Trusting God: Dying in Faith and Assurance
Summary
In our journey through life, we are often confronted with the inevitability of death. While we may evade taxes, death remains unavoidable. The real questions that haunt us are not if we will die, but when and how. The Scriptures, however, shift the focus from the physical aspects of death to the spiritual state of our souls at the moment of passing. The critical question is whether we will die in faith or in our sins. This distinction is not about the absence of sin, as we are all sinners, but about whether we have reconciled with God before our time comes.
Reflecting on personal stories, such as my mother's peaceful passing and my father's struggle with illness, we see the importance of dying in faith. My father's last words, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," echo the Apostle Paul's words to Timothy. These words signify a life lived in trust and hope in God, even amidst suffering and uncertainty.
Faith, often misunderstood as mere belief, is fundamentally about trust. Trusting God means relying on His promises, even when life is challenging. The Christian journey is not a sprint but a marathon, requiring endurance and perseverance. It's about fighting the good fight, not in a belligerent way, but in a way that honors God through our struggles and trials.
As we face the reality of death, we must also consider the assurance of salvation. Can we be certain of our eternal destination? Assurance is not about arrogance but about trusting in God's promises. Doubts may arise, especially in times of suffering, but they should lead us to deeper trust and reliance on God.
Key Takeaways:
- The inevitability of death prompts us to consider the state of our souls. The Scriptures emphasize the importance of dying in faith, which means having reconciled with God and trusting in His promises. This is not about being sinless but about having a relationship with God. [10:43]
- Personal stories of loved ones' deaths highlight the significance of dying in faith. My father's last words, echoing the Apostle Paul, remind us of the importance of living a life of trust and hope in God, even amidst suffering. [19:49]
- Faith is fundamentally about trust. It's not just believing in God's existence but trusting Him with our lives and futures. This trust is crucial, especially when facing life's challenges and uncertainties. [26:12]
- The Christian journey is a marathon, requiring endurance and perseverance. It's about fighting the good fight and finishing the race, trusting in God's promises even when life is difficult. [28:11]
- Assurance of salvation is not about arrogance but about trusting in God's promises. Doubts may arise, especially in times of suffering, but they should lead us to deeper trust and reliance on God. Discussing these doubts with others can provide mutual encouragement and strengthen our faith. [35:25]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:35] - The Inevitability of Death
[01:24] - Uncertainty of When and How
[02:49] - The State of Our Souls
[03:37] - A Mother's Peaceful Passing
[04:10] - Stories of Faithful Departures
[05:27] - Dying in Faith
[07:00] - Dinner with Billy Graham
[09:19] - The Importance of Settling with God
[10:43] - Dying in Sin vs. Dying in Faith
[13:57] - A Father's Last Words
[19:49] - Learning to Die in Faith
[24:15] - Understanding Faith and Trust
[26:46] - Fighting the Good Fight
[28:11] - The Marathon of Faith
[30:08] - Assurance of Salvation
[33:57] - Doubts and Assurance
[36:09] - Encouragement in Faith
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 - "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
