Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

5 September 2025

Reading From I Corinthians 15:1-28

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”—I Corinthians 15:1-2

Salvation is an event (new birth), salvation is a process (sanctification), and salvation is a future goal (glorification). I was saved, I am being saved and I will be saved. Once we are born again, that’s not the end of our journey. One must begin to grow spiritually and that growth will continue in the life of a genuine follower of Jesus until full maturity at the resurrection.

If someone made a decision years ago to follow Jesus but has wandered from the path and is not serving Him today, then today is the day of salvation. There’s no time like the present to make things right with the Lord. I believe that those who are truly saved but have strayed will eventually return to Him just as the prodigal son did in Luke 15:11-32.

Thus the Apostle Paul encourages us to hold fast to the Word of God so that the decision we made to follow Jesus was not made in vain. If we do not continue in the faith, then it is all for naught. He reminds us in verse 10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” It is the grace of God working within us to keep us moving forward in faith.

“Lord, give us the endurance we need to make it to the finish line and finish strong. Strengthen our faith. Empower us to hold fast to the teachings You have given us and may we be faithful to put them into practice. Bring course correction to Your children as needed. Forgive us Lord where we’ve stayed from the path You intend for us to travel with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

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

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.—Colossians 1:21-23

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.—Revelation 2:10