Assurance

As you know from Pastor Matt’s recent messages, “assurance” is one of the key words in 1 John. While it is my goal with this blog to compliment Matt’s remarks on assurance from 1 John, I intend to discuss the subject also from other New Testament books. It is my hope by doing this, by broadening the biblical field of reference, this blog will deepen both our comprehension and appreciation of assurance.

Most pastors and seminary teachers would agree that by all accounts the vast majority of Christians today suffer from lack of understanding of the doctrine of assurance. That is no way to live the Christian life. It is no exaggeration to say that without assurance it is all but impossible to experience the joy that is to be found in a saving relationship with Christ. It has been rightly said that the blessing of assurance is the greatest blessing of all blessings of the Christian life, because without assurance it is all but impossible to appreciate or even recognize all other blessings.

Wilken gives a good compressed paragraph on assurance, which I thin should be helpful at the beginning:

Is it possible to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and yet not be sure you have eternal life? Since a disciple by definition is a learner, the answer is a qualified yes. A person can be learning about Jesus and not yet be sure he has eternal life. But, a person can’t be a mature disciple unless he’s sure he has eternal life. For you see, doubts about one’s relationship with God will never produce consistent growth or Christian maturity. Only certainty can do that. Assurance isn’t simply a comforting doctrine. It’s foundational to discipleship. If we want to live a life that is pleasing to God, we must be sure we are His children and will remain so forever. To deny the power of assurance in discipleship would be akin to denying the power of assurance of parental love for a child’s growth and maturity.

(When Wilken uses the word “certainty” in speaking of assurance, he means near-certain, as certain as it is humanly possible to be. That is how I am using the word as well.)

I feel it is fitting to include the word “presumption” in these introductory remarks, given Matt’s emphasis on the word in his 1 John messages. Presumption is not the opposition of assurance; uncertainty is. Matt once rightly defined presumption as the enemy of assurance. Presumption is assumption, taking something for granted. Presumption is taking holiness for granted, convincing yourself you are right with God when in fact you are not. It is difficult to imagine a greater enemy.

The best, simplest definition of assurance is confidence. Biblical assurance is confidence in one’s salvation. One of the greatest theologians of the past century, L. S. Chafer succinctly defined assurance, “It is a confidence that right relations exist between one’s self and God.”

Assurance is related to the eternal security of the believer, but is not the same thing as eternal security. Both eternal security and assurance deal with the individual’s standing before God, but from opposite perspectives. Eternal security is how God sees the believer; assurance is how the believer views him or herself. “Eternal security” is the theological term applied to the doctrine that describes the status of a believer before God regarding salvation. In simply terms, eternal security means that once you are saved – truly saved – you are saved forever. Assurance is related to this doctrine but must be distinguished from it. Sadly, often it is not.

Assurance is the feeling of confidence that we have that we are eternally secure in our salvation. We might say that assurance has to do with feeling; it is temporary; eternal security, by contrast, has to do with fact; it is permanent. We can lose feeling; we can never lose our salvation. Salvation is fact, but we can lose our assurance – that’s feeling. Said another way, assurance is the subjective confidence in the objective truth of the gospel. Subjective in this context may be interpreted as personal, taking place within one’s mind. It is that which we perceive to be true.

Both assurance and eternal security have to do with believers – only believers. Assurance and eternal security have to do with salvation. Neither doctrine has to do with unbelievers or people who claim to be Christians but in fact are not. A true believer in Christ has eternal security and should have assurance. Assurance is the confidence that right relations exist between one’s self and God. If you are a Christian, you are eternally saved. Consequently, you should be consistently assured of that reality. God wants you to be eternally saved.

