True Assurance: Faith, Obedience, and God's Transforming Power

Many people wrestle with doubts about their salvation, wondering if they truly belong to Christ. This is a common struggle, and it’s important to address it honestly. The apostle John, often called the Apostle of Love, gives us clear instruction: true confidence and joy in the Christian life come through surrender and obedience to Christ. It is not enough to simply check religious boxes, attend church, or have a spiritual resume. The only foundation for assurance is the finished work of Christ—His atoning death and resurrection—and our response of repentance and faith.

Obedience is not an optional add-on to faith; it is the natural outflow of a heart transformed by God’s Spirit. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Saving faith always produces a changed life, not perfectly, but genuinely. If someone claims to know Christ but lives in persistent, unrepentant sin, Scripture warns that such a profession is empty. The new birth is not the result of rituals or church practices, but of Holy Spirit conviction that leads to repentance and a new heart.

Our hope is not in our own efforts, but in the resurrection power of Jesus. Through Him, we are born again to a living hope and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and kept in heaven for us. This hope is guarded by God’s power, and the evidence of it is seen in a life that is being transformed—one that hates sin, seeks holiness, and desires to follow Jesus. When we stumble, we confess and receive forgiveness, trusting that God is at work to complete what He began in us.

Christian identity—our “being”—is God’s doing. He calls us His children now, even as we await the full completion of His work in us. Christian “doing”—our obedience and pursuit of righteousness—confirms that we truly belong to Him. This is not about moralism or self-improvement, but about the life of Christ being lived in and through us by the Holy Spirit. The victory is already won; Christ has destroyed the works of the devil, and God’s seed abides in us, empowering us to persevere.

Our confidence is not in our performance, but in Christ’s finished work and the ongoing presence of His Spirit. When we doubt, we look not to our religious history, but to the cross and the resurrection, and we surrender afresh. The inheritance is secure, and God will keep us to the end.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Obedience is the Fruit of True Faith Genuine faith in Christ always produces a desire to obey Him. Obedience is not a means of earning salvation, but the evidence that we have been born again. If there is no transformation, no hatred of sin, and no pursuit of holiness, it is a warning sign to examine whether we truly know Christ. [04:40]
• 2. Religious Rituals Cannot Replace Surrender No amount of church attendance, baptism, or religious activity can substitute for a heart surrendered to Jesus. The only value before God is the atoning work of Christ, received by repentance and faith. Our spiritual resumes are worthless; what matters is whether we have truly repented and believed. [07:30]
• 3. Joy and Confidence Come Through Walking in the Light Many Christians lack joy because they are content with nominal faith, going through the motions without real surrender. Joy and assurance are found in walking in the light—confessing sin, abiding in Christ, and living in fellowship with God and His people. When we practice the truth, the Spirit bears witness to our hearts. [14:07]
• 4. Christian Identity is God’s Work, Not Ours Being a child of God is entirely the result of God’s love and initiative. He planned, accomplished, and applies salvation to us. Our identity is secure not because of our efforts, but because of His grace. Even as we struggle with sin, we look forward to the day when we will be made like Christ, knowing that God will complete what He began. [22:06]
• 5. God’s Spirit Empowers Perseverance and Transformation The ability to live a righteous life does not come from our own strength, but from God’s Spirit abiding in us. The “seed” of God within us changes our nature, making it impossible to remain comfortable in sin. When we stray, God disciplines and restores us, ensuring that we will persevere to the end and receive the inheritance kept for us.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - The Types of Calls Pastors Receive
• [03:05] - Joy Through Surrender and Obedience
• [04:40] - Spurgeon on Obedience and Assurance
• [06:22] - The Danger of Unrepentant Sin
• [09:45] - The Power of the Resurrection
• [11:26] - Confidence and Assurance in Christ
• [13:06] - Walking in the Light
• [16:37] - Abiding in Christ for Confidence
• [18:32] - Practicing Righteousness by the Spirit
• [20:20] - Three Points from 1 John 3:1-10
• [22:06] - The Love of God and Our Identity
• [25:14] - The Need for Holiness and Hatred of Sin
• [27:13] - Joy in Following Jesus, Not Religion
• [30:12] - The Defeat of the Devil and the Christian’s Struggle
• [34:00] - God’s Seed Abides in Us
• [35:35] - Our Imperishable Inheritance
• [36:44] - Perseverance and God’s Faithfulness

Bible Reading

1 John 3:1-10 (ESV) — 1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 Peter 1:3-5 (ESV) — 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 John 3:1-2, what does it mean to be called a child of God, and what future hope is described for believers?
2. In 1 John 3:6-10, what is the difference between someone who abides in Christ and someone who “makes a practice of sinning”?
3. What does 1 Peter 1:3-5 say about the source and security of our hope as Christians?
4. The sermon says, “Obedience is not an optional add-on to faith; it is the natural outflow of a heart transformed by God’s Spirit.” What examples from the passage or sermon show this connection? [04:40]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says that “Christian identity—our ‘being’—is God’s doing.” How does this truth affect the way a believer views their relationship with God, especially when struggling with sin? [22:06]
2. Why does John warn so strongly against “making a practice of sinning”? What does it reveal about someone’s heart and spiritual condition? [06:22]
3. The pastor said, “If there is no transformation, no hatred of sin, and no pursuit of holiness, it is a warning sign to examine whether we truly know Christ.” How can someone honestly evaluate their own life in light of this? [04:40]
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between religious rituals and true surrender to Christ? Why can’t church attendance or a “spiritual resume” give us assurance? [07:30]

Application Questions

1. The sermon mentioned that many people wrestle with doubts about their salvation. Have you ever experienced this kind of doubt? What triggered it, and how did you respond? [01:55]
2. The pastor said, “Obedience is not a means of earning salvation, but the evidence that we have been born again.” In what areas of your life do you see obedience as a response to God’s love, and where do you struggle to obey? [04:40]
3. Is there a sin or habit in your life that you have been “hugging in secret” or refusing to let go of? What would it look like to bring this into the light and surrender it to Jesus? [06:22]
4. The sermon emphasized that “joy and assurance are found in walking in the light—confessing sin, abiding in Christ, and living in fellowship with God and His people.” What practical steps can you take this week to walk in the light? [14:07]
5. The pastor said, “Our confidence is not in our performance, but in Christ’s finished work and the ongoing presence of His Spirit.” When you feel insecure about your faith, where do you tend to look for reassurance—your own efforts, or Christ’s work? How can you shift your focus? [17:23]
6. The message said, “If there’s no fruit, you’d better check the root.” What kind of spiritual fruit do you see in your life right now? Are there areas where you want to see more growth? [31:04]
7. The sermon talked about God’s Spirit empowering us to persevere and change. Can you share a time when you experienced God’s help to overcome a sin or grow in holiness? How did that change your confidence in Him? [34:00]