Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Session 60: Assurance of Salvation
Are you saved? If you are saved, how do you know for sure you are saved? Imagine asking this question to an unchurched person. Our church "lingo" often confuses a lot of people. Saved from what? Literally, we are snatched from the pit of hell into the loving arms of Jesus. Without Him we are doomed forever more. We went through 1 John on Wednesday nights this past year because of the confusion in our youth group over the assurance of salvation. Who is saved? Who is not saved? Are we to be "fruit inspectors"? I have absolutely no idea who is saved or not! There have been people that I know that if I had to guess I would have said they were saved, but they were lost. We can look at the fruit and make a guess but that is all we are doing is guessing. Some who say they are Christians have absolutely no fruit in their life while there are lost people on the other hand that live a lot better life than some Christians. The kids in our group were struggling over the fact that everytime they went out and sinned they thought they needed to be saved again. Lets teach our kids the importance of living our life everyday and basing every decision on whether or not it pleases God. It matters not what others think, it is what God KNOWS about us.
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Ok folks, seems a little redundant doesn't it. I thought we just taught this one last week. Right? Last week we taught about the security of the believer. Now this week we're studying about assurance of salvation. I know, pretty much the same. Right? Well maybe not. So then, lets talk about the difference. Ok, security is more about what God has done for every believer. He has made their salvation eternally secure and safe through Jesus Christ's shed blood.(2 TIM 2:19- The Lord knoweth them that are His.) So, we can conclude that security is about God's view of the believer. Now, what about assurance(not insurance)? Well if security is about God's view of the believer, then assurance must be about the believer's view of God and His Word. Ding, Ding.....Yep, that's right! Every believer should understand how safe and secure he/her, is, in their salvation. They understand God's promises, and know that He can't lie That's assurance! Josh Pilgrim, used an illustration at camp this year that was perfect for such a lesson. He described a man walking a tightrope, across a canyon. The man accomplishes the feat with ease. He reaches the other side, no problem. With incredible applause, the crowd encourages him to walk back across, and he does so again. The crowd is astounded by his bravery and want to see more. The tight rope walker addresses the crowd. He ask, "Who thinks I can push a wheelbarrow across?" The excited crowd, cheering and hollering, all said, "Go for it, go again, you can do it"! With which the tight rope walker ask, "Ok who will ride in the wheelbarrow....."? A silence fell across the crowd. Needless to say, no one had that much confidence. See, the crowd was secure in the performer's ability, but did not have assurance. Assurance to the Christian is that complete confidence and certainty that all is right with my relationship to the living God. A believer who has assurance can say, "I know that all is well with my soul, and I know that I am safe and secure in Christ forever!" Can your students say that?.................Can you?
My daughter and I have been discussing this exact same thing. You see, her husband was raised in church and his father was going to become a preacher. Don't know exactly all the details but he didn't become one. Mike (her husband)has the head knowledge and is really a great husband who gives of himself. While they dated, they went to North Point Church where his family goes, (Mom and stepdad). Anyway, he kept finding fault and would complain afterwards. It was either the songs or the preaching. She has asked me to pray because she doesn't know for sure if he is truly saved or if he is still a baby in Christ. She has participated in so many plays about those who think they are because of their parents, or they can sing well, but anyway, she has asked for prayer.
The material we are teaching now, is so perfect to discuss with her and to give her a direction to go.
He could be on the run because he had this "perfect" family and his dad and mom are divorced. According to Misty, Mike took it real hard and he may have anger issues with God.
Anyway, I can see where kids that are brought up in church can get confused about their salvation. Those of us who were not as fortunate had a dramatic change in our lives. My children did not, yet their outward actions show it. I've had major issues with judging others but know, as Billy states, you can only guess, because only God knows. My students in class are hard to read and I would not even try to guess. My only prayer is that if they ever have any doubt they will seek out the truth.
JUST SOMETHING TO PONDER..........
Things aren't what they appear to be.
A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning, while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees the neighbor hang up the wash outside.
'That laundry is not very clean, she said, she doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs another laundry soap.
The husband looked on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang out the wash, the young woman would make the same comment.
About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, 'Look! she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?
Her husband said, 'I got up early this morning and washed the windows.
And so it is with life: What we see while watching others, depends on the purity of the window through which we look through.
There are so many doctrines in the Bible that can be hard to understand, but I feel this is an easy one that the Church has made hard. For so long we have excepted false conversions on the basis of misquoted scripture (Judge not)
I like the little point from anonymous. Our window has to be clean. That is the correct interpretation of the most often misquoted verse. It is your duty as my Brother to tell me if my laundry is dirty, but we accept people who tell us their laundry is clean who never read the care instruction tags,do not own a washer, and will not come to the laundromat.
