Because of Jesus I Am...Pavyzdys

No Stronger Guarantee

Verse - “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

Think - But what if I have done something wrong? What if I haven’t loved Him correctly? So often, I don’t love Him as I should. What if I’m a goat and not a sheep and didn’t know it?” These types of questions from a dear friend often come up during our conversations. While my doubt manifests itself in slightly different ways, the heart of it is the same: a belief that my safety and the Lord's affection for me depend entirely on my own actions and thoughts. What a relief to know that mentality is a lie! Repeatedly in Scripture, we’re assured our salvation rests solely on what God has done. Nothing else but Him could measure up. Nothing else but Him would do.

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? That our sin separated us from an all-holy God? That He made a way for an unholy people to be with Him through His perfect Son? If yes, then you belong to God. And He cannot deny Himself. We could not do anything to earn it. It’s impossible for us to have exhausted His patience and affection because it has nothing to do with us but everything to do with who He is.

“Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present or things to come, nor powers, nor heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). If God is for us, then who can be against us? I am convinced that also includes our own selves; not even we can separate ourselves from the Lord once we belong to Him.

Apply - If somehow we could be broken from the One who has anointed us, who has put His seal on us, who has given us His spirit, who, as fully God and fully man, paid the ultimate price with His perfect, sinless, holy life, then He wouldn’t be God at all. When those doubts come creeping in, meet them with the truth of the Gospel. He is who He says He is. He has done what He says He has done. There is no stronger guarantee.

Pray - Lord, help me see you and your love for me based on who you say you are and not how I think you must be or feel based on my own feelings and emotions. Thank you that nothing can separate me from your love. Thank you that your seal over me can never be removed. Help me to live fully in that freedom. Amen.

Bio line - Ellie Brooke is the Executive Assistant at The Factory Ministries and a freelance music composer and writer. You can find some of her work at elliebrooke.com.