Are you sure?

Assurance of Salvation

I. What is assurance of salvation?

A.   Assurance of salvation is the certainty that one has eternal life that can never ever be lost.

B.   It is knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that one has eternal salvation.

II. Who may have this assurance and when may it be had?

A.   Anyone who has through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ been born again may have assurance of salvation.

B.   Everyone from the very day that they take Jesus Christ to be their Savior may have assurance of salvation.

1.     It is the birth right of every person born into the family of God

III. Why is it good to have assurance of salvation?

A.   God wants us to have this assurance

1.     John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life”

2.     Whoever has been born again is a child of God. What father out there would not want his child to know certainly the he is indeed his child?

B.   It creates gratitude within us.

1.     In our Christian walk

2.     We do not live in fear

a.     of losing one’s salvation

b.     of maybe not having it

C.   It gives peace

D.   It is the foundation for all things done in the Christian life.

IV. We do not gain assurance of salvation through looking at our works!

A.   They can never give certain assurance

1.     They are subjective. Often our circumstances and daily Christian living in like a roller coaster.

B.   They can give false assurance!

1.     Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you.’”

C.   Looking to our works can create despair

V. Certain, undoubted assurance of salvation comes only through looking to Jesus Christ in His promises by faith

A.   Assurance is of the essence of faith

1.     Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”

B.   When we believe what Jesus says in His promises of eternal life, we certainly know that we have eternal life.

1.     Jesus’ promise GUARANTEES that anyone who simply believes in Him has eternal life.

a.     John 6:47 “I promise your this, anyone who believes in Me has eternal life”

2.     No one can say that they believe Jesus and His promise and doubt if they have eternal life at the same time. It is impossible!

VI. Can assurance be lost?

A.   Yes. Assurance can be lost when:

1.     We take our eyes off of Jesus

2.     and put them on ourselves and our circumstances

3.   Loss of Assurance is not loss of eternal life.

VII. When we lose certain assurance of our salvation, what should we do?

A.   We need to freshly look to Jesus Christ in His promise.

B.   We don’t look at an event in the past, we look to Jesus in the present.

Ending illustrations:

If I said to you, “I put 400 Dollars in your bank account.” And you said you believed me (and you did believe me), what are you certain you have?

Answer: 400 dollars

Only if you doubt me could you not be certain you have the 400 dollars. Doubt precludes faith (in other words doubt cannot exist at the same time as faith) (Mark 4:40; Mark 11:23; Rom 14:23; Jas 1:6)!

If faith = conviction and assurance, being persuaded that something is true, you cannot say that you believe something and at the same moment doubt it. It is logically sound to put forth this proposition: if someone believes something, they consider it true. If you believe Christ in His promise, you consider His promise true.

What does His promise say?

You shall never perish, never hunger, never thirst, never be lost, etc.

Therefore, if you believe Jesus, you consider His promise true. The only way you could not understand that you are forever saved is if you don't believe Christ's message, in other words, you do not believe His message to be true.

A dad talking to his son:

Dad: "Son, I promise you that I put a candy bar on your bed."

Son: "I believe you, Dad."

Dad: "Son. What is it you know you have on your bed?"

Son: "Dad, I have a candy bar!"

Dad: "Are you certain that you have a candy bar?"

Son: "Of course!"

Dad: "Why are you certain?"

Son: "Because I believe what you said about the candy bar."

Assurance is of the essence of faith.

In that one believes, he is certain of what he believes.

If he believes Jesus Christ in His promise, he is certain he is eternally secure, that he has eternal life. If he retains doubt, he neither believes, nor has assurance.

Logical and Humorous reasons why we cannot lose eternal life once gained.

1. Everyone whom God knows is going to enter
heaven, will enter and is therefore eternally secure.

2. Conditional security would mean that the "savee"
would keep himself saved by doing all he should be
doing and abstaining from all from which he should
abstain. That would be impossible.

