Holding on to Faith: An Eternal Possession

What personal belongings do you hold most dear?

In a culture driven by possessions, success, and fleeting pleasures, it’s easy to be caught up in the world’s values. I pause and truly reflect on what I hold most dear. One answer rises above all others: my faith. It is not a trinket on a shelf, nor a fading memory. My faith is a living, breathing trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a gift more precious than gold. It holds the promise of eternal life.

As believers, we know that faith is not merely a set of beliefs—it is our lifeline to God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NKJV). Faith is how we receive the greatest treasure of all: salvation.

A Costly Possession in a Sinful World

Holding onto faith in today’s world is not without its cost. We live in a society increasingly hostile to absolute truth and biblical values. To follow Christ means going against the grain, walking a narrow path that is often lonely and misunderstood. And yet, we are not without instruction. Paul writes, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). This does not mean we earn our salvation—it means we take it seriously, reverently, knowing we serve a holy God who calls us to a holy life.

Faith isn’t easy. It requires sacrifice, obedience, and sometimes even suffering. But we are called to endure. In Romans 12:1, Paul urges believers: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Sacrificial living is not a radical concept in Christianity—it is the norm. To follow Christ is to lay down our desires daily, that His will might reign in us.

Taking Up the Cross

Jesus set the standard for us when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Our faith is not just a belief—it is a daily act of dying to self. Every day, we are invited to surrender our pride. We must give up our comfort. We even surrender our rights so that Christ may be glorified in us.

This is not easy, especially when we are surrounded by sin and temptation. But our strength is not our own. God has given us His Spirit, His Word, and His people to walk alongside us. And the reward? Far greater than anything this world can offer. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

A Possession Eternal and Secure

Everything in this life can be taken from us—our health, our home, our relationships. But faith, rooted in Christ, is a possession that cannot be shaken. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life… shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). When the storms of life rage, it is faith that anchors us. It is the one possession that carries us from this world into the next.

Living in Fear and Trembling

To live in “fear and trembling” is not to cower—it is to stand in awe of a holy God, to recognize the weight of the grace we’ve received. It is to understand that faith is not casual—it is costly. And yet, this cost is joyfully paid, because He who calls us is faithful.

Faith is my most personal and precious belonging—not because I earned it, but because Christ purchased it for me with His blood. And in response, I seek to live a life worthy of the calling I’ve received. Sacrificially. Obediently. Faithfully.

May we all hold fast to this gift. Let us walk humbly before our God. We should live out our faith with reverence, devotion, and unwavering trust in the One who saved us.