"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. 8:35).
The Bible teaches us that our redemption is secured by the promises of God, that we are “kept by His power” (1 Peter 1:5). God is the one who called us to Himself. He is the one who sanctifies. He is the one who will glorify us. As we walk through the darkness of this world, dealing with all its opposition, struggling against remaining sin in our own hearts, the only hope we have is Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we could never have any assurance of our salvation.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that we look to Jesus, “who is the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). Two things are attributed to Christ: that He gave us our faith and that He will perfect it. “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it” (Phil. 1:6). Christ alone is the Alpha and Omega of our redemption—thus our salvation is secured in Him.
The words used in Hebrews 12:2 are very significant. Our faith originated with Christ. Just as He created the world out of nothing, He created a new heart within us. Where there was no light, He declared that there should be light. Nothing within us could resist the power of His creative and redemptive Word. It is this same power of creation that sustains us and will ultimately bring us to completion. Hebrews 12:2 says that He is the perfecter, or finisher, of our faith. We are being perfected by the power of Christ every day—through suffering and discipline, through the comfort of His affection, and through the power of His Spirit. Everything that happens to us is for our good and for God’s glory, designed to bring about the perfection of our faith.
Because our salvation begins with Christ and is completed by Him, we can be confident that we will be saved. If our salvation were ultimately grounded in our own wills, we could not have that assurance. Our wills are fickle—we don’t keep our promises. But Christ keeps His promises, and by His power we will be brought to glory. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28).
What causes you to doubt your salvation? Sin often shatters our assurance. When you sin, confess to Christ and He will forgive you (1 John 1:8–10). Sincere confession and repentance are signs of true faith. Does fear cause you to doubt? If so, trust in God’s promises.
