How Can a Christian Have Assurance of Salvation?

Apologetic Message Series for Relentless Youth

Prepared by Kevin S. Johnson

Salvation IS NOT IKEA FURNITURE

Building Ikea Furniture

Always build it at least twice, WITH instructions.

Imagine of salvation was Ikea furniture,

but is an entire house, with custom fasteners and cheaply made materials that break and render themselves useless after 2 or 3 attempts.

AND there is no manual, you just have to build with the understanding and perspective you have.

THIS is how salvation WOULD BE if we didn’t have it documented.

We would never be certain we are doing it right, until the project is complete, and even then you’d “move in” to this home, try not to close doors too harshly, or lean on walls “Just in case.”

You would be waiting in worry for the first wind storm, and freaking out during the whole thing!

Rain storm! Weight of the Snow! Ice! ETC.

You would be a prisoner, in your home, for years to come, until you either gain confidence that you built everything right, or at least right enough to uphold.

OR! You’ve become so rattled and emotionally spent that you no longer care if you live or die, if the house falls on you in your sleep and crush you, or not. You become bitter at your house, resentful, but it is where you live, and you can’t afford the cost to move out now. So you’ll stay here with a jaded cynicism indifferent to life or death, and never encourage anyone else to do what you did.

THIS is SALVATION without ASSURANCE. You don’t know until it’s too late

How can a Christian have ASSURANCE of their Salvation!

Assurance! Security!

Hebrews 6:11; 10:22;11:1

Hebrews 6:11 ESV

And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,

Hebrews 10:22 ESV

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Assurance!

Defined as “Confidence” Absolute, unwavering, Qualities of “wholeness” that lead believers to responsible living” Certain In Salvation. Not worried.

We are not eternally secure because of a prayer we prayed at some point in our past if we do not now believe.

- There is no assurance without belief. - There is no security without belief.

No one goes to heaven who does not believe the gospel (or whatever revelation God gave to them to elicit a faith response, as in the Old Testament, before the work of Christ).

WE MUST BELIEVE.

John 3:16

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The bottom line is that, regardless of what profession we make or have made in terms of faith in Christ, we must believe to have eternal life

Loss of Salvation. Game Over 0 Continue’s Remaining

Loss of salvation isn’t based solely upon sin.

Unbelief can not be attached to loss of salvation as well -

lest a moment of very real fear in the face of death, a momentary lack of faith would produce hell for a potentially life long christian.

It is rather spiritual apostasy choosing another god or no god at all

Apostasy: the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief

No one is in Heaven who does not believe -

“Whoa…. Cool place dude”.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love! Unless…

Romans 8:31-39

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I think it noteworthy in light of this that, in the long list of what cannot separate us from God’s love, unbelief does not appear. Why? Because that can separate us from God’s love — in fact it keeps us from God’s love shown to us in Christ. No sins of the flesh can remove us from the family of God. The only thing that keeps us from God’s family is unbelief. Salvation is BY grace, THROUGH faith; God’s part and our part. Both are essential, but one is primary

“Unless we choose to.”

We only receive salvation through Grace - Not Works - Likewise

We can not earn salvation through “Having enough faith!”

Grace has the priority.

If the gospel were not extended to us FIRST, there would be nothing to believe.

It is the gateway of GRACE - that we have access BY FAITH - to salvation

Ephesians 2:8

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Can someone lose their salvation? Are believers eternally secure?

Everyone who believes the gospel will be saved, by grace and not by any merit of their own. Everyone who believes the gospel will be eternally secure. Everyone who does not believe the gospel (rejects it) will not be saved, regardless of works. Everyone who does not believe the gospel will not be eternally secure.

Can someone who believed Stop believing? And if they do what will happen to them?

Hebrews 6:4 -6

Hebrews 6:4–6 ESV

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened…”

Romans 11:11-12

Romans 11:11–12 ESV

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

“Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!”

the writer in Hebrews expresses what he has experienced: it is exceedingly rare, unto impossibility, that those who decide to not believe actually come back to faith.

Why? Because they have to put their faith in precisely what they rejected – the crucifixion of the son of God for the sin of the world.

HOW CAN WE BE SAVED - What’s The Ikea Instruction Manual SAY?

Romans Road

Romans 3:23 Romans 6:23 Romans 5:8 Romans 10:9-10

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Sinners prayer Dear God, I know I’m a sinner. I know my sin deserves punishment. I believe Christ is the Sonrise of God, who died for me and rose from the grave. I want to turn from my sin and trust Jesus Christ alone as my Savior. I thank you for and I receive your forgiveness and everlasting life I can now have through faith in Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’ve doubted, and regularly doubt my salvation. Am I unbelieving and in danger of hell?

How to combat Insecurity.

1. Do you want to be saved? (Mind map, follow the path yes, no)

If yes, Have you followed something like the romans road?

If yes, Do you still want to have relationship with him?

If yes, congrats, you have relationship.

If no, Do you not believe in him?

OR if unsure, follow this.

Examine biblical hero’s who sought assurance and imitate.

Believers asking for assurance

Ge 15:8 Abraham; Ex 33:16 Moses; Jdg 6:17 Gideon; Lk 1:18 Zechariah

Wait on God

Ps 46:10 PS 27:14; 33:20; Is 30:15; 32:17-18

Revelation of God’s righteousness among his people results in true peace

Be Strengthened by others

2 ch 32:6-8 by example; 2 ti 3:14 thought teaching; col 4:!2 through prayer; 1 th 3:2-3 through encouragement

How can you have assurance of salvation?

“KNOW” 2+2=4

You know you followed the manual.

So believe the outcome even if it doesn’t feel like it’s the right answer.

If you don’t feel it, or are doubting it’s true

Check the above layout

You might be a “believer” but suffering because you’re not living like one.

Being a zombie hurts

Everyone hates you, wants you dead, you’re ugly, got some arrows stuck in you and a few bullet holes, but still going through the motions. And you’re hungry.

QUIT trying to live in your dead body that was crucified with Christ. Live in your new life!

Follow through the waters of baptism, be saved, and leave your life of sin. Holding on to it makes you divided, and you never experience any Heaven on earth.