"Answers for Assurance"
1 John 5:13
1 John 5:13 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.
ILL -- The weary evangelist knocked on another door, fully expecting to have it slammed in his face. Sure enough, the older woman who answered angrily demanded that he leave once she figured out why he was there and slammed the door.
The door, however, bounced back open, and the woman shouted, "Get your foot out of my door!"
"But ma'am..." the evangelist began, when the woman again slammed the door in his face. Once again it bounced back open.
"I said get your foot out of my door!" the woman yelled again. One more time she slammed the door. One more time it bounced open again.
"But ma'am..." the evangelist said again, only to be cut off.
"Don't talk back to me!" the woman screamed in a rage. "I want you off my property!" She slammed the door a fourth time, only to see it bounce open a fourth time.
"Ma'am," the evangelist yelled as he beat a hasty retreat down the sidewalk, "you'll be able to close your door if you move your cat out of the way!"
Introduction: In 1990's Northwest Airlines offered some unusual round-trip passages aboard one of their planes. Fifty-nine dollars bought a "Mystery Fare" ticket that provided a one-day trip to an unknown American city. Buyers didn't find out where they were heading until they arrived at the airport the day of the flight. Still, the airline had plenty of takers. In Indianapolis fifteen hundred people crowded the airline counter to buy the Mystery Fare tickets that were sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Not surprisingly, when buyers learned their destination, not all were thrilled. One buyer who was hoping for New Orleans but found he had a ticket for Minneapolis walked through the airport terminal yelling, "I've got one ticket to the Mall of America. I'll trade for anything." Mystery Fare tickets may be a fun surprise for a weekend vacation, but normally the last thing you want is a ticket to a mystery destination. And one time you never want a Mystery ticket is on the day of your death. You don't want to face eternity uncertain about whether you will go to heaven or hell. "Nothing is certain but death and taxes." Benjamin Franklin wrote these words in 1789. Of course, a wise man like Franklin knew there were many other things that we can also know for certain. It is possible to know with certainty, "I know that I have eternal life & when I die I will go to heaven (CIM)." Quote from Dennis Davidson
In preparing for this message I found a quote that says:
There are five basic categories of people in the NT:
1) Those who know they aren't saved. Acts 26:28
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
2) Those who think they are saved, but aren't. Matthew 7:21-23
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
3) Those we think are saved, but aren't. 1 John 2:18-19/Tares of Mt. 13
4) Those who are saved, but don't act like it. I Cor. 3:1-3
1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
5) Those that are saved, and live it. I Jn. 5:1-5
Over the years I have had the opportunity to help lead several people to a place of assurance in their Christian experience. This has led me to believe that a lack of assurance of salvation is much more common than any of us suspect. This lack of assurance can be very pronounced leading to feelings of doubt and disbelief or it can be a subtle as an uneasiness of spirit. What are its causes? In my experience there is more than any one thing. For instance, a lack of assurance can be attributed to what I would call doctrinal traditions. There are certain doctrinal positions that deal with the issue of sin in the life of the believer that cause a lack of assurance of salvation. For instance, there are those who teach that every time a Christian sins that they are lost again. A lack of assurance can be attributed to how you were raised or can be attributed to neglect or abuse that results in low self-worth or self-esteem. A lack of assurance can be attributed to a failure to walk in the Spirit. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. I suspect that the overwhelming majority of those with assurance problems are living a nominally Christian lifestyle and are not walking in the Spirit but are walking in the flesh. Last but not least, there are many who do not have assurance of salvation because they have never been saved! Jesus said, "...ye must be born again..." and the plain truth is they give no evidence of having experienced the new birth and therefore they cannot have assurance. So all this being said, "If I could show how to have assurance of salvation, would you like to know?" I'm going to share 5 important truths about assurance over the next few minutes that could transform your life. First, is what I want to refer to as:
I. The Acceptance Answer
Was there a time when you personally accepted Christ?
Some folks are blessed to know the very day, hour and minute of their salvation experience but for most of us it is enough that we know that there was a time when we accepted Christ. I want you to notice that I did not ask you when you were baptized or when you joined the church but when do you know that you accepted Jesus as your personal savior? Someone said that, "...joining a church doesn't make you a Christian any more than walking into a garage makes you a car!"
Accepting Jesus as your savior is a three-fold process involving our intellect (assent to the truth), our emotions (acknowledgement of the truth), and our will or volition (acting on the truth).
