How Certain Is Our Salvation?

Everything fell into place! The air miles were redeemed, and the itinerary was very workable; a short Sunday afternoon flight to Minneapolis, a brief layover, and another short flight, and my wife and I would be basking in the southwestern sun for a few days. The return itinerary was equally workable: the same flights in reverse and we would be home again in plenty of time for the next Sunday’s activities. Of course, it didn’t work out that way. A faulty communication circuit board, a plane needing fuel, a fuel truck with a broken axle, a long line at the de-icing station, and a sensor indicating ice buildup on the right wing only made sure that our “best laid plans went awry” as poet Robert Burns once declared they often do. Living in a world of misunderstandings, mistakes, mishaps, and misfortunes, we have come to expect that few things ever work out the way we intend them to or even hope they will. Our sin-filled world simply contains too many variables to allow things to work out perfectly.
As God’s people, we look forward to taking a most amazing trip in the future. This upcoming trip will not be for the purpose of thawing out our chilly bones in the Arizona sun, but rather a final and permanent trip to receive our eternal inheritance along with the Son. St. Paul tells us about our final inheritance in these words: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16–17). He also tells us about our final journey to receive this inheritance: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:16–17). The air miles are redeemed, and the itinerary has been set by the Lord God Himself. Will logistical problems thwart our Judgment Day journey to eternity?
God says of Himself, “For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Therefore, His promises never change! The angel Gabriel announced to Mary: “With God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1:37). He has already overcome Satan, the greatest obstacle to our eternal happiness! The Holy Scriptures also declare: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). His atoning work has been completed and cannot be rescinded. With our almighty God and with Jesus Christ our Savior, there are no faulty circuit boards or broken axles, no weather delays or changed plans to thwart our salvation. With our Savior God, there exists only the plan of our salvation, forged in eternity, promised through the prophets, brought to completion on Calvary, and sealed at the empty tomb, a foolproof plan that is as absolutely certain as the almighty and eternal God Himself.
Since the day that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, sinful men have devised their own plans to gain immortality. But all of these plans must fail, for they depend in whole or in part on the sin-filled efforts of mankind. True immortality is provided to mankind only through the perfect work of our Redeemer, Jesus of Nazareth. Although He is a human being in every respect just as we are, there is one great difference between us and our Lord Jesus. He is also divine, and therefore He is perfect and sinless. Therefore, the propitiatory life He lived for us, the vicarious suffering He endured for us, and the substitutionary death He died for us are also perfect, an atoning sacrifice that He offered to our Father in heaven on our behalf to cancel our sins and their guilt and to grant us the deed to an eternal mansion in heaven prepared especially for us. Because Christ’s sacrifice for us is perfectly acceptable to our Father in Heaven, our salvation has been completed. Paul’s promise to the jailor in Philippi holds fast: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Praise God—our salvation is absolutely certain!
Nile Merseth is pastor of River Heights Lutheran Church, East Grand Forks, Minnesota.