Assurance of salvation can sometimes be a big worry for some and I am sure at some point we have all faltered in this area. Hopefully the explanations below with scripture proofs, will renew your assurance of your salvation.
I. Although hypocritesand other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with falsehopes, and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God, andestate of salvation;(a) which hope of theirs shall perish
b) yetsuch as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity,endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may, in thislife, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace,(c)and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shallnever make them ashamed.(d)
(a) Job 8:13, 14; Mic.3:11; Deut. 29:19; John 8:41.
(b) Matt.7:22, 23.
(c) I John 2:3; I John3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; I John 5:13.
(d) Rom.5:2, 5.
II. This certainty is not a bare conjecturaland probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope;(e) but aninfallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of thepromises of salvation,(f) the inward evidence of those graces untowhich these promises are made,(g) the testimony of the Spirit ofadoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children ofGodh) which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby weare sealed to the day of redemption.(i)
(e) Heb.6:11, 19.
(f) Heb. 6:17, 18.
(g) II Pet.1:4, 5, 10, 11; I John 2:3; I John 3:14; II Cor.1:12.
(h) Rom. 8:15, 16.
(i) Eph.1:13, 14; Eph. 4:30; II Cor. 1:21, 22.
III.This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith,but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with manydifficulties before he be partaker of itk) yet, being enabled bythe Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, hemay without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinarymeans, attain thereunto.(l) And therefore it is the duty of everyoneto give all diligence to make his calling and election sure;(m) thatthereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost,in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness inthe duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurancen) sofar is it from inclining men to looseness.(o)
(k) IJohn 5:13; Isa. 50:10; Mark 9:24; Ps. 88 throughout; Ps. 77to ver. 12.
(l) I Cor. 2:12; I John 4:13; Heb.6:11, 12; Eph. 3:17, 18, 19.
(m) II Pet.1:10.
Rom. 5:1, 2, 5; Rom. 14:17; Rom.15:13; Eph. 1:3, 4; Ps. 4:6, 7; Ps.119:32.
(o) I John 2:1, 2; Rom. 6:1, 2; Tit.2:11, 12, 14; II Cor. 7:1; Rom. 8:1, 12; IJohn 3:2, 3; Ps. 130:4; I John 1:6, 7.
IV.True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers waysshaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preservingof it, by falling into some special sin, which woundeth theconscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehementtemptation, by God’s withdrawing the light of His countenance, andsuffering even such as fear Him to walk in darkness and to have nolightp) yet are they never so utterly destitute of that seed ofGod, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, thatsincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by theoperation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, berevived;(q) and by the which, in the mean time, they are supportedfrom utter despair.(r)
(p) Cant. 5:2, 3, 6; Ps.51:8, 12, 14; Eph. 4:30, 31; Ps. 77:1 to10; Matt. 26:69, 70, 71, 72; Ps. 31:22; Ps.88 throughout; Isa. 50:10.
(q) I John 3:9; Luke22:32; Job 13:15; Ps. 73:15; Ps. 51:8, 12; Isa.50:10.
(r) Mic. 7:7, 8, 9; Jer. 32:40; Isa.54:7, 8, 9, 10; Ps. 22:1; Ps. 88 throughout.
Westminster Confession of Faith. Ch18.
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I. Although hypocritesand other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with falsehopes, and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God, andestate of salvation;(a) which hope of theirs shall perish
b) yetsuch as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity,endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may, in thislife, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace,(c)and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shallnever make them ashamed.(d)(a) Job 8:13, 14; Mic.3:11; Deut. 29:19; John 8:41.
(b) Matt.7:22, 23.
(c) I John 2:3; I John3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; I John 5:13.
(d) Rom.5:2, 5.
II. This certainty is not a bare conjecturaland probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope;(e) but aninfallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of thepromises of salvation,(f) the inward evidence of those graces untowhich these promises are made,(g) the testimony of the Spirit ofadoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children ofGod
h) which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby weare sealed to the day of redemption.(i)(e) Heb.6:11, 19.
(f) Heb. 6:17, 18.
(g) II Pet.1:4, 5, 10, 11; I John 2:3; I John 3:14; II Cor.1:12.
(h) Rom. 8:15, 16.
(i) Eph.1:13, 14; Eph. 4:30; II Cor. 1:21, 22.
III.This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith,but that a true believer may wait long, and conflict with manydifficulties before he be partaker of it
k) yet, being enabled bythe Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, hemay without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinarymeans, attain thereunto.(l) And therefore it is the duty of everyoneto give all diligence to make his calling and election sure;(m) thatthereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost,in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness inthe duties of obedience, the proper fruits of this assurancen) sofar is it from inclining men to looseness.(o)(k) IJohn 5:13; Isa. 50:10; Mark 9:24; Ps. 88 throughout; Ps. 77to ver. 12.
(l) I Cor. 2:12; I John 4:13; Heb.6:11, 12; Eph. 3:17, 18, 19.
(m) II Pet.1:10.
Rom. 5:1, 2, 5; Rom. 14:17; Rom.15:13; Eph. 1:3, 4; Ps. 4:6, 7; Ps.119:32.(o) I John 2:1, 2; Rom. 6:1, 2; Tit.2:11, 12, 14; II Cor. 7:1; Rom. 8:1, 12; IJohn 3:2, 3; Ps. 130:4; I John 1:6, 7.
IV.True believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers waysshaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preservingof it, by falling into some special sin, which woundeth theconscience and grieveth the Spirit; by some sudden or vehementtemptation, by God’s withdrawing the light of His countenance, andsuffering even such as fear Him to walk in darkness and to have nolight
p) yet are they never so utterly destitute of that seed ofGod, and life of faith, that love of Christ and the brethren, thatsincerity of heart, and conscience of duty, out of which, by theoperation of the Spirit, this assurance may, in due time, berevived;(q) and by the which, in the mean time, they are supportedfrom utter despair.(r)(p) Cant. 5:2, 3, 6; Ps.51:8, 12, 14; Eph. 4:30, 31; Ps. 77:1 to10; Matt. 26:69, 70, 71, 72; Ps. 31:22; Ps.88 throughout; Isa. 50:10.
(q) I John 3:9; Luke22:32; Job 13:15; Ps. 73:15; Ps. 51:8, 12; Isa.50:10.
(r) Mic. 7:7, 8, 9; Jer. 32:40; Isa.54:7, 8, 9, 10; Ps. 22:1; Ps. 88 throughout.
Westminster Confession of Faith. Ch18.
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