Eternally Assured

" The rich young ruler understood that. It’s why he walked away from Christ in shame ( Luke 18:18–30 ). When Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give everything to the poor, He wasn’t offering the young man salvation by works. The money itself wasn’t the point—it was a question of his willingness to do whatever the Lord told him to do. What would he give up for the sake of his eternal soul? It was a test of his obedience and what he valued most in his heart. And he failed miserably. Reconciliation to God doesn’t happen on our terms, according to our schedules, when it’s convenient for us. It’s a radical redemption and transformation, and it requires us to be penitent, submissive, and completely sold out for God’s purpose and work. Nothing less is acceptable" - Excerpt from Reconciled by the Response of Obedience I recently read an article from a well known ministry titled  "Reconciled by the Response of Obedience"   I was saddened by reading it and also v...

"Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" - Hebrews 12: 1-2 "...and the same apostle says that we are 'justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus', and therefore we cling to this foundation, which is firm forever..." - Snippet from Belgic Confession Article 23 - The Justification of Sinners "In a word, Christ is our wisdom, because he is the subject, the author, and the medium. He is our righteousness, that is, our justifier. Our righteousness is in him, as in the subject; and he himself gives this unto us by his merit and efficacy. He is our sanctification, that is, sanctifier; becau...

  Enough: adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose to satisfy desire (dictionary.com)  Why I hate this word I have a love/hate relationship with this word because much of my Christian life was defined by it. The constant question that plagued me was "Am I doing enough?" Did I read the bible enough that day? Did I pray enough? Did I serve my neighbor enough? Did I love God enough? Did I surrender enough? Am I passionate for Christ enough? Did my life adequately display enough sanctification for me to be qualified to take comfort in the Gospel?  Do I even believe the Gospel enough?  I wonder how many Christians walk around with their minds constantly plagued by questions like this. I wonder and my eyes fill with tears, because I know that it is absolutely exhausting.  I often think about the hours of sermons I listened to that subconsciously urged me to keep looking to my "enough" to placate my conscience.  I knew acutely that the answer to a...