“Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.” (Jeremiah 14:13,14)
In order to escape the torment of what “might” be, men take refuge in a declaration of what “will” be. But what if you possess a false confidence? Many pronounce, “Peace, peace” over their lives where there is no peace.
Good is promised to those who are in right relationship with God. Peace is the fruit of righteousness. There is no peace for the wicked. They are like a troubled sea that finds no rest. Perfect peace belongs to those who trust in the Lord, whose minds are stayed on Him.
All that men do to escape fear, outside of being in right relationship with God, is done in vain. Their bold declarations, their attempts to “create” their own reality with their words, are a feeble attempt to stave off fear. “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?” (Lam. 3:37)
Likewise, with those who take refuge in a doctrine that declares that they will not, cannot, fall away. We are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. He is able to keep us from falling. But we must keep ourselves in His love, looking for His mercy.
God, in Christ, has made it entirely possible that good things, even the best of all things, should happen to us. And when I say us, I do not mean a certain, small few. I mean that God has made it possible for every single human being He has created to have life, abundant and eternal. This life is in His Son. If you have the Son, you have life, and the expectation of inescapable good; if you don’t have the Son, you don’t have life, but the expectation of inescapable evil.
Many who think they are secure are anything but. Many who think the future is settled for them, and it was impossible for them to fall away, will find out that they took refuge in lies. Your hope should not be in a presumptuous declaration or doctrine that vouchsafes your future. God knows those that are His. They not only believe, but they abide. They not only start, but they continue. They make it the business of their life to listen to their Good Shepherd. They and they alone have blessed assurance that good will be in their future.