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THE
                                      ASSURANCE
CONTENTS                              OF SALVATION

                                      I
What Would                                s it possible for you to know
You Say? . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
                                           that your sins are forgiven?
Blueprint                                  Can you be sure that you
For Assurance . . . . . . . . 4
                                      are on your way to heaven?
 FOUNDATION:                          What about the fear of
 The Bible’s Authority . . . 5
                                      judgment and the frightening
 PILLAR 1:                            possibility of going to hell? Can
 Christ’s Work. . . . . . . . . 8
                                      you know without any doubt
 PILLAR 2:                            that God has saved you from
 Your Faith In Christ . . . 11
                                      the eternal consequences of sin?
 PILLAR 3:                                This booklet, written by Our
 Your Obedience
 To Christ . . . . . . . . . . . 14   Daily Bread managing editor
                                      Kurt De Haan, takes a look at
 PILLAR 4:
 Your Love For                        what the Bible has to say in
 Other Christians. . . . . . 18       response to such questions. The
 CAPSTONE:                            specific focus of attention for
 The Spirit’s                         this study will be the words of
 Assurance . . . . . . . . . . 20     the apostle John from his first
Objections . . . . . . . . . . 24     letter, which addresses this issue
A Personal Journey . . . 30           of the assurance of salvation. It
                                      is our prayer that as you read
Assurance Checklist. . . 32
                                      these pages you will discover
                                      the answers you need.
                                                   Martin R. De Haan II
Managing Editor: David Sper                                Cover Photo: Terry Bidgood
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
© 1987,2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan                     Printed in USA

                   © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
WHAT WOULD                          Not worrying. “I
YOU SAY?                         think it’s a waste of time to
                                 worry about whether or not


D
         o you like spinach?     I’m going to heaven. There’s
          What about prime       no way to know for sure.
          rib? Would you like    I won’t know until I die.”
to visit the South Pole? Are         Fearing the worst.
you optimistic about the         “It seems like I’m always
nation’s economy? If people      failing God. And when I do,
were polled on these types       I’m afraid I’m going to end
of questions, they would         up in hell after all.”
give one of three different        Trusting God’s
answers:                         promises. “I’m sure I’m
    ❏ YES                        on my way to heaven
    ❏ NO                         because of verses like John
    ❏ UNDECIDED                  5:24. I put my confidence
    In the same way,             in the promises of God’s
opinions about whether           Word.”
or not a person can be             Remembering a
sure of going to heaven          day. “I know I’m going to
fall into one of these three     heaven because I remember
categories. Some people say      the day I prayed to receive
yes, others say no, and still    Christ into my life.”
others are undecided.              Leaving it up to
    The ideas listed below       God. “I would never
represent variations of these    dare to say I am going to
three possible answers           heaven. That’s up to God
when people were asked           to decide.”
about their hope for eternal         Feeling unworthy.
life. See if you can identify    “Sometimes I feel that God
with any of their responses.     loves me and is going to
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             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
take me to heaven. But           kind of person God wants
when I’m depressed, I feel       me to be? If I follow Christ’s
unworthy and hopeless.”          example of love, I’m sure
  Depending on                   I’ll be okay on judgment
God’s love. “If God is           day.”
as loving as people say He
is, He won’t send anyone         YOUR TURN
to hell.”                        Suppose someone were
  Replacing feelings             to ask you if you are
with facts. “Knowing             sure of your salvation.
I’m saved isn’t based on         What would you say? Why?
feelings but on facts. I         If you answer yes, then the
believe the Bible has            theme of this booklet
those facts.”                    should be no surprise to
                                 you. The following pages,
                                 though, will help you to
   Assurance of                  evaluate your reasons for
                                 being sure of heaven and
  salvation is not               encourage you to rely on
 based on feelings               the truths of God’s Word.
   but on facts.                     If, however, you answer
                                 no or undecided, then you
   The Bible has                 need to be cautioned:
    those facts.                 This booklet will challenge
                                 you to think through the
                                 issues. It is designed to
  Trying to be a good            offer biblical answers to
person. “I’m trying hard         help you sort out the facts
to be a decent person. I         and evaluate your feelings.
treat others as I want them
to treat me. Isn’t that the
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             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
BLUEPRINT FOR                    the evidences that can give
ASSURANCE                        us strong assurance. If we
                                 picture those evidences as


H
         ow can you know         elements of a blueprint, we
          anything for sure?     will see how each part adds
          For example, if you    strength to the complete
lived in a region prone to       structure.
earthquakes, how could              The six elements that
you be sure that the place       are described in John’s
you called home wouldn’t         blueprint for assurance are:
collapse today or tomorrow?         • The Bible’s Authority
It would be reassuring to           • Christ’s Work
examine the blueprint of the        • Your Faith In Christ
house or apartment building         • Your Obedience To
where you lived and find               Christ
that the foundation, walls,         • Your Love For Other
and roof were designed to              Christians
be strong and trustworthy—          • The Spirit’s Assurance
even able to withstand a            The diagram that we will
severe earthquake.               be using throughout this
    In a similar way, how        study pictures the logical
do you know your hope of         progression of truths that
heaven will hold up when         are essential for one to be
God’s earth-shattering           able to say he is sure of his
judgment comes? It would         salvation. The foundation on
be reassuring to have some       which our other reasons for
evidence that your hope is       assurance must rest is the
not merely wishful thinking.     authority of God’s Word.
Such evidence is available       Standing on the foundation
to us. The New Testament         are four supporting pillars.
letter of 1 John describes       Each pillar represents
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             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
evidence that our salvation       A solid foundation is
is secure. The finished work      essential to any belief. Like
of Christ and our personal        a building, it must be on
faith in Him are solid            unshakable ground. This
reasons to have assurance.        was illustrated when a major
The Bible also tells us that      power company was erecting
our obedience to Christ and       a nuclear power plant.
our love for fellow Christians    Millions of dollars were
are evidences of true, saving     spent on the massive
faith. The capstone resting       structure that would
on the pillars is the inner       house the nuclear reactor.
assurance that the Holy           But inspection showed
Spirit gives to us. The Spirit    the foundations to be
points to the truths of God’s     inadequate. As a result, the
Word, the sufficiency of          safety of the community was
Christ’s work, the reality of     uncertain and the project
our faith, and the evidences      had to be abandoned.
of our obedience and love.           God intends for
                                  Christians to be sure of
FOUNDATION:                       their salvation. For that
The Bible’s Authority             reason, He has established
         THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
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            THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
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              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
a solid bedrock of truth—            with the Father and with
the many statements of               His Son Jesus Christ. And
assurance that are found             these things we write to
in Scripture. One of the key         you that your joy may be
sections of the Bible that           full (1 Jn. 1:1-4).
addresses this issue of              The first thing John
bedrock certainty is found       wanted to establish was
in the New Testament letter      that everything he wrote
of 1 John. The opening           about Christ could be
words of John’s epistle          trusted. Second, he desired
make his purpose very            that his readers would
clear. He wrote:                 share with him in the joy
   That which was from the       of their salvation.
   beginning, which we have
   heard, which we have
   seen with our eyes, which           “Faith does
   we have looked upon,             not feed on thin
   and our hands have               air but on facts.”
   handled, concerning the
                                         Os Guinness
   Word of life—the life was
   manifested and we have
   seen, and bear witness,           The apostle’s words were
   and declare to you that       appropriate not only for his
   eternal life which was        first-century readers but
   with the Father and was       also for us today. Because
   manifested to us—that         of what God inspired John
   which we have seen and        to write in his first letter, we
   heard we declare to you,      can know what it takes to
   that you also may have        please God and we can be
   fellowship with us; and       sure of forgiveness and
   truly our fellowship is       peace with God.
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             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
As John was about to          of God’s inspired Word.
conclude his epistle, he            For the purpose of
again reminded his readers       our study in this booklet
to pay attention to what he      we will concentrate
had written. He told them:       primarily on the assuring
   These things I have           truths that John mentioned
   written to you who            in his short letter.
   believe in the name of            Thinking It Over.
   the Son of God, that you      What happens to a house
   may know that you have        built on a sandy beach
   eternal life (1 Jn. 5:13).    when strong winds and high
   John let his readers          waters beat against it? Why
know that what he                don’t emotional feelings
recorded would give them         make a good foundation on
great assurance. From what       which to build assurance of
the apostle has told us, as      our salvation? Have you
                    ASSURING WORDS
• “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone
   who sees the Son and believes in Him may have
   everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day”
   (Jn. 6:40).
• “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
   neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand”
   (Jn. 10:28).
