How To Know That You Know

"How to Know that You Know"

1 John 5:13

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Introduction: While studying for this message I ran on to a quote from a sermon by evangelist Dean Meadows, and I quote, "Do you have "Assurance" or "Insurance"? Both words sound very similar and have similar meanings. One of the definitions of both is a guaranty. Assurance is a guaranty of your word and Insurance is a guaranty of payment. The same, yet different. I have assurance that if certain people tell me that they will do something that I don't have to worry about it. Their word is all I need. This is a quality that we all should have, especially those of us who profess to be Christians. And I have insurance; lots of insurance. I have life insurance, car insurance, house insurance, and health insurance. They guaranty me compensation if anything were to happen to my possessions or my family or me. But the one huge difference is that assurance is not based on anything I do. Insurance has everything to do with what I do. Recently I received a "Final Notice" from my insurance in mail. They said that I owed $ 37.00 from my home insurance. I asked my wife about it and she assured me she had paid the bill. I went on line and bank statement and it assured that the money had been withdrawn from our account. So I contacted our agent and he didn't understand why we got the notice either. But he told me he would research it and get back with me. Now it ended up that our company had put in a new computer system in and it caused the glitch. But the point that I want to make is that my insurance was only good as long as my premiums were being paid. And like a good neighbor, the only way that they are going to be there for you, is if you pay the bill. If you don't pay your bill, then your insurance will be cancelled. So back to the question...do you have "Assurance" or "Insurance"? Do you have assurance that if you died today that you would end up in Heaven with our Lord and Savior or do you have insurance, thinking that as long as you do the right things that you will end up in Heaven."

This morning I want to take the time to share some thoughts with you about the importance of knowing that you are saved and that you have assurance of your salvation. I've heard folks say over the years that there is really no way to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are saved and that's just not true. Let me ask you a question my friend. Do you think that God would send His one and only Son to this old sin soaked, sin stained, sin cursed world to die for your sins and then not provide a way for you to know that you are saved? That would be ridiculous wouldn't it? Now let me tell you why you need to know that you are saved beyond the obvious fact that you need to know you are saved so that you will have the assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. First, if you don't have assurance of salvation then the devil will give you fits. In the Bible he is called the "accuser of the brethren" and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that he will seek to plant the suggestion in your mind that you are not really saved, that there is nothing to this salvation thing and that you are wasting your time.

There is also another very good reason to make sure that you are saved. The truth is that the devil wants to "plant" unsaved church members in every church to disrupt, distract, damage and even destroy the cause of Christ. If you don't believe this turn in you Bible to Matthew 13:24-30; just after teaching the disciples about the parable of the Sower Jesus tells this parable:

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?