The Enemy of Security
God promised that anyone who believes that Jesus died on the cross for their sin will live forever in heaven. (John 6:40) However, unconfessed sin creates a barrier between the Lord and the believer, which can short-circuit faith and assurance. When we confess our sins, God forgives and cleanses us. By failing to admit to sin, however, a Christian will feel distant from God. He or she may feel unworthy of the Father’s love and can even struggle with a sense of rejection. Some might even feel as if they are no longer saved. That, however, is impossible — while we can lose our assurance, we can never lose our salvation. Too often, people mistake the Lord’s chastening hand for confirmation of their lost condition. Actually, the opposite is true. The heavenly Father disciplines those He loves, so correction is proof that we are His children as He guides us back into fellowship with Him. Jesus is our advocate before God. Like ancient Israel’s high priests who offered blood sacrifices, He atoned for our sins by His own death on the cross. We can’t sin our way out of His grace. The minute we confess our wrongdoing, blessed assurance from our Father comes flooding back into our heart.