Assurance is found both directly and indirectly throughout the post-Acts 2 New Testament. It is implied by the character and works of God, however, throughout the entire Bible. Let’s look at several key verses on assurance…

^NAS 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

To properly understand and appreciate what the apostle Paul is saying (Paul’s writings offer an edifying comparison on assurance to those of John), we must consider the context of verse 12. While it really begins, I believe, in v. 3, for time consideration, let’s begin at v. 8…

^NAS 2 Timothy 1:8-12 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, ¹⁰ but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

Paul begins his remarks on assurance with the words, “For this reason.” The good Bible student will immediately ask, “What reason?” Because he had been appointed by God “a preacher and an apostle and a teacher”; that’s “this reason.” Paul had been entrusted with the stewardship of the gospel…

^NAS 1 Timothy 1:11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

Because he had been so entrusted, he was willing to suffer “these things.”

What things? We should always ask question of the text. Anyone who has read the N.T. even sporadically is probably aware of Paul’s suffering. He was beaten a number of times and imprisoned several times, and that is but part of the suffering he endured as a ministry of the gospel (read for example 2 Corinthians 11:22-33).

Paul was the greatest, most dedicated, most selfless Christian who ever lived (Jesus could not be technically termed a “Christian” since the church did not begin until Acts 2, see also Acts 11:26). He was willing to suffer anything for the cause of Christ. “He was trusting his own destiny to the same one who entrusted him with the stewardship of the gospel.” – Liftin

Nevertheless, Paul says, “I am not ashamed.” Even though his ministry brought him constant suffering, he was not ashamed. Paul said the same thing in Romans 1:16…

^NAS Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

It is, of course, very convicting for us today to think on these things. Can we say the same things in our lives? If we have opportunity to witness for Christ and we pass up that opportunity, it may be said that we were ashamed of the gospel. Those are strong words, I realize.

^NKJ 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed…

“For I know.” The Greek word οἶδα (oi-da), in my opinion, is not the easiest word to define. It means “to know,” yes, but know in what way? That’s the difficulty. The word has a wide range of meaning. Allow me to briefly comment that it would be accurate to say that in this context οἶδα means to know with certainty: “For I know!” with emphasis. I know without a doubt.

“For I know whom I believed.” How many of us can say that with confidence? If you can, you probably have assurance. If you cannot, you probably do not have assurance. Why you don’t have assurance could be attributed to a number of reasons, some of those reasons will be mentioned in this study.

If you genuinely know the One who has saved you (1 John 4:13, 16; 5:20), you have assurance, but it is also true that you can actually know the One who has saved you and still have times when you are not assured. If you think about this, I believe you know it is true. Sometimes we are as assured of our salvation as is humanly possible to be – “I know whom I believed!” – but there are times we are not. Remember, assurance is not an unchangeable fact, like eternal security. If you have lost your spiritual focus, and your eyes have gotten off of Christ and have fixed on circumstance, you are unlikely to have assurance of your relationship with Him.

And note that Paul says not only he “knows,” but also that he is “convinced.” Listen to 2 Timothy 1:12 again…

^NAS 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

“Convinced” or “persuaded” is the Greek word πείθω (pie-tho). Paul is fond of this important word…

^NAS Romans 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

^NAS Romans 14:5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind.

^NAS Romans 15:14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another.

When we are convinced or persuaded we have come to the point of firm belief in something or someone. Paul is convinced here in 2 Timothy that Jesus Christ is able to guard, or protect, or maintain what he has entrusted to Him until that day. Most translations read that way (NAS, KJV, NKJ, NIV), but a couple (NET, ESV) believe the verse should read “what has been entrusted to me until that day,” with reference to Paul’s ministry, the truth of the gospel. It could be seen either way. Either way, Paul is convinced Christ is able.

Paul does not specifically identify the “He” in 2 Timothy 1:12. He could be either God the Father or Jesus Christ (which is strong implicit proof of the deity of Jesus). For contextual reasons, I would lean toward the He being Jesus. “I am convinced that He is able.” Isn’t that such a beautiful thought? Whatever the situation, Christ (or God the Father) is able.

That’s assurance. When you know the One who saved you, and you know from His promise in His Word the Bible, as well as your own experience, that whatever the situation He is able. “I don’t think that He is able; I am convinced that He is able.”

