Do you ever just feel downright unworthy? Like how could God really love me?
You aren’t alone. For so many years, I questioned my salvation. I laid awake at night wondering: Am I really saved? Have I done enough? Read enough? Prayed enough? Or “I messed up. I ___________. I guess I’m not *good enough* to be a Christian.” Oftentimes I’d think, “Why would Jesus die for me?”
Over the years, as my walk with Christ has evolved, I’ve learned that though my love is conditional, His love is not.
If that’s you and you’ve been silently wondering, repeatedly asking Jesus into your heart because you’re not sure you did it *right*, or still really struggle with sin (hi! Me too), I have two things for you:
You are not alone. I think many of us are in the same boat. However, what helped me was reading Scripture to discover Jesus and His character. He was gentle in every sense of the word, loving, forgiving, righteous, and blameless. Yet, He died a gruesome and horrific death for us to have freedom. So the next time that doubt creeps into your head, fight it with Scripture. He said, “It is finished,” He meant it. The debt was paid in full (John 19:30). Our salvation lies in what Jesus did, not in how *good* we are.
Think about Barabbas. Barabbas was a well known criminal during the time of Jesus. He had committed theft, murder, and went against the Roman Empire. He was sentenced to death by crucifixion. This would surely demonstrate to other disobedient citizens not to push against Rome. However, Barabbas didn’t get the death that he deserved. Why? Because Jesus literally took His cross. Barabbas walked free from prison that day, while Jesus walked to His death. In the same sense, that is exactly what Jesus does for us. He takes what we deserve, and instead of punishing us, He gives us freedom, hope, and peace through His blood.
Once we accept Jesus, which is really admitting our weakness without Him and our need for Him, we are saved (also known as justified). There’s nothing that can change that. Don’t believe me? Believe Jesus. He said, “... No one is able to snatch them [His followers] out of the Father’s hand…” Seems pretty clear, right?
I also love how Paul puts it in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death [what we deserve], but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is a gift. Most people I know give gifts out of love and don’t expect anything in return other than a thank you. Jesus is God’s gift to us, but we must fully accept Him.
Wherever you are in your faith walk, friend, please know that no one can snatch you away from the Father. Once you ask Jesus into your heart, you are saved. Period. Yes, we should try to resist our old ways and turn from sin to become more like Jesus, but when we fail, He’s got us covered.
As we enter a new week, my prayer for us is straight from Ephesians 3:14, 16-19:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Amen.🤍
Have a great week, friends!
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