• “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
   He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until
   that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12).
well as what we read in the      had doubts about your
rest of Scripture, we know       relationship with God? Why
that the foundation for our      do tough circumstances
faith is found in the pages      have a way of making us
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             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
doubt what God has said?         funds from the now healthy
Are you now willing to           bank account.
accept the Bible as                 What about our spiritual
“bedrock” truth on which         account with God? Jesus
to base the assurance of         has done all that is
your salvation?                  necessary to provide
                                 complete salvation for every
PILLAR 1:                        person who has ever lived
Christ’s Work                    or ever will live. The huge
        THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
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           THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
If you were unemployed           debt of sin has been paid.
and owed $90,000 to a            And that includes you, no
bank, you would probably         matter how deeply or how
feel that the situation was      often you have sinned.
hopeless. But what if a            It Satisfies God’s
billionaire told you that he     Demands. The apostle
would cover your debt and        John wrote that Jesus’
deposit $1 million into your     sacrifice was sufficient to
account? What more could         meet God’s holy demands
you do to clear up your          for justice. Because God is
debt? Nothing more than          perfect, He cannot tolerate
accept the gift and draw         sin (1 Jn. 1:5-6). But there
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is hope for sinful man.           sufficient sacrifice. The Old
John stated:                      Testament sacrifices pointed
    He Himself [Jesus Christ]     forward to the sacrifice of
    is the propitiation for our   the Lord Jesus Christ on the
    sins, and not for ours        cross.
    only but also for the             It Is Finished.
    whole world (1 Jn. 2:2).      The great truth of 1 John
    The word propitiation         concerning the all-sufficient
carries the meaning of            work of Jesus Christ is
satisfying God’s justice.         emphasized throughout the
God’s nature demanded             New Testament. On the
that He do something              cross Jesus said, “It is
about our sin. Yet what He        finished!” (Jn. 19:30). He
did was to show us mercy          knew that He had emptied
instead of the judgment we        the cup of God’s wrath. His
deserved. God sent His            work was done. It is so
only Son to take our sin          complete that God requires
upon Himself and become           nothing more from us to be
the object of God’s wrath         added to that sacrifice—no
against sin. If we have           personal merit, no religious
received Christ’s offer of        ritual, no exhausting work.
forgiveness, then we are          All we need to do is trust
forgiven and no longer have       ourselves to Him!
to fear eternal punishment            It Is Offered To Us.
for sin.                          John told us, “He who has
    In the Old Testament,         the Son has life; he who
God said, “It is the blood        does not have the Son of
that makes atonement for          God does not have life”
the soul” (Lev. 17:11). The       (1 Jn. 5:12). Jesus offers
blood of animals could            new spiritual life to all
never provide the all-            who will believe in Him
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              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
(Jn. 7:37-38). Because              indescribable gift” (2 Cor.
Christ has defeated sin and         9:15).
death through His atoning
sacrifice and His victorious
resurrection, we can be              “The gospel is not
restored to God. The
sacrifice of Jesus Christ
                                     a set of swimming
covers all our sin, gives us          instructions for a
acceptance with God,                   drowning man,
releases us from bondage,
delivers us from wrath,
                                     but a pardon and
and enables us to stand                 reprieve from
unblemished in God’s                     death for a
presence.
    God wants you to rest
                                       man who does
on the finished work of                not deserve it.”
Christ. His sacrifice has                    Paul Little
infinite value. Salvation is
available to all who will
accept the gift. The apostle           Thinking It Over.
Paul wrote:                         What have you been
    For by grace you have           trusting to make yourself
    been saved through faith,       acceptable to God and to
    and that not of yourselves;     help you gain entrance to
    it is the gift of God, not of   heaven? Could you pay the
    works, lest anyone should       price for your sin by being
    boast (Eph. 2:8-9).             good enough? Thank God
    If we accept Christ’s           for all He has done for you
offer, we can exclaim with          to make your salvation
the apostle Paul, “Thanks           possible.
be to God for His
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PILLAR 2:                         Christ. When we speak of
Your Faith In Christ              faith in Christ, we mean a
         THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
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            THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
If you wanted to fly from         personal expression of
New York to Paris, you            trust and dependency on
would go to the airport,          Him. It is not enough to
buy a ticket, and get on the      acknowledge intellectually
plane. It wouldn’t do you         that Jesus is the only One
any good to sit around            who can take us to heaven.
saying, “Yes, I know the          It is not enough to know that
airplane is trustworthy and       what He did was sufficient to
the pilot is well-trained, and    pay the penalty for our sin.
I will get to Paris if I get on   We must put our trust in
board.” You need to board         Him, accept His offer, and
the plane. It’s not enough to     place ourselves in His hands.
know the truth; you have to           In 1 John 5:1 we read,
do something about it. The        “Whoever believes that
same is true if you want to       Jesus is the Christ is born
go to heaven.                     of God.” Your faith in Jesus
    What Is Faith? Faith          Christ—your belief that He
involves a response to the        is indeed the Christ, the Son
truth we know about Jesus         of God—is what God
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requires for you to become a          in the flesh is of God
member of His family.                 (1 Jn. 4:2).
   John also told us,                 The apostle Paul stated,
“Whoever confesses that           “No one can say that Jesus
Jesus is the Son of God,          is Lord except by the Holy
God abides in him, and he         Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). Now,
in God” (1 Jn. 4:15). People      we all know that anyone
may view Jesus as the             can say the words “Jesus is
greatest man who ever lived,      Lord.” But Paul is referring
as the supreme example for        to more than just producing
us to follow, or as the most      these sounds. He means
impressive revealer of God’s      that no one can call Jesus
love. But if they do not          “Lord” as the expression of
confess Him to be the Son         his deep inner conviction
of God, they are not saved.       “except by the Holy Spirit.”
  What Does Faith                   Where Does This
Prove? Your belief in Jesus       Leave You? Maybe you
Christ is positive evidence       are troubled by the suspicion
that the Holy Spirit has          that your profession of faith
given you new life. A person      wasn’t real. We have all seen
who is hostile or unreceptive     examples of this. A young
to Christ shows no evidence       man goes through the
of the Spirit’s life-giving       motions of accepting Christ
activity. John wrote:             because a girl he wants to
    By this we know that He       date has said she won’t
    abides in us, by the Spirit   go out with him until he
    whom He has given us          becomes a Christian.
    (1 Jn. 3:24). By this you     Sometimes people profess
    know the Spirit of God:       faith in Jesus Christ in a
    Every spirit that confesses   moment of deep emotional
    that Jesus Christ has come    turmoil and then forget
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              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
about it the next morning.        your way to heaven. If so,
   If you are not sure that       take time now to put your
your faith is real, evaluate      trust completely in Christ for
why you feel that way. It         your salvation. Anchor your
could be that your former         faith on what the Bible tells
expression of faith was           us about Christ.
indeed shallow and not from           Maybe you can point
the heart. It could be that       back to a definite time in
                                  your life when you sincerely
                                  decided to put your trust in
 “We are told that                Christ as Savior and Lord.
Christ was killed for             If so, your present doubts
                                  may be more a matter of
 us, that His death               unreliable feelings than a
has washed out our                dependable indicator of
  sins, and that by               your true spiritual condition.
                                  In this kind of situation, the
 dying He disabled                fact that you are genuinely
     death itself.                concerned is a very
That’s the formula.               encouraging sign.
                                      If you acknowledged
 That’s Christianity.             your sin and admitted your
  That’s what has                 need of forgiveness, and if
   to be believed.”               you asked Him to save you,
        C. S. Lewis               believing that Christ paid
                                  the penalty for all your sins,
                                  you have done all that God
you never really understood       requires. You can be sure
all that Christ has done for      you are saved. Trust God’s
you until now and you didn’t      promise. Thank God for
realize that you couldn’t earn    your salvation. And when
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future doubts come, talk to      Some police departments
God about them and reflect       have a canine division
on what the Bible has to say.    made up of dogs specifically
    Thinking It Over. Do         trained for police work. It is
you believe that Jesus Christ    amazing to watch these
died on the cross to pay for     animals in action. The dogs
your sins? Are you trusting      have a special relationship
in His finished work for your    with the person they are
salvation? Are you resting       trained to work with. They
on what the Bible says? If       have a strong sense of
you can say yes to those         loyalty, and they respond
questions, what should you       quickly to their masters’
do when doubts about your        orders. Whether they are
salvation begin to trouble       walking down the street
you? If you have professed       or running after a criminal,
faith in Christ, have you        there is no doubt whom
seen evidence in your life       these dogs belong to. The
that you are a child of God?     police dog’s quick obedience
                                 to his master’s voice reveals
PILLAR 3: Your                   his identity.
Obedience To Christ                  In a similar way, those
        THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
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           THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
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who believe in Jesus Christ      your spiritual state is
should be easily identified      evidence that your faith
by their obedience to their      is real—but you would
Lord and Master. This            like a little more tangible
obedience is marked by           evidence. Well, here it is:
keeping His commands             Look at your conduct!
and by turning from sin.         Apply the test, “Do I keep
  Keeping His                    God’s commandments?”
Commands. As we look
again to 1 John, we read:
   Now by this we know               “The man that
   that we know Him, if we         believes will obey;
   keep His commandments            failure to obey is
   (1 Jn. 2:3).
   This verse tells us that         convincing proof
we who have accepted                that there is not
Jesus as our Savior can be        true faith present.”
sure that our salvation is
                                         A. W. Tozer
genuine because of our
obedience to Him.
