ROMANS 11
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. – Romans 11:25-28
ROMANS 11 GOD’S GIFTS & CALLING ARE PERMANENT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When God has chosen you to be part of his people
He is faithful he won’t turn his back on his promise
His gifts and calling are irreversible and endless
Obey his laws and you will reap his promises.
One of the questions that is raised about being a Christian is this: “Can a Christian lose his salvation?” In this letter, Paul sheds light on this question. Verse 29 tells us that God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable. Believers are assured of their salvation and God equips every believer with an ability to say “yes” to God’s call. Verse 26 shows us that we believe in a God who is unchanging. He follows through his promise to the Israelites.
Some people think that salvation can be lost, but salvation is a very long process that takes a lifetime. No one can truly see or know if one has already reached the peak of his or her salvation. Since only God sees our hearts and knows our thoughts, no one will ever know if we have reached the maturity of our faith but God himself. We may exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, but until one person is alive, we can never tell what they are going through and how they will respond to their life’s crisis when it hits them. They may fall away, but that doesn’t mean they lose the promise of God. The Lord will ensure that they stay faithful because they are God’s prized possession. We are vulnerable to the tactics of the devil if we don’t follow the path that he wants us to follow. The only way one loses his salvation is if he wasn’t a true believer after all.
REFLECTION
- What are the signs that people may think that a believer has lost his salvation?
