Assurance in Christ: The Promise of Eternal Security
Summary
In Hebrews 6, we explore the profound promise of Jesus: "My sheep will never perish." This assurance leads us to two key conclusions. First, if someone is truly one of Christ's sheep, even if they wander, they will return, as exemplified by Peter. Second, if someone renounces their faith and never returns, it indicates they were never truly among Christ's sheep, as seen in Judas Iscariot. True faith is enduring, and perseverance is the evidence of genuine faith.
This raises an important question: Do we have to wait until the end of our lives to know if we are truly among Christ's sheep? If perseverance is the evidence of genuine faith, does that mean we live in fear, wondering if our faith will last? The answer is a resounding no. Assurance is the peace and joy of knowing that Jesus Christ is yours and you are His forever. It is not something to be attained at the end of life but to be experienced now.
Assurance is distinct from faith. Faith is knowing that Jesus saves; assurance is knowing that Jesus has saved you. It is the joy and peace of knowing you are one of Christ's sheep. Assurance can vary in degree among believers due to factors like temperament, experience, and the strength of one's faith. However, assurance is a gift to be enjoyed, and God desires for us to have full assurance now and until the end.
To grow in assurance, we must pursue a life that reflects our faith, believe in the promises of God, and trust in the anchor that holds us—Jesus Christ. Our works and love do not save us, but they provide evidence of our salvation, strengthening our assurance. The promise God made to Abraham, fulfilled in Jesus, assures us of God's unchanging purpose to bless us. Jesus is our anchor, securing us to heaven, and He holds us fast, ensuring our entrance into eternal life.
Key Takeaways:
- Assurance is the peace and joy of knowing that Jesus Christ is yours and you are His forever. It is distinct from faith, which is knowing that Jesus saves. Assurance is knowing that Jesus has saved you, providing peace and joy in that knowledge. [06:13]
- Assurance can vary in degree among believers due to factors like temperament, experience, and the strength of one's faith. However, it is a gift to be enjoyed, and God desires for us to have full assurance now and until the end. [08:30]
- To grow in assurance, we must pursue a life that reflects our faith. Our works and love do not save us, but they provide evidence of our salvation, strengthening our assurance. [17:23]
- The promise God made to Abraham, fulfilled in Jesus, assures us of God's unchanging purpose to bless us. Jesus is our anchor, securing us to heaven, and He holds us fast, ensuring our entrance into eternal life. [31:42]
- Jesus Christ is the anchor that holds us, ensuring our entrance into heaven. As we hold fast to Him in faith, we do so knowing that He holds fast to us, providing assurance and security in our salvation. [36:30]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to Hebrews 6
[00:33] - The Promise of Jesus
[01:07] - True Faith Lasts
[01:59] - The Question of Assurance
[03:29] - Understanding Assurance
[04:54] - Faith vs. Assurance
[07:53] - Degrees of Assurance
[11:28] - The Airplane Analogy
[15:20] - Growing in Assurance
[16:17] - A Life to Pursue
[24:18] - A Promise to Believe
[33:55] - An Anchor That Holds
[38:28] - Holding Fast to Jesus
[40:11] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 6:11-20
2. John 10:27-28
3. 1 John 2:3-6
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#### Observation Questions
1. According to Hebrews 6, what is the relationship between perseverance and genuine faith? How does this relate to the examples of Peter and Judas Iscariot? [01:07]
2. What does the sermon say about the difference between faith and assurance? How is assurance described in Hebrews 6? [06:13]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the varying degrees of assurance among believers? What factors contribute to these differences? [08:30]
4. What role do works and love play in strengthening our assurance, according to the sermon? [17:23]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise God made to Abraham, as discussed in the sermon, provide assurance to believers today? [31:42]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that assurance is a gift to be enjoyed now, rather than something to be attained at the end of life? [14:48]
3. How does the analogy of Jesus as an anchor in Hebrews 6 help us understand the security of our salvation? [36:30]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of pursuing a life that reflects our faith in growing our assurance? [19:32]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Do you experience assurance in your faith? What steps can you take to grow in this assurance? [15:20]
2. The sermon mentions that assurance can vary due to temperament and experience. How do these factors affect your personal assurance, and how can you address them? [08:30]
3. Consider the role of works and love in your life. How can you actively demonstrate your faith through actions that strengthen your assurance? [17:23]
4. How does the promise of God to bless us, as fulfilled in Jesus, impact your daily life and decisions? [31:42]
5. Jesus is described as the anchor that holds us. In what ways can you remind yourself of this truth during times of doubt or fear? [36:30]
6. Assurance is described as a gift to be enjoyed. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a sense of peace and joy in your relationship with Christ? [14:48]
7. Reflect on the distinguishing marks of genuine spiritual life mentioned in the sermon. Which of these marks do you see in your life, and how can you cultivate them further? [21:25]
Devotional
Day 1: Assurance as a Present Reality
Assurance is the peace and joy of knowing that Jesus Christ is yours and you are His forever. It is distinct from faith, which is knowing that Jesus saves. Assurance is knowing that Jesus has saved you, providing peace and joy in that knowledge. [06:13]
Hebrews 10:22-23 (ESV): "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."
Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of assurance in your daily walk with Christ, knowing that He has already saved you?
Day 2: The Gift of Assurance
Assurance can vary in degree among believers due to factors like temperament, experience, and the strength of one's faith. However, it is a gift to be enjoyed, and God desires for us to have full assurance now and until the end. [08:30]
Colossians 2:2 (ESV): "That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ."
Reflection: How can you encourage someone in your life who struggles with assurance, helping them to see it as a gift from God?
Day 3: Evidence of Salvation
To grow in assurance, we must pursue a life that reflects our faith. Our works and love do not save us, but they provide evidence of our salvation, strengthening our assurance. [17:23]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to demonstrate your faith and strengthen your assurance in Christ?
Day 4: The Promise Fulfilled in Jesus
The promise God made to Abraham, fulfilled in Jesus, assures us of God's unchanging purpose to bless us. Jesus is our anchor, securing us to heaven, and He holds us fast, ensuring our entrance into eternal life. [31:42]
Hebrews 6:17-19 (ESV): "So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain."
Reflection: How does the fulfillment of God's promise in Jesus provide you with hope and security in your spiritual journey today?
Day 5: Holding Fast to Jesus
Jesus Christ is the anchor that holds us, ensuring our entrance into heaven. As we hold fast to Him in faith, we do so knowing that He holds fast to us, providing assurance and security in our salvation. [36:30]
2 Timothy 1:12 (ESV): "Which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to hold fast to Jesus more firmly, trusting in His ability to secure your salvation?
Quotes
Assurance is very simply the peace and joy that comes from knowing that Jesus Christ is yours and you are his forever, and notice how in verse 11 the writer to the Hebrews raises the subject. It's the inevitable subject that arises from what we've been looking at over these last weeks. [00:04:50]
Faith is knowing that Jesus Saves; assurance is knowing that Jesus has saved you. It is the peace and the joy of knowing that you are indeed one of Christ's sheep and therefore having peace and joy in that knowledge that is yours in him. [00:06:00]
There are people who would say, and I've had conversations with folks in this position in the church, they would say, I believe that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that if I was one of his sheep, I would be safe forever, but I'm really at this point still not sure if I'm one of his sheep or not. [00:06:31]
Christians may then have assurance in varying degrees. Notice how in verse 11 the writer here speaks about full assurance. He says we desire this for each of you, for every person in the congregation. The writer is saying my desire is that you would have full assurance. [00:07:49]
There are many factors that play into the degree of assurance that a Christian believer may have at different periods in their own life. Temperament is one of these factors. You know, there are some folks who find it really difficult to be sure about anything. [00:08:36]
Assurance is a gift to be enjoyed. Now we ask the question, because perseverance is a mark of faith, does that mean that I need to wait to the end of my life to know if I'm a real Christian or not? Answer to that question: absolutely not. [00:14:17]
God does not want you to live in constant doubt over your spiritual position. He doesn't want you to wait till the end of your life to have the peace of joy and joy of knowing that you really belong to him. He wants you to have this full assurance now. [00:14:49]
To grow in assurance, how do I come to know more of the peace and joy that comes from confidence that I really belong to Christ and that I am his forever? Let me offer to you then today from this passage three ways in which you can grow in assurance. [00:15:31]
Christian, your work and your love play absolutely no part whatsoever in making you right with God, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, and it is not of works so that no one should boast. [00:16:16]
The promise that is being referred to here was not only for Abraham; it was also for us. It was for, verse 17, the heirs of the promise, the ones who inherit the promise, the nations who come to know the blessing of God in and through Jesus Christ. [00:25:47]
Jesus Christ is the oath. Jesus Christ fulfilled the oath. Jesus Christ is the guarantee of the very promises of God. It is in him that we become sure of the very word of God that was spoken in the promise to Abraham. [00:31:51]
We are called to hold fast in faith to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to keep our eyes fixed on him. And then immediately the writer to the Hebrews goes on, but I want you to remember something else: that while you hold on to Jesus Christ, here's an even greater truth: that Jesus Christ is the anchor, and he holds on to you. [00:36:30]
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