The Bible describes Satan, the enemy of our soul, as a master deceiver and liar. “He has always been a murderer and a liar,” Jesus said. “There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie.” (John 8:44 CEV). Satan continues to work overtime to create havoc in the lives of God’s people by putting question marks where God has put periods. One such area pertains to our eternal salvation. It is true that unconfessed sin in the life of a believer creates a barrier between them and the Lord that short-circuits faith and assurance. However, along with that sometimes come feelings of total estrangement from God and thoughts of losing our salvation and place in heaven. That is a trick of the enemy. Satan is known as the “accuser of the brethren.” (Rev. 12:10) Too often people mistake God’s chastening as confirmation of their lost condition when in fact it is proof of His love for them. God chastens those he loves. (Hebrews 12:6-7) Jesus sits as our advocate before God the Father. Like the high priest in Old Testament times who offered blood sacrifices for the people's sins, Jesus atoned for our sins by His death on the cross. Once and for all. (Heb. 10:1-18) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (I John 5:1 CEV). “We believe what people tell us. But we can trust what God says even more, and God is the one who has spoken about his Son.” (I John 5:9 CEV) We are eternally secure as long as our faith is vital. Sin for the believer will distance but not push them from God’s love. I John 5:17 tells us “Everything that is wrong is sin, but not all sins are deadly.” The one sin that will keep a person out of heaven and therefore “the deadly sin,” is the sin of unbelief – a refusal to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God who died for their sin. (John 3:16-18) Because of the power of personal choice God gives to each of us, I suppose it is possible for one to completely trash their personal faith and no longer believe Christ died for their sins. This would be dangerous territory indeed! However, in all my years of following Jesus, I can only think of one man who publicly identified himself in this way and possibly might fit this description. Even then, I am forced to wonder if he died a doubter or a denier. Only God truly knows. Theologically, am I a Calvinist? Am I an Armenian? I am neither! I am a Christian. And I am secure IN HIM. (See Romans 8:28-39) Be blessed my friend. Glen (Pitts) The Barnabas Group / Loads of Love John 7:17; 14:21; Romans 17:15-25; I Thess. 2:13; Romans 8:1; 10:9-10; John 15; II Peter 3:17-18; Hebrews 6:19-20; Psalm 16:1-2, 5; Phil. 1:9-10; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Rom. 6:1
