Our Security

The need for security seems to be increasing by the day. Many of us go to great lengths to protect our personal information. We make sure we use secure websites, install security software on our devices, and place our valuables in safes and vaults. We lock our homes and cars, install security systems, and take countless precautions in the hope that we—and the things we possess—will remain protected. Not only do we invest significant time in these measures, but Americans also spend billions of dollars each year acquiring and maintaining them.

Is that a good idea? I think so. We should certainly do our best to responsibly care for what God has entrusted to us. But at what point should we ask ourselves whether our pursuit of security has become misplaced? Have we invested more time, energy, and money securing our possessions than we have securing our relationship with God and growing in our faith?

Even with all our precautions, security is never absolute. We know breaches happen, so we add another layer of protection: insurance. Insurance is another form of security, intended to protect us when the unexpected happens. Yet despite the staggering amount of money we spend on insurance and other forms of protection, we still experience loss.

Identities are stolen. Credit cards and bank accounts are compromised. Cars are totaled. Homes are burglarized, damaged, or destroyed by fire and natural disasters. Illness still comes, and none of us can ultimately insure ourselves against death.

With all the money and effort we pour into protecting ourselves, one might think we should be able to prevent nearly every loss imaginable. Yet the reality is that our earthly security is fragile. No matter how many safeguards we put in place, there will always be circumstances beyond our control.

Why bring up such a discouraging—and at times infuriating—subject? Because it is reality. And as believers, we have a unique perspective through which we can view it.

If you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and committed your life to Him, you have been given something far greater than any earthly insurance policy: the promise of eternal life.

That is the ultimate security.

It covers every aspect of our eternal existence. It has no deductible, cannot be canceled, and cannot be taken away. Most importantly, the price has already been paid by Jesus Christ.

The One who provides this promise will never fail us, never abandon us, and never break His Word. Yet many of us struggle to see this security as something that matters here and now. Part of the reason is that the ultimate fulfillment of this promise is still ahead of us. The security Jesus purchased for us is eternal, and our eternal home is not here on earth.

Matthew 6:19–21 reminds us:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Does this mean we should abandon insurance, security systems, or responsible stewardship? Absolutely not. Scripture does not instruct us to be careless with what God has entrusted to us. Instead, Jesus reminds us that our earthly security is temporary. Everything we possess here can be lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed.

That is precisely why Jesus tells us not to store up our treasures on earth. For the believer, this world is not our final home. We are foreigners and temporary residents here. We are here for a limited time, and God's plan is not for us to establish our ultimate security in this world, but to establish it in Him and look forward to our eternal home.

God is preparing a place for us—a home and an existence that will be eternally perfect. No more tears. No more sorrow. No more sickness. No more death. No more persecution, anger, fear, or suffering. We will experience true freedom in a way we have never known before.

And greatest of all, we will meet the One who holds our future: our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Can life be challenging? Absolutely. But even here and now, God has given us a promise of security.

promise of security. 1 Corinthians 10:13says:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” That is quite the promise and a true level of security we can count on here and now.”

And what does security in Christ mean for us right now?

It does not mean that we will never experience hardship, loss, illness, temptation, disappointment, or suffering. Jesus never promised His followers a trouble-free life. In fact, Scripture makes it clear that difficulties are part of living in a fallen world.

Our security is found in something deeper.

As believers, we can know that God is with us in whatever we face. He does not abandon us when circumstances become difficult, and our relationship with Him is not dependent on everything going well. Our possessions can be lost. Our finances can change. Our health can fail. Our homes can be damaged. Even the people we love can be taken from us. But our position in Christ remains secure.

This is the security we can experience today: not the assurance that nothing will ever happen to us, but the assurance that whatever happens, we are not facing it alone, and our eternal future is secure in Christ.

That is why 1 Corinthians 10:13 is such an important promise. Paul writes:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Notice what this passage does not say. It does not say that temptation will disappear or that life will always be easy. It says that God is faithful. He is present with us, He knows our limits, and He provides what we need to endure.

That is present-day security in Christ.

We may not be able to secure our possessions against every possible loss. We cannot guarantee our health, our finances, our homes, or even how long we will live. But we can trust the God who holds all of those things—and who holds us.

Our earthly security has limits. Our security in Christ does not.