Why do I lack assurance?

Last week we looked at why Christians have assurance that we are going to heaven when we die. This week I want to look at why we sometimes lack assurance – we do not feel that we are actually saved.

Firstly, we can experience a loss of assurance through falling into some special sin which wounds our conscience and grieves the Holy Spirit. David speaks of this in Psalm 51 which he wrote after he committed the terrible sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. David begs God: ‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me’ (Psalm 51:10-12). Because of his sin, David has lost the joy of knowing God’s salvation. He actually misses knowing his assurance of salvation and wants it back. David also knows that if he is to get it back he has to seek God’s forgiveness to get that joy back. The same continues for us today. If you have fallen into a particular sin and no longer feel assured that you are one of God’s saved people, turn to him in forgiveness and ask him to restore the joy of salvation to you. Jesus promises: ‘…whoever comes to me I will never drive away’ (John 6:37).

Secondly, sometimes God simply takes away his assurance from his children for an unknown reason. David also speaks of this in Psalm 30: ‘When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken." O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed’ (Psalm 30:6-7). David had previously felt safe because he knew God favoured him. But then God hid his face and David didn’t know why and so became worried. This can still happen to us today. We may experience a wonderful delight in the knowledge that we are saved but after some time we may experience doubts, and even severe anxiety, about our salvation. This may simply be because God in his wisdom deems it right that you should lack assurance for a time. When this happens, heed the words of Lamentations: ‘The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD’ (Lamentations 3:25). Be patient and wait on God. As long as you continue to repent for your sins, trust in Jesus Christ as the payment for your sins and see evidence of your faith in good works, your faith is not in question. Remember that assurance is the fruit of your faith, not the root of it. If you lack assurance, it doesn’t mean you are not saved.

Joel Radford.

What is assurance?

This week I want to look at the doctrine of assurance. Christian assurance is primarily the understanding that you are definitely going to heaven instead of hell. Christian assurance is actually very similar to any other assurance in that it is based upon evidence. For example, the bank assures you that they have your money with evidence – they send you statements and give you your money when you request it. But what are the primary evidences that assure you you’re going to heaven when you die?

Firstly, you can have assurance you are saved because of the historical act of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus lived and breathed just as we do. Moreover, he died an excruciating death and came back to life. If he did not, then your assurance would be completely wiped away. Paul says ‘And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith’ (1 Corinthians 15:14). Thus your assurance that you are going to heaven is based on someone who is true and historically reliable.

Secondly, you can have assurance you are saved because of an internal sense through the Holy Spirit’s witness. Paul speaks of this: ‘The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children’ (Romans 8:16). Usually a Christian can sense deep down that they are saved through a God-given testimony of the Holy Spirit in their heart.

Thirdly, you can have assurance you are saved because you believe in the sound teachings of the church. For example, those who refuse to believe the teachings of the apostles should not be assured of their salvation. John says, ‘whoever knows God listens to us’ (1 John 4:3). If you accept the major doctrinal teachings of the Bible then you should take this as a sign that you are saved.

Fourthly, you can have assurance you are saved because you see yourselves doing what is right. Peter says that if you live good lives, ‘…you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 1:10-11). How do you know you will be welcomed into heaven? By living good lives that reflect God’s changing work in you.

Are you assured that you are going to heaven? Christian assurance is not a shaky faith that is full of doubts. Rather it is an assurance that is based on strong evidence in the lives of Jesus Christ, his disciples and ourselves. Joel Radford.