Suppose I leave a seal with Brother Ma because I have to take care of some matters. If Brother Ma loses my seal, whose responsibility is that, mine or Brother Ma's? It is true that I am partly wrong for trusting in Brother Ma; but the direct responsibility lies with Brother Ma because I have entrusted my seal to him. If I handed myself over to God, and later I were to lose my salvation, indeed I would have made a mistake in trusting God. But the mistake would be directly with God. It would be God who would be wrong. We are preserved because of the power of God. Those who do not know God may say that the power of God would be inadequate to keep us. But all who know God have to bow down and say, "We who are being guarded by the power of God through faith will definitely receive the salvation ready to be revealed at the last time." Peter was quite sure that we will receive it. No matter what happens, we will be fully saved.

Why will we be fully saved? Second Timothy 1:12 says, "For I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard my deposit unto that day." Whatever Paul had deposited in the Lord, the Lord would guard unto the day He returns. Therefore, we are saved all the way until that day. Many times I consider what would happen if one day I, Watchman Nee, were to go to hell. My perdition would not be a big thing. However, for God's glory to suffer loss would be a big thing. For me to go to hell and perish would not matter very much, but the loss of God's glory would matter a great deal. My perdition would not be that important. But if I were to perish, God would surely not be glorified; His glory would surely be damaged, because it would indicate that God does not guard well. If I were to perish, that would be because God did not keep me well. On account of God's glory, all those who know God and His keeping power would say that there is no way for them to lose God's salvation. Hallelujah! We have no way to lose it. The Word of God is more than clear in this respect.

Concerning the verses on keeping, the one I like the most is Jude 24-25a. It is more peculiar than any of the other verses. It tells us what the name of God is. The name of God is "Him who is able to guard you from stumbling and to set you before His glory without blemish in exultation, to the only God our Savior." What is God's name? God's name is the One who is able to guard us from stumbling; God's name is the One who is able to set us before His glory without blemish in exultation; God's name is the One who is the only God our Savior. This is our God. What is it to not stumble? It does not say that God will keep us from falling, but that He will keep us from stumbling. To fall is to lie down on the ground. But to stumble is only to make a slip. He says that God can keep us from slipping. Not only can God keep us from falling, but He can keep us from slipping.