Assurance of Salvation

Romans 8:16-17

I suspect that every believer has times when they doubt God. Twice, Abraham left the land god promised him because of trials, and both times it resulted in sin. Jacob doubted God’s willingness to protect him from Esau. After years of fleeing from Saul, David felt that sooner or later Saul would kill him and for a time joined the Philistines. Elijah ran from Jezebel in fear.

John the Baptist, after years of preaching, having baptized Jesus, and proclaimed him as Messiah, had doubts after being put into prison. Luke 7:19-20 tells of Johns doubt. “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” It was after this that Jesus made the statement in Luke 7:28. “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:”

These were all great men of faith, yet every one had times when trials resulted in their faith being weak. In every case, God soon sent something to reassure them of his love. It concerns me when people say they’ve never had a time of doubt since they were saved. They’ve never had the opportunity to see God manifest himself.

While we were in Bible College, we were carefully trained to give others assurance of their salvation because doubt is so common a problem. We were taught to use Romans 10:9-11 to address the problem. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” We were to ask if they had genuinely believed, and if they had confessed. If so they could be assured of salvation. Others stressed examining their actions, based on the verse in Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Were they avoiding sin, witnessing, etc.? If so it indicated they were Christians.

Unfortunately, both approaches depend on human understanding. What does it mean to believe in your heart? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” The person may sincerely believe they have believed with their heart, when in fact they just gave mental assent. We, nor they can truly know what was in their heart. I Samuel 16:7 advises, “for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Examining their actions has the same problem. Proverbs 21:2 warns, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." They are unable to make valid judgments about their actions, and we only see the outside. Matthew 7:21-23 describes the situation for many. “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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Far too often, works are mistaken for fruit.

Knowing this, how is one to be reassured when he is having doubts? In every case mentioned above, God provided the reassurance, and he has done so today as well.

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17).

Reassurance is the Holy Spirit’s job. It is not ours. We are not qualified to give reassurance. He always does his job, so if he is not providing reassurance, we need to find out why. The first reason a person is not reassured is that he isn’t saved. Remember Romans 8:9? “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The unsaved person doesn’t have the Spirit to give reassurance. It would be a lie to reassure him of his salvation. They need to be saved.

Many times people feel unsure of their salvation when things get rough. Often it is the result of sin in their life. Hebrews 12:5-8 addresses this situation. “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Many times children feel that they are not loved when they are scolded or punished for doing wrong. In reality, the chastening is a demonstration of the parent’s concern. They wouldn’t bother if they didn’t care. That is not to say all punishment is proper or loving, but God’s is. The very fact of God’s chastening is assurance that we are his. He wouldn’t chasten us if we weren’t. Instead of feeling depressed in such a case, recognize what it means and take action.

Hebrews 12:11-13 instructs what needs to be done. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Basically, we need to recognize the purpose, and correct our actions, rather than dwelling on the problem. Failure to do so may result in turning farther away.