Assurance of Salvation

Assurance of Salvation

One of the biggest problems in the institutional church is that a mixture of grace and religious rules and laws is taught. Mixing these two things is anathema to the Gospel (see Galatians 1:8-9) and causes people who have been freed by the grace of God to live as though they are still in bondage to the enemy. (see Galatians 5:1, Colossians 2:6 and following)

Teachers who spread this type of teaching often make things very complex and difficult to understand. If we study them carefully, we often find that things just don’t add up. There are nagging questions to which answers never seem to be given.

The Apostle Paul spent a lot of time in Galatians and other places talking about such teaching. In Galatians especially, he was explicit about the need for us to reject any teaching that seeks to put us under obligation to rules or laws.

God makes mankind acceptable through Jesus Christ and there is no other way. Our attitudes and actions have nothing to do with it.

As I interact with people via email, I am often told they have deep concern about whether or not they are saved. I can assure you of this. Those who do not believe that Jesus has provided them with forgiveness and eternal life do not have such concerns. Why would they? They do not believe that He is who He says He is and did what He says He did. Consequently, they are not at all worried about whether they are or are not pleasing or acceptable to Him. They often don't think they need saving or they think they can make it happen themselves by doing all the right things.

In my view, those who are concerned about salvation have obviously already made their decision. They have decided that Jesus is the way to God. That's why they are so upset about the idea that they might somehow not have done everything right or "actually believed" or might just be making this all up in their head.

I've been there, but I can tell you from experience that the changes I have seen occur in me and in those close to me cannot be explained any other way. Over time, you will see such changes too. In the meantime, just relax and live your life.

Now Let's take a look at Romans 8:1-10.

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. (NASB 2020)

There is no judgement that can find you guilty. Why is that?

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (NASB 2020)

Really nothing more needs to be said than this. The law of sin and death is "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) But you have been set free from that law. The law that applies to you now is the law of the Spirit, the law of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:23 goes on to say that the gracious GIFT of God is eternal life. There is only one form of eternal life--God's life. That is the life you now have in Christ.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, (NASB 2020)

This is wonderful news. Watch carefully what it says. What the Law (that means the Ten Commandments and all the other laws in the Old Testament) could not do... The Law could not make you righteous. Nothing you could ever do or refrain from doing could ever make you righteous. BUT, God did it for you by sending Jesus. That's the gracious gift of eternal life. Jesus in you IS eternal life. John 17:3 says that eternal life is knowing God, knowing Jesus.

So, the Law (your behavior or lack thereof) could not do it. Now let’s see what God did for you through Jesus.

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NASB 2020)

Watch this now. He made it so that the righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled, or fully met, in you. Get this. You meet the requirement of the Law. What is that requirement? Righteousness. Perfection.

Ahh, but I hear you saying, "Yes, but it says you who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. I'm not sure I do that. I am pretty fleshly sometimes--maybe even most of the time.

These next verses go into some detail about this, and they say that if you are in the flesh you are hostile to God. Things could look grim if the passage ended here.

5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (NASB 2020)

Fortunately, God included verse 9.

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (NASB 2020)

Here it is. The wonderful and freeing truth of the matter. Everyone who has the Spirit of God in him is NOT in the flesh, but they ARE in the Spirit.

I know, I know. You still act very much the same way you always have. You still have awful thoughts. You still struggle with ungodly attitudes and actions. We’re not finished yet.

10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (NASB 2020)

That's because the body is dead because of sin. What we're talking about here is that our old patterns of thought and behavior don't (usually) just change overnight. We are told elsewhere in Romans that transformation comes about by renewing our minds.

Mind renewal is the number one way to be transformed in attitudes and actions. Put good things into your mind. Find every good teacher you can, read scripture, listen to uplifting edifying, encouraging music and teaching, fellowship with other believers and talk about Jesus. Stay away from things that cause you to be fearful or full of doubt.

Just a few verses below this we find this gem: Romans 8:15 "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (NASB 2020)

God didn't give you a fearful spirit. Since that's true, you can be sure that everything fearful you are thinking and worrying about is not from God. It's from the enemy and it's from the world around you.

Here's how it was told to the Philippians, Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (NASB 2020)