Would a real Christian do that?

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.

Romans 8:38-39

Is it possible to know deep in your heart that salvation belongs to you yet still fear it could slip through your fingers at any moment? 

I'm not sure exactly what sparked the question, but one night in my very early teen years, I found myself in a serious conversation with an adult mentor who attended church with me. She was someone I admired and trusted a lot, so I asked her, "What happens if a Christain sins just before they die?"

She asked me to elaborate on what I meant.

"What if someone is driving drunk and dies in a car wreck, or what if they overdose on drugs and pass away? What happens to them?"

Her unfortunate response to me was, "Well, a real Christian wouldn't do those things."

I have struggled with a guilty conscience for as long as I can remember, well before this exchange. So, I certainly won't pin all the blame on this woman for my own negative thought patterns. She was, in fact, a kind-hearted person who treated me well, and though she was gravely misinformed- she was also just a broken person like the rest of us. But words matter, and I would be lying if I told you her's didn't haunt me for a long while. In fact, I can honestly say that I hold God's grace as the most precious thing that ever happened to my heart, and I am convinced that Jesus Christ died for my sins. But even though I know how wrong she was- at times, I still find myself trying to dig those words out of my mind like a deeply embedded splinter.

It wasn't the exact words she spoke that got to me. It was what those words implied to my impressionable young mind. Because what my mind heard was Christians can't mess up. True Christians are incapable of stumbling. Therefore, I must not be a Christian because I always mess up. God probably hates me. He's probably sending me straight to Hell. These words played on repeat as my brain's internal soundtrack for years.

Spiritual abuse is a term I only began to hear of over the last couple of years, but unfortunately, it's something I often experienced in the first 20 years of my life. I'm unsure why this particular conversation stuck out to me so much over the years. Because though her words were blatant and direct, this misinformation was only a mild version of many other conversations I had with church-going mentors during my adolescent and teen years. One particular person warned me often that stepping out of line would send me straight to Hell. And the most confusing part of it all was the heaping piles of guilt and shame poured upon me were often sprinkled with messages of truth.

Unfortunately, spiritual abuse and religious misinformation are more common than most realize. Perhaps you've never labeled it, but you've experienced one or the other in some form. Spiritual abuse is a form of emotional or psychological abuse where someone uses religion or scripture to hurt, shame, scare, humiliate, or control another. Fear and intimidation tactics often coerce victims into believing or following certain spiritual and religious ideologies. This behavior causes trauma and disillusionment that can leave a lasting and devastating impact. 

Friend, today and every day, we can rest in Paul's comforting words above. For those who belong to Christ, nothing in all creation can ever separate us from His love. 

 If you ever wonder why I shout His grace from the rooftops, the answer is in this blog. I spent half my life thinking I had to earn salvation instead of just accepting Him as my Savior.

When I understood Jesus' death on the cross had fastened my heart to His forever, my soul released the heaviest burden it ever had to carry. All I ever needed to do was trust Him as my Savior!

I can be free from bondage. I don't have to strive to be good enough. I don't need to fear I'm not meeting God's needs (Side note: He's God! He needs nothing from me. He only wants my heart). He loves me deeply no matter where I am on my journey with Him. That's fantastic news!

But here is the thing- If I want the assurance and comfort that His grace brings, I must stay tethered to Jesus. I need to seek His presence daily. I must cling to Him with all I have. And PLEASE hear these words loud and clear, my sweet friend- I don't need to do these things because He will send me to Hell if I don't. Instead, I need His truth and presence surrounding me to keep those negative thought patterns from continually creeping in. I only need a relationship with Jesus!

So, how can a Christian combat the lies from negative thought patterns, spiritual abuse, or religious misinformation? Sometimes we need a little CPR to get our hearts pumping healthily again… 

CPR Action Plan:

Confront- The first step to fixing any problem is identifying its root cause. When that negative soundtrack begins to play in your mind, confront it! We can come at these thoughts just like they come at us and call them out for the lies they are. Acknowledge their existence and speak the truth to yourself. Say it out loud if you must. "These thoughts are not from God. They are lies that I won't allow to control me anymore."

Pray- He knows how you are feeling. So you may as well have a heart-to-heart with Him about it. When we're feeling distant from God, the best thing we can do is fall on our knees and pour our hearts out to Him. He doesn't want us to hide. He only wants us to come to Him seeking His presence. He won't banish us for doubting Him. Instead, He wants to help us replace that doubt with a renewed and strengthened faith. 

Read- Combat those negative thoughts with scripture. Spiritual abuse and false information are just one of the reasons we need to read the bible for ourselves. Let God tell you who He is- not anyone else! Scripture is how we get to know God. It's how we learn about His character, holiness, and love for us. It's also how He speaks truth into our souls. Don't miss out on this precious gift. Here are some great go-to scriptures that we as believers can proclaim about who we are in Him.

I am established, anointed, sealed, and guaranteed by God.

(2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

I am reconciled through Christ, without blemish and free of accusation.

(Colossians 1:22)

I am a child of God.

(John 1:12)

Don’t stop with these verses alone. Go and search His word!

If you’ve never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, or if you want to be sure you indeed have, it’s as simple as making a commitment like this . . .

“Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Please forgive me for my sins, Lord. I believe you sent your son, Jesus, to pay the price for my sins. Thank you, Lord, for loving me enough to do that. I want to ask you to step into my life and be the Lord and Savior of my heart. Please send your Holy Spirit to guide and direct me all my days. I know I cannot live perfectly, but please help me to always live for you.”

If you made that commitment and you mean it with all your heart, your eternal residence is nowhere else but Heaven.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish: no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10: 27-28)