^NAS Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Whatever the difficulty we are facing, “He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think.”

Another Greek word for “assurance” is used by Paul in a similar fashion in Colossians 2:2…

^NAS Colossians 2:2 that their hearts (the hearts of believers – TAR) may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,

That word (πληροφορία [play-ra-fa-ree-a]) hits at the very heart of the biblical doctrine of assurance. The word has the dimension of fullness to the point of overflowing. The word pictures not just a glass full of water, but a glass full of water to which more water is being added; a glass that is overflowing. Paul uses this word also in Romans 4…

^NKJ Romans 4:20-21 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Paul wanted these believers to have the full assurance of understanding. That full assurance results in a true knowledge of Christ. And, likewise, true knowledge of Christ, that is, a knowledge that is scripturally accurate, results in a full assurance. That’s what Pastor Matt has been teaching us from 1 John.

^NAS 1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

This passage tells us that it is God’s divine intention that everyone who truly believes and is a true child of God may know that he or she is saved. That confident knowledge is what we call “assurance.” It is based on Christian experience and especially the Word of God. The Word of God is our guarantee that we are saved. Our Christian lives are evidence whether we are truly saved. Matt has been stressing in his sermons from 1 John perhaps the best way to know if we are really Christians or not is whether or not we have love for our brothers and sisters in Christ…

^NAS 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

A pretty straightforward test, wouldn’t you agree? Our Christian experience – our own witness, gives strong indication if we are truly in relationship with God. But ultimately it is the Word of God that is the guarantee of our salvation. In the Bible God makes promises regarding the salvation of human beings, and He is entirely trustworthy. God does what He says He will do. God cannot fail in any word He has spoken.

^NAS Psalm 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

^NAS Psalm 119:140 Thy word is very pure, Therefore Thy servant loves it.

It should be obvious: If you’re not regularly in God’s Word, you are not taking advantage of the guarantee it provides. When you are not regularly in God’s Word, it is likely you will experience doubt in your Christian life.

There are really any number of reasons why a Christian can lack assurance. If you are one who has trouble accepting forgiveness – “Oh, I’m too bad for God to ever forgive” – you are prone to doubt. If you are a person who does commonly not see God’s hand working in your trials, you will inevitably lack assurance. If you are one who is prone to question God when hard times come, if you allow yourself to demand of God why is thing happening to me, it is highly likely you will not experience assurance in your relationship to God.

What about doubting one’s salvation? Untold thousands of Christians around the world are not certain if they have ever had a personal transaction with Jesus that resulted in assurance of their salvation. Note I said “Christians.” As I have said, one can be a true believer in Christ, who if they died would go to heaven, and still not be certain of the fact. Only God knows the heart.

“You will never have the subjective feelings of assurance until you comprehend the objective truth of the gospel.” – MacArthur

I will never forget preaching one Sunday in Jamul and speaking along these lines, and a man in his late 60s came up to me after the service and confessed this description fit him. He said he had been going to church regularly for over 30 years, and though he really never told anyone, he was always plagued by nagging suspicions about his standing with God. I told that if you are uncertain about your salvation, you do not have to remain that way. The cure for any uncertainty about one’s salvation is to accept Christ now. That may at first sound trite, or even wrong, as if that were somehow a bad thing to do. Now, surely it is not God’s intention that we go through a whole salvation ritual every time we have lost our focus with Him (but it wouldn’t hurt anything if you did). But if the doubt is persistent, and it lingers for a long time, maybe even over 30 years, the best cure for any uncertainty about one’s salvation is to trust in Christ now – again? – with the intention of being saved. If you’re not sure, you don’t have to remain that way.

Feelings follow fact; assurance follows the fact of our salvation; feelings do not produce the fact of our salvation.

^NAS John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Know the Word; believe the Word; obey the Word, and you will have assurance.

– Professor Thomas A. Rohm