The Comfort Of Certainties

The Comfort Of Certainties

Text: 2 Tim.1: 12b; 3: 10-15

Intro: It almost goes without saying that we live in a world that is unstable and uncertain. Almost everything is in a constant state of turmoil and change. I guess uncertainty is just simply a part of life, and always will be, as long as sin reigns in our world.

However, in spite of all the uncertainty in the world around us, there are some things of which I am absolutely confident. I may not be able to count on world peace, the economy, or even whether I will live to draw my next breath; but I can be positively certain of my relationship with Christ, and all that surrounds that relationship. I want to share some aspects of one’s relationship with Christ, which are biblical certainties.

Theme: The child of God can take comfort in the certainty that:

I. SALVATION IS OURS BY FAITH

Rom.3: 20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”

NOTE: [1] The NLT is helpful in clarifying the full meaning of these verses, as follows:

Rom.3: 20 “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”

[2] I want to be crystal clear on this idea of trusting Christ by faith. Saving faith is not merely giving mental assent to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, or even acknowledging that He arose from the tomb. Even Satan reluctantly believes those truths; but he’s certainly not saved. “The word ‘believe’ in our language comes from the Old English ‘by live.’ What we believe, we live by. The rest is just religious talk.” We might say that what we truly believe, we act upon, by committing ourselves to it, and applying it directly to our life.

[3] True biblical faith, or belief, rest upon God’s Word, for, “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom.10: 17). Listen to the Amplified Bible’s definition of belief in Christ:

John 3: 16 “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish—come to destruction, be lost—but have eternal (everlasting) life.”

[4] Speaking of the word translated “believe” in Acts 16: 31, the publisher of the Amplified Bible explains that:

Actually, the Greek word used here for believe is “pisteuo.” It means “to adhere to, cleave to; to trust, to have faith in; to rely on.” Consequently, the words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…” really mean to have an absolute personal reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.

A. Salvation Is Accepting God’s Will For The Sinner.

1 Tim.2: 3 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Pet.3: 9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

NOTE: Man was created to have fellowship with God (Gen.3: 8-9). But sin brought a separation between God and man that only the death of Christ on Calvary could remedy (Col.1: 21-22). It has always been the will of God that the lost sinner be brought back into fellowship with his Creator.

Love Tore Down The Wall

Some years ago, a couple decided they could not live together anymore. They separated and started divorce proceedings.

Through their lawyers, they agreed to meet at the home and divide the property. As they went through the home and sought to divide up the property, they came across the shoes of their little boy. The child had died in a traffic accident and left them both broken hearted. As they stared at his little shoes, they began to sob. The husband reached over and put his arm around his wife; she returned the embrace to him. They stood together in that house holding on to each other, as tears streamed down their faces. They each held in their hand a little shoe.