The major theme of the Bible is God’s eternal plan to rescue us from the penalty, power, and presence of sin through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
God’s nature is holy, righteous, and just. Man is both sinful by nature and by choice. God’s solution? He has provided us a Savior!
Three weeks ago we looked at several descriptions of what Jesus did for us on the cross:
1. Substitution: Jesus died in my place.
2. Justification: Jesus made me right with God.
3. Reconciliation: Jesus made peace with God possible.
4. Adoption: Jesus made me a part of God’s family.
5. Redemption: Jesus purchased my salvation with His blood.
6. Propitiation: Jesus fully satisfied God’s justice.
7. Forgiveness: Jesus sent my sins away from me.
Even though God has provided us with all these riches, many Christians remain unsure of their salvation. Why do so many people lack the assurance of salvation?
• Because they cannot pinpoint a SPECIFIC TIME when they received Christ.
• Because they question the CORRECTNESS of the way they expressed faith in Christ.
“Did I pray the right prayer? Did I know everything I needed to know? Should I have felt differently?”
• Because of SINS they commit after salvation.
There is a difference between the personal assurance of my salvation and the promised security of my salvation. While I may or may not have a feeling of assurance, security is a fact based on the promise of God. In this sermon, we’re going to look at how God’s promise of salvation can deepen our confidence in our salvation.
I. THE PROMISED SECURITY OF SALVATION
Each member of the Trinity plays a part in our security as believers.
A. The sovereign decision of the FATHER
1. God has declared us “not guilty” in His sight and canceled the punishment that should have been ours.
“It tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life…. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16, 18).
2. God is at peace with me; the war between us is over.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
3. God has determined that nothing can ever separate me from His love.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
B. The high-priestly work of JESUS
In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the high priest was the highest spiritual leader. He alone got to enter the Holy of Holies and put blood of the mercy seat once a year on the Day of Atonement. Jesus is our High Priest. When Jesus died on the cross, He was both the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate sacrificer. He lives forever to do the work of a high priest—to be our intercessor and our mediator.
1. Jesus lives to make INTERCESSION for me.
“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Heb. 7:25).
An example of Christ’s intercession for us is found in John 17: “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one…. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (John 17:11, 15).
2. Jesus lives to MEDIATE for me.
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world” (John 2:1-2).
3. Jesus is FAITHFUL to me even when I am not faithful to Him.
“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (2 Tim. 2:11-13).
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).
John MacArthur said, “We live in a day of unfaithfulness. People cannot be trusted to keep their promises. That’s true both of individuals and nations. Husbands are often unfaithful to the vows they made to their wives. Wives are often unfaithful to their husbands. Children are often unfaithful to the principles taught by their parents. Parents are often unfaithful to meet the needs of their children. Employees are often unfaithful to the promises they make to their employers. And employers are often unfaithful to fulfill their obligations and responsibilities to their employees. We also have to acknowledge that Christians are often unfaithful to God, although God is never unfaithful to them. Not one of us can claim immunity from the sin of unfaithfulness.
“Only God is always faithful and keeps every promise in full. That fact is vital because everything we believe stands on the faithfulness of God. Our eternal destiny is at stake. In contrast to the unfaithfulness around us, it is refreshing to lift our eyes to our beloved God who is always faithful.”
C. The sealing power of the SPIRIT
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13).
We can be certain of the security of our salvation because in the past, Christ made peace with God for each of us. Today, Jesus lives to make intercession for me, and the Holy Spirit guarantees that my future is full of glory. It is God’s work that makes my salvation secure—I can do nothing to make Him stop loving me or stop being faithful to His own promises.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).
Salvation is by grace from start to finish. I didn’t deserve to receive it, and I don’t deserve to keep it.
II. THE PERSONAL ASSURANCE OF MY SALVATION
A. How do I handle doubts about my salvation?
Whenever a person is not sure if they are saved, there are several possibilities:
• They may not be saved.
• They may be disobeying God. Disobedience causes us to lose the joy of our salvation and causes us to wonder if God still loves us.
• They may be experiencing temptation to doubt from Satan, who obviously does not want us to feel secure in our relationship with God.
B. What if I can’t remember when I became a Christian?
Through coming to Christ is often a process, at some point, a person crosses “from death to life.” No one gradually becomes “alive.”
Just pray a prayer something like this.
Jesus, I know I made this commitment before, but not being able to remember exactly when has caused me some real doubts. So right hear and right now, on September 4, 2006, I nail down in my heart the fact that my life is given to you. I trust in you and you alone to forgive the wrong things I’ve done. I ask you to be the Lord of my life. Amen.
If you aren’t sure that you are a Christian, make sure right now. Just ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart.
And when Satan tries to hassle you and cause you to wonder about whether you really are a believer, you can point to this day and remember that you did ask Jesus to be your Savior.
C. What happens to my relationship to God when I sin?
When a Christian sins, fellowship with God is broken, but the relationship remains intact. God has said that we have been adopted into His family with all the rights and privileges of His Son, Jesus. He will never disown Jesus; He’ll never disown us. But sin in our lives must be dealt with. [Look at these diagrams to follow the process of what happens when a Christian sins.]
[Diagram #1]
[Diagram #2]
[Diagram #3]
D. Are there any proofs that I am a Christian?
While God alone can see into the hearts of individuals and determine who has honestly committed themselves to Him, He has told us in His Word that there are some evidences that we are to judge ourselves (not others) by:
1. The KNOWLEDGE that God is my heavenly Father
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matt. 11:27).
2. A new reliance on PRAYER
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18).
3. A new ability to understand SCRIPTURE
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13).
4. A new sense of the seriousness of SIN
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12).
5. A new LOVE for lost people
“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1).
6. A new love for OTHER BELIEVERS
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14).
[Pic: Title]
Question: Why should God allow you into His heaven?
Only answer: Because I’ve trusted in Christ’s work on the cross.
Not…
Because I’m a good person.
Because I believe in God.
Because I go to church.
If you can answer this question correctly, you can relinquish your doubts and fears about the security of your salvation. Begin to live in the freedom that comes from knowing your salvation is secure.
[Much of the material in this sermon was taken from Foundations by Tom Holladay & Kay Warren.]
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “SAVED”?
How to Be Confident of Your Salvation
WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE LACK THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION?
• Because they cannot pinpoint a ________________________ when they received Christ.
• Because they question the ______________________ of the way they expressed faith in Christ.
• Because of __________ they commit after salvation.
Each member of the Trinity plays a part in our security as believers:
THE SOVEREIGN DECISION OF THE ______________
• God has declared us “not guilty” in His sight and canceled the punishment that should have been ours (John 5:24).
• God is at peace with me; the war between us is over (Rom. 5:1).
• God has determined that nothing can ever separate me from His love (Rom. 8:38-39).
THE HIGH-PRESTLY WORK OF ______________
• Jesus lives to make ____________________ for me (Heb. 7:25).
• Jesus lives to ________________ for me (John 2:1-2).
• Jesus is _________________ to me even when I am not faithful to Him (2 Tim. 2:11-13).
THE SEALING POWER OF THE ______________ (Eph. 1:13)
ARE THERE ANY PROOFS THAT I AM A CHRISTIAN?
• The __________________ that God is my heavenly Father (Matt. 11:27)
• A new reliance on ______________ (Eph. 6:18)
• A new ability to understand _________________ (John 16:13)
• A new sense of the seriousness of _________ (Titus 2:11-12)
• A new ___________ for lost people (Rom. 10:1)
• A new love for __________________________ (1 John 3:14).
