Assurance of Salvation: Confidence in God's Promise
Summary
### Summary
In our journey of faith, one of the most crucial aspects is the assurance of salvation. This assurance means knowing without a doubt that you are a child of God. Too often, believers struggle with doubts about their salvation, which can hinder their spiritual growth and effectiveness. Drawing from Adrian Rogers' book, "What Every Christian Ought to Know," we explored the biblical foundation for this assurance, focusing on 1 John 5:11-13. This passage emphasizes that eternal life is a gift from God through His Son, and those who believe in Jesus can know they have eternal life.
We discussed how assurance of salvation is not based on feelings or emotions but on the truth of God's Word. Just as a transcript from college verifies the courses completed, the Bible provides the evidence of our salvation. When we are confident in our salvation, we do not fear death but look forward to being in the presence of the Lord. This confidence allows us to live boldly and effectively for Christ.
We also examined the reasons why some believers doubt their salvation. Doubt is like pain in the body, indicating that something is not right. Often, doubt arises from sin or a lack of understanding of God's grace. Salvation is entirely the work of God, not based on our efforts or merits. Understanding this helps us to rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure in Him.
Furthermore, we identified three birthmarks of a true believer: the commandment birthmark, the companion birthmark, and the confidence birthmark. The commandment birthmark involves obeying God's Word, the companion birthmark is loving fellow believers, and the confidence birthmark is having a steadfast trust in Jesus. These evidences help us to know that we are truly saved and belong to God.
### Key Takeaways
1. Assurance of Salvation: Assurance of salvation means knowing without a doubt that you are a child of God. This assurance is not based on feelings but on the truth of God's Word. When we are confident in our salvation, we do not fear death but look forward to being in the presence of the Lord. This confidence allows us to live boldly and effectively for Christ. [02:13]
2. Doubt and Its Causes: Doubt in our salvation is like pain in the body, indicating that something is not right. Often, doubt arises from sin or a lack of understanding of God's grace. Salvation is entirely the work of God, not based on our efforts or merits. Understanding this helps us to rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure in Him. [09:27]
3. Commandment Birthmark: One evidence of true salvation is the commandment birthmark, which involves obeying God's Word. True followers of Jesus obey His commandments, not perfectly but purposely. If disobeying God's commandments bothers you, it is a sign that you are a true child of God. [14:29]
4. Companion Birthmark: Another evidence of true salvation is the companion birthmark, which involves loving fellow believers. We show the world that we follow Jesus by our love for each other. This companionship with other believers and with God is a true evidence that we are children of God. [17:00]
5. Confidence Birthmark: The confidence birthmark is having a steadfast trust in Jesus and what He has done. Our confidence is in who Jesus is and not in ourselves. The Holy Spirit living in us gives us this confidence and assurance that we are truly His children. [19:33]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:47] - Introduction to the Series
[01:40] - Assurance of Salvation
[02:13] - Understanding Assurance
[02:54] - Visual Aid: College Transcript
[04:37] - The Role of Education and Faith
[05:35] - Confidence in Salvation
[06:13] - Importance of the Word
[06:47] - To Doubt or Not to Doubt
[07:20] - 1 John 5:11-13
[07:54] - Knowing You Have Eternal Life
[08:38] - Shouting vs. Doubting Christian
[09:27] - Doubt and Its Causes
[10:02] - Ineffectiveness of Doubt
[10:37] - Salvation is 100% God
[11:42] - Grace and Faith
[13:05] - Evidence of True Believers
[13:36] - Commandment Birthmark
[16:22] - Companion Birthmark
[19:00] - Confidence Birthmark
[20:52] - Walking in Assurance
[21:29] - Addressing Doubts
[22:47] - Invitation to Salvation
[23:20] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 John 5:11-13
2. 1 John 2:3-6
3. 1 John 3:14-16
#### Observation Questions
1. According to 1 John 5:11-13, what is the source of eternal life? How can believers be assured of their salvation? [07:20]
2. What does 1 John 2:3-6 say about the relationship between knowing God and keeping His commandments? [13:36]
3. In 1 John 3:14-16, what is the evidence that we have passed from death to life? How is this evidence demonstrated? [16:22]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the assurance of salvation, as described in 1 John 5:11-13, impact a believer's confidence in facing death? [05:35]
2. What does it mean to have the "commandment birthmark" according to 1 John 2:3-6? How does this birthmark serve as evidence of true salvation? [14:29]
3. How does loving fellow believers, as described in 1 John 3:14-16, serve as a "companion birthmark" of true salvation? What practical ways can this love be shown in a church community? [17:00]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you doubted your salvation. What was the cause of your doubt, and how did you address it? How can understanding 1 John 5:11-13 help you overcome future doubts? [07:54]
