God does not intend for His
saved child to live the Christian life without the
blessed assurance of eternal life.
The apostle Paul had a profound
conviction that nothing will be able to separate the
believer from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:31-39).
Jesus spoke of double assurance
or security for the believer when He said to His
disciples: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them,
and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch
them out of My hand . . . and no one is able to
snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the
Father are one” (John 10:27-30).
We have “been born anew to a
living hope” (1 Pet. 1:3-5). We are guarded by God’s
power through faith for salvation. Because the new
birth has taken place in our lives, we have the
presence of the Holy Spirit within us (Rom. 8:23).
He is called the “first fruits," the initial promise
and pledge of a greater harvest to follow. The Holy
Spirit does a work in our lives producing His fruit
that is characteristically different from our human
nature. The Holy Spirit is evidence of assurance
because “we abide in Him and He in us, because He
has given us of His own Spirit” (1 Jn. 4:13).
The ascension of Christ to
heaven to be our advocate is another great assurance
for the believer who has been saved by grace. Jesus
“ever lives to make intercession on our behalf”
(Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:2). He is our great God and “He
is able for all time to save those who draw near to
God through Him” (Heb. 7:25). Do you have an
intimate love relationship with your Savior? Are you
abiding in Him and He in you? Spend time with Him
every day. Learn to go into His presence throughout
the day and make yourself available to Him all day
long.
God’s sovereignty gives
assurance to the sinner saved by grace that “all
that the Father gives Me will come to Me; and him
who comes to Me I will not cast out” (Jn. 6:37).
Have you taken these words of Jesus to heart and
believed on Him alone for your salvation? God’s
eternal purpose of salvation is such that He will
accept and forgive all who trust Him for salvation.
Have you taken John 3:16
seriously? “For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Every
person who hears His voice and follows Him will
never perish or can ever be snatched out of His
hand. And they can never fall out of His hands
because Christ has His hands securely around the
believer and God the Father has His hands around His
Son! “My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all” (Jn. 10:29). How big is you God?
Is He as big as Jesus claimed His Father to be? A
God that big can provide eternal assurance for the
weakest believer who is acutely aware of his sins
and weaknesses. Have you confessed your need for Him
to save you and keep you saved? Have you asked Him
to save you? Are you trusting in Him alone for
salvation?
If you are trusting in your
good works to save you, then you should be filled
with anxiety regarding your salvation. How can you
ever have assurance that you have done enough good
works, or are good enough, or perfect enough to be
saved? Such presumptive pride should cause you to
tremble before the Lord God (Matt. 7:21-23; Heb.
3:12).
Salvation is by grace alone,
through faith alone, in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9).
Will you now put your faith and trust in the
finished and all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ to
save you for all eternity? When you do you can find
eternal security. “He who begin a good work in you
will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus
Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
Wil is a graduate of William
Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist
Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific
University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador
and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as
missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily
expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100
countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek
opportunities to be personally involved in world
missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown
daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor
and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
Bible
word studies for sermon preparation, messages,
devotions and personal Bible studies with abiding
principles and practical applications.
Reports on what God is doing through Bible
believing evangelical Christians in
Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru,
India
and Ecuador. Jesus said, "If you abide in
Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it shall be done for you"
(John 15:7).