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I used to think that once saved, I would always be saved. This in part because of the scripture in Romans 8:38 Where Paul makes the statement:
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
I believed that by Paul making these statements, he was saying I would always be loved AND saved.
What changed my mind?
On October 25, 2002, I gave birth to a stillborn child at full term. During the following months of during my grieving period and after spending several hours in non-stop prayer about the situation, The Lord Jesus Christ took me back to the day I was in the hospital holding the lifeless child in my arms.
He revealed to me: The way I felt for this lifeless child, was the same way He felt for us, his children, how did I feel about this child? I still had an overwhelming love for her.
During this prayer; I call it a prayer, but it was more like I was flat on my face sobbing to the point I couldn’t speak; in my spirit I poured my heart out to God and told him . . .
“God, when I whispered in the baby’s ears, she couldn’t hear me. When I spoke the words “I love you”, she never turned her head to acknowledge me. She never opened her eyes to see me. I have accumulated everything a baby needs to survive- food, clothes, shelter, toys, etc., but this means nothing right now because I will not be able to take her home with me.”
The Lord in his wisdom answered me. He made me understand that he also has children that he calls out to however, they close up their ears so they cannot hear him. They shut their eyes so they cannot see him. He provides everything for them, but they do not acknowledge him. They are dead in their sins. He cannot take them home with him in heaven because they are dead.
This brings me back to the original scripture, “I am convinced that neither life nor death or anything can separate us….”. The love God has will never change, it will always be there, even in death, it is just that some people have chosen to remain dead in their sins.
God is a God that never changes and in his word, he says that the wages of sin is death!
Maybe at one time they did listen to him. They did hear his words and he grafted them into the vine, of which we are the branches. But because they have closed up their eyes and ears, and have returned to unbelief, they were cut out of the vine. He cannot take them to heaven, they are dead.
The good news is God is a forgiving God. In His Word He says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
* This is a true story written by Renae Patterson.
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