Safe In His Arms

Charles H. Spurgeon wrote about a conversation he had once with a friend of his.  His friend was an old ploughman, or farmer, who lived in the country.  He would sometimes visit with the old man who was very simple, yet often said some precious and profound things.  One particular day, he had this to say:

“The other day, sir, the Devil was tempting me and I tried to answer him; but I found he was an old lawyer and understood the law a great deal better than I did, so I gave over and would not argue with him anymore; so I said to him, ‘What do you trouble me for?’

‘Why, about your soul,’ said the Devil.

‘Oh!” said I, ‘that is no business of mine.  I have given my soul over to the hand of Christ. I have transferred everything to him.  If you want an answer to your doubts and queries, you must apply to my Advocate.”


One mistake that people make is trying to argue with the Devil.  You will lose every time if you are not prepared.  Number one: it’s no longer our battle.  Number two: the battle has already been fought.  And three: the battle has been won.  When you allow the Devil to even get near your thoughts and your mind, you’ve already set yourself up to fail.  There’s no need in debating or arguing whatever doubt and uncertainty he throws your way.

One tactic of his is to lull the believer to base his or her security on whether or not they feel saved instead of trusting God’s word.  The Bible says “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool…”  Proverbs 28:26.  There are days I certainly don’t feel saved: I spill coffee on my shirt;  I’m late for work; Toby refuses to cooperate; Car won’t start and there’s a curse word creeping into the back of my mind.  Bad days happen.  And I certainly don’t feel saved.  If I had to rely on my feelings to entrust my salvation, I would be up a creek and definitely without a paddle.  I’ve dealt with a lot of anger and resentment here lately.  My thoughts and some my actions were anything but Christ-like.  My family and friends didn’t cease to love and protect me and neither did my Heavenly Father.  Our salvation is not based on feelings, nor is it based on our own righteousness or any tradition in the church.  Baptism won’t get you there and neither will your own works.

Salvation by definition means “Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.”  Preservation: to keep possession of; retain.  Salvation in theological terms is trusting or believing in, by faith, that Jesus Christ paid for your sins with His own bloodshed at Calvary.  The Bible says “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life…” John 3:36.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16.  Salvation is also not based on anything you or I can do to earn our right into the kingdom of God, but based on God’s grace and His mercy.  Ephesians 2:8,9 states: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  It’s not based on our efforts.  Romans 6:23 goes on to say: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  A gift is a gift.  You don’t earn it.  It’s simply given to you.

From salvation comes a new birth.  “Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3) Once you are born again spiritually, you become a child of God.  Nothing can negate your physical birth, just as nothing can negate your spiritual birth.  You certainly can’t be unborn physically.  You can’t be unborn spiritually.  Though fellowship may be broken, you are still a Child of God.  “My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”  John 10:29.  Jesus also makes a promise to those who believe in Him: “…and lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world. Amen.”  Matthew 28:20  “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life…” 1 John 5:24

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them for those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquieites will I remember no more.  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.  Hebrews 10:10, 14-20

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.”  Jude 24

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of redemption.”  Ephesians 4:30

With all the promises from God to keep us; to save us; and to preserve us, even to suggest that we could lose our salvation makes God a liar.  See Jesus said in Matthew 7:23: “And then will I profess until them, I never knew you: depart from me.”  If you were saved once then you lost your salvation, then what Jesus said would be wrong.  If you were saved once before, He knew you at some point.  Therefore, He couldn’t say that He never knew you.  That would make him a liar.

The devil does not want you saved and will do anything in his power to keep you from being saved.  One idle thought is enough to separate you from God for eternity.  Furthermore, how do you know when you’ve sinned enough to actually lose your salvation?  And if it were possible to do so, wouldn’t that mean that you have to earn your salvation?  And if that were true, then that would make the Bible wrong and God a liar (Eph. 2:8-9)?

The best illustration I have heard was from a preacher a few years back.  Picture a small town, if you will.  The floodwaters are rising.  Townsfolk are doing their best to escape the violent waters before it’s too late.  A father and son leave their home.  The father instructs the son to hold onto his neck so that he can save him from drowning.  However, the father gives strict orders to hang on.  It is not up to him to save his son, but his son to save himself.  He is to put his arms around his father’s neck and hold on while his father swims toward the rescue boat.  If the son lets go or is pulled away by the currant, there is nothing the father can do.  He will count his loses and move on.  What a great father, huh?  Well think about it.  The water in our story means death.  Sin also equals death.  Therefore, water represents sin within our story.  The rescue boat is our goal.  It’s heaven.  The father represents our Heavenly Father, who is going to save us from death.  What kind of father would leave his child to fend for himself?  Not a good one.  Any father would hold tightly to his child and make certain that they both made it to safety.  He wouldn’t leave his child to face the waters alone.  And neither will our Heavenly Father.  He’s right there with us: holding on to us, cheering us, and making certain He never lets go.  We are safe and sheltered by the arms of God.  No man, no supernatural being, can separate us from God’s hands no matter what.  He loves for us and cares for us.  Yes, we might go astray.  We might let the circumstances of our world overtake us and we might even forget that God’s there.  But you know what?  He hasn’t forgotten.  Once lost, now found, cannot be lost again.  He knows exactly where you are.  If you think your relationship is hindered or you’ve ventured off course, now’s the time to call home.  Your Father’s waiting.  You’re never far from His reach.