2. The sermon mentioned that assurance of salvation is not based on feelings but on the truth of God's Word. How can you ensure that your confidence in salvation is rooted in Scripture rather than emotions? [06:13]
3. The "commandment birthmark" involves obeying God's Word. Identify one area in your life where you struggle to obey God's commandments. What steps can you take to improve in this area? [14:29]
4. The "companion birthmark" is about loving fellow believers. Think of a specific person in your church community who you find difficult to love. What practical actions can you take to show love to this person? [17:00]
5. The "confidence birthmark" is having a steadfast trust in Jesus. How can you cultivate a deeper trust in Jesus in your daily life? What specific practices can help you grow in this area? [19:33]
6. The sermon mentioned that doubt in our salvation is like pain in the body, indicating something is not right. What are some spiritual "pains" you have experienced, and how did you address them? [09:27]
7. How can you encourage others in your small group or church who may be struggling with doubts about their salvation? What specific actions or words can you offer to support them? [22:01]
Devotional
Day 1: Assurance of Salvation: Confidence in God's Promise
Description: Assurance of salvation means knowing without a doubt that you are a child of God. This assurance is not based on feelings but on the truth of God's Word. When we are confident in our salvation, we do not fear death but look forward to being in the presence of the Lord. This confidence allows us to live boldly and effectively for Christ. The Bible provides the evidence of our salvation, much like a college transcript verifies completed courses. This assurance is rooted in the promises of God, as stated in 1 John 5:11-13, which emphasizes that eternal life is a gift from God through His Son, and those who believe in Jesus can know they have eternal life. [02:13]
1 John 5:11-13 (ESV): "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life."
Reflection: Think about a time when you doubted your salvation. What specific promises from God's Word can you hold onto to reaffirm your assurance in Him today?
Day 2: Doubt and Its Causes: Recognizing and Addressing Spiritual Pain
Description: Doubt in our salvation is like pain in the body, indicating that something is not right. Often, doubt arises from sin or a lack of understanding of God's grace. Salvation is entirely the work of God, not based on our efforts or merits. Understanding this helps us to rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure in Him. When we recognize the root causes of our doubt, we can address them through repentance and a deeper understanding of God's grace. This understanding allows us to rest in the assurance that our salvation is secure in Him. [09:27]
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have been relying on your own efforts rather than God's grace. How can you shift your focus to trust in God's work instead of your own?
Day 3: Commandment Birthmark: Obedience as Evidence of Faith
Description: One evidence of true salvation is the commandment birthmark, which involves obeying God's Word. True followers of Jesus obey His commandments, not perfectly but purposely. If disobeying God's commandments bothers you, it is a sign that you are a true child of God. This obedience is not about legalism but about a heartfelt desire to follow God's will. It reflects a transformed life that seeks to honor God in all things. [14:29]
John 14:21 (ESV): "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."
Reflection: Reflect on a specific commandment of God that you find challenging to obey. What steps can you take today to align your actions with God's Word in this area?
Day 4: Companion Birthmark: Loving Fellow Believers
Description: Another evidence of true salvation is the companion birthmark, which involves loving fellow believers. We show the world that we follow Jesus by our love for each other. This companionship with other believers and with God is a true evidence that we are children of God. Loving others is a tangible expression of our faith and a reflection of God's love in us. It is through this love that we build a strong, supportive community that mirrors the love of Christ. [17:00]
1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: Think of a fellow believer you have struggled to love. How can you show them Christ-like love and build a stronger relationship with them today?
Day 5: Confidence Birthmark: Trusting in Jesus Alone
Description: The confidence birthmark is having a steadfast trust in Jesus and what He has done. Our confidence is in who Jesus is and not in ourselves. The Holy Spirit living in us gives us this confidence and assurance that we are truly His children. This confidence allows us to live boldly for Christ, knowing that our salvation is secure in Him. It is a trust that transcends our circumstances and is rooted in the unchanging nature of God. [19:33]
Hebrews 10:22 (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."
Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you struggle to trust Jesus fully. What practical steps can you take today to deepen your trust in Him and rely on His strength?
Quotes
1. "If you'll lean into this and try to grasp some of the things we're going to talk about the next few weeks, it literally could change the rest of your life, okay? Tonight, if you have your Bible, you can read it. The Bible's turned to 1 John chapter 5. And while you're doing that, I'm going to give y'all some airheads. And I must do that because I didn't want to take away from what we're doing." [01:40] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When you are confident in your salvation, and when you feel, when you don't base your salvation off of feelings, you base it off of what the Word of God says, there's doors that will open that won't open if you're constantly doubting your salvation or constantly worried that you might not be saved. You're constantly fearing death, because if you look at me, if you know you're saved and you are confident in that, you're sure of that, you don't fear death." [05:35] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When I was your age, I worried about my salvation all the time. I fretted all the time. Oh, I wonder if I really didn't mean it. Oh, I didn't pray the certain right way. Because I was shallow in my walk with God, because I wasn't in the Word like I should have been. Why do you think we get up here and say, read the Word? Why do you think we teach? And Sunday school, read the Word, get in the Word, spend time with the Lord, pray, get in the Word, because that's how you develop. That's how you grow and be sure of your salvation." [06:13] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You can know without a doubt that you're a child of God. It's definitely possible for you to live your life without any doubt. Without any doubts, without any questions. But it ain't easy and it doesn't always happen overnight. Okay? So in this book that I've been reading and I've read several times, Dr. Rogers says this. It's much better to be a shouting Christian than a doubting Christian. He says, we ought not walk around like a question mark with our heads bent over, but like an exclamation mark with our, he didn't say this part, with our chest out." [07:54] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Another way to have assurance of salvation is to have a complete understanding that salvation is 100. Everybody say 100. 100. 100% God, not you. 100% God and not you. For by grace. Look at that. Yeah, there it is. The gray box. For by grace. Say grace. You have been saved through faith. Say faith. This is not your own doing. It is a gift of God, not a result of works that no one may boast." [11:03] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "If you're a Christian, you need to walk like Jesus, talk like Jesus, act like Jesus, and then you will be evidently, you can be assured of you're a Christian. If you're a Christian, disobeying his commandments bother you. They frustrate you. They hurt you literally, physically, emotionally, spiritually hurt your insides. Guys, I can't take me time. I've done something so stupid. I've said something so ignorant, and as it comes out of my mouth, or as I've done it, I thought, oh, and the Holy Spirit says, you sinned. like, oh, God, I'm sorry, and it breaks your heart. It bothers you." [15:16] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We should love being together as the church, the bride, and the body of Christ. We should love... It blows my mind. I'm sitting in my office today thinking about this, and I'm like, Lord, I get so irritated, and I don't want to, with students that just come up with any cockamamie excuse not to be at church. I'm like, whoa, what's going on? Why can't they just want to be here? And I'm not talking about y'all because y'all are here, okay? But then the Lord just says, hey, it ain't always their fault. It's a lot of times... Thank you for that." [17:46] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Our confidence is in who he is and what he has done. And his spirit that lives in us gives us confidence and assurance that we truly are his child. I met with an eight-year-old. I met with an eight-year-old girl at 545 tonight. And me and Andrew and her mom. And she was asking a lot of questions about it. So the mom said, hey, can we talk? So we sat in there and talked. And I love that, by the way. And her eyes were big. And I know her, but not real well. So she's like, oh, this big fat guy that's in front of me asking me questions. But it was just so cool to talk to her." [20:18] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Doubting your salvation is almost like slapping Jesus in the face. It really is. It really is. And I know you would never do that. So stop doubting your salvation. Be assured in what Christ has done for you and in your life right now. In your belief right now. In your walk right now that you are a child of God. But listen to me. I'd be an idiot to believe that everyone in here has said yes to Jesus, has asked for forgiveness, and has accepted this free gift of salvation." [22:01] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "If you're struggling with your assurance, listen, stop struggling. Stop doubting. Trust in Him. Look at the birthmarks we gave. Be assured that it's not based off anything you've done. It's all 100% God that saves. And it's all, next week we're talking about a God who keeps you saved. Eternal security. Good stuff." [23:20] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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