   Maybe you have a solid           It shouldn’t be hard for
grasp of the doctrinal truth     you to determine whether or
about the finished work of       not your life is marked by
Jesus Christ and you have        obedience. We are not
accepted Him as your             suggesting, of course, that
Savior, but you still have       you must keep all of Christ’s
times when you doubt that        commandments perfectly.
your faith is anything more      No one does. The apostle
than mere head knowledge.        John in this epistle had
Maybe you are encouraged         already spoken strongly
that your concern about          against people who say, “we
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have no sin” (1:8) and ‘’we       obedience to Christ is a
have not sinned” (1:10). He       rejection of sin in our lives.
had already told us about             If we say that we have
God’s gracious provision              fellowship with Him, and
of daily forgiveness and              walk in darkness, we lie
cleansing through confession          and do not practice the
(1:9). Yet all the while he           truth (1 Jn. 1:6). Whoever
made it clear that a believer’s       abides in Him does not
life is to be characterized by        sin. Whoever sins has
righteousness rather than             neither seen Him nor
by sin. Take an honest                known Him. Little
assessment of your life.              children, let no one
If you realize that you do            deceive you. He who
love the Lord Jesus and are           practices righteousness is
walking in obedience to               righteous, just as He is
Him, you may take that as             righteous. He who sins is
an indication that you are            of the devil, for the devil
born again.                           has sinned from the
    Remember, you don’t               beginning. For this
need to be perfect. And               purpose the Son of God
your salvation is not based           was manifested, that He
on obedience. But if you              might destroy the works
genuinely want to obey the            of the devil. Whoever has
commands of Christ, and if            been born of God does not
you see evidence of your              sin, for His seed remains
growth in holiness, you will          in him; and he cannot sin,
have one more reason to               because he has been born
believe that you are truly            of God (1 Jn. 3:6-9).
saved.                                These verses may sound
  Turning From                    like John is saying that we
Sin. The other side of our        must be perfectly sinless
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before we can be sure of             Our obedience to Christ,
heaven. But that’s not what       then, has its positive and
he’s saying. His emphasis is      negative aspects: We are
that we who have professed        to keep Christ’s commands,
faith in Christ have passed
from death to life, from
darkness to light. If a person
                                       If our lives
claims to be a Christian             are marked by
but continues to live                 obedience to
in sin—disobeying Christ’s
commands and living like
                                   Christ, it is another
an unbeliever—then such a           powerful reason
person is deceived.                  to be sure we
    A believer’s life is not to
be characterized by sin but
                                    belong to Him.
by doing what is right in
God’s eyes. In other words,       and we are to turn from sin.
what John was saying is this:     If our lives are marked by
If you profess faith in Christ,   this kind of obedience, it is
then your life will show it.      another powerful reason to
You will not indulge in           be sure we belong to Christ.
sinning as a way of life.             Thinking It Over.
    John had mentioned the        When you read the Bible
cleansing that is available       or hear it taught, are
for Christians who do sin         you quick to obey God’s
(1 Jn. 1:9). Although a           commands? List some ways
Christian will sin, sin will      your life demonstrates that
not have mastery over him         you are a child of God,
and he will not give himself      related to Jesus Christ. If
to a decadent way of life         you know you have put
(Rom. 6:11-14).                   your trust in Christ but you
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have been walking                     We Are Different.
disobediently, ask God            Those of us who believe in
for forgiveness right now         Jesus Christ, though, are to
and express your new              be different. We should love
commitment to obey Him.           Him first and foremost, and
                                  we should be drawn together
PILLAR 4: Your Love               by that common interest. But
For Other Christians              the Bible says we should go
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In many pursuits of life,         beyond that. We are not
people are bonded together        only to love Christ, but we
by a love for something,          are to love one another.
but not necessarily for each      In fact, our love for fellow
other. For instance, members      Christians is so important
of a baseball team may not        that it is another reason
like each other, but they play    on which we can base our
together because of their love    assurance. Look again at
for the game. Or members          the words of 1 John:
of an orchestra may never            We know that we have
speak to one another, but            passed from death to life,
they meet together because           because we love the
of their love for music.             brethren. . . . My little
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children, let us not love in   six times (see 3:13-17). True,
    word or in tongue, but in      the Bible makes it clear that
    deed and in truth. And by      Christians are to have love
    this we know that we are       for all mankind, desiring the
    of the truth, and shall        salvation of everyone. But
    assure our hearts before       the apostle John here was
    Him (3:14,18-19).              saying that our love for other
    John said that your love       Christians is an evidence of
for other Christians will give     salvation. He called our
you the assurance that you         attention to the fact that we
are a member of God’s              are a family. We love one
family. This is a characteristic   another in a special way
that should be obvious to          because we are brothers and
detect in your life. You           sisters in Christ. The whole
may have some uncertainty,         concept of “fellowship” in
though, about exactly what         this first epistle carries the
kind of love John had in           idea of sharing. And that
mind. The word love                sharing flows out of our
standing all by itself can         sense of oneness in Christ.
mean many things to many               Do you enjoy being with
people. But when John spoke        Christians? Do you derive
of our love for believers, he      pleasure from talking with
was quite specific.                them about your common
   We Are A Family.                salvation? If so, you can
John used the word love            take it as further evidence
to describe the sense of           that you are a child of God.
oneness that fellow believers        We Are To Be Self-
have in Christ. Notice that        Sacrificing. This brother/
he specifically mentioned          sister kind of love is not
loving “the brethren,” and         merely a subjective feeling
that he used the term brother      that Christians are to have
                                                              19
               © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
for one another. It is an         13:4-6 and review the
active love. It is self-          characteristics of love.
sacrificing. The pattern is       Read Philippians 2:1-11
Jesus’ sacrificial love for us.   and notice the relationship
    By this we know love,         between our union with
    because He laid down His      Christ and our love for our
    life for us. And we also      fellow believers. Are there
    ought to lay down our         walls of bitterness that are
    lives for the brethren. But   keeping you from loving
    whoever has this world’s      another believer? Take steps
    goods, and sees his brother   today to remove the barriers
    in need, and shuts up his     to brotherly love.
    heart from him, how does
    the love of God abide in      CAPSTONE:
    him? (1 Jn. 3:16-17).         The Spirit’s Assurance
    Unselfish, sacrificial,       Imagine for a moment that
Christlike love is one of the     you are the pilot of a small
pillars on which assurance        plane. As you travel along,
rests. The apostle John,          you can check your
after calling for a love-filled   progress by looking down
life and defining what it         to find familiar landmarks,
means, made the statement,        or you can look at the
“By this we know that we          plane’s navigational
are of the truth, and shall       instruments. It would be
assure our hearts before          disturbing if the compass
Him” (3:19). This should          said you were on course
give you assurance.               but the landscape looked
     Thinking It Over.            unfamiliar, or vice versa.
Do you love Jesus Christ?         But when the instruments
Do you love His spiritual         and the visible landmarks
family? Read 1 Corinthians        agree, you are reassured
20
              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
                                       O
       C                               B
       H               F               E              L
       R               A               D              O
       I               I               I              V
                       T               E
       S               H               N              E
       T                               C
                                       E

           THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
that you are flying on            Confirming What
course to your destination.      We Know. Our own
   When we talk about the        spirit may tell us that we
Spirit’s assurance, we are       are children of God because
talking about an inner           our assurance is built on
confirmation that we are         the five reasons we have
children of God. The person      already considered:
who believes the Bible              • The Bible’s Authority
knows that he has become            • Christ’s Work
God’s child through faith.          • Our Faith In Christ
But this person also has the        • Our Obedience To
confirming presence of the             Christ
Holy Spirit. In 1 John we           • Our Love For Other
read:                                  Christians
   By this we know that             The Holy Spirit confirms
   He abides in us, by the       in our heart what we already
   Spirit whom He has            believe to be true. In fact,
   given us (3:24). He who       we know that the Spirit is
   believes in the Son of        involved in every step of this
   God has the witness in        process. It is the Spirit who
   himself (5:10).               helps us to acknowledge the
                                                            21
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
truth of God’s Word. The          courage. They can even
Spirit helps us to recognize      induce some to give their
the finished work of Christ.      lives for a cause. But they
The Spirit assures us that        do not enable their followers
our faith is genuine. When
we live obediently to the
Lord, He encourages us to               “You did not
continue. And it is the Spirit       receive the spirit
who produces in us the love         of bondage again
for our fellow believers and
assures us that this love is a        to fear, but you
mark of a Christian.                received the Spirit
 Cooperating With                      of adoption by
Our Spirit. Our
experience squares with             whom we cry out,
Romans 8:16, “The Spirit           ‘Abba, Father.’ The
Himself bears witness              Spirit Himself bears
with our spirit that we are
children of God.” Notice, the        witness with our
text does not say that the          spirit that we are
Spirit witnesses to our spirit,      children of God.”
but rather He witnesses with
                                        Romans 8:15-16
our spirit. This means that
He strengthens the witness
we are already receiving          to say that trouble,
from our own spirit.              persecution, famine,
  Producing Inner                 nakedness, death, spiritual
Peace. Man-made                   powers, anything that has
religions or philosophies         happened or will happen,
can help people face              nor any physical distance
tragedy and death with            could separate us from the
22
              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
love of God which is in              Thinking It Over.
Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35-39).     Take a few minutes to
    You can have that glad,      review the blueprint for
triumphant confidence!           assurance outlined in this
If you have accepted             booklet. What will happen
Jesus Christ as your Savior,     if you base your hope of
base the assurance of your       salvation on how you feel
salvation on what the Bible      rather than on the authority
has said. Christ has met         of God’s Word? What if you
God’s holy demands for           fail to remember the finished
you. Salvation is offered        work of Christ? What if you
as a free gift. Recognize        begin to think that faith is
that your faith is all God       not all God requires from
requires from you. Then          you? What if you are
examine your life for            habitually disobedient
evidences of obedience           to God’s clear commands?
to Christ and love for other     What if you fail to love
Christians. As you do these      your fellow Christians?
things, God will give you the    How can the Holy Spirit
inner witness of the Holy        use the Word of God to
Spirit.                          witness with your spirit?

        THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE
                                       O
       C                               B
       H               F               E              L
       R               A               D              O
       I               I               I              V
                       T               E
       S               H               N              E
       T                               C
                                       E

           THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY
                                                           23
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIONS                       been far from perfect.
                                 Now I can only hope my


E
       ven though the Bible      faith is acceptable to God.”
        does give us good        She died as she had lived—
        reasons to be            with a sad uncertainty.
confident about our                  Case Two. The
relationship with God and        owner of a small business
our hope for eternity, not       was faithful in church
everyone is convinced. The       attendance and was
reasons are many. In this        compassionate to the poor.
section we will first look at    But he never enjoyed the
three representative people      assurance that he would go
who have struggled with          to heaven. To a pastor he
assurance. Then we will
discuss two difficult Bible
passages. Finally, we’ll           “Right now I feel
consider some personality            good about my
factors that cause doubts in
the minds of many people.
                                    relationship with
                                    God. But I don’t
CASE STUDIES                        always have this
The following true stories
are representative of the
                                  feeling. I often find
kinds of problems Christians         myself worrying
have with assurance.               about the future.”
    Case One. An elderly
lady who was on her
deathbed said to her son,        said, “Right now I feel good
“I believe in Jesus Christ.      about my relationship with
I love Him and have tried        God. But I don’t always
to live for Him. But I have      have this feeling. I often
24
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
find myself worrying              Scripture passages, and
about the future. I’m afraid      (2) their own emotional
I might die right after I         makeup.
commit a serious sin.”
    He went on to cite Paul’s     DIFFICULT
comment about working out         BIBLE VERSES
our salvation with fear and       Some people want
trembling, and then he said       assurance, but they
he was afraid he might be a       are troubled by the
castaway. He concluded, “I        interpretation of certain
sure wish I could know if         passages. We will examine
I’m going to heaven—but           only two of these, trusting
I’m afraid that’s impossible.”    that we can make them
    Case Three. Another           models of how to interpret
person who is having              others that seem to
problems with certainty           contradict the doctrine
is a young housewife who          of assurance.
received the Lord a few               1 Corinthians 9:27.
years ago and underwent a         This verse has troubled
remarkable change. She            some Christians because it
believes that assurance is        speaks of being disqualified
possible, and she longs for       after years of faithful service
it. But she is plagued with       to Christ. Paul wrote:
feelings of doubt and fear           I discipline my body
about everything—including           and bring it into
her relationship to the Lord.        subjection, lest, when
    The lack of assurance            I have preached to
for salvation in these case          others, I myself should
histories comes from two             become disqualified.
sources: (1) their faulty            What did Paul mean
interpretation of key             when he spoke of being
                                                              25
              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
disqualified? To answer this     translated “disqualified.”
question, we must examine        The root word means, “that
other statements the apostle     which has not stood the
made on this subject. When       test.” Because Paul was
we read his epistles, we         referring to the prizes given
discover a number of             winners in the Olympic
passages in which he             contests, he likely had in
expressed his certainty.         mind the rewards that will
He knew that he was a            be given at the judgment
child of God, an heir with       seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10).
Jesus Christ. He knew that       He was thinking only of
nothing could separate
him from God. Read the
conclusion of Romans 8
and sense the atmosphere           “Faith rests on the
of certainty and joy. Read          naked Word of
Philippians 1 and notice
that Paul spoke of death as
                                    God; that Word
gain. Then read 2 Timothy,            believed gives
written just before he was           full assurance.”
executed. What an air of                H. A. Ironside
confidence! When you
turn to 1 Corinthians 9:27,
therefore, you must
remember that this verse         being disqualified from
was written by a man who         receiving a prize. He did
knew he was on his way           not want to lose his reward
to heaven.                       for service through failing to
   With this in mind, let’s      satisfy his Lord. He was not
look at the context and the      afraid of losing his
meaning of the Greek word        salvation.
26
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
Philippians 2:12.              reverential awe that should
Paul’s instruction that we       fill our hearts as we live
must work out our salvation      day by day in humble
with fear and trembling has      dependence on the Lord
been unsettling to some.         and in anticipation of our
   Therefore, my beloved, as     future glory.
   you have always obeyed,
   not as in my presence
   only, but how much more
   in my absence, work out               Only one
   your own salvation with           conclusion can
   fear and trembling.
   Notice that Paul did not         be reached: The
say we must work for our              Bible does not
salvation. The Greek word           contradict itself
translated “work out” refers
to “working down to a point          in teaching the
of completion.” Paul was               assurance of
speaking of salvation as an              salvation.
ongoing process through
which we grow and develop
in the Christian faith.
   Philippians 2:12 says            We have looked at two
nothing about gaining            Bible passages that have
salvation. It refers to          troubled some people who
the maturing process in          are seeking assurance.
cooperation with the Lord,       And we have seen that
who “works in you both to        neither passage denies
will and to do for His good      the possibility of being
pleasure” (v.13). The “fear      confident of salvation. We
and trembling” indicates the     could demonstrate that the
                                                          27
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
same is true of other               Many believers are
problem passages, but            plagued with doubts. If
when the verses are              you are among them, don’t
rightly understood and           condemn yourself. Your
read in the light of other       problem relates more to
portions of the Bible, the       your psychological makeup
conflict is resolved. Only       than to your spiritual state.
one conclusion can be            Don’t despair.
reached: The Bible does
not contradict itself in
teaching that we can be
sure of our salvation.             “When a person is
PERSONALITY
                                  in Christ, he is safe.
FACTORS                             All the devil may
As mentioned earlier,               do is worry him.”
some people acknowledge                 W. P. Loveless
that the Bible teaches the
possibility of assurance,
but they can’t seem to find
it for themselves. We saw            Consider this illustration.
an example in the young          A man was fishing on a
housewife we mentioned           quiet lake after dark. The
in Case 3. She confesses         air was still, and the moon
her sins, prays for others,      was reflected perfectly in
seeks God’s guidance, lives      the water. After looking at it
obediently, and shows a          for a while, he whimsically
lot of love. Yet she often       cast his lure into the
has times when she is            reflection. The image
dreadfully afraid that           shattered into a thousand
she is not a child of God.       pieces. Now, had the moon
28
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
actually been broken? Of              2. Communicate with
course not! The reflection               God through prayer,
had. He had only to look                 and confess every
heavenward to assure                     known sin.
himself that the moon was             3. Obey God’s
still there, shining in all of           commandments,
its beauty.                              and do what you
    Likewise, the joy of a               know is right.
Christian’s salvation can             4. Spend time with
be shattered by doubt,                   strong Christians,
satanic attack, unfortunate              and let their love
circumstances, gnawing                   help you.
fears, or depression. But             5. Reach out in concern
losing the joy of one’s                  to others because you
salvation does not mean                  love them.
that salvation itself has             6. Recognize that
been lost. The believer must             your doubts and
look upward in faith to God              depressions may be
and to the assurances of                 more emotional than
His Word to have his                     spiritual. This will
confidence restored.                     help you avoid
    If you are plagued by                unnecessary feelings
times of doubt, consider                 of guilt because of
the following guidelines                 your supposed lack
for maintaining assurance:               of faith.
    1. Read your Bible,
        especially the book
        of 1 John, to remind
        yourself of the solid
        foundation on which
        your salvation stands.
                                                            29
              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
A PERSONAL                       assurance of my salvation
JOURNEY                          is based on the unchanging
                                 Word of God and the
Dennis De Haan,                  finished work of Jesus Christ
contributing editor of Our       in dying on the cross to pay
Daily Bread, struggled with      for my sins. My pardon and
doubts about his salvation.      my hope are in Him—not in
Here’s his personal account      my changing feelings.
of his journey to assurance.         I am also helped in
                                 knowing that some people


I
     first professed faith in    are by temperament more
     Christ as my Savior at      inclined to doubt than
     the age of 15. I wish I     others. Some people are
could claim that in the years    blessed with an optimistic
since then I have never once     nature that fills them with
doubted my salvation. But I      faith about life in general,
can’t. My experience has         while others are by nature
been more of an arduous          introspective, cautious,
journey of recurring doubts      fearful, and deeply sensitive.
than a spiritual fairy tale      God did not make all people
that ends in living “happily     alike. Thomas, one of Jesus’
ever after.” In looking          own disciples was a doubter.
back, I see that I made          Yet Jesus accepted him just
the common mistake of            as he was—doubts and all.
equating assurance with              The Bible teaches that
a positive feeling. When I       assurance of salvation is the
was up, I felt saved; when       work of the Holy Spirit, who
I was down, I felt lost.         bears witness with our spirit
   Today, it doesn’t matter      that we are the children of
just when I was saved, for       God (Rom. 8:16). I find that
I have come to see that the      this inner confirmation
30
             © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
comes as I fellowship with        to deal with it again. Unless,
Christ, am obedient to the        of course, I sin again.
