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You Can’t Lose Your Salvation
5-DAY READING

Have you ever feared that God might change His mind about you? That He’ll cancel His commitment to you because of something you’ve done—or not done? In this 5-day reading plan, Pete Briscoe explains why you can rest assured that God’s promise to you will last forever.

Day 1

An Unchanging Mind

“I do know my own mind,” protested Anne. “The trouble is, my mind changes and then I have to get acquainted with it all over again.” —L. M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island

My first girlfriend’s name was Amy. I’ve changed her name here to protect the innocent—even though she wasn’t innocent. She broke my heart. Like most 13-year-old boys, I gave my heart fully to her. We decided we were going steady—you know, as in we weren’t interested in anyone else in the world. And then, she changed her mind the same week a high school football player showed interest in her.

Have you ever noticed that when someone else changes his or her mind, you’re the one who gets hurt?

Some of you stood at an altar before God and mankind, looked the person you loved in the eye, and swore to have and to hold until death do you part. You didn’t change your mind, but your spouse did—and it hurt.

Perhaps your boss told you that layoffs were coming, but she promised you’d be the last to go. A couple of weeks later, you received that dreaded pink slip and were told to meet with Human Resources. Someone’s mind was changed, and you were the one who suffered.

Have you ever feared that God might change His mind about you? Have you ever worried that you might be too much of a sinner—or too lax of a believer—and He’s going to cancel His commitment to you?

The good news is God’s commitment to Christ-followers isn’t about us; it’s about Jesus. So if we are in Christ, we don’t have to worry about God changing His mind.

But that leads to a new, more terrifying question: What if He changes His mind about Jesus? Isn’t that what He did with the old covenant? What if He decides to make a new new covenant—one where simply trusting in Jesus isn’t enough?

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind… (Psalm 110:4a)

Over the next five days, I want you to see how Jesus was the plan from the beginning. And because the Father’s commitment to Jesus is unshakable, His commitment to us is as well.

Lord, broken promises have made me weary of trust. Take my fears away and take me to a place of rest. Give me confidence that while other relationships might have failed, ours is forever. Amen.

Day 2

There Is No Plan B

A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject. —Winston S. Churchill

Have you ever purchased a movie ticket only to change your mind about the film out in the hallway?

Do you imagine God’s plan for you in that way—fickle rather than certain? Today, I want you to understand that God isn’t fickle; He’s devoted to salvation through Christ with unwavering passion.

If God is so unwavering, Pete, then why did He change His mind about the old covenant?

What if I told you God never changed His mind—Jesus was the plan from the beginning? Let me show you:

  • In Genesis 3, God tells Adam and Eve that separation from Him is going to be hard. But He also has good news: from Eve will come offspring, and this offspring will crush Satan (3:15). This is called the protoevangelium—the first Gospel or the first mention of the Gospel. Someone is coming; God has a plan.
  • Later in Genesis, God promises Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). And “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). Once again, God has a plan—someone is coming.
  • In the Mosaic covenant, God gives Moses the law and sacrificial system—an arrow pointing to the need for a perfect sacrifice. But “the law made nothing perfect” (Hebrews 7:19). Someone perfect was needed as the ultimate sacrifice.
  • Finally, there’s King David. God promised David that his “kingdom will endure forever before” God, and David’s “throne will be established forever” through his offspring (2 Samuel 7:16). A forever king was on the way.

The Old Testament is a blueprint for God’s plan in Jesus. He never changed His mind; Jesus was it from the very beginning. The Lord is passionate, devoted—even fanatical—about His plan to eliminate the separation between Himself and mankind. His commitment to restoring intimacy with us through Jesus is unshakable.

Jesus, thank You for showing me how You are found in the pages of Scripture from the very moment of mankind’s Fall. What comfort and peace to know You are it—You are the way back to the Father’s embrace! Amen.

Day 3

Nothing Short of Forever

The only people who get better are people who know that, if they never get better, God will love them anyway. —Steve Brown, A Scandalous Freedom

Part of the struggle for adopted children can be their inability to define forever. One evening, my friends’ daughter said to them, “If I can’t stop lying, will I need to find another forever family?”

“No,” the mom answered. “Never.”

“Yeah, but what if I can’t stop? Will you change your mind about me?”

Some of you, when you imagine the future with God, feel like my friends’ daughter. You’re certain that you will exhaust God’s patience, and as a result, you’ll miss out on the rest of what He has for you.