3. There's no record in Scripture of anyone ever being
saved more than once. This implies that either there's
only one chance to "hold on" or else eternal security is
true. (In the chorus of the hymn "Ye Must Be Born Again"
the tenor sings, "ye must be born again". The bass
sings, "again" and "again" and "again". George
Boyajian quipped that he agrees with the tenor but he
disagrees with the bass.)

4. Salvation by grace and eternal security go together.
If salvation is by grace, eternal security naturally follows.
Salvation "by grace" means that salvation is something
that's done for us. If salvation could be lost, where
would be the salvation by grace in such an
arrangement?

5. If eternal salvation could end, the word "saved"
wouldn't really mean saved. It would only mean
probation. "Probation by grace" for eternal life isn't
taught in the Bible.

6. Eternal life is a present possession. It's bestowal
doesn't await physical death.

7. Eternal life cannot end. It isn't something separate
from the believer like a piece of clothing that can be put
on and taken off. If God gave someone only 5, 10 or 20
years of "eternal" life and then took it away, why would
He call it eternal?

8. To deny eternal security and at the same time to
believe ones self to be saved would be to say that one
is keeping himself saved. That is, he would be making
himself out to be his own savior.

9. Eternal security is in keeping with the gospel being
good news. Conditional security is not.

10. Eternal Security honors Christ by recognizing Him
as the only Savior.

From Suarez The Doctrine Of Unconditional Submission

Hoping to open up some discussion on this. 

The Doctrine Of Unconditional Submission

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Lets discuss the doctrine of unconditional submission. Or simply put, that God requires us to submit unconditionally to the governing powers, regardless of what they ask. I don't believe such a doctrine is biblical.  

Many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea that they would ever have to refuse to obey a law, much less actively resist authority, but that may be what is needed in some situations. Rom 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God.  

Where there is conflict, we stand on God's word as the basis of our beliefs and are no longer subject morally or ethically to do what the government says. God is the ultimate authority, and whatever we do must be in line with His will. As long as His will and the governments is the same, no problem. But when there is a difference, we ALWAYS stand on the word of God. God is sovereign and omnipotent and rules all.

Don't believe it? Consider Hitler. Would it have been proper for a Christian to have submitted to Hitler? Absolutely not. Consider something as minimal (in today's context) as King George's taxes on the American Colonies. When compared to today, few of us would even blink an eye about something so minor.  Yet in those days it was enough to go to guns.  And had American Patriots not resisted we would not now be a nation today.  Today we see the glimmerings of anti-Christian laws (illegal to pray in school, illegal to invoke the name of Christ, etc.).  How will you resolve to submit to that oh, Christian??

The Bible is full of examples where good people of God directly disobeyed the orders of their ungodly kings. 

Examples include the Hebrew midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh's order to kill babies in Exodus 1:16-17, the flight of Moses from Egypt after killing the Egyptian in combat, Rahab lying to the king in Joshua 2:4, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego disobeying the king in Daniel 3:13-20, and Daniel disobeying the king in Daniel 6:10.  And lets not forget Joseph fleeing to Egypt with Mary and Jesus in direct disobedience to Herrod in Matthew 2:14.  And our Lord Jesus was certainly not an unconditional submissive when He challenged the Pharisees, cleansed the Temple, and taught His people.

Clearly God also allows evil men to come to power as chastisement for a people. Insofar as these men do not trample the word of God, or make it illegal, we can continue under their control. (Consider Hitler, Stalin, PolPot, Hussein, and Chavez)  The moment they compel you by force (how else does ANY government get people to obey?) to deny the faith or compel you to do things contrary to God's will, the submission role is over and the sword of Luke 22:35 must come out to play.
  

Did you know the laws of our own civil government adopt this view? According to the Declaration of Independence, the "laws of nature and of nature's God" are laws higher than the laws of England (and, by implication, higher than the laws of any human civil government). The laws of nature are God's moral law written on the heart as the conscience, and the laws of nature's God are the laws of God revealed in the scripture.

The Declaration of Independence also says that it is not merely our right, but also our duty, to throw off civil authority when that civil authority shows that its goal is to reduce the people under absolute despotism.