Word, and rest secure in              If doubts still occur, I
the love of God. I must be        must resist them as I do any
careful not to allow hatred       other temptation. In some
or ill will toward anyone to      ways, I’m glad for doubts,
remain in my heart. When          because they force me to
doubting, I try to take an        decide anew that I will
honest inventory of my            believe God and trust
life, for God’s Spirit cannot     completely in Jesus. How
witness with my spirit when       often I’ve simply told Him,
I grieve or quench Him            “Lord, I don’t feel saved, but
                                  I trust You anyway. Thank
                                  you for settling it all on the
   “In some ways,                 cross of Calvary!”
                                      Someday all doubts will
I’m glad for doubts,              be gone and we will see our
 because they force               Savior face to face. But
me to decide anew                 until then we walk by
                                  faith and not by sight.
  that I will believe             If we concentrate on
    God and trust                 obeying God’s Word and
     completely                   remembering what Christ
                                  has done for us, something
      in Jesus.”                  wonderful will occur. Slowly
                                  but surely we will begin to
                                  “doubt our doubts and
through disobedience. I’ve        believe our beliefs”—and
also come to see that once        that, through the witness of
I’ve confessed a sin and          the Holy Spirit, brings
turned from it, I don’t need      blessed assurance.
                                                             31
              © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
ASSURANCE                              ❏ Do I practice sin less
CHECKLIST                                than before I
                                         was a Christian?


I
    f you have received                  (1 Jn. 3:5-6).
     Christ as your Savior,            ❏ Do l show love
     the assurance of your               to other believers?
salvation will be continually            (1 Jn. 3:14).
strengthened when you are              ❏ Have I had
able to answer yes to the                answers to prayer?
following questions:                     (1 Jn. 3:22; 5:15).
                                       ❏ Am I aware of the
     ❏ Do I enjoy fellowship             witness of the Holy
       with God, with                    Spirit to the truths of
       Christ, and with                  God? (Rom. 8:15-16;
       other believers?                  1 Jn. 4:13).
       (1 Jn. 1:3-4).                  ❏ Can I discern between
     ❏ Am I troubled when I              spiritual truth and
       sin or when I see it in           error? (Jn. 10:3-5,27;
       others? (1 Jn. 1:5-10).           1 Jn. 4:1-6).
     ❏ Do I try to be                  ❏ Do I believe the
       obedient to the                   basic doctrines of
       commands of the                   the Christian faith?
       Bible? (1 Jn. 2:3-5).             (1 Jn. 5:1).
     ❏ Do I reject the wrong           ❏ Have I ever
       values of our present             experienced
       world-system?                     opposition because
       (1 Jn. 2:15).                     of my Christian
     ❏ Do l love Christ and              convictions? (Jn.
       look forward to His               15:18-20; Phil. 1:28).
       return? (2 Tim. 4:8;        (Adapted from Salvation Is Forever
       1 Jn. 3:2-3).               by Robert Gromacki.)
32
               © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
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The Assurance Of Salvation

  • 1. THE ASSURANCE CONTENTS OF SALVATION I What Would s it possible for you to know You Say? . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 that your sins are forgiven? Blueprint Can you be sure that you For Assurance . . . . . . . . 4 are on your way to heaven? FOUNDATION: What about the fear of The Bible’s Authority . . . 5 judgment and the frightening PILLAR 1: possibility of going to hell? Can Christ’s Work. . . . . . . . . 8 you know without any doubt PILLAR 2: that God has saved you from Your Faith In Christ . . . 11 the eternal consequences of sin? PILLAR 3: This booklet, written by Our Your Obedience To Christ . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Daily Bread managing editor Kurt De Haan, takes a look at PILLAR 4: Your Love For what the Bible has to say in Other Christians. . . . . . 18 response to such questions. The CAPSTONE: specific focus of attention for The Spirit’s this study will be the words of Assurance . . . . . . . . . . 20 the apostle John from his first Objections . . . . . . . . . . 24 letter, which addresses this issue A Personal Journey . . . 30 of the assurance of salvation. It is our prayer that as you read Assurance Checklist. . . 32 these pages you will discover the answers you need. Martin R. De Haan II Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo: Terry Bidgood Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. © 1987,2002 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 2. WHAT WOULD Not worrying. “I YOU SAY? think it’s a waste of time to worry about whether or not D o you like spinach? I’m going to heaven. There’s What about prime no way to know for sure. rib? Would you like I won’t know until I die.” to visit the South Pole? Are Fearing the worst. you optimistic about the “It seems like I’m always nation’s economy? If people failing God. And when I do, were polled on these types I’m afraid I’m going to end of questions, they would up in hell after all.” give one of three different Trusting God’s answers: promises. “I’m sure I’m ❏ YES on my way to heaven ❏ NO because of verses like John ❏ UNDECIDED 5:24. I put my confidence In the same way, in the promises of God’s opinions about whether Word.” or not a person can be Remembering a sure of going to heaven day. “I know I’m going to fall into one of these three heaven because I remember categories. Some people say the day I prayed to receive yes, others say no, and still Christ into my life.” others are undecided. Leaving it up to The ideas listed below God. “I would never represent variations of these dare to say I am going to three possible answers heaven. That’s up to God when people were asked to decide.” about their hope for eternal Feeling unworthy. life. See if you can identify “Sometimes I feel that God with any of their responses. loves me and is going to 2 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 3. take me to heaven. But kind of person God wants when I’m depressed, I feel me to be? If I follow Christ’s unworthy and hopeless.” example of love, I’m sure Depending on I’ll be okay on judgment God’s love. “If God is day.” as loving as people say He is, He won’t send anyone YOUR TURN to hell.” Suppose someone were Replacing feelings to ask you if you are with facts. “Knowing sure of your salvation. I’m saved isn’t based on What would you say? Why? feelings but on facts. I If you answer yes, then the believe the Bible has theme of this booklet those facts.” should be no surprise to you. The following pages, though, will help you to Assurance of evaluate your reasons for being sure of heaven and salvation is not encourage you to rely on based on feelings the truths of God’s Word. but on facts. If, however, you answer no or undecided, then you The Bible has need to be cautioned: those facts. This booklet will challenge you to think through the issues. It is designed to Trying to be a good offer biblical answers to person. “I’m trying hard help you sort out the facts to be a decent person. I and evaluate your feelings. treat others as I want them to treat me. Isn’t that the 3 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 4. BLUEPRINT FOR the evidences that can give ASSURANCE us strong assurance. If we picture those evidences as H ow can you know elements of a blueprint, we anything for sure? will see how each part adds For example, if you strength to the complete lived in a region prone to structure. earthquakes, how could The six elements that you be sure that the place are described in John’s you called home wouldn’t blueprint for assurance are: collapse today or tomorrow? • The Bible’s Authority It would be reassuring to • Christ’s Work examine the blueprint of the • Your Faith In Christ house or apartment building • Your Obedience To where you lived and find Christ that the foundation, walls, • Your Love For Other and roof were designed to Christians be strong and trustworthy— • The Spirit’s Assurance even able to withstand a The diagram that we will severe earthquake. be using throughout this In a similar way, how study pictures the logical do you know your hope of progression of truths that heaven will hold up when are essential for one to be God’s earth-shattering able to say he is sure of his judgment comes? It would salvation. The foundation on be reassuring to have some which our other reasons for evidence that your hope is assurance must rest is the not merely wishful thinking. authority of God’s Word. Such evidence is available Standing on the foundation to us. The New Testament are four supporting pillars. letter of 1 John describes Each pillar represents 4 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 5. evidence that our salvation A solid foundation is is secure. The finished work essential to any belief. Like of Christ and our personal a building, it must be on faith in Him are solid unshakable ground. This reasons to have assurance. was illustrated when a major The Bible also tells us that power company was erecting our obedience to Christ and a nuclear power plant. our love for fellow Christians Millions of dollars were are evidences of true, saving spent on the massive faith. The capstone resting structure that would on the pillars is the inner house the nuclear reactor. assurance that the Holy But inspection showed Spirit gives to us. The Spirit the foundations to be points to the truths of God’s inadequate. As a result, the Word, the sufficiency of safety of the community was Christ’s work, the reality of uncertain and the project our faith, and the evidences had to be abandoned. of our obedience and love. God intends for Christians to be sure of FOUNDATION: their salvation. For that The Bible’s Authority reason, He has established THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I T E V S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY 5 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 6. a solid bedrock of truth— with the Father and with the many statements of His Son Jesus Christ. And assurance that are found these things we write to in Scripture. One of the key you that your joy may be sections of the Bible that full (1 Jn. 1:1-4). addresses this issue of The first thing John bedrock certainty is found wanted to establish was in the New Testament letter that everything he wrote of 1 John. The opening about Christ could be words of John’s epistle trusted. Second, he desired make his purpose very that his readers would clear. He wrote: share with him in the joy That which was from the of their salvation. beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which “Faith does we have looked upon, not feed on thin and our hands have air but on facts.” handled, concerning the Os Guinness Word of life—the life was manifested and we have seen, and bear witness, The apostle’s words were and declare to you that appropriate not only for his eternal life which was first-century readers but with the Father and was also for us today. Because manifested to us—that of what God inspired John which we have seen and to write in his first letter, we heard we declare to you, can know what it takes to that you also may have please God and we can be fellowship with us; and sure of forgiveness and truly our fellowship is peace with