Assurance: Know that You Know
" I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life."
(—1 John 5:13 TLB)
For all of its contextual power, promise is really a delicate word. Just ask anyone who’s ever been told “I promise I’ll be there for you,” only to stare after disappearing taillights during a moment of need.
Or ask a child who, even though his soccer game has ended, is still stealing glances at the empty sidelines where his mother or father had promised to be.
Wariness about the security and trustworthiness of promises sneaks into all kinds of relationships.
For those who love God, that wariness can eat away at the most basic aspect of faith: assurance that you really have been saved, that eternal life is yours.
God promises eternal life to all those who accept Jesus and follow Him. But if your experience with earthly promises is anything to go by, that may seem like a fragile proposition.
You may even wonder if you need to have repeat conversion experiences to be assured of a relationship with God.
The congregation John wrote to in 1 John was probably dealing with this very issue.
The entire fifth chapter deals with issues of assurance: assurance that all who know Christ are truly Christians, assurance that God does answer prayer, and assurance in eternal life.
Here’s what Paul said to that congregation: God does what He says He’s going to do. Once you’ve entered God’s kingdom, you’re in. It’s a done deal. Heaven is a given for all who follow Christ.
This is great news. In a world where assurance is as slippery as an icy sidewalk, having assurance in your relationship with God can be just the anchor you need to weave through life’s many disappointments.
Still, the human qualities of doubt and distrust can eat away at your assurance.
To gird your assurance, read what the Bible teaches about assurance (Ephesians 3 :12 and Romans 10:9, for starters).
Then listen to God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit can offer comfort and confidence about your status with God.
Finally, pray. Ask God directly and specifically for assurance in your relationship with Him. If you’ve accepted Christ, you already have the key to eternal life. God handed it to you when you reached out to Him.
This key is not some temporary, fleeting promise that can be yanked away on a whim.
It’s real, solid, and lasts a lifetime.
When you embrace the trustworthiness of God’s promises for those who love Him, you’ll be able to simply state, “I know that I know.” And that will be enough.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
" I have written this to you who believe in the Son of God so that you may know you have eternal life."
(—1 John 5:13 TLB)
For all of its contextual power, promise is really a delicate word. Just ask anyone who’s ever been told “I promise I’ll be there for you,” only to stare after disappearing taillights during a moment of need.
Or ask a child who, even though his soccer game has ended, is still stealing glances at the empty sidelines where his mother or father had promised to be.
Wariness about the security and trustworthiness of promises sneaks into all kinds of relationships.
For those who love God, that wariness can eat away at the most basic aspect of faith: assurance that you really have been saved, that eternal life is yours.
God promises eternal life to all those who accept Jesus and follow Him. But if your experience with earthly promises is anything to go by, that may seem like a fragile proposition.
You may even wonder if you need to have repeat conversion experiences to be assured of a relationship with God.
The congregation John wrote to in 1 John was probably dealing with this very issue.
The entire fifth chapter deals with issues of assurance: assurance that all who know Christ are truly Christians, assurance that God does answer prayer, and assurance in eternal life.
Here’s what Paul said to that congregation: God does what He says He’s going to do. Once you’ve entered God’s kingdom, you’re in. It’s a done deal. Heaven is a given for all who follow Christ.
This is great news. In a world where assurance is as slippery as an icy sidewalk, having assurance in your relationship with God can be just the anchor you need to weave through life’s many disappointments.
Still, the human qualities of doubt and distrust can eat away at your assurance.
To gird your assurance, read what the Bible teaches about assurance (Ephesians 3 :12 and Romans 10:9, for starters).
Then listen to God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit can offer comfort and confidence about your status with God.
Finally, pray. Ask God directly and specifically for assurance in your relationship with Him. If you’ve accepted Christ, you already have the key to eternal life. God handed it to you when you reached out to Him.
This key is not some temporary, fleeting promise that can be yanked away on a whim.
It’s real, solid, and lasts a lifetime.
When you embrace the trustworthiness of God’s promises for those who love Him, you’ll be able to simply state, “I know that I know.” And that will be enough.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
EMP0WERMENT
For
God's Word
I Will...
Know that God’s promise of eternal life is assured for those who accept Christ.
Pray for assurance if my confidence wanes.
Use the assurance of God’s promises as an anchor for times when earthly promises fail.
Share my confidence with others who struggle with assurance.
Work toward keeping all the promises I make.
Carefully consider any promises I make to others.
Investigate what the Bible teaches about the assurance of eternal life.
Things to Do...
Ask God for your own confidence in God’s promises.
Read 1 John 5 and examine what John has to say about assurance.
Have coffee with a pastor and talk about the doubts you’ve experienced with the promise of eternal life.
Review the promises that you’ve made and have broken, then make a plan for keeping promises in the future.
Read about the life of a well-known Christian, looking specifically for that person’s experience with doubt and assurance.
List five things you are sure about in life. Compare these to what you believe about the assurance of eternal life.
Things to Remember...
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers … knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 1 THESSALONIANS 1:2, 4 NKJV
Jesus said, “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
JOHN 5:24 NKJV
You will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. ROMANS 10:9 CEV
Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
JOHN 10:28 NKJV
We can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust him. EPHESIANS 3:12 TLB
Our confidence in Christ does not make us lazy, negligent, or careless, but on the contrary it awakens us, urges us on, and makes us active in living righteous lives and doing good. —ULRICH ZWINGLI
Confidence is a plant of slow growth.
—ENGLISH PROVERB
Know that God’s promise of eternal life is assured for those who accept Christ.
Pray for assurance if my confidence wanes.
Use the assurance of God’s promises as an anchor for times when earthly promises fail.
Share my confidence with others who struggle with assurance.
Work toward keeping all the promises I make.
Carefully consider any promises I make to others.
Investigate what the Bible teaches about the assurance of eternal life.
Things to Do...
Ask God for your own confidence in God’s promises.
Read 1 John 5 and examine what John has to say about assurance.
Have coffee with a pastor and talk about the doubts you’ve experienced with the promise of eternal life.
Review the promises that you’ve made and have broken, then make a plan for keeping promises in the future.
Read about the life of a well-known Christian, looking specifically for that person’s experience with doubt and assurance.
List five things you are sure about in life. Compare these to what you believe about the assurance of eternal life.
Things to Remember...
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers … knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 1 THESSALONIANS 1:2, 4 NKJV
Jesus said, “He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
JOHN 5:24 NKJV
You will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. ROMANS 10:9 CEV
Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
JOHN 10:28 NKJV
We can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust him. EPHESIANS 3:12 TLB
Our confidence in Christ does not make us lazy, negligent, or careless, but on the contrary it awakens us, urges us on, and makes us active in living righteous lives and doing good. —ULRICH ZWINGLI
Confidence is a plant of slow growth.
—ENGLISH PROVERB
A Clarion Call:
If you have not yet received the Lord Jesus into your life, or you once received Him but backslid, make yourself available of this opportunity and pray this prayer: There is no degree of sin the Lord cannot blot out. Do not postpone, for tomorrow may be too late.
Father I come before you as a sinner (Romans 3:23)
I sincerely repent of my sins (Acts 3:19)
I believe that Jesus died and was resurrected to grant me salvation
(John 3:16)
Today, as I receive Him into my heart by faith, grant me grace,
not to go back to my old sinful ways (Proverbs 28:13)
Thank you Lord for saving me.
