What Could Erode A Man's Assurance Of His Salvation

Theme: What could erode a man’s assurance of his salvation.

By: Nche Sam Takoh

From I John 1:1-2, Christians can be sure they are saved because they are walking in that divine light (which is God). Walking in the light means confessing sin (I John 1:6; 2:2), obeying God’s commandments (I John 2:3-8), not hating our brother (I John 2:9-11), not loving the world (I John 2:15-17), avoiding the antichrist (I John 2:18-26), and abiding in God (I John 2:27-29).

Christians display the light in their life and therefore know that they are saved.

Christians can be sure they are saved if they keep the commandments no matter how imperfect their behaviour maybe (Rom. 13:10b), I John 2:2).

Christians can know they are saved because in God’s great Love, He has adopted them (from sin) and they behave like His Children. As an example we learn that because God loves Christians as sons, they have hope (I John 3:1-3). As God’s sons who love Him, Christians do not continue in sin as do the sons of devil (I John 3:4-10). As God’s sons, they love each other too (I John 3:11-18). Because God loves them as sons, Christians are confident in His presence and assured that their prayers are answered. Because the Holy Spirit dwells in them, Christians have the confidence that their deeds please Him (I John 3:19-24). As God’s beloved sons, they recognized the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (I John 4:1-6). Believers understand that they love each other because God first loved them (I John 4:7-12). As God’s sons, they dwell in Him (I John 4:13-16). Believers don not fear judgment (I John 4:17-19). They are honest in work and deed (I John 4:20,21). They demonstrate faith that overcomes the world (I John 5:1-5), they have a sure witness that He loves them (I John 5:6-10).

Christians know they are saved because they have eternal life within them and behave like it (I John 14:6). For example, these verses reveal a gracious life (I John 5:11), a unique life (I John 5:12), a confident life (I John 5:13), a prayerful life (I John 4:14-17), a sinless life (I John 5:18,19), a knowledgeable life (I John 5:20) and a faithful life (I John 5:21). Christians display the attributes of eternal and therefore know they are saved.

A person who doubts the fact that Jesus is God Almighty perhaps as a result of a difficult and trial moment, may experience a fear that he is not saved. A believer experiences this kind of fear or doubt ought not be consumed by worry, of such doubts have visited the minds of all believers at one time or the other. The important thing is the reaction to that doubts, for that reaction is another evidence which distinguishes a saved man from an unsaved man.

To conclude, any apparent evidence that proves that Jesus is not God, confirms an unbeliever’ suspicions. He then abandons himself to an atheistic philosophy or erects a humanistic religion, which even if full of noble ideas, has no basis in reality. On the other hand, any doubt about Jesus’ deity impels a believer to focus back upon God’s word and to cry out to Him for mercy. A Christian realizes that he cannot prove that Jesus is God. He also recognizes that it is not necessary, or even wise to try to figure out or understand the nature of an infinite triune God, a train of thought which leads only to caverns of doubt. It is reasonable to believe that Jesus is God, but ultimately a Christian simply trusts that He is and He is a rewarder of all who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).