ASSURANCE OF SALVATION (PART 1) – WE HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE AS GOD IS OUR SAVIOUR

Dear Members in Christ,                                                                                                                   

Assurance of Salvation (Part 1) – We have full confidence as God is our Saviour      

We have all heard the phrase “Assurance of salvation”. What is the meaning of this phrase? What relevance does it have in our Christian life? This article gives us an understanding of the phrase and how it applies to our spiritual lives.

To understand the doctrine of the assurance of salvation, we need to have a good grasp of Reformed theology. The five tenets of the Reformed faith are summarized in the acronym “TULIP”. These are the five teachings of John Calvin which are the doctrines of Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Of these five, the last one “Perseverance of the Saints” is sometimes rephrased as “Preservation of the Saints” although the former description is preferred. It is this fifth tenet of Calvinism that directly relates to our topic of discussion in this article. Sometimes, this fifth and last tenet of Calvin’s “TULIP” is also rephrased as “once saved always saved.”

Firstly, we must know that this teaching is firmly founded upon the Scriptures. Some of the Bible passages which tell us of this truth are:

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25

The importance of relating assurance of salvation to the Bible passages is that these are the promises of God for the believer. It is God’s promise in His Word, and it gives us confidence in our spiritual walk.

A. We can be assured of our salvation because it is God’s promise

We can be assured of our salvation because it is stated in God’s own Words. In the earlier passage, John 6:37, we have the Lord Jesus speaking to the multitudes in a tone of rebuke. When the Lord told the people in v35, “I am the bread of life”, the general response was unbelief. Therefore the Lord Jesus told them in John 6:36

“But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.” John 6:36

This was the Lord’s rebuke to those who had seen the Lord Jesus’ miracles but did not believe that He is the Son of God.  In contrast to those unbelievers, the Lord Jesus Christ promised the blessed assurance to all who would come to Him receiving the Gospel of salvation. Firstly in John 6:37, the Lord Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me”. The significance of this statement is that the salvation of a person is by the sovereign will of God. God calls the person to salvation, thus the Lord Jesus refers to believers as “all that the Father giveth me”, and those whom God has willed to be saved, the Lord says, “shall come to me”. To the multitudes seeking miracles, the Lord Jesus rebukes their unbelief, at the same time, the Lord Jesus makes a distinction. This is the contrast between true believers and mere professing believers (like many in the multitudes) who sought the spectacle of miracles. 

The Lord Jesus says, “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Brothers and sisters, this is the Christian’s assurance of salvation. We have the precious promise of our Saviour in His own Words that anyone who puts his or her trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation will never be disappointed. Such a person can trust in the faithfulness of God for the eternal peace and joy which is promised to every child of God. 

B. Under God’s sovereign will, we live with full confidence in our salvation

Besides resting in God’s promises that He will in no wise cast out the true believer, we can trust the will of a merciful God. We have full assurance of our salvation because the Bible explains that the preservation of the saints is an act of God and that it is the will of God that we are preserved till the day of His coming.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24, 25

God’s Word assures us that God will keep us from falling. In the context of the passage from the Epistle of Jude, the true believer is contrasted against those who are apostates and heretics who reject the Word of God. They are described by Jude as those whom the apostles had warned about,

“How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.” Jude 18

In contrast, God can keep the true believer from falling into unbelief and apostasy. Our faith will be reserved till the day of Christ’s coming when we shall be in the presence of God.

So, what is the relevance of the assurance of salvation to our lives? Firstly, we ought to be thankful that God not only saves us, but He has promised to preserve our faith till His coming. Secondly, we should dispel all notions of depression or fear even when we encounter severe testing in this life. As we live this life on earth, we should be joyful in the Lord Jesus, zealously serving Him till He comes. This is because He has promised that our faith will be kept intact till we see Him again. So, no matter what challenges we have to endure in this life, our eternal state is secure in the Lord Jesus our Saviour. May His name be praised. Amen.

In His Service,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng, Pastor