We are commanded to make our election and calling sure (cf. 2 Pet. 1:10) and this is done by searching our own hearts, examining our fruit, claiming Scripture promises to lean on and sensing the ministry of the Spirit "bearing witness to our spirit" (cf. Rom. 8:16). Christianity is about walking in the Spirit, and increasing in faith--genuine faith is penitent and not inert or static (it grows!). We walk by faith (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7), and progress from faith to faith (cf. Rom. 1:17). Being sure of one's position in Christ is only the door, not the journey or destination.
Knowing we are saved is not an automatic fruit, and it's not presumption nor arrogance to know for sure (as is promised that we can know in 1 John 5:13). Believing and assurance don't mean we know all the answers and have no doubts--we just believed in spite of them. It's not the preacher's job description to certify our salvation, but he can offer reassurance. Even though Catholics call assurance a "sin of presumption," it's obedience and a boon to our walk to know for sure without a doubt.
Some people have this assurance because they claim Bible verses, and are not ignorant of the Word, but take it at face value: one such Scriptural "birth certificate" might be the verse in John 1:12, which says that anyone who receives Christ has the right to become a child of God. This assurance goes hand in hand with security--they can be distinguished, but not separated--the flip side of assurance is security that you cannot forfeit your salvation, even if you fall into sin, for we have an "Advocate with the Father" when we do sin (cf. 1 John 2:1). He always intercedes on our behalf (cf. Heb. 7:25).
Knowing we are saved is only the beginning and first step of our walk with Jesus, the "Author and Finisher of our faith" (cf. Heb. 12:2). A Christian is no spiritual giant just because he is 100 percent sure of his salvation, if his life isn't consistent with the Spirit, and he isn't producing good fruit. You can have many unanswered questions and still grow in Christ! Only in glory will all our questions be answered (cf. John 16:23). Faith isn't believing in spite of the evidence; it's obeying despite the consequences. "By faith Abraham obeyed," (cf. Heb. 11:8) despite the fact that he doubted God's promise, he went ahead and obeyed anyway! Notice that in the hall of faith chapter 11 of Hebrews it portrays all the saints as obeying in faith! Faith is abstract and you see it in action, you don't describe it. You don't need all the answers to believe, but can go right ahead and choose to believe anyway! God can increase our faith, but that means more responsibility!
We are not to take advantage of grace, to insult the Spirit of grace and misuse it. Knowing we are saved should be all the more motivation to live for Christ--for the more, we are given, the more God expects from us in return. God is only pleased with faithfulness and faith, and we must not divorce or separate the two, though they can be distinguished. Faith is only measured in obedience ("Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes," --Dietrich Bonhoeffer), and not experiences, mystical or real life, nor by emotions or feelings, which may be sentiment and signs we have never grown up in the faith so as not to depend on feelings. Faith, not feelings, please God (cf. Heb. 11:6). Our ecstasies, visions, dreams, and mystic or surreal experiences are not the measure faith; God is looking for obedience, not success or achievements. Blessed are those who have not seen! (Cf. John 20:29).
The best way to be sure is to have the witness of a fruitful life that supports your faith--showing that it's genuine, saving faith--not bogus. God isn't going to ask us at our final audit at the Bema, or Judgment Seat of Christ, how sure we were of our salvation, or how big our faith was, but what we did with it and whether we grew to know, love, and obey Jesus. It's not how big your faith is, but how big your God, and it's not the amount of faith, but the object that matters. We must learn to trust and obey Christ in the mundane activities of life and to grow in our fellowship and relationship with Him.
If we are honest, all of us have been at the point of the man who cried, "I believe, help thou mine unbelief!" Don't confuse works and grace, or fact and feeling (the divine order is fact-faith-feeling). Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but one of its elements and is healthy. Faith is not to be perfect or it wouldn't be faith, but knowledge, and what God wants is sincere, unfeigned, faith without any hypocrisy. We are not to be pretenders who have a veneer to hide behind. We all have feet of clay and must progress in our walk as we get to know the Lord, the ultimate goal.
I propose two illustrations to exhibit faith: a boy flying a kite on a cloudy day was asked how he knew the kite was still up there, when unseen, he said he felt a tug every now and then to reassure him; another one is why you believe in the sun being up there when you don't see it: "Because I see everything else!" God opens the eyes or our hearts to see spiritually so we can say with the blind man: "... But I know this: I was blind, but now I see" (John 9:25, NLT).