2. Hebrews 11:13 - "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth."
3. John 8:24 - "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the phrase "fought the good fight" mean in the context of 2 Timothy 4:6-7, and how does it relate to the sermon’s message about enduring faith? [26:12]
2. How does the sermon illustrate the difference between dying in faith and dying in sin, and what personal stories were shared to highlight this distinction? [10:43]
3. In Hebrews 11:13, what does it mean for people to live by faith and not receive the things promised? How does this relate to the idea of trust discussed in the sermon? [07:00]
4. According to John 8:24, what is the consequence of not believing in Jesus, and how does this tie into the sermon’s emphasis on reconciling with God before death? [10:43]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret the concept of "fighting the good fight" in a way that honors God, especially in the face of life's challenges and uncertainties? [26:12]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the role of personal stories and experiences in understanding the importance of dying in faith? How do these stories impact our perception of faith and trust? [19:49]
3. How does the sermon address the issue of assurance of salvation, and what are the implications of having or lacking this assurance in one's spiritual journey? [30:08]
4. In what ways does the sermon encourage believers to view their Christian journey as a marathon rather than a sprint, and what practical steps are suggested for maintaining endurance and perseverance? [28:11]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge. How did your faith influence your response, and what steps can you take to strengthen your trust in God during future trials? [26:12]
2. Consider the personal stories shared in the sermon. How do these stories inspire you to live a life of faith, and what specific actions can you take to ensure you are reconciled with God? [19:49]
3. How do you currently perceive the assurance of your salvation? What doubts or questions do you have, and how can you address them in a way that deepens your trust in God's promises? [30:08]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel you are "fighting the good fight." How can you approach this struggle in a way that honors God and reflects your faith? [26:12]
5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of enduring faith. What practical steps can you take to view your spiritual journey as a marathon, and how can you encourage others in your community to do the same? [28:11]
6. Reflect on the concept of dying in faith versus dying in sin. What changes can you make in your daily life to ensure you are living in a way that aligns with your faith and trust in God? [10:43]
7. How can you support others in your community who may be struggling with doubts about their faith or assurance of salvation? What role can you play in providing encouragement and mutual support? [35:25]
Devotional
Day 1: The State of Our Souls at Death
The inevitability of death prompts us to consider the state of our souls. The Scriptures emphasize the importance of dying in faith, which means having reconciled with God and trusting in His promises. This is not about being sinless but about having a relationship with God. The focus is not on the physical aspects of death but on the spiritual state of our souls at the moment of passing. The critical question is whether we will die in faith or in our sins. This distinction is not about the absence of sin, as we are all sinners, but about whether we have reconciled with God before our time comes. [10:43]
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)
Reflection: What steps can you take today to ensure that your relationship with God is reconciled and strong?
Day 2: The Significance of Dying in Faith
Personal stories of loved ones' deaths highlight the significance of dying in faith. The speaker's father's last words, echoing the Apostle Paul, remind us of the importance of living a life of trust and hope in God, even amidst suffering. These words signify a life lived in trust and hope in God, even amidst suffering and uncertainty. The Christian journey is not a sprint but a marathon, requiring endurance and perseverance. It's about fighting the good fight, not in a belligerent way, but in a way that honors God through our struggles and trials. [19:49]
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you faced a significant challenge. How did your faith in God help you endure and persevere through that situation?
Day 3: Trusting God in Life's Challenges
Faith is fundamentally about trust. It's not just believing in God's existence but trusting Him with our lives and futures. This trust is crucial, especially when facing life's challenges and uncertainties. Trusting God means relying on His promises, even when life is challenging. The Christian journey requires endurance and perseverance, and it's about fighting the good fight and finishing the race, trusting in God's promises even when life is difficult. [26:12]
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a current challenge in your life. How can you actively choose to trust God with this situation today?
Day 4: The Marathon of Faith
The Christian journey is a marathon, requiring endurance and perseverance. It's about fighting the good fight and finishing the race, trusting in God's promises even when life is difficult. Assurance of salvation is not about arrogance but about trusting in God's promises. Doubts may arise, especially in times of suffering, but they should lead us to deeper trust and reliance on God. Discussing these doubts with others can provide mutual encouragement and strengthen our faith. [28:11]
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)
Reflection: What are some "weights" or distractions in your life that hinder your spiritual race? How can you begin to lay them aside?
Day 5: Assurance and Trust in God's Promises
Assurance of salvation is not about arrogance but about trusting in God's promises. Doubts may arise, especially in times of suffering, but they should lead us to deeper trust and reliance on God. Discussing these doubts with others can provide mutual encouragement and strengthen our faith. Assurance is about trusting in God's promises and having confidence in our eternal destination. [35:25]
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a doubt or fear you have about your faith. Who can you talk to this week to gain encouragement and strengthen your trust in God's promises?
