“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” ~ John 6:37, ESV
It is hard for many to believe in the assurance of salvation. Some people want to believe in a gospel that says Jesus forgives past sins, and gives us complete victory over sin in this lifetime. Much of this boils down to how they define the law, sin, grace, etc. They claim that Christians can only be saved if they have developed a perfect character. This false gospel leads to anxiety and worry instead of grace and peace.
Lately, God has been working with me to simplify the way I communicate the gospel. Any diligent student of the Bible is able to understand the basic message of the scriptures. The plan of salvation is simple enough for a small child.
The problem is with well-meaning Christians who have made a simple truth seem complicated. I know that am guilty. I tend to be less clear than I should be when proclaiming divine truth. In reality, although it is a profound mystery, the central message of Christianity is easy to understand.
First, salvation is not limited to a specific group of people, but is available to everyone on earth. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me” has the assurance of salvation.
Second, the condition for salvation is that we “come” to Jesus. God is not going to force anyone into heaven who hasn’t made a conscious choice to follow Jesus. Although He is calling us, and stands there with arms open wide, we must follow His command, “Come to me!”
Third, if we go to Jesus then He will “NEVER” cast us out. This doesn’t mean that we cannot turn our backs on Him and lose our salvation through unbelief, but it does mean that as long as we cling to Christ as our only hope of salvation then we have Christ’s promise that we are saved for eternity.
The plan of salvation is explained in one sentence by Jesus: “Come to me and have the assurance of eternal life.” How much easier can He make it for people to understand? If you are struggling to have peace with God, and do not yet have the assurance of salvation, then follow these simple instructions: Go to Jesus, accept the free gift of salvation, and take heart in the fact that He will never cast you away.
~Stephen Beagles