Do we walk by the house on fire and ignore it because we may insult someone for waking them up at 2AM, or do we run yelling and bagging on the door to rescue them from the flames?
Paul, I like the house on fire thing, but I'm not sure its entirely accurate. Rather than just ignore the house on fire, more often than not, we run and tell all the neighbors the house is on fire. Then we distance ourselves and families from the heat. Next, we file a report with the homewoners association to see if any covenants have been broken. As soon as the heat dissipates, we tell the now homeless guy we saw it coming. Finally we ask, "Is there anyway we can help?"
Really, I do agree with you. I think we should hold one another accountable, but always, yes always, in love. Maybe we could prevent a fire if we're looking for smoke. (just a thought):)
And most people try and blame the fire on the electrician!
Crystal Gill said ...
I agree with John that assurance is really about our view of God. How much faith in the promises of God do we have? I know some of the youth have problems with this --and like I explained last week I completely understand their reasoning. I think part of the problem stems from if you are really saved to begin with or did you just do it because your friend did or because you felt pressured. I thank God that 4 kids were saved at judgement house I am sure they were scared because of the hell scene but the harst reality is that--that could be their tomorrow. When I took Xavier and Brandon Strickland home last night they were excited about being saved. I have been praying with Xavier for seven or eight months about being saved. I felt as much joy as when Trey and Tori were saved. I thought last night about the cards these two boys have been dealt. You know the only way they may see Jesus to begin with is though Christians. They don't have parents who go to church and crave attention. But now their fears can be calmed. I think assurance comes with understanding the word of God and seeing God's work through each of our lives. I am sure the more they learn the more they will understand. I have seen God's work in my life through several situations this week. Maybe it is hard to understand assurance because we are naturally selfish (of at least I am sometimes) and we can't begin to comprehend God's amazing love and why would we ever deserve it?
Please pray for a special family that I have been trying to reach out to for a long time. They have two children ages 9 and 12 and I am worried if they don't get involved in church and get their relationship right with God it will be very hard to reach the children.
One more thing to keep in mind. I am of the opinion that one of the reasons that kids and adults have a hard time with "knowing" they are saved is because of what we do. We often pronounce people saved, and we don't have that ability. They come down say a prayer, and we present them to the Church as member and for baptism in the same service. Then we cover it up by saying they are backslidden, but still saved, when they never show up for church again. In the first century church you had to exhibit fruit of the repentance you claimed before you were allowed to join. (one guy took almost 3 years to prove himself)
With that in mind, would we serve our youth better by pronouncing them saved, or explaining this very lesson to them and waiting a few months to see if they are a true convert before baptism?
I understand your thoughts but let me throw this question out there for you guys to answer: Do we as believers have the right or the responsibility to judge someone of their (1) salvation (2) works? Or... do we take them at their word? I think that is why we do pronounce them as saved at church. Knowing we have not the power but we take them at their word. What you think?
Paul, once again I agree with SOME of your post. We don't have the ability to pronouce anybody saved. There are two that know....God and that person. If the worst the Church does is falsely proclaim someone saved, based one that persons testimony, I guess we're in ok shape. In this situation, I'd rather pronouce the falsely converted as saved rather than the other way around. But once again, the lack of assurance in a Christians life might be because their looking within. When we take our eyes off the Savior and start looking at our own faith, works, and life, we can become discouraged quickly. When we begin to look at our failures and faults, it's easy to ask the question, "Am I really His child?" We all fall so miserably short. Does God tells us to look at our faith for assurance of salvation? Does He tell us to look at our life, works, or lack of works for assurance? A believers questions shouldn't be, "How good is my faith?" or "How good is my walk?" or "Am I believing?". But rather questions like, " In WHOM am I beleiving and how can I serve HIM? Christians should keep their focus on Him and not themselves. If we keep our eyes on Him we can move forward with joyous confidence and yes....assurance.
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so WALK YE IN HIM" (not ourselves)
Where you at Jerry, Heather, Wesley, David? What do you guys think?
Crystal Gill said....
I see it this way. In our lesson tomorrow it explains that there are several ways to look at assurance. One of those ways is through our obedience to God. In Acts 2:38 it states "Repent and be baptized each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." So by making someone wait a few months to be baptized are we causing them to disobey what the Bible says? Are we really to point fingers and say you haven't changed enough yet -- I know that I did not magically change overnight. I changed as I grew in my walk with the Lord. I know we should see some changes in that person but how obvious those changes are really depends on the person.