Quotes
It's a cliché in our culture and in our language that there are two things that we cannot avoid and they are death and taxes, but I think all of us know certain people who have been clever enough or astute enough or crooked enough to avoid or evade taxes. But none of us has been able to find a method yet to evade death. [00:00:00]
But even if we recover and are stamped with a complete bill of health five years, ten years, fifteen years down the road that does not mean that we're going to escape death. It's just that we still don't know when and we don't know how. But I notice when I read the Scriptures that when the Scriptures talk about the "how" question of death it's not so much concerned about whether or not I will die through a heart attack or by an accident or by a gunshot wound or by cancer or some other disease, but rather what the Scriptures are most interested in terms of the how question of our death is what will the state of our souls be when we pass from this plain. [00:02:30]
He said, "It's my prayer that when Jack Par's time comes, that he will die in faith." Just this past Sunday they had a litany in the newspaper in which they recorded the last words of famous people. I've already told you my mother's last words, "This is the happiest day of my life." And those are words that I remember with great joy and confidence. It's not the same way with my father's last words. [00:13:36]
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." Now, friends, I had no idea where those words came from. I had no idea what their Biblical and theological meaning was about. But as uninitiated in religion as I was at that point in my life, now I'm seventeen when this is going on and he's saying those words to me, I understood exactly what my dad was saying. [00:18:17]
Faith is a word that has become so cheap in our culture. It's almost become a word that conjures up magic and superstition. But the simplest meaning of the word "faith" in New Testament language is the word "trust." This brings us full circle, doesn't it? It's one thing to believe in God, another thing to believe God. It's one thing to trust that there is a God; it's another thing to trust God for whatever is and for whatever happens, and what happens to me. [00:25:24]
He says, "I fought the good fight." Usually Christians think about fighting as something evil that Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." We're called to be people who are docile, who are meek, who are humble, not who are belligerent, and bellicose, people who are contentious and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. But there are certain struggles to which we are called, and when we get serious illness, God is honored when we fight it tooth and nail, when we fight it as hard as we possibly can fight it. [00:26:24]
And the race of which the apostles speak is not a hundred-yard dash; it's a marathon. It's the kind of race that requires that extra courage to keep going when you don't feel like you have any strength. You know the thing that Judy Griese said to me in Miami was, she said, "RC I can't take any more." And I thought about when I joined Weight Watchers that they have this little hokey little thing that they do when you join this organization, at least in Florida, they give you a soda straw. [00:28:11]
I want to die trusting God. I want to die without abandoning hope in Him. The New Testament tells us that the just shall live by faith, and it also tells us that the just shall die in faith. When we speak of death we also have to speak of the other side. The oldest question of all is the question, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" Is there really any reason to expect that beyond the grave there is life? [00:29:31]
But the real question concerns the state of our own faith. Have you ever wondered whether the faith that you possess or you profess is genuine? I know that there have been times where I have been stricken, indeed smitten, by a sudden fear that my own faith is so superficial that it's actually spurious; it's fraudulent; it's not the real thing. In fact, when I look at some of the things I do I say how in the world can a person's faith behave like that. [00:33:08]
Do you ever feel a void of a personal assurance? Are there times in your life when you're really not sure how your life is going to turn out ultimately? Discuss it openly among yourselves. Or has there ever been a time in your life where you did have a sense of assurance about your future destination? Do you think it's possible for a person to know now what their state will be later on? [00:34:56]
Discuss those together and I hope not to stimulate argument but so that you begin to see that you're not alone in the questions that you experience and the doubts that assail you. And I'm hoping that what will come out of this is a sense of mutual encouragement among those with whom you are studying at the moment. [00:36:01]
And I notice the way that the apostle brings all these words together. He says, "I fought the good fight." Usually Christians think about fighting as something evil that Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." We're called to be people who are docile, who are meek, who are humble, not who are belligerent, and bellicose, people who are contentious and ready to fight at the drop of a hat. [00:26:24]
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