Stumble… or fall?
The Scriptures are clear: We are all sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God. Is it possible to fall short of the grace of God as well?
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.
Luke 22:31-32
The Scriptures are clear: We are all sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God. Is it possible to fall short of the grace of God as well?
Do people get one chance — and one chance only — to turn their lives around and live according to the tenants of Christianity, or is faith a process of growing that is quite likely to be interspersed with a myriad of failures of different types and kinds?
In conversations with people from all walks of life, there are two ‘schools of thought’ that stand out:
1. The would-be Christian that fully expects to go to heaven when they die because they call themselves Christians and believe whatever sins they’ve committed are very likely to be forgiven, and;
2. The accomplished and aware sinner who is very likely to doubt his own salvation specifically because he is keenly aware of his many and varied failures before God.
There are several passages in Scripture that address these specific issues and lead us to a much clearer perspective of our failures as human beings. One is the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner’. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14 KJV
As the passage from Luke, in the words of Jesus Himself, so clearly convey, we have an enemy whose desire it is to destroy the followers of Christ.
What follows is an excerpt from the Abundant Life Day Book by Nancy Guthrie. In it, this specific issue is addressed in a succinct and encouraging way.
You have an enemy who wants to sift you like wheat. He wants to put you through the wringer to destroy your faith and confidence in Me. He wants to make you think that you have strayed beyond the bounds of my love and forgiveness, so you’ll be too ashamed to return to Me.
But you are not at themercy of your great enemy. Your great Mediator, Jesus Christ, has pleaded in prayer for you, that though you may stumble, you will not fall. And because He has prayed for you, though you may falter in this life of faith, you will not ultimately fail.Satan may send suffering in an effort to destroy your faith, but you need to know that I intend to use it to develop your faith. What he sends to tempt, I use to train. What he sends to wound you, I will use to prune you.
Abundant Life Day Book / Nancy Guthrie
Here is an interesting prayer of Jesus’ that delineates the love and dedication of Christ to His followers. It is found in the Book of John.
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
John 17:9
Whilst walking through this life, consider to whom you belong. Remember: If you are a Christian, you are His. You were bought with a price, and you belong to Him — You are not your own!
His love for you is unparalleled, there is simply no greater love than this.
Because of His love, you are greatly blessed no matter what the world does to you, no matter what it says to you and no matter how it treats you.
Whether the world horribly mistreats you — as it did Him — or whether it promises you the ‘world on a platter’ as Satan attempted to convince Jesus when he told Him everything could be His: you are not to be fooled by the lies. God has already determined your fate. Do not try to circumvent the will of God nor the sacrifice of Christ to follow after the things of this world.
The ultimate sacrifice was made on the cross ON YOUR BEHALF.
Two things to consider: One, that you should reciprocate in kind to the greatest of your ability, and;
Two, that you remember to consider that while His gift to you is free because it is born of grace and not something that can be earned, Scripture also admonishes us to consider that ‘Faith without works is dead.’
In acknowledgement of this, do consider doing all that you can to follow His directives, to care for others and to share the gift that He has given His very life to provide to you.
