The Encourager
“Blessed Assurance - Jeff Curtis”
Blessed Assurance
By Jeff Curtis
For years, the phrase “the assurance of the believer” has been important in denominational circles. To some, “the assurance of the believer” means “once saved always saved,” or “the perseverance of the saints,” or something on that order.
The assurance of the believer has also been related to God’s elect. These are those, it is said, regardless of their own choices, and consequently are assured of being saved eternally. The beginning of this thought is that God rules as Sovereign over the world and the universe. Were the choices of an individual to have anything to do with his or her own salvation, it would be a violation of God’s sovereignty. Free will, according to this thinking, is either explained away of dismissed as nonexistent.
What does the Bible say actually say about the assurance of the believer? It teaches that God, by His grace, has opened the door of salvation for all people. God has given the responsibility for obeying Him to each person. Peter called on those who heard him to, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (Acts 2:40). Those who were lost were to decide whether or not they would serve the Lord. At the same time, the Bible teaches Christians that they may be assured of the salvation. Believers have every reason to live securely because they are partners with God.
Four times in his first letter, John used the word translated “confidence” or “boldness.” (1) Confidence at Christ’s return. In 1John 2:28, he wrote that when the Lord returns, Christians may “have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame.” (2) Confidence before God. In 1John 3:21, he added, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” (3) Confidence at the judgment. In 1John 4:17, the apostle returned to the theme of judgment. He wrote that Christians “may have confidence” on that day. (4) Confidence in prayer. Finally, in 1John 5:14, he assures Christians that they can be confident God hears their prayers.
To be saved in Christ is not a matter that Christians need to worry about day by day. They need to trust that Christ cleanses them from sin. Assurance comes when they live in such a way as to testify to having been born of Him.
John used the phrase “we know” four times in 1John 5:18-20. All of them have to do with the confidence Christians have, the assurance of which they partake, concerning when the Lord returns at the end of this present age.
Meditate on this:
Genesis 6:5-8
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
