Abide in Christ Pt 2: God will establish us in His Son
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 21Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Corinthians 5:17 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Philippians 1:4-6 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
He helps us stand firm
Most of us know what it feels like not to stand firm: spiritually dizzy, easily knocked over by temptation, fear, or discouragement. If we’re honest, there are days when our faith feels fragile. But Paul wants us to know that stability in Christ is not ultimately something we generate—it’s something God gives. Standing firm is God’s work before it’s ours. We do make choices, we do resist temptation, we do obey—but underneath all that effort is a God who is holding us up.
We should note another verse Paul wrote:
21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:21-24)
In other words, the whole plan—from the way God saves to the way He keeps us—is built on His wisdom, not ours. The world’s systems, philosophies, and self-help strategies can’t establish us in righteousness or peace. Only God can, through Christ. Other passages echo this:
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy…” (Jude 24)
“The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
If you feel shaky today, this is not proof that God has abandoned you. Your weakness doesn’t cancel His faithfulness. Instead of staring at how unstable you feel, turn your gaze to the One who is stable. Practically, that might mean:
Beginning your day with a simple prayer: “Lord, I cannot stand on my own today. Strengthen me to stand firm in Christ.”
When temptation comes, instead of just gritting your teeth, consciously calling on the Lord: “You said You make me stand firm. Help me now.”
Reminding yourself: “Standing firm is God’s work in me, and I will cooperate, not give up.”
Which guarantees our reward
If God is the One who establishes you, that changes the way you think about your future. This isn’t about trying to hang on by your fingernails until heaven—God has already set in motion a plan that includes your eternal reward. Listen again to that phrase from 2 Corinthians 1:21–22:
“He… put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
The Spirit is not just a comforter for today; He’s a down payment of your future inheritance. Paul uses similar language in Ephesians 1:13–14, where he calls the Holy Spirit “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” God doesn’t just promise; He signs, seals, and guarantees. Why does this matter? Because if you think your eternal destiny rests on your ability to never stumble, you’ll live either in pride (when you think you’re doing well) or despair (when you fail). But if you understand that God Himself has committed to bring His work in you to completion, you can live with hope and humility at the same time.
This doesn’t mean our choices don’t matter. Scripture is full of warnings and calls to perseverance:
“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…” (Philippians 2:12–13)
“We have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold firmly till the end our original conviction.” (Hebrews 3:14)
But even those calls to perseverance are grounded in God’s prior work. He is the One who began the work, and He is the One who energizes our perseverance.
When you think about standing before Christ one day, what rises up in you—terror, vague hope, or humble confidence? If you’re in Christ, you are meant to have a settled confidence about your future, not because you’re impressive, but because He is faithful. When doubts hit—“What if I don’t make it? What if I fail?”—answer them with His promise: “He put His Spirit in me as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
Practically, you might:
Memorize a verse like 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 or Philippians 1:6 and “preach it” to yourself when fear about the future rises.
When you confess sin, finish your prayer with thanksgiving that God is still committed to you and has not revoked your inheritance.
Ask God to use the hope of future reward to motivate faithfulness in present trials, not to make you passive.
Since the new creation has come
If God is establishing us and guaranteeing our future, it’s not just about paperwork in heaven. Something has already changed inside you. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
God doesn’t simply patch up your old life; He brings you into a new creation reality. You are united with Christ, and that union fundamentally redefines you. You might not feel new, but if you are in Christ, you are new. Notice how this connects with being established:
The “old” you was unstable—tossed around by passions, opinions, fears, and circumstances.
The “new” you is rooted in Christ. You are forgiven, adopted, sealed with the Spirit, and given a new heart that desires God.
Other verses affirm this:
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)
But we live in the tension of “already” and “not yet.” You are a new creation, but you’re still being transformed (Romans 12:2). You still feel the pull of the flesh, the habits of the old life, the pressures of the world. Being a new creation doesn’t mean instant perfection; it means a new direction, a new center, a new power at work in you. Maybe you feel like a walking contradiction: you love Jesus, but you still fail. You want to follow God, but old patterns show up. The enemy whispers: “See? Nothing really changed. This ‘new creation’ talk is just religious language.” When that happens, don’t interpret God’s truth through the lens of your feelings. Instead, let God’s truth interpret your feelings. Being a new creation is the foundation from which God establishes you. He’s not trying to train a rebel; He’s nurturing His own child.
You might:
Thank God daily that, in Christ, you are a new creation—even when you don’t feel it.
When you slip into old behavior, remind yourself: “This is not who I am anymore. In Christ I am new, and God is establishing me in that new identity.”
Saturate your mind with Scripture that speaks to your identity—2 Corinthians 5, Romans 8, Ephesians 1–2—so that God’s Word, not your inner critic, has the loudest voice.
We can trust that He will finish what He started
Paul tells in Philippians 1:4–6, that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Notice what Paul is confident about: not them, but God. God began the work, is continuing it right now, and will complete it on the Day of Christ. That means your story is not defined by your worst day. It’s defined by the God who called you, saved you, made you new, and is committed to shaping you into the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
We often treat spiritual growth as if God handed us a project: “I saved you; now you had better become holy on your own.” But Scripture tells us that sanctification is God’s project in us:
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through… The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)
“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)
Yes, we are called to respond—to obey, to repent, to keep in step with the Spirit—but beneath it all, God is the one writing the story. Where do you feel unfinished, discouraged, or “stuck” in your walk with God? Maybe you’ve wrestled with the same sin for years, or maybe you feel like your growth has plateaued, or maybe you’re discouraged by how slowly your character is changing. Philippians 1:6 is for those very moments. You can almost hear Paul saying, “Of course you’re unfinished. You’re mid-story. But the Author hasn’t stopped writing.”
Practically, you might:
Turn Philippians 1:6 into a prayer:
“Lord, You began this good work in me. Today I’m tired and discouraged, but I choose to trust that You will carry it on to completion.”Give God specific areas: “Father, I feel stuck in anger, or fear, or shame. I’m asking You: keep working. Don’t let me settle here.”
Surround yourself with other believers who will remind you that God is not done with you and who will “partner in the gospel” with you as Paul described.
What about me?
“God will establish us” is not a vague religious wish. It’s rooted in the concrete promises of Scripture:
He helps us stand firm—He is the One who strengthens and stabilizes us in Christ.
That work includes the guarantee of our reward—the Spirit in us is a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
It’s all grounded in the fact that the new creation has come—if you are in Christ, you are new, and God is forming your lived experience to match that reality.
So we can trust that He will finish what He started—your life is not a half-built house God has abandoned. He is still at work, and He will complete the project.
So today, you don’t need to pretend you’re stronger than you are. You can freely admit your frailty and at the same time rest in God’s faithfulness. Maybe a simple prayer to carry with you would be:
“Father, thank You that You are the One who establishes me in Christ. When I feel shaky, remind me that You are my stability. When I doubt my future, remind me that Your Spirit guarantees what is to come. When I don’t feel new, remind me that I am a new creation in Christ. And when I feel unfinished, remind me that You will complete what You began. Help me trust You today. Amen.”