October 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Verse

"Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24–25).

Devotional

What is the great evil of which the true saints of God most stand in jeopardy, and which their timid, fearful hearts most dread? Is it not secret and outward backsliding from God after conversion? Surely it is, as the experience of every honest, upright, God-fearing man will testify. It is his consolation, then, to know that Jesus is "able to keep him from falling." This is the most overwhelming evil that stares the believer in the face.

Some, but imperfectly taught in the Word, are dreading awful apostasy from the faith here and final condemnation from the presence of God hereafter—believing that though Christ has made full satisfaction for their sins to Divine justice, has cancelled the mighty debt, has imputed to them his righteousness, has blotted out their iniquities, has called, renewed, sanctified, and taken full possession of them by his Spirit, and has ascended up on high to plead their cause with the Father—that yet, after all this stupendous exercise of power and this matchless display of free grace, they may be left to utter apostasy from God, and be finally and eternally lost. If there is one doctrine more awful in it nature, more distressing in its consequences, and more directly opposed to the glory of God and the honor of Christ than another, I think it is this.

Others, again, more clearly taught by the Spirit, are heard to say, "I believe in the stability of the covenant, in the unchangeableness of God's love, and in the faithfulness of my heavenly Father. But I fear lest some day under some sharp temptation—some burst of indwelling sin, when the enemy shall come in as a flood—I shall fall, to the wounding of my peace, to the shame of my brethren, and to the dishonoring of Christ."

Dear believer, truly you would fall if he were to leave you to your own keeping for one moment; but Jesus is able to keep you from falling. Read the promises, believe them, rest upon them.

A simple glance will present to the believer's eye a threefold cord, by which he is kept from falling.

First, God the Father keeps him—"who by God's power are being guarded" (1 Pet. 1:5). The power that created and upholds the world keeps the believer. The eternal purpose, love, and grace of the Father keeps him. This is the first cord.

Again, God the Son keeps him. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27–28). The covenant engagements, the perfect obedience, the atoning death of Immanuel, keep the believer. This is the second cord.

Yet again, God the Holy Spirit keeps him. "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will put him to flight" (Isa. 59:19 [NIV marg.]). The tender love, the covenant faithfulness, and the omnipotent power of the Eternal Spirit keep the believer. This is the third cord.

And "a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Eccl. 4:12).

But along with these promises of the triune God to keep his people from falling, he has also wisely and graciously connected the diligent, prayerful use of all the means which he has appointed for this end.

Your harps, ye trembling saints,
down from the willows take;
loud to the praise of love divine
bid ev'ry string awake.

(Augustus Toplady, 1772)

Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.

Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2025.