and at length. As boldly as you approach the throne of grace with your requests, can you envision yourself entering just as boldly on that day of your accounting?
I should end this letter right here and allow that question to be formulated within your mind, for it has value beyond what any of us can fully comprehend.
Without pride being able to say, “Here I was profitable, here I submitted fully to your will, here I gave no thought to myself, to the circumstances or the possible consequences to myself. Here I did as I was commanded to do, solely for your glory.”
I know it’s almost impossible to comprehend, isn’t it? Hearing “Well done, thou good and faithful servant,” or simply “Welcome.”
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)
Feeling useless while realizing that at times we were useful, that is the life of one who seeks to do the will of Him who has called us to Himself.
It’s part of the battle. Join in it.