God. 6 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 7. As John was about to of God’s inspired Word. conclude his epistle, he For the purpose of again reminded his readers our study in this booklet to pay attention to what he we will concentrate had written. He told them: primarily on the assuring These things I have truths that John mentioned written to you who in his short letter. believe in the name of Thinking It Over. the Son of God, that you What happens to a house may know that you have built on a sandy beach eternal life (1 Jn. 5:13). when strong winds and high John let his readers waters beat against it? Why know that what he don’t emotional feelings recorded would give them make a good foundation on great assurance. From what which to build assurance of the apostle has told us, as our salvation? Have you ASSURING WORDS • “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:40). • “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (Jn. 10:28). • “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Tim. 1:12). well as what we read in the had doubts about your rest of Scripture, we know relationship with God? Why that the foundation for our do tough circumstances faith is found in the pages have a way of making us 7 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 8. doubt what God has said? funds from the now healthy Are you now willing to bank account. accept the Bible as What about our spiritual “bedrock” truth on which account with God? Jesus to base the assurance of has done all that is your salvation? necessary to provide complete salvation for every PILLAR 1: person who has ever lived Christ’s Work or ever will live. The huge THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY If you were unemployed debt of sin has been paid. and owed $90,000 to a And that includes you, no bank, you would probably matter how deeply or how feel that the situation was often you have sinned. hopeless. But what if a It Satisfies God’s billionaire told you that he Demands. The apostle would cover your debt and John wrote that Jesus’ deposit $1 million into your sacrifice was sufficient to account? What more could meet God’s holy demands you do to clear up your for justice. Because God is debt? Nothing more than perfect, He cannot tolerate accept the gift and draw sin (1 Jn. 1:5-6). But there 8 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 9. is hope for sinful man. sufficient sacrifice. The Old John stated: Testament sacrifices pointed He Himself [Jesus Christ] forward to the sacrifice of is the propitiation for our the Lord Jesus Christ on the sins, and not for ours cross. only but also for the It Is Finished. whole world (1 Jn. 2:2). The great truth of 1 John The word propitiation concerning the all-sufficient carries the meaning of work of Jesus Christ is satisfying God’s justice. emphasized throughout the God’s nature demanded New Testament. On the that He do something cross Jesus said, “It is about our sin. Yet what He finished!” (Jn. 19:30). He did was to show us mercy knew that He had emptied instead of the judgment we the cup of God’s wrath. His deserved. God sent His work was done. It is so only Son to take our sin complete that God requires upon Himself and become nothing more from us to be the object of God’s wrath added to that sacrifice—no against sin. If we have personal merit, no religious received Christ’s offer of ritual, no exhausting work. forgiveness, then we are All we need to do is trust forgiven and no longer have ourselves to Him! to fear eternal punishment It Is Offered To Us. for sin. John told us, “He who has In the Old Testament, the Son has life; he who God said, “It is the blood does not have the Son of that makes atonement for God does not have life” the soul” (Lev. 17:11). The (1 Jn. 5:12). Jesus offers blood of animals could new spiritual life to all never provide the all- who will believe in Him 9 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 10. (Jn. 7:37-38). Because indescribable gift” (2 Cor. Christ has defeated sin and 9:15). death through His atoning sacrifice and His victorious resurrection, we can be “The gospel is not restored to God. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ a set of swimming covers all our sin, gives us instructions for a acceptance with God, drowning man, releases us from bondage, delivers us from wrath, but a pardon and and enables us to stand reprieve from unblemished in God’s death for a presence. God wants you to rest man who does on the finished work of not deserve it.” Christ. His sacrifice has Paul Little infinite value. Salvation is available to all who will accept the gift. The apostle Thinking It Over. Paul wrote: What have you been For by grace you have trusting to make yourself been saved through faith, acceptable to God and to and that not of yourselves; help you gain entrance to it is the gift of God, not of heaven? Could you pay the works, lest anyone should price for your sin by being boast (Eph. 2:8-9). good enough? Thank God If we accept Christ’s for all He has done for you offer, we can exclaim with to make your salvation the apostle Paul, “Thanks possible. be to God for His 10 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 11. PILLAR 2: Christ. When we speak of Your Faith In Christ faith in Christ, we mean a THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY If you wanted to fly from personal expression of New York to Paris, you trust and dependency on would go to the airport, Him. It is not enough to buy a ticket, and get on the acknowledge intellectually plane. It wouldn’t do you that Jesus is the only One any good to sit around who can take us to heaven. saying, “Yes, I know the It is not enough to know that airplane is trustworthy and what He did was sufficient to the pilot is well-trained, and pay the penalty for our sin. I will get to Paris if I get on We must put our trust in board.” You need to board Him, accept His offer, and the plane. It’s not enough to place ourselves in His hands. know the truth; you have to In 1 John 5:1 we read, do something about it. The “Whoever believes that same is true if you want to Jesus is the Christ is born go to heaven. of God.” Your faith in Jesus What Is Faith? Faith Christ—your belief that He involves a response to the is indeed the Christ, the Son truth we know about Jesus of God—is what God 11 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 12. requires for you to become a in the flesh is of God member of His family. (1 Jn. 4:2). John also told us, The apostle Paul stated, “Whoever confesses that “No one can say that Jesus Jesus is the Son of God, is Lord except by the Holy God abides in him, and he Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). Now, in God” (1 Jn. 4:15). People we all know that anyone may view Jesus as the can say the words “Jesus is greatest man who ever lived, Lord.” But Paul is referring as the supreme example for to more than just producing us to follow, or as the most these sounds. He means impressive revealer of God’s that no one can call Jesus love. But if they do not “Lord” as the expression of confess Him to be the Son his deep inner conviction of God, they are not saved. “except by the Holy Spirit.” What Does Faith Where Does This Prove? Your belief in Jesus Leave You? Maybe you Christ is positive evidence are troubled by the suspicion that the Holy Spirit has that your profession of faith given you new life. A person wasn’t real. We have all seen who is hostile or unreceptive examples of this. A young to Christ shows no evidence man goes through the of the Spirit’s life-giving motions of accepting Christ activity. John wrote: because a girl he wants to By this we know that He date has said she won’t abides in us, by the Spirit go out with him until he whom He has given us becomes a Christian. (1 Jn. 3:24). By this you Sometimes people profess know the Spirit of God: faith in Jesus Christ in a Every spirit that confesses moment of deep emotional that Jesus Christ has come turmoil and then forget 12 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 13. about it the next morning. your way to heaven. If so, If you are not sure that take time now to put your your faith is real, evaluate trust completely in Christ for why you feel that way. It your salvation. Anchor your could be that your former faith on what the Bible tells expression of faith was us about Christ. indeed shallow and not from Maybe you can point the heart. It could be that back to a definite time in your life when you sincerely decided to put your trust in “We are told that Christ as Savior and Lord. Christ was killed for If so, your present doubts may be more a matter of us, that His death unreliable feelings than a has washed out our dependable indicator of sins, and that by your true spiritual condition. In this kind of situation, the dying He disabled fact that you are genuinely death itself. concerned is a very That’s the formula. encouraging sign. If you acknowledged That’s Christianity. your sin and admitted your That’s what has need of forgiveness, and if to be believed.” you asked Him to save you, C. S. Lewis believing that Christ paid the penalty for all your sins, you have done all that God you never really understood requires. You can be sure all that Christ has done for you are saved. Trust God’s you until now and you didn’t promise. Thank God for realize that you couldn’t earn your salvation. And when 13 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 14. future doubts come, talk to Some police departments God about them and reflect have a canine division on what the Bible has to say. made up of dogs specifically Thinking It Over. Do trained for police work. It is you believe that Jesus Christ amazing to watch these died on the cross to pay for animals in action. The dogs your sins? Are you trusting have a special relationship in His finished work for your with the person they are salvation? Are you resting trained to work with. They on what the Bible says? If have a strong sense of you can say yes to those loyalty, and they respond questions, what should you quickly to their masters’ do when doubts about your orders. Whether they are salvation begin to trouble walking down the street you? If you have professed or running after a criminal, faith in Christ, have you there is no doubt whom seen evidence in your life these dogs belong to. The that you are a child of God? police dog’s quick obedience to his master’s voice reveals PILLAR 3: Your his identity. Obedience To Christ In a similar way, those THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY 14 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 15. who believe in Jesus Christ your spiritual state is should be easily identified evidence that your faith by their obedience to their is real—but you would Lord and Master. This like a little more tangible obedience is marked by evidence. Well, here it is: keeping His commands Look at your conduct! and by turning from sin. Apply the test, “Do I keep Keeping His God’s commandments?” Commands. As we look again to 1 John, we read: Now by this we know “The man that that we know Him, if we believes will obey; keep His commandments failure to obey is (1 Jn. 2:3). This verse tells us that convincing proof we who have accepted that there is not Jesus as our Savior can be true faith present.” sure that our salvation is A. W. Tozer genuine because of our obedience to Him. Maybe you have a solid It shouldn’t be hard for grasp of the doctrinal truth you to determine whether or about the finished work of not your life is marked by Jesus Christ and you have obedience. We are not accepted Him as your suggesting, of course, that Savior, but you still have you must keep all of Christ’s times when you doubt that commandments perfectly. your faith is anything more No one does. The apostle than mere head knowledge. John in this epistle had Maybe you are encouraged already spoken strongly that your concern about against people who say, “we 15 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 