Unconditional submission to anything or anyone except God Himself, amounts to idolatry. This includes good things as well as bad ones. Remember Peter's bold answer to the ruling Council: Act 5:29  And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Seems very clear to me.  So why do so many churches and so many pastors ignore this?  One reason...it is easy.  It is easy to simply go along.  It is easy to not make waves, not lose any tithe money, and simply bow the head and do as you are told. I say no!
 

This ill-conceived and misinterpreted doctrine must be purged from the minds of believers.  Under normal circumstances we should submit to just and necessary laws and rules, but when those same rules become ungodly and unjust,  we must make a choice - follow God or follow man.

It has been said at Warrior Talk's Christian Warrior sub-forum that "the natural human tendency is to rebel unless given good reason to submit, and that God intends us to submit unless given good reason to rebel."

Our two choices this election?

There is more fear in this election then I have seen in my short lifetime.  Even among believers who should be trusting God, as we (should) know he has the situation well in hand. 

The rationale for voting for the lesser of two evils to try and control what takes place seems a lot like the ends justifies the means which as most who read this blog would agree (I think) is very unbiblical. 

If someone tells you to kill someone or they will kill 3 people, are we justified in murdering an innocent to possibly save three?  What about to save 5, 10, a million?  What about nuking Iran to possibly prevent them from attacking Isreal?  What about killing an innocent pregnant woman who is about to scream and prevent a special forces team from taking out a terrorist? 

Tough situations, I agree, but the Bible seems to tell me that I am to do good, and to trust the results to be in God's hands.  This would seem to mean that the ends cannot justify the means, because I can't control the end, only the means.

Ok, back to the election.  If this is true, then I should vote for the best man for the job based on my knowledge, regardless of what I think the end should be.  I am responsible for my actions, not the actions of others. I do not know God's plans, but I know he loves me and wants what is best for me.. and he knows more then me.  That means, that I should vote for the man I am convinced is the best whether Romney, Johnson, Obama or Goode.. or even that Jill character.

Lastly, as this is not an eternal issue, do not part friendship over this.  Debate, argue if you can do it and still break bread, but don't break fellowship with our eternal family.  

I would love to see what people have to say about this. 

I would love to discuss people opinions on this.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/julyweb-only/alan-chambers-accused-of-antinomian-theology.html

Note the way Gagon misrepresents what Chambers is saying. 

Part 2 of The Preeminince of Christ

The following study of Colossians 1:15-16 was originally part of my March letter. It was on the

 hard copies mailed but not apparently on my emailed version. So Here is the brief study you missed:

1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God" image (eikon) means all three of these concepts together

- similarity, representation and manifestation. In other word Christ is the same nature & essence as the

Father, is the physical representation of the Father and physical manifestation of the Father. He is then

one of the same kind, as the Father, the visible revelation of the invisible God. (John 1:14, 18; 14:7,9).

"the firstborn over all creation" Firstborn can mean priority in time, first in a sequence or supremacy

in rank. The context determines which meaning is being used. It is used in Luke 2:7 regarding Christ's

birth by the Holy Spirit and Mary as the first in a sequence. The context rules that meaning out in

Colossians. It cannot merely mean the first of a series because of the preceding phrase showing Him

to be of the same essence as the Father. It is illegitimate to pry this phrase out of its in-context to claim

that Jesus was the first created being as the cults do. "first born over all creation" also indicates this

cannot be referring to his incarnation. Here it refers to His preeminence, priority or significance. A

similar usage is in Psalm 89:27 where God says of David "I will appoint him my firstborn, the most

exalted of the kings of the earth." David was not the first king even of Israel but he was the most

prominent and significant in terms of God's purposes. It is used in that same sense here of Christ.

The phrase is saying Christ existed prior to all of creation, and is supreme over all that has been

created for He created it. "For by Him all things were created in the heavens and on earth..." the

T the verse continues that nothing is excluded, no exceptions in any realm. He is the Creator God (Jn 1:1-3)