ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

 

Assurance of Salvation

I was chatting with a church member about looking forward to Heaven. “How do you know you are going there?” she asked. “I have the word of a Gentleman,” was my answer.

In the numerous famous Gospel verses we have the Divine promises.

^{Acts 2:21} “And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

^{John 3:16} “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

^{John 3:17} For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

^{John 3:18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

^{Ephesians 2:8} For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

^{Ephesians 2:9} not by works, so that no one can boast.

^{Romans10:9-10} That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

^{Acts 4:12} Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Here is God's plan and purpose: the salvation of sinful humans. Jesus said to people, “Your faith has saved you.” (Luke 7:50)

It is possible to attend church, pray and study the Bible, and not have asked the Lord Jesus to be our Lord and our Saviour. I worked with a Curate at a Cathedral, who entered service there without assurance of salvation, but certainty came – probably with the help of his Bishop.

God looks for our faith. There is then the certainty which comes from our witness, our slowly changed life (John's First Letter), and in many fellowships, the subjective experience of the Holy Spirit – Acts 10:44-46.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The … believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”