You’re my child, and I’ll never, never, never leave you nor forsake you—no matter what.
Which father do you think will produce more well-behaved children? As these children grow into adults, which group will be more likely to struggle with broken relationships, need endless hours of therapy, and endure pain-filled lives? Which group of children will be more likely to become adults who live with boldness, integrity, and high standards?
If the Gospel you preach depicts a Heavenly Father who overtly or subtly communicates to His children: “If you stray, you can be sure you’re not my child” or “I may kick you out at any time if you don’t live up to my standards,” then your Gospel is no Gospel at all.
We’re saved by faith alone in Christ alone (John 6:47). At the moment we genuinely put our faith in Jesus to save us, based on His death, burial, and resurrection, we’re adopted into the family of God (Galatians 3:26). He’ll never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). This reality is not a license to sin, but a reason to serve God with all of our hearts (Romans 12:1).
When we sin, our Father will discipline us (Hebrews 12:6), but He’ll never cast us out or lose us (John 6:37-39). If we keep sinning, He may even take us to Heaven prematurely (1 Corinthians 11:30, 1 John 5:16), and we’ll suffer a lack of rewards (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). But if we’ve genuinely put our faith in Jesus, we’re God’s kids, whom He loves no matter what (Romans 8:29-39).
This isn’t a free pass to sin, but a reason to offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) for the rest of our lives.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
