And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Colossians 1:21-22, ESV)
In today’s passage, Paul powerfully described our position before Christ and then what our situation is after Christ enters our life. Through his mercy, grace, and love, Christ fulfills our desperate need for a Savior.
Have you ever had to work on different positions of the golf swing? Whether you’re focused on the position of your hips or arms or the position of your clubface, it can always be kind of difficult. Why? Because it is new and something you’re not used to. Change is hard, especially trying to get to new positions of the golf swing. It takes time and hard work to get better.
However, in our Christian walk, it doesn’t take any work to get to a different position. There is nothing we have done or can do for our position to change in Christ. And, the great promise is that no matter what, if we identify with Christ, then that position will never change. What a great promise for us to believe and hold on to!
In order for us to grow in Christ, we engage in important disciplines. Reading the Bible, prayer, community with other believers, and reaching the lost—these are things God has told us to do, and they are all great at helping us mature and develop our love and passion for God and Jesus.
However, none of these affect our position in Christ: “Therefore, if you are in Christ, you are a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If you are a Christian, then your position in Christ is secure and not based on anything you do or don’t do.
Even more importantly, this position will never change. Peter wrote that we have “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). This is key. We must always remember that we cannot “lose our salvation.” If we could, then I would lose it everyday through my sinful flesh and desires. No, God keeps my salvation secure through his Son Jesus.
When God sees me, he sees his Son, who lived a perfect life that I couldn’t live and died a death worthy to save me from my sins.
The next time you are struggling with something, whether it’s sin or pain or hardships or depression, keep in the front of your mind that if you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, your salvation is secure. Nothing you do changes that. If your hope is in Christ, then you’re secure. May we live with a grateful and appreciative heart for what God has done for us. Be encouraged today, Christian, that God has securely set you apart and will keep you in his arms forever!
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Rosson Anderson
March 31, 2015
Copyright 2015 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.