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Assurance of Salvation

“How can I be sure that I am saved?” The question is not an uncommon one. Many who read this paper have asked the question themselves. Do you, right now, know that you are saved?” I hope that you can answer the question with a resounding, “YES!” For I believe that every believer can have present assurance of salvation. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” - (1 John 5:13)

I. Reasons Why Someone Might Doubt His Salvation

A. The person is not saved.

People may think themselves saved, but be mistaken. The Israelites mistakenly believed that God was with them as they marched off to battle (Numbers 14: 44 “…yet in their presumption they went up.” Cf. Joshua 7; 1 Samuel 4). The apostle Paul, mistakenly believed himself to be righteous before God when he was only above reproach as pertains to “legalistic righteousness” (Phil. 3:6)

When one who is not truly saved is convicted by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:8) he may indeed be brought to doubt his presumption that he is saved. This is ‘good doubt’ and should not be dismissed with groundless reassurances that one is indeed right before God. Further:

  1. “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (Js. 1:26)
  2. “You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.” (Rev. 3:1b)

B. The person is carnal, unspiritual.

Carnality mimics unbelief. It is living according to the flesh (NIV “sinful nature”) instead of the Spirit (Rom. 8). Paul says of the Corinthian believers “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly(sarkinos) – mere infants in Christ…you are still worldly(sarkinos).” (1 Cor. 3:1,2). While it is obvious to all of us that such is sometimes the case, a ‘carnal believer’ is really a contradiction in terms since a carnal person is not truly believing the words of scripture. Remember, one’s actions are the proof of true belief.

Further:

  1. “Stop doubting and believe!” (Jn. 20:27)
  2. “And why do doubts arise in your minds?” (Lk. 24:38)
  3. “He must believe and not doubt.” (Js. 1:6)
  4. “Be merciful to those who doubt.” (Jude 22)

C. Ignorance.

Reluctantly, we must admit the possibility that some do not have assurance of salvation because they have not been taught that such is a possibility for every believer. I hasten to add that each believer is accountable before God to study the Scriptures and to believe them. (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Tim. 4:13; Revelation 1:3)

II. Witnesses that Grant Assurance of Salvation

God, in his perfect foreknowledge of man’s weakness, has graciously provided both internal and external witnesses to enable the spiritual Christian to have full and present assurance of salvation.

A. Internal Witnesses - A Personal Confession that Jesus is Presently Loved

Jesus’ question to Peter was not if Peter had at some point in time past decided to become Jesus’ disciple, nor if at some point in time past Peter had loved Christ. His question was whether or not Peter, at the present moment, did indeed love Him. (Jn.21:15ff.) God’s love for us never fails, however our love is fickle. Therefore, it is not yesterday’s love that God looks for but today’s love. The Ephesian church was chastised for having forsaken their love for Christ. They had historical love but not present love. (Rev. 2:4)

A most intimate witness to salvation is your heart’s response to Jesus’ question, “Do you love me?” Your answer will either leave you uneasy or assured. Further,

  1. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mt. 6:21)
  2. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Mt. 22:37f.)
  3. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear have to do with punishment.” (1 Jn.4:18)

B. Present Belief

Belief that bears effective witness to salvation is not historical belief, but present belief. When the apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 “The righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:17) the future tense of the verb implies ongoing life by ongoing faith. In other words, the faith that grants assurance of life is not yesterday’s faith but only today’s faith. As the question of love is not, “Did you love me?” but “Do you love me?”, so the question of faith is not, “Did you believe?” but “Do you believe?” The answers to the first of each of these two sets of questions gives history; the positive answers to the second, give assurance of salvation.

It should be remembered that not all faith is effectual faith. Only present and persevering faith is effectual. “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise you have believed in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:2) Further:

  1. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30)
  2. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
  3. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Romans 3:22)
  4. “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (Rom. 3:22; 4:24)
  5. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…” (Heb. 11:1)

C. The Voice of the Spirit

This voice is an internal witness because God has placed the Spirit of His Son within us. Jesus predicted indwelling of the Spirit, “He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17) The Holy Spirit of Jesus bears witness within us that we are God’s children. Paul says, “You received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Rom. 8:15f.) This is not merely an internal belief that one belongs to Christ. Neither is it helped by a creative imagination ‘listening’ for “Abba, Father”. It is the independent and sovereign voice of God’s Spirit, placed within each believer. He cries “Abba, Father.” Further,

  1. “And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart.” (1 John 5:6-10)
  2. “I will put my Spirit in you…” (Ezk. 36:27)
  3. “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Rom. 5:5)

D. External Witnesses - Public Confession of Jesus as Lord

There is something confirming about a public confession of faith in Christ. It “draws a line in the sand” and tends to be a somewhat tangible reminder of our spiritual loyalty. Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew10:32) Inspired Scripture reminds us, however, by the tense used that this too is a present confession. Like believing in the heart, so also confessing with the mouth is an ongoing, always present tense, activity. We may draw a certain level of comfort as we remember that we confessed for the first time years ago or even again yesterday, still that confession must be current to offer the level of assurance God desires for us. It is inconceivable that a true and spiritual Christian does not confess “Jesus is Lord!” on a regular basis.

  1. “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ …you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)
  2. “Whoever acknowledges(confesses) the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:23)
  3. “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.” (1 John 4:15)
  4. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (confess).” (Heb. 10:23)

E. Present Good Works

Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me.” (John 9:4) Paul asserts that we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works”. (Eph. 2:10) I’m not sure that many protestants have owned up to James’ words, “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24) For biblical consistency, the works James references must be the works inherent in all true faith. They are “faith works”. These works are the most public witness to our salvation. It is not always easy to discern between works resulting from faith and works that are intended to earn salvation. Still, to do the work of God who sent Jesus is an external witness that will be present in all true believers and from it we may extract assurance of our salvation.

  1. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” (James 2:14)
  2. “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth…” 1 John 18f.
  3. “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service…” (Eph. 4:11f.)

F. The Fruit of the Spirit

Jesus said you can tell the tree by its fruit (Mt. 12:33). He carries the metaphor over into the vineyard and says that among the branches that grow from His vine some bear fruit and others don’t. Those that do, are pruned for greater productivity; those that don’t bear fruit are cut off. (John 15) Paul says that we were raised from the dead “in order that we might bear fruit to God.” (Romans 7:4)

  1. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22f.)
  2. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Ps. 1:3)
  3. “…bearing fruit in every good work…” (Col. 1:10)

III. Conclusion of the Matter

God desires you to be secure, assured in your heart of your eternal salvation. This assurance is the right of everyone who believes. “Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.” - (2 Pt. 3:17)

© 2003 Don Reigstad