Charles H. Spurgeon wrote about a conversation he had once with a friend of his.  His friend was an old plowman, or farmer, who lived in the country.  He would sometimes visit with the old man who was very simple, yet often said some precious and profound things.  One particular day, he had this to say:

“The other day, sir, the Devil was tempting me and I tried to answer him; but I found he was an old lawyer and understood the law a great deal better than I did, so I gave over and would not argue with him anymore; so I said to him, ‘What do you trouble me for?’

‘Why, about your soul,’ said the Devil.

‘Oh!” said I, ‘that is no business of mine.  I have given my soul over to the hand of Christ. I have transferred everything to him.  If you want an answer to your doubts and queries, you must apply to my Advocate.”

Trying to argue with the Devil is a common blunder. You will always lose if you are not prepared. We must remember three things. One, it’s no longer our war. Two, the war has already been fought. And three, the war has already been won. Allowing the Devil access to your ideas and mind sets you up for failure. There’s no use fighting or arguing about the doubt and confusion he sends your way.

One of his strategies is to mislead believers into focusing on whether or not they feel saved rather than on God’s message. “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool,” the Bible states (Proverbs 28:26, KJV). There are days when I don’t feel saved: I spill coffee on my shirt when I’m late for work, the kids (or dogs!) refuse to cooperate, and a swear word creeps into the back of my mind. Bad days come, and I’m not feeling rescued. If I had to depend on my emotions to think I was saved, I’d be in big trouble and without a paddle. This last year, I’ve battled with a lot of rage and hatred. My ideas and some of my acts were far from Christian. My family and friends never stopped loving and protecting me, and neither did my Heavenly Father. Our salvation is not dependent on our sentiments, nor is it based on our own righteousness or any church tradition. Baptism will not bring you there, nor will your own efforts.

The definition of salvation is “preservation or escape from disaster, difficulties, or evil.” The definition of preservation is “to hold possession of; retain.” In theological words, salvation is trusting or believing, by faith, that Jesus Christ paid for your sins at Calvary with His own bloodshed.

According to the Bible, “he who believeth in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36, KJV). “For God so loved the world that he gave his only born Son, that whomever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, KJV).

Salvation is also reliant on God’s love and compassion rather than anything you or I can accomplish to earn our way into His kingdom. “For by grace are ye saved by faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any one should boast,” says Ephesians 2:8,9.

It is not the result of our efforts. According to Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” A gift is still a gift. You don’t deserve it. It is just handed to you.

A fresh birth results from salvation. “Jesus replied and said to him, ‘Truly, verily, I say unto thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see God’s kingdom” (John 3:3, KJV).

When you are spiritually reborn, you become a child of God. Nothing can undo your physical birth, and nothing can undo your spiritual birth.

Physically, you cannot be unborn. Spiritually, you cannot be unborn. Even though your fellowship has been severed, you are still a child of God. “My father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no one can take them from my Father’s hand” (John 10:29, KJV). “…and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world,” Jesus promises those who trust in Him. Amen” (Matthew 28:20, KJV ) “…for he has stated, I will never leave thee nor abandon thee.” (KJV, Hebrews 13:5) “Really, truly, I say unto you, He who heareth my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life…” (1 John 5:24, KJV).

• “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them for those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:10, 14-20, KJV).
• “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5, KJV).
• “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24, KJV).
• “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption”  (Ephesians 4:30, KJV).

With all of God’s promises to maintain, save, and preserve us, merely implying that we can lose our salvation makes God a liar. “And then will I proclaim till them, I never knew you: leave from me,” Jesus stated in Matthew 7:23.

If you were saved once and subsequently lost your salvation, what Jesus stated would be incorrect. He knew you at some time if you were rescued previously. As a result, He couldn’t claim to have never known you. That would qualify him as a liar.

The devil does not want you to be saved and will do all he can to hinder you from being saved. One idle thought may separate you from God for all eternity.

Furthermore, how do you determine when you’ve sinned enough to forfeit your salvation? And, if it were conceivable, wouldn’t that imply that you had to work for your salvation? And if it were true, would that render the Bible incorrect and God a liar (Eph. 2:8-9)?

The finest example I’ve heard came from a pastor a few years ago. Assume you’re in a tiny town. The floodwaters continue to rise. The people of the town are doing all they can to get away from the dangerous waters before it’s too late. A man and his kid are leaving their house. The father tells his kid to grab his neck so he can rescue him from drowning. The father, on the other hand, provides severe commands to hold on.

It is not his responsibility to save his child; rather, it is his son’s responsibility to save himself. He should throw his arms around his father’s neck and cling to him as he swims toward the rescue boat. If the boy lets go or is pulled away by the current, the parent has few options. He’ll accept his defeats and move on. What a great father, huh?

So, think about it.

In our narrative, water represents death. Death is also associated with sin. As a result, water signifies sin in our tale. Our aim is to reach the rescue boat. It’s perfect. The father symbolizes our Heavenly Father, who will rescue us from death.

What type of parent would abandon his kid to his own devices? It’s not a good one.

Any parent would cling to his kid and ensure that they both made it to safety. He would not abandon his kid to the dangers of the sea. Our Heavenly Father will not either. He’s right there with us, clinging to us, cheering us on, and never letting go.

The arms of God protect and safeguard us. No man, no supernatural entity, can ever take us out of God’s hands. He loves us and cares for us. Yes, we may go astray. We may get overwhelmed by the events of our world, and we may even forget that God is there.

But guess what? He’s not forgotten. Once lost, but now found, can never be lost again. He is well aware of your whereabouts. If you believe your relationship is suffering or you’ve strayed off track, it’s time to call home. Your Father is expecting you. You are never far from His grasp.

If you are struggling, please know that you are not alone. If you need someone to pray for you or even with you, feel free to email me. I would be more than happy to be there for you! Remember, Jesus loves you and so do I! I’m glad to call you a friend!