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Come And See |
BLESSED ASSURANCE The Bible constantly reminds the Christian of the faithfulness of God in keeping His promises, and the hope that we have through that blessed assurance. We are to take a great deal of encouragment from the inner peace that is granted to those who will keep His commandments. Paul wrote to Timothy with these words, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (II Tim. 1:7). This sense of assurance can only be granted to those who are God’s faithful children. OTHER PASSAGES ABOUT OUR ASSURANCE Many inspired writers have spoken of the assurance of the Christian. Again when Paul addressed Timothy, he said, “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (II Tim1:12). We need to have a daily assurance that continues to put full trusting faith in the “One” who is able to do all things. Paul also penned in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When we think about the greatest assurance man could ever have, it would certainly deal with an eternal salvation and rest. John wrote to those in the faith, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” IS THIS ASSURANCE CONDITIONAL? While these passages give us great comfort, there are conditions to this assurance becoming a reality. For an example, look at what Paul said in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” What is the condition? We need to love God, then we have the assurance of all things working together for good. John once reminded the brethren, “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (I John 2:5). What was the condition that John said needed to take place before one could say that the love of God is perfected in Him? That one would keep the word of God. So many people today like to focus on the blessings in a passage and overlook the stipulations that God has made for man to obtain them. Even after we show our love for God in our initial obedience to the word, we must still be faithful in order to have a continued assurance. The writer of Hebrews said it well, when stating, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:11-12). These brethren had shown a beginning faith in obeying the truth, but now needed to hang on to that assurance through faithfulness. John, after mentioning the promise of eternal life said, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (I John 5:13). Not only did John want his readers to know they had eternal life, but that they needed to continue to believe in Jesus Christ. Those who teach that once you believe, you can never fall away, are teaching error. When one fails to continue demonstrating that they have faith in the Son of God, they have forfeited their hope and assurance for eternal life. See also Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 4:1-6, 11; Galatians 5:4. It is important to notice then, that we need to make sure we are keeping God’s commands, and continuing in His promises. It is recorded in Jude 21, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” Do you have that blessed assurance? -HEAR John 12:48 -BELIEVE John 8:24 -REPENT Luke 13:3, 5 -CONFESS Matthew 10:32-33 -BAPTIZED Mark 16:16 -FAITHFUL Matthew 24:13 If we can assist you in obeying the Lord, please contact us… |
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