Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

2 December 2024

Reading From I Corinthians 15-16

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” —I Corinthians 15:1-4

I believe that everyone who is truly born again is a child of God. This new birth experience must be genuine in order to become a son or daughter of the King of Kings. Faith and trust in Jesus and His all-sufficient atonement, confession that He is Lord, and honest repentance are needed in order to join the eternal family of God.

For our salvation to be made complete on the Last Day, we must endure to the end. This does not mean we will get everything right and never make mistakes. It means that part of being faithful to the Lord is knowing what we must do when we falter. His arms of love are always open to us.

If a believer sins, they should acknowledge their wrongdoing before God, confess it to Him and if the occasion warrants it to a brother or sister, and accept His freely given mercy and pardon. He has forgiven our sins past, present and future and we must walk in the newness of life on the highway of holiness.

We prove that we are truly saved by bearing good spiritual fruit and walking with God in our daily lives until we meet the Lord by death or the Second Coming. If someone is genuinely a child of God but they wander from the Way laid out for us in the Holy Scriptures, they will eventually return to it, just as the prodigal son did. We must stand firm upon the Lord and the bedrock of His Word. Endure to the End.

“Lord Jesus, give us Your strength and fortify our faith. You are the Creator and Sustainer of all things. You are the Author and Perfecter and Finisher of our Faith. Help us to trust You even when it is scary for us. Protect us from the attacks of the enemy of our souls. Gird us up with the strength and power of Your Mighty Holy Spirit. You are our Rock and our Redeemer, our very present help in time of need. We praise Your holy Name. Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O Lord God. Amen.”

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. —I John 1:9

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. —Revelation 2:10

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. —Matthew 24:13

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. —James 1:12

For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. —Hebrews 3:14

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. —II Timothy 2:12

If we endure, we will also reign with him —Hebrews 3:6