If you’ve been adopted into the family of God through the blood of Christ, your adoption is finalized. There are no reversals or relinquishments. The Father does not change His mind. But just in case you struggle to believe your salvation is permanent, He’s given us some words of certainty:

  • Jesus became your priest when God said to Him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever’” (Hebrews 7:21). It’s been decided: He is a forever priest with an indestructible life.
  • “Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22). First, there was an oath, and now there is a guarantor—someone who stands as security in legal dealings. Jesus is the plan; He guarantees it.
  • And again, we are told, “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood” (Hebrews 7:23-24).

The word permanent occurs only once in the New Testament—and this is it. A first-century historian used the word to describe the consistency and reliability of the sun. This consistency and reliability is how we are to rely upon the salvation given to us by Jesus.

The father is saying to us, His adopted children: “You can count on Me. I promise. I guarantee your salvation through Jesus; it’s as reliable as the rising and setting of the sun. We’re a forever family.”

Jesus, the loss of relationship hurts. It sows lies that say I’m not enough, and this pain of losing is all I deserve. Thank You for the truth. Thank You for being forever and permanent—a guaranteed Love that isn’t leaving. Amen.

Day 4

Never Too Much or Not Enough

“Did you ever get fed up?” I said. “I mean did you ever get scared that everything was going to go lousy unless you did something?” —J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

It was the second time my friend had been laid off from his job. The first time it had taken the entirety of his severance to find employment. When his wife found out about the second layoff, she couldn’t handle it. The day after he lost his job, he was served with divorce papers. While processing the loss of commitment in his life, he said, “I’m either too much or not enough. But either way, people are fed up.”

At what point has God had enough? Can we ever frustrate Him so badly that He throws His hands in the air because He’s fed up? He often watches us struggle with the same sin or the same addiction. Is there a point where He’ll file divorce papers toward our salvation?

No, never.

His patience is long enduring; His love is everlasting. Because we have no earthly example of this type of love, we must discover the depth of God’s commitment toward His children from Scripture.

Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25)

Those of us in Christ are completely and permanently saved. There are no cancellations of salvation. It’s a union without dissolution.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether Jesus forgives your type of sin, the answer is yes. Completely. He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him. And the good news is, there is nothing else for you to do. You show up in Christ, and He has done the rest.

God’s commitment to those of us in Christ will never run out of gas. He will never grow tired. He won’t change His mind about you because He won’t change His mind about Jesus—and you are in Christ.

Jesus, the permanence of Your love is like a foreign language to me. Teach it to me. May I be so familiar and so comfortable in Your unending commitment that resting in Your promise of salvation becomes as effortless as breathing. Amen.

Day 5

Perfect The First Time

To be fully seen by somebody…and be loved anyhow…that can border on miraculous. —Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed

There comes a time when we don’t need to upgrade our smartphones. When everything we need is already in our back pocket—at least for the moment, who needs the 10.0 when the 8.0 is still getting the job done?

Maybe some of you are looking at Jesus and wondering if you need an upgrade. I mean, come on, trusting in Him is fine for those who have small sins. But your sins feel huge. A little extra penance and punishment would help you feel more confident in Jesus’ ability to save you.

Yeah, a Jesus 2.0 would be nice. Perish the thought…

I’m here to tell you Jesus 1.0 is enough. “Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).

Look at how Jesus is described: holy, blameless, pure, set apart, exalted.

There is not going to be a “new and improved covenant.” There’s not going to be a Jesus 2.0. Jesus did it. The cross worked. He’s still alive. He’s not going anywhere.

We’re imperfect, and He gives us perfection. We’re to blame in our sin, but He presents us blameless. He transforms us to the degree that we’re no longer sinners saved by grace. In Christ, we’ve become saints who sometimes sin.

Over three decades ago, I looked Libby in the eye and entered into a covenant with her—a promise to stay in this relationship till death do us part. And you know what? I’m absolutely convinced she isn’t going anywhere. As a result, I can lean into my marriage. I can be myself; I can even share my sin with her, and we can talk about it. I’m able to breathe—to lean into intimacy—and rest. It’s a settled confidence.

This is what God desires for us to have with Him. Jesus’ work on the cross is finished, complete, and permanent. You don’t need an upgrade.

God, thank You for seeing me as I am and still calling me Yours. I want to lean in—to rest and experience intimacy in our relationship. The promise of forever with You allows me to do exactly that. Amen.

Reflection:

  1. Do you fear that God will change His mind about you?
  2. What have you learned that assures you this won’t happen?
  3. How will this assurance change the way you view your relationship with Christ?

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