P
I have been assured of many things, and they have turned out differently than expected.
I have assurance I know Jesus. I have assurance that the Holy Spirit dwells with me, but
as cc declares time and again, I could be mistaken, lost and empty, blind and deceived,
hypocritical and evil.
Often the very people I am sharing with, who say they follow the same Lord, believe
the same words yet suddenly turn around and say we are different. Now that is confusing,
it suggests to me something else is at work here and it is easier to believe you are assured
and comforted, but maybe this is not true.
So I come back to Jesus and His words. Even the apostles talk about following the commands
of Christ, and loving ones brothers and sisters in Christ, confessing Jesus is Lord, rose from the
dead as affirmation that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. So I say Amen to this.
But in no way is this simple.
I have assurance I know Jesus. I have assurance that the Holy Spirit dwells with me, but
as cc declares time and again, I could be mistaken, lost and empty, blind and deceived,
hypocritical and evil.
Often the very people I am sharing with, who say they follow the same Lord, believe
the same words yet suddenly turn around and say we are different. Now that is confusing,
it suggests to me something else is at work here and it is easier to believe you are assured
and comforted, but maybe this is not true.
So I come back to Jesus and His words. Even the apostles talk about following the commands
of Christ, and loving ones brothers and sisters in Christ, confessing Jesus is Lord, rose from the
dead as affirmation that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. So I say Amen to this.
But in no way is this simple.
I will agree there may be many, to many, who have a false assurance because of what or who they place that assurance in.
That is why it is so important to understand God's one and only plan for salvation.