Assurance Of Our Faith

Assurance Of Our Faith

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that God's children can have assurance and confidence regarding their faith. Denominational preachers talk about assurance but often base it on personal feelings. In reality that is no assurance at all. The assurance God wants us to enjoy is based on his unchangeable word. The author of the 119th Psalm wrote, "For ever, O Jehovah, Thy word is settled in heaven" (vs. 89).

It is tragic when dedicated Christians are not confident in their faith. Such should never be the case.

Paul wrote, "I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day" (II Tim. 1:12). Like Paul we can have absolute trust and confidence in Jesus as our savior. He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). "He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him..." (Heb. 7:25).

We can be confident that the Lord will protect and provide for us as we make the dangerous journey of life. "For himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So that with good courage we say, â€˜The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?" (Heb. 13:5-6).

In writing his first epistle, John said, "These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God" (I John 4:15). No disciple who is faithfully striving to please the Master should despair of his salvation.

We can have full assurance in the truthfulness and integrity of the Word of God. We need never doubt it. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16), nor should we ever be.

We can have assurance and confidence regarding the Church of Christ. This is true because we can verify the faith, worship and polity of the church by comparing them with the scriptural pattern revealed in the New Testament of Christ (II Tim. 1:13). We need not skip over nor twist verses to prove our points. If the Bible says it, we believe it and that settles it for us. If we are asked, Why do you believe or practice such and such? we responded by pointing the inquirer to the precise scripture that authorizes it.

We need not have any doubts about our worship. Each items of our worship is set forth in the pages of the New Testament. To doubt the clear statements of scripture is to doubt the God who gave it to us.

It is remarkable that when we finally convinced our timid brethren that they could be sure of their salvation, we now have a group of young intellectuals who have lost their confidence in the Church of Christ, her faith and worship. Some of them even doubt that the New Testament of Christ is the standard by which we should judge these matters. To their bleary eyes, it is only a love letter, not at standard by which we should live.

Each of us should exude this confidence in our daily walk and our profession of faith. Those whose faith and religious practices are based on human wisdom and tradition are the ones who should be uncertain and afraid of their standing. For us, "the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his..." (II Tim. 3:19). With confidence abounding we serve our Master looking forward to that day when he shall appear in the clouds.

Sincerely,

Back -- or go -- Home