Incompatible Security

In Jesus we have a security which cannot be shaken. God, who began a good work in us, will carry it on until the day when the risen Lord Jesus returns to earth (Phil 1:6). Our hope is in the Holy One who came to earth as a man and killed death by dying on a cross. His loving redemption makes us children of God and we are sealed us with His Holy Spirit. We are secure as God leads us forward each day, pruning and shaping us to be more like Jesus. We are safe in the One who orders all things for the good of those who love Him. This security is in God and purchased by God and maintained by God.

In contrast to this, there is a wild insecurity found in man-made religion. We don’t know if we’ve been accepted by God—we hope for it, but aren’t guaranteed it. We don’t know our ultimate state—will I be in heaven or in hell. Our feet sink in the sands of religious uncertainty, and our hands try to grasp the branches of our own good efforts while the blazing glory of the infinitely righteous Judge brings all that we’ve done into His holy light. Our man-made religion only comforts us briefly before leaving us naked, scared, and insecure.

The security of knowing Jesus cannot be combined with any hopes we create from man-made religion. God wants us to rest in Him and on His redemption, placing all of our confidence in the sinless Son of God who died for us (Jere 23:5-7). To place our hopes elsewhere is to create an idol, which leaves us insecure—for an idol can never save us. We will either have security in the gospel or insecurity in man-made religion. We can’t combine them. The security we have in Jesus is incompatible with man-made religion.