Topic : Assurance of Salvation

Certainty of salvation, because of the promises of God and the effectiveness of Christ’s atonement (1 John 5:13).

The word does not occur often in the Bible, but the idea is more frequent. It is basic that people do not deserve their salvation because of their own efforts; that would leave them always uncertain, never knowing whether they had been good enough. But Christ did all that was needed, and we can rely on his perfect work. Further, believers have evidence of God’s power in their lives (1 John 2:3-5; 3:19-21).

Our assurance rests on the certainty that what God has begun he will complete (Phil. 1:6).

The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, (Harold Shaw Publ., Wheaton , IL; 1984), p. 346

Q. Will or can a practicing homosexual fulfill the promise of 1 John 5:11-12? (“…God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, He who has the Son has life.”)

A. We could ask the same question about a practicing gossip, or a slanderer, or a drunkard.

In my judgment, it’s necessary to distinguish between wickedness and weakness. I have known practicing homosexuals and drunks who hated what they did. Many years ago, a drunk whom I chided for his drunkenness told me sadly that if I could show him how to hate his drinking before he drank as much as he did after he drank, he’d be cured. Was he weak or wicked? I think he was weak, not wicked, and I also think he was a Christian. A wicked man loves evil and hates righteousness.

C. Donald Cole, “Question & Answer,” Today in the Word, October 1995, pp. 14-15

A man once came to D. L. Moody and said he was worried because he didn’t feel saved. Moody asked, “Was Noah safe in the ark?” “Certainly he was,” the man replied. “Well, what made him safe, his feeling or the ark?” The inquirer got the point. “How foolish I’ve been!” he said. “It is not my feeling; it is Christ who saves!” - D.J.D

Our Daily Bread, March 9

The assurance of eternal salvation is based only on the promise God makes in His Word that everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ alone possesses eternal life (John 5:24; I John 5:9-13). Good works, which can and should follow regeneration, are not necessary to a firm assurance of eternal life even though they may have a secondary, confirmatory value (Eph. 2:10; Titus 3:8).

Grace Evangelical Society Affirmation of Belief (brochure), Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, TX.

In his book Light for Anxious Souls, George Cutting told about a farmer who lacked the assurance of salvation. He foolishly prayed that as an evidence of his acceptance, the Lord would cause 10 sheep of his flock -- and only 10 -- to gather in a certain shed out in the pasture.

Later that day, when the farmer anxiously approached the shed, he was relieved to find exactly 10 sheep. That gave him a temporary sense of peace. Doubt returned with the shocking thought that it may have been just a coincidence. So he asked the Lord that 10 different sheep might gather in an opposite corner of the pasture. And they did!

When the farmer was asked, “Did this give you assurance?” he said, “No, nothing gave me certainty until I got the sure Word of God for it.”

Cutting concluded, “He was all in a fog of uncertainty until he planted his foot firmly on the ‘Thus saith the Lord.’“

Our Daily Bread, April 28

After John Wesley had been preaching for some time, some one said to him, “Are you sure, Mr. Wesley, of your salvation?”

“Well,” he answered, “Jesus Christ died for the whole world.”

“Yes, we all believe that; but are you sure that you are saved?”

Wesley replied that he was sure that provision had been made for his salvation.

“But are you sure, Wesley, that you are saved?”

It went like an arrow to his heart, and he had no rest or power until that questions was settled.

Many men and many women go on month after month, and year after year, without power, because they do not know their standing in Christ; they are not sure of their own footing for eternity.

Latimer wrote Ridley once that when he was settled and steadfast about his own salvation he was as bold as a lion, but if that hope became eclipsed he was fearful and afraid and was disqualified for service. Many are disqualified for service because they are continually doubting their own salvation.

Moody’s Anecdotes, Page 101-102

There are four basic categories:

1. Those who think they are saved, but aren’t (Matthew 7:21-3)

2. Those we think are saved, but aren’t (1 John 2:18-19)

3. Those who are saved, but don’t act like it (Corinthians.)

4. Those who are saved, and they act like it.

Source unknown

Sometime when you’re in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets and those who are on standby. The ones with confirmed tickets read newspapers, chat with their friends or sleep. The ones on standby hang around the ticket counter, pace and smoke, smoke and pace.

The difference is caused by the confidence factor. If you knew that in fifteen minutes you would have to stand in judgment before the Holy God and learn your eternal destiny, what would your reaction be? Would you smoke and pace? Would you say to yourself, “I don’t know what God’s going to say--will it be ‘Welcome home, child,’ or will it be ‘Depart from me; I never knew you’'

Too Busy Not To Pray, Bill Hybels, IVP, p. 113

Rests on the Word of God (John 1:12), the witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16), keeping God’s Word (I John 2:5), walking like Christ (I John 2:6), not loving the world (I John 2:15), purification (I John 3:3), love for the brethren (I John 3:14), true love (I John 3:18-19), answered prayer (I John 3:22), overcoming the world (I John 5:4).

Source unknown

An elderly man said to H.A. Ironside, “I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!”

Ironside replied, “Suppose you had a vision of an angel who told you your sins were forgiven. Would that be enough to rest on?”

“Yes, I think it would. An angel should be right.”

Ironside continued, “But suppose on your deathbed Satan came and said, ‘I was that angel, transformed to deceive you.’ What would you say?”

The man was speechless. Ironside then told him that God has given us something more dependable than the voice of an angel. He has given His Son, who died for our sins, and He has testified in His own Word that if we trust Him all our sins are gone. Ironside read I John 5:13, “You may know that you have eternal life.” Then he said, “Is that not enough to rest on? It is a letter from heaven expressly to you.” God’s Spirit used that to bring assurance to the man’s heart.

Source unknown

Regarding salvation and assurance, there are three groups of people:

1. those who are secure but not sure;

2. those who are “sure” but not secure; and

3. those who are secure and sure.

Category one are conscientious believers in Christ who are saved but lack assurance. In category two are professing Christians who say, “Even though I’m living in sin, I’ll make it. After all, ‘once saved, always saved!’“ The third group are born-again believers who enjoy a warm, secure relationship with Christ each day. The objective basis of our salvation is the finished work of God’s Son on the cross. The subjective basis for our assurance is our believing the truth about Christ (I John 2:2,4; 2:15; 5:1), loving the brethren (I John 3:14, 18, 19, 4:7-8), and obeying Christ’s commandments (I John 2:3-5).

Source unknown