English (United States) 
"Decisive Experiences - Build Trust and Assurance" from the 2021 Summer Vision Newsletter
Changing personal circumstances can be incredibly influential. All too often, they dictate not only our disposition and mood, but also things with much greater eternal impact - our convictions of faith, our trust in God and His promises, and our hope in Jesus Christ. This truth is not unique to us today, either. We can see all throughout the Bible where the people of God struggled to remain convicted, trusting, and hopeful. Many times, they let their current situations influence them, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively.
After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, their immediate and appropriate response was to glorify God. With collective voice, they sang an extensive, heartfelt hymn of praise to God for having been delivered from the Egyptians. The people of God had a decisive experience that firmed up their trust in Him. They knew, after all, that only He, the omnipotent and almighty God, could have done this. God clearly showed that He was with them!
I WILL SING TO THE LORD, FOR HE HAS TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY! (Exodus 15:1)
It didn’t take long, however, for their trust and conviction to begin to wane. As soon as their circumstances changed and they had to suffer from thirst, their faith was tested, and the firmness of their trust in God began to crumble. They could only see a negative picture and completely discarded the good that God had done. They complained frequently to Moses, hardened their hearts to the Lord, and had such unbelief that it precluded them from entering the Promised Land. This type of circumstantial, up and down faith was also a concern thousands of years later in the first church. Consider Hebrews 3:14:
FOR WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF CHRIST IF WE HOLD THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONFIDENCE STEADFAST TO THE END.
The author of the epistle urges the Hebrews not to follow the example of their ancestors, those who rebelled in the wilderness and who were filled with unbelief (see Hebrews 3:16-19). He admonishes them to hold fast to their foundational confidence and conviction, which they had from the very beginning, and to remain steadfast regardless of circumstance.
A literal interpretation of this text would lead us to believe that our faith was at its peak at the time of our baptism with water and the Spirit (the beginning). This may or may not be the case. However, since that time, we have lived through decisive experiences that built within us the same assurance that the Israelites had at the Red Sea - our God and Father is with us and all things are possible for Him! These experiences caused our knowledge to increase and our faith to mature as we were led by the Holy Spirit through these events.
We can also see this text as an exhortation to remain firmly committed to the foundations of faith that we initially and publicly professed, whether at our baptism, sealing, or confirmation:
I BELIEVE...
- IN THE TRIUNE GOD
- IN THE GOSPEL
- IN THE CHURCH AND THE APOSTOLATE
- IN THE SACRAMENTS
- IN THE IMMINENT AND INEXORABLE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
Let us cling to and remain firmly convicted of these fundamental elements of our faith until the end, no matter what. The Lord alone will decide when the end is, and we are secure with Him.
When we live and profess in this way, then Hebrews 3:14 makes it clear - we will become partakers of Christ.
To be a partaker of Christ means we can enjoy the love and goodness of Christ. Through Him, we can be sanctified, perfected, and saved. We can experience His help and nearness and that He will never forsake us. We can be prepared for His coming by the work of the Apostle ministry.
To be a partaker of Christ means that we can have personal encounters with Him and experience His presence in the church, and know true fellowship with Him in Holy Communion.
Lastly, as partakers of Christ, we recognize our calling to contribute to the health and well-being of the church, to advance the good news of the gospel, and to serve those around us. This is the greatest fulfillment in life. Truly, there is no greater joy than to become a partaker of Jesus Christ!
Let us never neglect this path and opportunity, but rather humbly embrace it. In all circumstances and in all seasons of life, may we remain fully convinced of the truth of the gospel, completely trusting in the Lord, and abounding in hope for the fulfillment of God’s salvation plan through Jesus Christ.