Actually that image of a one-time down payment doesn’t quite work. Past grace is continually accumulating every day. The infinite reservoir of future grace is flowing back through the present into the ever-growing pool of past grace. The inexhaustible reservoir is invisible except through the promises. But the ever-enlarging pool of past grace is visible; and God means for the certainty and beauty and depth to strengthen our faith in future grace.

As we face our futures, let’s examine two common temptations to fear these coming days: being alone, and death.

Going on Alone

I think that when mankind was banished from the Garden of Eden, it bred in us a legitimate fear of being alone, of being separated from God’s presence. But thanks to Jesus, we are fully reconciled to God and will never be alone again. We have full assurances of God’s constant care for us. I like how Jerry Bridges presents this truth:

One such promise we will do well to store up in our hearts is Hebrews 13:5: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” The Puritan preacher Thomas Lye remarked that in this passage the Greek has five negatives and may thus be rendered, “I will not, not leave thee; neither will I not, not forsake thee.” Five times God emphasized to us that He will not forsake us. He wants us to firmly grasp the truth that whatever circumstances may indicate, we must believe, on the basis of His promise, that He has not forsaken us nor left us to the mercy of those circumstances.”

God will never leave us, neither will He forsake us. We have to hold onto this portion of God’s Word as firmly as we do the promises of forgiveness of sin, our salvation, and eternal life. Either all of the Bible is true or none of it is – so for professing Christians, this means we are assured we will never be alone. Christ was forsaken so that we would be forever accepted.

Not only do we have God’s eternal companionship, we also have the companionship of the rest of the Body – specifically the members of our local churches. We have been added and joined to others, which ensures we will not be alone. Have you ever noticed how often the Book of Acts describes the process of conversion as being added? Acts 2:47 gives the account of the first days of the church as “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 5:14 says: “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” Acts 11:24 records: “And a great many people were added to the Lord.” We have been added to the “church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).