Either, Or

by Scott Rossy
We live in a postmodern world. It’s a world that hates absolutes. It’s a world that rejects the idea of knowing anything for certain. It hates clarity. It despises the idea of seeing things as either black or white. It despises being absolutely sure or certain in our faith and in our beliefs. Instead, it loves the idea of gray, of not being completely sure of anything. It loves the concept that in spiritual matters, we really can’t know anything for certain and to claim certainty is a sign of ignorance. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking has also spilled over into the church. While there are things in scripture that are hard to understand and leave room for honest debate and discussion, man’s eternal destiny and standing before God is not one of them. The Bible is very black and white on this. Every human being on the face of the earth is in either one category, or the other. We all fall into either this or either that.

For instance, we’re all:

Either saved or we’re unsaved

Either born again or we’re not born again

Either a child of God or we’re a child of the devil

Either a child of light or we’re a child of darkness

Either a sheep or we’re a goat

Either wheat or we’re chaff

Either spiritually alive or we’re spiritually dead

Either in Christ or we’re in Adam

Either a slave of righteousness or we’re a slave of sin

Either have a mind set on the Spirit or we’re have a mind set on the flesh

Either married to Christ or we’re married to the Law

Either we’ve entered through the Narrow Gate or we’ve entered through the Broad Gate

Either we’re traveling on the Narrow Path or we’re traveling on the Broad Path

Either we’re clothed in the righteousness of Christ or we’re clothed in self righteousness

Either we have the Son or we don’t have the Son

Either we’ve been reconciled to God or we haven’t been reconciled to God

Either we’re on our way to heaven or we’re on our way to hell

In all of these, there is no middle ground. There is no 3rd option. In every case, we all are in one of the two. There is no situation where someone is neither saved nor unsaved but is in the middle, trying to be saved. The same with being born again. Nobody is in the middle, hoping, working on or trying to be born again. Either we are or we aren’t. To be in the middle would be like being sort of pregnant. It can’t be. Either you are or you aren’t. The same with salvation. Either you’re in Christ or you’re not. If you’re in Christ, you’re saved. If you’re not in Christ, you aren’t saved.

The good news is that God does want us to know for certain. He doesn’t want us to be uncertain about our eternal destiny, but to know Him and to have an intimate relationship with Him. He wants us to be able to live a fruitful and productive life for His glory and to have the joy and assurance of our faith. He says in 1 John: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:13). It’s those who believe in the name of the Son of God who already, right now possess eternal life. They are the only one’s who can know for sure. Believing in the name of the Son of God is to believe fully in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. To trust in Him and Him alone for forgiveness. By coming to Him in faith and repentance, we no longer place any hope in our own self effort and goodness as a means to gain approval and acceptance from God. It’s to truly believe that if it weren’t for Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, then no one could be saved. We’d all be consigned to an eternity in hell. Forgiveness would not be possible.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (I John 5:11-12)

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Jesus says; “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The concept of grayness or finding the middle ground is not admirable. It’s not a virtue and it doesn’t come from God. It’s spiritual poison, don’t drink it. Know for sure! You can know for sure. God wants you to know for sure. His salvation in Christ is certain, sure and complete. “He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

Do you know for sure? If you don’t know for sure, could it be that perhaps you are placing your trust and hope in something else other than Christ? Are you trusting in your own goodness? Thinking that you’re not that bad and that you’ve done enough good to outweigh the bad, hoping God will understand that even though you’re not perfect, you meant well? If you think this way, you’re still on what Jesus called the road to destruction. You’re not trusting completely in Him.

“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:22)

“Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)