Who can refute such personal reality? Not knowing for sure makes you a handicapped Christian in your walk, who cannot grow and mature in the faith as a seasoned believer! A word to the wise is sufficient: False assurance, overconfidence, spurious faith, and reckless living are more of a problem than the weaker brother who stumbles and has doubts--lacking full assurance. In sum, you must morph beyond mere assurance and fulfill your destiny and calling. Soli Deo Gloria!
Knowing we are saved is not an automatic fruit, and it's not presumption nor arrogance to know for sure (as is promised that we can know in 1 John 5:13). Believing and assurance don't mean we know all the answers and have no doubts--we just believed in spite of them. It's not the preacher's job description to certify our salvation, but he can offer reassurance. Even though Catholics call assurance a "sin of presumption," it's obedience and a boon to our walk to know for sure without a doubt.
Some people have this assurance because they claim Bible verses, and are not ignorant of the Word, but take it at face value: one such Scriptural "birth certificate" might be the verse in John 1:12, which says that anyone who receives Christ has the right to become a child of God. This assurance goes hand in hand with security--they can be distinguished, but not separated--the flip side of assurance is security that you cannot forfeit your salvation, even if you fall into sin, for we have an "Advocate with the Father" when we do sin (cf. 1 John 2:1). He always intercedes on our behalf (cf. Heb. 7:25).
Knowing we are saved is only the beginning and first step of our walk with Jesus, the "Author and Finisher of our faith" (cf. Heb. 12:2). A Christian is no spiritual giant just because he is 100 percent sure of his salvation, if his life isn't consistent with the Spirit, and he isn't producing good fruit. You can have many unanswered questions and still grow in Christ! Only in glory will all our questions be answered (cf. John 16:23). Faith isn't believing in spite of the evidence; it's obeying despite the consequences. "By faith Abraham obeyed," (cf. Heb. 11:8) despite the fact that he doubted God's promise, he went ahead and obeyed anyway! Notice that in the hall of faith chapter 11 of Hebrews it portrays all the saints as obeying in faith! Faith is abstract and you see it in action, you don't describe it. You don't need all the answers to believe, but can go right ahead and choose to believe anyway! God can increase our faith, but that means more responsibility!
We are not to take advantage of grace, to insult the Spirit of grace and misuse it. Knowing we are saved should be all the more motivation to live for Christ--for the more, we are given, the more God expects from us in return. God is only pleased with faithfulness and faith, and we must not divorce or separate the two, though they can be distinguished. Faith is only measured in obedience ("Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes," --Dietrich Bonhoeffer), and not experiences, mystical or real life, nor by emotions or feelings, which may be sentiment and signs we have never grown up in the faith so as not to depend on feelings. Faith, not feelings, please God (cf. Heb. 11:6). Our ecstasies, visions, dreams, and mystic or surreal experiences are not the measure faith; God is looking for obedience, not success or achievements. Blessed are those who have not seen! (Cf. John 20:29).
The best way to be sure is to have the witness of a fruitful life that supports your faith--showing that it's genuine, saving faith--not bogus. God isn't going to ask us at our final audit at the Bema, or Judgment Seat of Christ, how sure we were of our salvation, or how big our faith was, but what we did with it and whether we grew to know, love, and obey Jesus. It's not how big your faith is, but how big your God, and it's not the amount of faith, but the object that matters. We must learn to trust and obey Christ in the mundane activities of life and to grow in our fellowship and relationship with Him.
If we are honest, all of us have been at the point of the man who cried, "I believe, help thou mine unbelief!" Don't confuse works and grace, or fact and feeling (the divine order is fact-faith-feeling). Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but one of its elements and is healthy. Faith is not to be perfect or it wouldn't be faith, but knowledge, and what God wants is sincere, unfeigned, faith without any hypocrisy. We are not to be pretenders who have a veneer to hide behind. We all have feet of clay and must progress in our walk as we get to know the Lord, the ultimate goal.
I propose two illustrations to exhibit faith: a boy flying a kite on a cloudy day was asked how he knew the kite was still up there, when unseen, he said he felt a tug every now and then to reassure him; another one is why you believe in the sun being up there when you don't see it: "Because I see everything else!" God opens the eyes or our hearts to see spiritually so we can say with the blind man: "... But I know this: I was blind, but now I see" (John 9:25, NLT).
Who can refute such personal reality? Not knowing for sure makes you a handicapped Christian in your walk, who cannot grow and mature in the faith as a seasoned believer! A word to the wise is sufficient: False assurance, overconfidence, spurious faith, and reckless living are more of a problem than the weaker brother who stumbles and has doubts--lacking full assurance. In sum, you must morph beyond mere assurance and fulfill your destiny and calling. Soli Deo Gloria!
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