16. have no sin” (1:8) and ‘’we obedience to Christ is a have not sinned” (1:10). He rejection of sin in our lives. had already told us about If we say that we have God’s gracious provision fellowship with Him, and of daily forgiveness and walk in darkness, we lie cleansing through confession and do not practice the (1:9). Yet all the while he truth (1 Jn. 1:6). Whoever made it clear that a believer’s abides in Him does not life is to be characterized by sin. Whoever sins has righteousness rather than neither seen Him nor by sin. Take an honest known Him. Little assessment of your life. children, let no one If you realize that you do deceive you. He who love the Lord Jesus and are practices righteousness is walking in obedience to righteous, just as He is Him, you may take that as righteous. He who sins is an indication that you are of the devil, for the devil born again. has sinned from the Remember, you don’t beginning. For this need to be perfect. And purpose the Son of God your salvation is not based was manifested, that He on obedience. But if you might destroy the works genuinely want to obey the of the devil. Whoever has commands of Christ, and if been born of God does not you see evidence of your sin, for His seed remains growth in holiness, you will in him; and he cannot sin, have one more reason to because he has been born believe that you are truly of God (1 Jn. 3:6-9). saved. These verses may sound Turning From like John is saying that we Sin. The other side of our must be perfectly sinless 16 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 17. before we can be sure of Our obedience to Christ, heaven. But that’s not what then, has its positive and he’s saying. His emphasis is negative aspects: We are that we who have professed to keep Christ’s commands, faith in Christ have passed from death to life, from darkness to light. If a person If our lives claims to be a Christian are marked by but continues to live obedience to in sin—disobeying Christ’s commands and living like Christ, it is another an unbeliever—then such a powerful reason person is deceived. to be sure we A believer’s life is not to be characterized by sin but belong to Him. by doing what is right in God’s eyes. In other words, and we are to turn from sin. what John was saying is this: If our lives are marked by If you profess faith in Christ, this kind of obedience, it is then your life will show it. another powerful reason to You will not indulge in be sure we belong to Christ. sinning as a way of life. Thinking It Over. John had mentioned the When you read the Bible cleansing that is available or hear it taught, are for Christians who do sin you quick to obey God’s (1 Jn. 1:9). Although a commands? List some ways Christian will sin, sin will your life demonstrates that not have mastery over him you are a child of God, and he will not give himself related to Jesus Christ. If to a decadent way of life you know you have put (Rom. 6:11-14). your trust in Christ but you 17 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 18. have been walking We Are Different. disobediently, ask God Those of us who believe in for forgiveness right now Jesus Christ, though, are to and express your new be different. We should love commitment to obey Him. Him first and foremost, and we should be drawn together PILLAR 4: Your Love by that common interest. But For Other Christians the Bible says we should go THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY In many pursuits of life, beyond that. We are not people are bonded together only to love Christ, but we by a love for something, are to love one another. but not necessarily for each In fact, our love for fellow other. For instance, members Christians is so important of a baseball team may not that it is another reason like each other, but they play on which we can base our together because of their love assurance. Look again at for the game. Or members the words of 1 John: of an orchestra may never We know that we have speak to one another, but passed from death to life, they meet together because because we love the of their love for music. brethren. . . . My little 18 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 19. children, let us not love in six times (see 3:13-17). True, word or in tongue, but in the Bible makes it clear that deed and in truth. And by Christians are to have love this we know that we are for all mankind, desiring the of the truth, and shall salvation of everyone. But assure our hearts before the apostle John here was Him (3:14,18-19). saying that our love for other John said that your love Christians is an evidence of for other Christians will give salvation. He called our you the assurance that you attention to the fact that we are a member of God’s are a family. We love one family. This is a characteristic another in a special way that should be obvious to because we are brothers and detect in your life. You sisters in Christ. The whole may have some uncertainty, concept of “fellowship” in though, about exactly what this first epistle carries the kind of love John had in idea of sharing. And that mind. The word love sharing flows out of our standing all by itself can sense of oneness in Christ. mean many things to many Do you enjoy being with people. But when John spoke Christians? Do you derive of our love for believers, he pleasure from talking with was quite specific. them about your common We Are A Family. salvation? If so, you can John used the word love take it as further evidence to describe the sense of that you are a child of God. oneness that fellow believers We Are To Be Self- have in Christ. Notice that Sacrificing. This brother/ he specifically mentioned sister kind of love is not loving “the brethren,” and merely a subjective feeling that he used the term brother that Christians are to have 19 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 20. for one another. It is an 13:4-6 and review the active love. It is self- characteristics of love. sacrificing. The pattern is Read Philippians 2:1-11 Jesus’ sacrificial love for us. and notice the relationship By this we know love, between our union with because He laid down His Christ and our love for our life for us. And we also fellow believers. Are there ought to lay down our walls of bitterness that are lives for the brethren. But keeping you from loving whoever has this world’s another believer? Take steps goods, and sees his brother today to remove the barriers in need, and shuts up his to brotherly love. heart from him, how does the love of God abide in CAPSTONE: him? (1 Jn. 3:16-17). The Spirit’s Assurance Unselfish, sacrificial, Imagine for a moment that Christlike love is one of the you are the pilot of a small pillars on which assurance plane. As you travel along, rests. The apostle John, you can check your after calling for a love-filled progress by looking down life and defining what it to find familiar landmarks, means, made the statement, or you can look at the “By this we know that we plane’s navigational are of the truth, and shall instruments. It would be assure our hearts before disturbing if the compass Him” (3:19). This should said you were on course give you assurance. but the landscape looked Thinking It Over. unfamiliar, or vice versa. Do you love Jesus Christ? But when the instruments Do you love His spiritual and the visible landmarks family? Read 1 Corinthians agree, you are reassured 20 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 21. THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY that you are flying on Confirming What course to your destination. We Know. Our own When we talk about the spirit may tell us that we Spirit’s assurance, we are are children of God because talking about an inner our assurance is built on confirmation that we are the five reasons we have children of God. The person already considered: who believes the Bible • The Bible’s Authority knows that he has become • Christ’s Work God’s child through faith. • Our Faith In Christ But this person also has the • Our Obedience To confirming presence of the Christ Holy Spirit. In 1 John we • Our Love For Other read: Christians By this we know that The Holy Spirit confirms He abides in us, by the in our heart what we already Spirit whom He has believe to be true. In fact, given us (3:24). He who we know that the Spirit is believes in the Son of involved in every step of this God has the witness in process. It is the Spirit who himself (5:10). helps us to acknowledge the 21 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 22. truth of God’s Word. The courage. They can even Spirit helps us to recognize induce some to give their the finished work of Christ. lives for a cause. But they The Spirit assures us that do not enable their followers our faith is genuine. When we live obediently to the Lord, He encourages us to “You did not continue. And it is the Spirit receive the spirit who produces in us the love of bondage again for our fellow believers and assures us that this love is a to fear, but you mark of a Christian. received the Spirit Cooperating With of adoption by Our Spirit. Our experience squares with whom we cry out, Romans 8:16, “The Spirit ‘Abba, Father.’ The Himself bears witness Spirit Himself bears with our spirit that we are children of God.” Notice, the witness with our text does not say that the spirit that we are Spirit witnesses to our spirit, children of God.” but rather He witnesses with Romans 8:15-16 our spirit. This means that He strengthens the witness we are already receiving to say that trouble, from our own spirit. persecution, famine, Producing Inner nakedness, death, spiritual Peace. Man-made powers, anything that has religions or philosophies happened or will happen, can help people face nor any physical distance tragedy and death with could separate us from the 22 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 23. love of God which is in Thinking It Over. Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35-39). Take a few minutes to You can have that glad, review the blueprint for triumphant confidence! assurance outlined in this If you have accepted booklet. What will happen Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you base your hope of base the assurance of your salvation on how you feel salvation on what the Bible rather than on the authority has said. Christ has met of God’s Word? What if you God’s holy demands for fail to remember the finished you. Salvation is offered work of Christ? What if you as a free gift. Recognize begin to think that faith is that your faith is all God not all God requires from requires from you. Then you? What if you are examine your life for habitually disobedient evidences of obedience to God’s clear commands? to Christ and love for other What if you fail to love Christians. As you do these your fellow Christians? things, God will give you the How can the Holy Spirit inner witness of the Holy use the Word of God to Spirit. witness with your spirit? THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE O C B H F E L R A D O I I I V T E S H N E T C E THE BIBLE’S AUTHORITY 23 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 24. OBJECTIONS been far from perfect. Now I can only hope my E ven though the Bible faith is acceptable to God.” does give us good She died as she had lived— reasons to be with a sad uncertainty. confident about our Case Two. The relationship with God and owner of a small business our hope for eternity, not was faithful in church everyone is convinced. The attendance and was reasons are many. In this compassionate to the poor. section we will first look at But he never enjoyed the three representative people assurance that he would go who have struggled with to heaven. To a pastor he assurance. Then we will discuss two difficult Bible passages. Finally, we’ll “Right now I feel consider some personality good about my factors that cause doubts in the minds of many people. relationship with God. But I don’t CASE STUDIES always