By the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

Heaven is a place where we will never sin and where we will finally be able to let down our constant guard against our determined enemy. The tempter will not be there to ensnare our feet, the wicked will no longer trouble us, and the weary of the Lord will be at rest. Heaven is the ultimate inheritance, for it is the place of perfect holiness and is therefore the place of complete security.

Yet don’t the saints here on earth occasionally taste the joys of blessed security? The teaching of God’s Word is that all who are in union with the Lamb are safe and secure, that all the righteous will remain on their path, and that those who have committed their souls to the keeping of Christ will find Him to be a faithful and immutable protector and preserver. This doctrine sustains us so we can enjoy security even on earth. Not that this supreme and glorious security renders us free from every stumble, but it comes with the sure promise of Jesus “that whoever believes in him shall not perish” (John 3:16) and will be with Him wherever He is. Thus, may we often reflect with joy on this doctrine of the perseverance of the saints and honor the faithfulness of our God by displaying a holy confidence in Him.

Dear believer, may our God grant you a sense of your security in Christ Jesus! May He assure you by saying, “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:16), and may He whisper this promise in your ear, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you” (Isa. 43:5). Look upon Him, the great “guarantee of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22), “[who] . . . is called Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11) and who is therefore fully occupied and obligated to present you, the weakest of the family, along with all the other chosen ones, before the throne of God. As you wait in sweet contemplation, may He give you His “spiced wine to drink, the nectar of [His] pomegranates” (Song 8:2), and may you taste the luscious fruits of paradise. You will enjoy an appetizer of the enjoyments that are even now delighting the souls of the perfected saints in glory if you believe, with unwavering faith, that “the one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

By the pen of Jim Reimann:

This morning Spurgeon shares the truth of the process of sanctification and the fact that
Jesus came to give us abundant life in this life as well as the next. Christ said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Sanctification is defined as the ongoing process in the life of a believer that leads to more holy living. Paul encourages us to get involved in the process when he says, “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Some people confuse this verse with the salvation of the soul, but Paul is referring to our ongoing eternal salvation, or sanctification, for he continues, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (v. 13).

Today’s verse in its context confirms that the Lord has taken it upon Himself to perfect us through what we call sanctification. Paul says:

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – 24