Without A Doubt - The Essentials Of Saving FaithSýnishorn

There are two matters that must equally be addressed regarding the assurance of salvation. The first is for Christian believers who have been saved from the consequences of sin and made new creations, yet still, have an inclination to question their salvation. This often comes from their personal background where the grace of God was under-emphasized or an opposite extreme, which made salvation more of a rite of passage, such as being confirmed or merely praying a prayer as a child. While these individuals may know the Lord and possess eternal life, it is not surprising that a person from this type of background would wonder if real, genuine conversion was experienced, or if it were more of a ritualistic act participated in out of family tradition and expectation.

The other matter of concern is a false assurance, where a person may believe their standing with God is based on their morals, values, generic beliefs, and family heritage. This is the modern-day example of Matthew 7:21–23, where the religious would plead their case before Christ based on their righteous practices, rather than on the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who rebuked their false assurance. These self-identified law-keepers, based on the keeping of religious standards, were lawbreakers, according to Jesus. Works of righteous are works of iniquity if done to justify one’s standing before God, apart from Christ.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen the world disrupted by a deadly virus. People are thinking more about their mortality and, as a result. where they will spend eternity. I remember visiting a church one Sunday morning as a college student. The pastor leaned over the pulpit mid sermon and shouted, “Do you know, that you know, that you know, that you are saved?” Thankfully, if one is in Christ, they no longer have to critically think through or process that tongue twister question. It is nearly impossible to live the Christian life with joy if one is being kept up at night wondering where they stand with God. I am grateful that God gives us the ultimate melatonin, and that is actual assurance, knowing not only that we have salvation, but that we are in Christ, and part of God’s family, securely, for eternity. 

I wish for you that you would experience this joy of knowing what it means to have certainty regarding your personal salvation. I love the way Pastor Charles Bridges speaking over 150 years ago put it, “that a full sense of acceptance with God grounded upon the Divine testimony is attainable—there can be no doubt.”