Up until age 44 I was 100% sure I was saved, that God and I were good-to-go. That is until one day, in His own divine timing God showed me His holiness and the reality of my sin, revealing my actual standing with Him and it wasn't good. Oh I had a relationship with God but it wasn't pretty; I was in opposition to Him. I'd been careening toward an eternity separated from God and in hell. Before then, I thought my spiritual vision was quite clear thank you very much..but I was blind blind blind. When the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit mercifully at work in me caused the scales on my eyes to drop away there was dramatic change. Heart change, desire change, my whole world-view was turned right-side-up. It was as if I could see for the first time in my life, and similar to Isaiah,(in 6:5) I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost...and I dwell in the midst of a people likewise lost!'.
Not long after that day I came upon one of the most startling passages in scripture:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' " Matthew 7:21-23
Startling for a few reasons. For one, it points to the magnitude of our salvation. For another, it points to the reality that there are still a great number of people who, exactly like I was, are walking in darkness blind to their unrighteous standing before God, though they think they are safely in the clear.
"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14
I haven't questioned my standing with God since that day but that doesn't mean that born-again believer's can't have doubts or be confused. Struggling isn't bad, it can actually be good. Struggling helps us grow in Christ's likeness, it produces character. What should be troubling for any Christian is if we never struggle!
Not long after that day I came upon one of the most startling passages in scripture:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' " Matthew 7:21-23
Startling for a few reasons. For one, it points to the magnitude of our salvation. For another, it points to the reality that there are still a great number of people who, exactly like I was, are walking in darkness blind to their unrighteous standing before God, though they think they are safely in the clear.
"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14
I haven't questioned my standing with God since that day but that doesn't mean that born-again believer's can't have doubts or be confused. Struggling isn't bad, it can actually be good. Struggling helps us grow in Christ's likeness, it produces character. What should be troubling for any Christian is if we never struggle!