QUEEN VICTORIA, after hearing a sermon at St. Paul's Cathedral, was troubled about her eternal destiny. After the service, she asked her chaplain if anyone could be absolutely sure of going to heaven. He gave her this discouraging reply: "I know of no way that anyone could be positive of that." A minister who read about the incident in the Court News was afraid the answer given to the Queen might mislead and deprive her of the gift of eternal life. The minister, John Townsend, wrote this note to her: "With trembling hands, but a heart filled with love, and because I know that we can be absolutely sure even now of our eternal life ... may I ask your Most Gracious Majesty to read the following passages of Scripture: John 3:16 and Romans 10:9-10? There is salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for those who believe in Him and accept His finished work." Those who do can know that they are eternally saved.
Romans 10:9 ...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. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." ESV
II. The Attitude Answer
What is your attitude towards sin?
When you accepted Christ did your attitude about sin change? God hates sin! He hates it so much that He sent His only Son to die on Calvary as a remedy for sin. The Cross is the answer to the question does God hate sin? Do you have an aversion to sin, a hatred of sin and is sin morally repugnant to you.
1 John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning...ESV
III. The Affection Answer
Love for God and the things of God
There are two things stated here about the child of God. Love for the Father. -- In 1 John 4:19 the Bible says we love Him because He first loved us. It is natural for a child of God to love his Father. The more we know about the Father and His love for us, the more we will love Him. We come to know Him through His Word. We'll come to like Him, and be like Him!
Love for the Family. -- Being born again means that you are born into a family. It is a natural thing for family members to love one another. This is one of the precious truths about being a Christian. How is love going to behave? Look at...1 Cor. 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. This is the way love behaves itself toward the members of the family of God. Is this love in your heart for the family of God?
ILLUS: Paul and Silas with the Philippian jailer. The jailer had beaten them, then when he saw their faith, and the earthquake, asked how to be saved...awkward! ...but when he was born again the Bible says he washed their stripes, put a meal on the table for them and fellowshipped with them! If you are truly born again, the birthmark of love will be evident in your life.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
IV. The Action Answer
Commandment keeping
ILLUS: A young lady got a job typing manuscripts for an author...it was her main duty. Then she fell in love with the author and they were married. What had previously been a duty now became the desire of her heart. She desired to please the one she loved.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
ILLUS: As a child I was given a command not to touch the hot wood stove. That command came from a loving dad who was concerned for me and didn't want me to have any MORE birthmarks! The commandments of God come from a loving, heavenly Father who knows what is in the future and is concerned for His children.
V. The Association Answer
Fellowship with Christians
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
If you've truly been saved, you'll be in church...not out of duty...you'll WANT to be there! You'll love what Christ loves [the church]! If you've got any doubt at all, you need to investigate it. And don't start going to church so you can feel saved...rather, get saved for certain and you'll WANT to go to church!
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Conclusion: It has been and continues to be my experience that most folks who have problems with assurance have an over-reliance on their feelings. You need to know that your feelings are the most unreliable aspect of your assurance. Feelings can change from one moment to the next and I suspect that Satan understands this too. He is an accuser of the brethren and He will attack you in the area of your feelings. Next come faith and we all understand that faith is essential to salvation but know this, faith can wax and faith can wane; we can have "little faith" and we can have "great faith" as Jesus plainly states in the Gospels. Last but certainly not least, ultimately our assurance of salvation must rest on the foundation of God's Word. Our assurance of salvation should be based on FACTS, NOT FEELINGS. Emotions can be fickle and unreliable. The apostle John wrote, "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." The Lord wants us to rely on the recorded facts of His Word for assurance of salvation rather than on our changing feelings.
ILLUS - When George B. McClellan was commissioned Major General of the Army, he wrote his wife, "I don't feel any different than I did yesterday. Indeed, I have not yet put on my new uniform. I am sure, however, that I am in command of the Union Army because President Lincoln's order to that effect now lies before me."
Accepting the authoritative word of his Commander in Chief, McClellan was confident of his position. Similarly, all who receive Jesus Christ as Savior can completely trust God's authoritative Word, the Bible, which says that we are "justified by faith" (Rom. 5:1) and have "passed from death to life" (1 John 3:14).
Friend, can you say, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2 Tim. 1:12)? It's a wonderful thing to have the full assurance that you are bound for heaven. You can have this confidence by relying on Christ, the Living Word, and the Bible, God's written Word, rather than your vacillating feelings.
[outline and other source material: Jerry Shirley, Ed Wood, sermoncentral, Warren Wiersbe, "Be Series"]
Let's review --
1. Have you accepted Jesus personally for yourself?
2. Has your attitude towards sin changed?
3. Do you have love in your heart for the family of God?
4. Do you have a desire to keep God's Word?
5. Do you want to be with the people of God?
I'm not suggesting perfection in all of these areas but these are the "marks" of salvation and if they are present then you are saved my friend and if they are not then it is highly probable that you have never been born again.