have this The following true stories are representative of the feeling. I often find kinds of problems Christians myself worrying have with assurance. about the future.” Case One. An elderly lady who was on her deathbed said to her son, said, “Right now I feel good “I believe in Jesus Christ. about my relationship with I love Him and have tried God. But I don’t always to live for Him. But I have have this feeling. I often 24 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 25. find myself worrying Scripture passages, and about the future. I’m afraid (2) their own emotional I might die right after I makeup. commit a serious sin.” He went on to cite Paul’s DIFFICULT comment about working out BIBLE VERSES our salvation with fear and Some people want trembling, and then he said assurance, but they he was afraid he might be a are troubled by the castaway. He concluded, “I interpretation of certain sure wish I could know if passages. We will examine I’m going to heaven—but only two of these, trusting I’m afraid that’s impossible.” that we can make them Case Three. Another models of how to interpret person who is having others that seem to problems with certainty contradict the doctrine is a young housewife who of assurance. received the Lord a few 1 Corinthians 9:27. years ago and underwent a This verse has troubled remarkable change. She some Christians because it believes that assurance is speaks of being disqualified possible, and she longs for after years of faithful service it. But she is plagued with to Christ. Paul wrote: feelings of doubt and fear I discipline my body about everything—including and bring it into her relationship to the Lord. subjection, lest, when The lack of assurance I have preached to for salvation in these case others, I myself should histories comes from two become disqualified. sources: (1) their faulty What did Paul mean interpretation of key when he spoke of being 25 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 26. disqualified? To answer this translated “disqualified.” question, we must examine The root word means, “that other statements the apostle which has not stood the made on this subject. When test.” Because Paul was we read his epistles, we referring to the prizes given discover a number of winners in the Olympic passages in which he contests, he likely had in expressed his certainty. mind the rewards that will He knew that he was a be given at the judgment child of God, an heir with seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Jesus Christ. He knew that He was thinking only of nothing could separate him from God. Read the conclusion of Romans 8 and sense the atmosphere “Faith rests on the of certainty and joy. Read naked Word of Philippians 1 and notice that Paul spoke of death as God; that Word gain. Then read 2 Timothy, believed gives written just before he was full assurance.” executed. What an air of H. A. Ironside confidence! When you turn to 1 Corinthians 9:27, therefore, you must remember that this verse being disqualified from was written by a man who receiving a prize. He did knew he was on his way not want to lose his reward to heaven. for service through failing to With this in mind, let’s satisfy his Lord. He was not look at the context and the afraid of losing his meaning of the Greek word salvation. 26 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 27. Philippians 2:12. reverential awe that should Paul’s instruction that we fill our hearts as we live must work out our salvation day by day in humble with fear and trembling has dependence on the Lord been unsettling to some. and in anticipation of our Therefore, my beloved, as future glory. you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence, work out Only one your own salvation with conclusion can fear and trembling. Notice that Paul did not be reached: The say we must work for our Bible does not salvation. The Greek word contradict itself translated “work out” refers to “working down to a point in teaching the of completion.” Paul was assurance of speaking of salvation as an salvation. ongoing process through which we grow and develop in the Christian faith. Philippians 2:12 says We have looked at two nothing about gaining Bible passages that have salvation. It refers to troubled some people who the maturing process in are seeking assurance. cooperation with the Lord, And we have seen that who “works in you both to neither passage denies will and to do for His good the possibility of being pleasure” (v.13). The “fear confident of salvation. We and trembling” indicates the could demonstrate that the 27 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 28. same is true of other Many believers are problem passages, but plagued with doubts. If when the verses are you are among them, don’t rightly understood and condemn yourself. Your read in the light of other problem relates more to portions of the Bible, the your psychological makeup conflict is resolved. Only than to your spiritual state. one conclusion can be Don’t despair. reached: The Bible does not contradict itself in teaching that we can be sure of our salvation. “When a person is PERSONALITY in Christ, he is safe. FACTORS All the devil may As mentioned earlier, do is worry him.” some people acknowledge W. P. Loveless that the Bible teaches the possibility of assurance, but they can’t seem to find it for themselves. We saw Consider this illustration. an example in the young A man was fishing on a housewife we mentioned quiet lake after dark. The in Case 3. She confesses air was still, and the moon her sins, prays for others, was reflected perfectly in seeks God’s guidance, lives the water. After looking at it obediently, and shows a for a while, he whimsically lot of love. Yet she often cast his lure into the has times when she is reflection. The image dreadfully afraid that shattered into a thousand she is not a child of God. pieces. Now, had the moon 28 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 29. actually been broken? Of 2. Communicate with course not! The reflection God through prayer, had. He had only to look and confess every heavenward to assure known sin. himself that the moon was 3. Obey God’s still there, shining in all of commandments, its beauty. and do what you Likewise, the joy of a know is right. Christian’s salvation can 4. Spend time with be shattered by doubt, strong Christians, satanic attack, unfortunate and let their love circumstances, gnawing help you. fears, or depression. But 5. Reach out in concern losing the joy of one’s to others because you salvation does not mean love them. that salvation itself has 6. Recognize that been lost. The believer must your doubts and look upward in faith to God depressions may be and to the assurances of more emotional than His Word to have his spiritual. This will confidence restored. help you avoid If you are plagued by unnecessary feelings times of doubt, consider of guilt because of the following guidelines your supposed lack for maintaining assurance: of faith. 1. Read your Bible, especially the book of 1 John, to remind yourself of the solid foundation on which your salvation stands. 29 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 30. A PERSONAL assurance of my salvation JOURNEY is based on the unchanging Word of God and the Dennis De Haan, finished work of Jesus Christ contributing editor of Our in dying on the cross to pay Daily Bread, struggled with for my sins. My pardon and doubts about his salvation. my hope are in Him—not in Here’s his personal account my changing feelings. of his journey to assurance. I am also helped in knowing that some people I first professed faith in are by temperament more Christ as my Savior at inclined to doubt than the age of 15. I wish I others. Some people are could claim that in the years blessed with an optimistic since then I have never once nature that fills them with doubted my salvation. But I faith about life in general, can’t. My experience has while others are by nature been more of an arduous introspective, cautious, journey of recurring doubts fearful, and deeply sensitive. than a spiritual fairy tale God did not make all people that ends in living “happily alike. Thomas, one of Jesus’ ever after.” In looking own disciples was a doubter. back, I see that I made Yet Jesus accepted him just the common mistake of as he was—doubts and all. equating assurance with The Bible teaches that a positive feeling. When I assurance of salvation is the was up, I felt saved; when work of the Holy Spirit, who I was down, I felt lost. bears witness with our spirit Today, it doesn’t matter that we are the children of just when I was saved, for God (Rom. 8:16). I find that I have come to see that the this inner confirmation 30 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 31. comes as I fellowship with to deal with it again. Unless, Christ, am obedient to the of course, I sin again. Word, and rest secure in If doubts still occur, I the love of God. I must be must resist them as I do any careful not to allow hatred other temptation. In some or ill will toward anyone to ways, I’m glad for doubts, remain in my heart. When because they force me to doubting, I try to take an decide anew that I will honest inventory of my believe God and trust life, for God’s Spirit cannot completely in Jesus. How witness with my spirit when often I’ve simply told Him, I grieve or quench Him “Lord, I don’t feel saved, but I trust You anyway. Thank you for settling it all on the “In some ways, cross of Calvary!” Someday all doubts will I’m glad for doubts, be gone and we will see our because they force Savior face to face. But me to decide anew until then we walk by faith and not by sight. that I will believe If we concentrate on God and trust obeying God’s Word and completely remembering what Christ has done for us, something in Jesus.” wonderful will occur. Slowly but surely we will begin to “doubt our doubts and through disobedience. I’ve believe our beliefs”—and also come to see that once that, through the witness of I’ve confessed a sin and the Holy Spirit, brings turned from it, I don’t need blessed assurance. 31 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 32. ASSURANCE ❏ Do I practice sin less CHECKLIST than before I was a Christian? I f you have received (1 Jn. 3:5-6). Christ as your Savior, ❏ Do l show love the assurance of your to other believers? salvation will be continually (1 Jn. 3:14). strengthened when you are ❏ Have I had able to answer yes to the answers to prayer? following questions: (1 Jn. 3:22; 5:15). ❏ Am I aware of the ❏ Do I enjoy fellowship witness of the Holy with God, with Spirit to the truths of Christ, and with God? (Rom. 8:15-16; other believers? 1 Jn. 4:13). (1 Jn. 1:3-4). ❏ Can I discern between ❏ Am I troubled when I spiritual truth and sin or when I see it in error? (Jn. 10:3-5,27; others? (1 Jn. 1:5-10). 1 Jn. 4:1-6). ❏ Do I try to be ❏ Do I believe the obedient to the basic doctrines of commands of the the Christian faith? Bible? (1 Jn. 2:3-5). (1 Jn. 5:1). ❏ Do I reject the wrong ❏ Have I ever values of our present experienced world-system? opposition because (1 Jn. 2:15). of my Christian ❏ Do l love Christ and convictions? (Jn. look forward to His 15:18-20; Phil. 1:28). return? (2 Tim. 4:8; (Adapted from Salvation Is Forever 1 Jn. 3:2-3). by Robert Gromacki.) 32 © RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
  • 33. Get your free Bible Resources catalog! Discovery Series booklets can be valuable guides to help you learn what the Bible says about a broad range of topics. Each 32-page booklet can be used in your personal Bible study or in a small-group setting. Your free Bible Resources catalog includes a brief description of each Discovery Series booklet. To get your copy, write to us at the address below and ask for a catalog. Or follow the link below to request your copy today. www.discoveryseries.org/catalog USA: PO Box 2222, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2222 Canada: Box 1622, Windsor, ON N9A 6Z7