Blessed Assurance?

Blessed Assurance?

Theme: Testing whether you’re in the faith.

INTRODUCTION

A. The age old question many professing Christianity is: how do I know whether I am truly saved?

1. Some ask this question seeking assurance while their lives reflect the ways of the world.

2. Some ask this question while they serve the Lord but fail to learn the confidence in the grace of

God.

B. Sometimes confusion exists because of a number of factors:

1. One is the way people are taught to be saved.

2. Another is a false message of assurance that contradicts the very fundamentals of one’s faith.

I. THE SHALLOW PREACHING THAT TAKES AWAY OUR ASSURANCE

A. Watered down by soft preaching.

1. Feel good religion; do not point out the sins of the flesh.

2. Stay away from sermons that demand the withdrawal of wayward Christians.

B. Dragged down by false preaching.

1. Just receive Jesus into your heart, say sinner’s prayer, etc.

2. Once saved always saved.

C. Kept down by a lack of preaching.

1. Stories told, entertainment, social gatherings.

2. Teaching that conforms to society’s views.

D. Believing the lie: many who have become Christians fool themselves. Cp. 2 Thess. 2:9-12

1. We look like Christians, we smell like Christians, we act like Christians.

2. The fact may be, however, that we do not live like Christians. Rom. 6:17; Phil. 2:12

3. We lie if we say we have fellowship with God but do not walk with God. Cp. 1 Jn. 1:6

II. TEST YOURSELF WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE FAITH

A. Have you come to selflessly love the God you selfishly hated? Matt. 22:37

1. How much time is devoted to God vs. selfishly to the things of this world?

2. How much energy is spent with this time “devoted to God”?

B. Have you come to hate the very sin you died to? Rom. 6:2

1. Are you numb to the things and ways of this world or has it (sin) become as refuse to you?

2. Is sin to you like the germs we disinfect or scrub off our bodies?

C. Have you come to a realization that you were graciously saved to help others be graciously saved?

1. It is through the power of our God and His gospel message – not in watered down messages – that

we have been saved. 1 Cor. 1:22-24

2. Has the Great Commission become a sacrificial part of your life:

a. Sacrificing your life to the spreading of His message of salvation.

b. Or sacrificing your financial riches so that others can sacrifice their lives for this cause.

D. When we walk in the light of our Lord we have a blessed assurance of our salvation.

1. There is a confidence in the Lord to provide His salvation to those who seek Him each day.

2. There is a peace and comfort this world will never be able to understand or experience.

CONCLUSION

A. Are you lacking in this assurance? Your conscious is one way God is revealing to you that you need

His great salvation today.

B. If you are not sure, why not put yourself in a position to be sure, before the opportunity for salvation

passes you by…possibly forever!