Joyce Howell says……..
I agree with Billy……..We should take folks at their word. It’s not their “works – fruit” that saves them, it’s their faith.
Acts 2:38-42
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The Bible says in 1 John 5:9, "If we receive the witness (testimony) of men, the witness (testimony) of God is greater." Do you receive the testimony of men? Do you usually believe what men tell you? Do you most often take men at their word, or do you suspect them of being liars? Do you believe the news reports on the radio? Do you normally accept the reported statements of fact which you read in your newspaper? If your neighbor came to your door and said that there was a car accident down the street, would you accept his word? If you heard on the radio that the president was shot, would you believe it? Sometimes the testimony of men proves to be false, but normally we take the statements of men at face value! We believe what men tell us! So then my question would be, why are we so quick to doubt when someone says they’re saved????
"I know that I am saved and I know that my sins are forgiven and I know that I have eternal life!" But how can I know? Remember this: We can KNOW SO because GOD SAID SO!
Acts 16:29-34
29 Then he (the jailer) called for a light; and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Acts 10:46-48
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
I would hate to know that as I stood before the Lord Jesus Christ, I had to answer for not allowing someone who had come forth professing salvation, to publicly express what Jesus Christ done in their life. My question would be who do we put in charge of setting the guidelines? Is it based on a timeline or works? Do we hook them up to a “Sav-O-Meter”? I think we often swat at a gnat while strangling on a camel. Lord forbid that we fill the baptismal pool one time with water and rinse someone off rather than actually baptizing them. I would much rather err on the side of doing what we were commanded (preach, teach and baptize them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ) than to stand in judgement with ALL my short comings.
I was saved and baptized at the age of 12 and know the many times I failed to live the most like Christ like life that I could have and YES, I was saved and YES, I spent many days “backslidden”. Knowing this at the point I am in my life now, I often feel guilty of the things I have done, but also realize that these things come to mind because of satan and man. I do not doubt my salvation, then or now. How do I know that I was backslidden and truly saved, because the Holy Spirit dealt with me during the time that I was out of the will of God. The relationship was there, but I damaged the fellowship. But at the time in my life that I turned back to God, it was absolutely wonderful to see Him still standing there facing me and knowing that He never turned His back on me and realizing (with a very heavy heart) that it was I that had walked away from Him. Thank you God for my salvation and never forsaking me, even with all my short comings.
I agree with everyone on one condition. When people do have doubts we point them to this lesson and the book of 1 John. It tells you what a Christian looks like, and is why he wrote it. But what most Baptist Churches do is "Did you say the prayer?, then you are saved!"
Jesus said you will know then by their "Fruit". Not by a repeated prayer. My girls got saved at an early age, so Vickie and I remind them, this is what a Christian looks like. If you are not looking like this than lets go to the Word and see what's wrong. I've got a brother-in law with a picture of his baptism, and he will tell you he is saved. He never comes to church, drinks way too much, uses profanity and does not own a Bible, surely we would not pronounce him saved.
I'm probably wrong on the waiting for Baptism thing, so meet me half way and lets make sure these new converts understand we will be watching so we can know the way Jesus told us we would. If I'm wrong then it gives the Holy Spirit more time to work in the persons life. I mean it's not like they get unsaved. If you are wrong then the Church continues to fill up with false converts, which effects staff more than me. The scripture used for immediate baptism had one thing in common, they spoke in tongues. Thats fruit that we would kick out of the church, much less baptize
We do have the right and responsibility to judge someones salvation. If not why disciple? The Bible is clear that we do. Keep this in mind, if the worse we do is pronounce false converts saved and they go on living that lie, they go straight to Hell. If they are truly saved, then us making sure, will do no harm.
P.S. My wife says I come across hard at times, so I just want to make sure you guys know I'm not talking about getting someone in a dark room with a bright light to see if they are saved. John comes to me and says Paul I saw your student hanging with some drunk teenagers at the movies last night. Then Paul & John go put our arms around said student and ask a bunch of questions, to determine what? To see if they are saved. The Holy Spirit will guide and perfect them if they are.
Love the conversation, you guys are great! (A lot better than those crumedgens in Adult 1)
Ok, Paul, I'll meet you half way. How do WE make sure their saved? And how do we decide who WE is?
John,
God, through the local Church, has decided who We are, it's us, we are teachers of the law.
The how, was the lesson you taught this morning.
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