Assurance of Salvation - Part 2

Last week we started looking at the topic of assurance of salvation.

Can anyone tonight tell me what I mean by that phrase?

Some today have times of weak faith. though they are godly and educated people (Dr. Crisler).

Great names from church history struggled with doubt. Jonathan Edwards and Martin Luther.

Some of the reason I shared with you last week were:

1. An unhealthy/unsteady intake of God’s word

2. An emphasis on personal testimonies

3. Attempting to precisely pinpoint the time of conversion

If appropriate, relate the John Piper illustration.

4. An unbalanced, man-centered theology of salvation

Due to time, we sort of rushed through the main application part of the lesson, so I wanted to take tonight to share with you a few more thoughts on this topic. The four closing points from last week...

THEREFORE...

1. Are you truly saved?

When discussing the topic of assurance of salvation, one question that should come up is this: is it possible I am not really saved?

2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV 1900

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

MAtt26:

Matthew 26:46–50 KJV 1900

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

2. Is there a specific sin you cherish instead of Christ?

Hebrews 12:1 KJV 1900

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Ephesians 4:22–24 KJV 1900

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:22–23 KJV 1900

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Romans 12:1–2 KJV 1900

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3. Are you inspecting yourself more than being in awe of the Savior, Jesus Christ?

This was actually point #4, but I am moving it up so that I can spend the remaining time on what was point #3 last week.

Point #2 opened with a command for us to take off the sin that ensnares us in

As we continue that passage, notice the balance it gives us in our fight for assurance.

Hebrews 12:1 KJV 1900

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2 KJV 1900

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

As we run the race of faith in hopes of finishing our course and keeping the faith, we keep our eyes on the one who has already won the victory for us.

“For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”

Robert Murray McCheyne (1813–1843)

4. Are you regularly taking in God’s word?

Do we have a healthy diet of taking in God’s word in our private lives?

Psalm 119:9 KJV 1900

BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Acts 17:11 KJV 1900

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Matthew 4:4 KJV 1900

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Do we have a healthy diet of God’s word in our public gatherings?

Note: the day will come (quicker than you realize) when you are going to be on your own. And, you will be able to decide IF you are going to church. If you do go, you are going to have the freedom to choose WHERE you are going to go. There may be a lot of different things you consider when you start looking for a church. No matter where you come down on certain issues, this is one thing that is vital that I want you to remember above all the others things that may come into play...

What should/could you consider if you move away and look for a church to attend?

I’m going to say that at the top of the list should be this:

Is the church/pastor that I am trusting much of my spiritual growth to going to feed me with spiritual food? Am I going to be fed a balanced, healthy, and steady diet of God’s word?

The “Miscellanies”: (Entry Nos. a–z, aa–zz, 1–500) 10. Pastors

Wherefore, if it be the people’s part to choose with what food they will be fed, it is also their business to choose with what feeders they will be fed. If I may choose my food, I may choose that feeder that will give the food that I choose, if I can obtain him. And I am a fool if I will be hindered by men, when I can help it, from being fed by such a feeder as I judge will be a means of my greatest eternal welfare.

Do we have a healthy diet of taking in God’s word in our private lives?

Acts 6:4 KJV 1900

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Acts 20:20–21 KJV 1900

And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:27 KJV 1900

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

acts 20

1 Timothy 4:13–15 KJV 1900

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

1tim4.

2 Timothy 4:1–4 KJV 1900

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2tim4.1-

Conclusion:

God wants his children to know that they truly are his children. When I was gone the other Wednesday, I went to a church in town to hear a pastor that I know. He said something during the Wednesday night lesson that fits perfectly with my lesson tonight. Though it wasn’t the point of his lesson, he spoke briefly about assurance of salvation. He said something along these lines:

“One sign of true faith is when you stop asking Jesus to save you. You take him at his word that he already has.”

1 John 5:13 KJV 1900

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Between last week and this week, I hope that someone has taken our faithful God at his word.