Assurance of Salvation (Part 1)

For a paperback book in outline form which addresses over 150 difficult verses that Arminians use against Sovereign Grace, check out: Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace: Rooting Arminianism Out of Every Verse. Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Assurance of Salvation (Part 1). For a master copy of the outline is attached below. To listen to or watch the next sermon in the series, click here: Part 2. Assurance of Salvation I. All of the information in this study is only applicable to those who have believed the gospel, repented of their sins, and been baptized, thereby being added to the membership of a true and faithful church of Jesus Christ. 1. Repenting, believing the gospel, and being baptized are the very first steps of the Christian life (Mar 1:15; Act 2:37-42). 2. When a man is baptized and added to the church, he is made to drink into the Spirit, which gives him assurance that he is a child of God (1Co 12:13). 3. Why would a person who has not kept the very first and most basic commandment of Jesus Christ be assured that he has eternal life? 4. Such as person has no assurance that Jesus is their Lord (Luk 6:46-49). 5. So if you are questioning your eternal state, then repent and be baptized, and see if your problem is not resolved. 6. If you won't do that, then you may as well stop listening here. II. Many Christians struggle with doubts concerning their eternal salvation. 1. Jesus taught us to "have faith in God" (Mar 11:22). 2. Doubt is the opposite of faith (Mat 14:31; Mar 11:23). A. Faith - I. Belief, trust, confidence. 1. a. Confidence, reliance, trust (in the ability, goodness, etc., of a person; in the efficacy or worth of a thing; or in the truth of a statement or doctrine). B. Doubt - 1. a. The (subjective) state of uncertainty with regard to the truth or reality of anything; undecidedness of belief or opinion. With pl.: A feeling of uncertainty as to something. spec. Uncertainty as to the truth of Christianity or some other religious belief or doctrine 3. Therefore, if we have doubts, we lack faith. 4. The good news is that we are not alone in this struggle. A. Jesus' own disciples lacked faith during the days of His ministry (Mar 4:40). B. They asked the Lord to increase their faith (Luk 17:5). C. A man once came to Jesus and said "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mar 9:24). D. The disciples doubted that Jesus had been raised from the dead, even in light of credible eyewitness testimony (Mat 28:16-17; Mar 16:14; Joh 20:24-25). E. Even during the times of our unbelief, God remains faithful (Rom 3:3-4; 2Ti 2:13; Psa 89:29-34; 2Sa 23:5). III. Look to the models of faith. 1. Jesus Christ always trusted in God (Joh 8:29 c/w Heb 11:6). 2. Abraham "against hope believed in hope...and being not weak in faith...staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith...being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform" (Rom 4:18-21). A. Abraham died having not received the promises, but was nevertheless persuaded that he would receive them, having seen them afar off through faith (Heb 11:13). B. Persuaded - Prevailed upon; convinced; having an assured opinion; C. Convinced - Brought to a state of conviction; firmly persuaded. 3. Paul ran the race of faith "not as uncertainly" (1Co 9:26). A. Paul said "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2Ti 1:12). B. Paul was persuaded that nothing could separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:38-39). IV. We can have assurance of salvation and be sure of our election. 1. Assurance - II. The state of being sure or assured. 6. Objective certainty; = assuredness 2. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is our assurance of salvation (Act 17:31). 3. The resurrection is the proof that our sins are put away (Rom 4:25). 4. When the gospel is received, not simply as words but with power that changes our lives, we have much assurance and can know that we are God's elect (1Th 1:4-5). 5. When we labor for the Lord and minister to the saints diligently we will have full assurance to the end (Heb 6:10-11). 6. When we draw near to God by holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering and continuing to assemble with the church for worship, we will have full assurance of faith (Heb 10:22-25). 7. When we study the word of God which reveals Christ, we can have full assurance of understanding (Col 2:1-3). V. How to gain assurance of eternal life 1. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (1Jo 3:23; Act 16:31). A. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, you are born of God (1Jo 5:1). i. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, you must believe that He is your Christ. ii. You are born of God if you believe that Jesus is the Christ; which means that Jesus died for your sins and regenerated you; which means that He is your Christ. iii. Therefore, you cannot believe that Jesus died for sinners without believing that He died for you. B. He that believes on Jesus Christ hath everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation, and is passed from death unto life (Joh 5:24), C. He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life (Joh 3:36; Joh 6:47). D. Whosoever believeth on Jesus the Son of God shall not perish, but has everlasting life (Joh 3:16). E. All those who believe are justified from all things (Act 13:39). 2. Believe that salvation is by grace alone and not of works (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 11:5-6; 2Ti 1:9; Tit 3:5). A. If you believe that you were saved by works (including your faith), then you will be trusting in your belief or other works for salvation, and not God alone. B. Then when your faith wanes or you fail to keep up the good works, you will begin to doubt that you are saved. C. "All things are possible to him that believeth" (Mar 9:23), but only to those who believe in God, not themselves. D. He that trusts in man is cursed, even if that man is himself (Jer 17:5).