Assurance of Salvation

[mailmandan]

cc: @GRACE_ambassador

Thanks for the discussion. At this point, these simple statements reflect at least four kinds of fallacious reasoning. I understand the desire to keep things simple, but sometimes “simplicity” gets mistaken for avoiding accuracy. When someone dismisses deeper study as “too intellectual,” that isn’t protecting faith - it’s protecting misunderstanding. God didn’t inspire His Word in English, so taking the time to understand what He actually said in Greek or Hebrew - and to see His truth within its original culture and fullness - is an act of reverence. 2Tim2:15

I don't dismiss deeper study. I simply dismiss making things out to be more complicated than they really are. Thanks for the discussion.

 

[Edify]

God wants us to exemplify who/what He's made us/called us to be. Not living that life is sin, & practiced sin separates us from God.
It is rebellion in the purest sense, no matter what OSAS says.

 

[mailmandan]

God wants us to exemplify who/what He's made us/called us to be. Not living that life is sin, & practiced sin separates us from God.
It is rebellion in the purest sense, no matter what OSAS says.

1 John 3:9 - No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (NASB 1995)

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

no matter what OSAS says.

Correct! It Matters What The Bible Teaches:

Because Of God's Own All-Sufficient BLOOD Shed FOR
mankind, there is Only ONE [ Spiritual ] Baptism In Which God Has
All The Following "Profitable" Scriptures For The Body Of Christ!:

God's Eternal Salvation Is, In Biblical Fact, "in view" In God's Revelation Of The Mystery,

To/For Gentiles, Today, In His Dispensation Of The Grace Of God, Biblically Confirmed By:​

God's OPERATION On All New-born babes In Christ!
+ Updates: (of # 11) + (of #14)
+
God's Eternal Life Assurance
+
God's Eternal Life Insurance

Precious friend(s), Please Be Very Richly Encouraged And Edified
In Christ, and In His Precious Word Of Truth!:

Amen.

 

[BillyBob]

God wants us to exemplify who/what He's made us/called us to be. Not living that life is sin, & practiced sin separates us from God.
It is rebellion in the purest sense, no matter what OSAS says.

I understand what you are saying, God wants us to live a life of obedience! His word is our guide for how we should live in order to please Him.
However, even though we are Christians we often fail. Are we then to believe that each time we sin we are lost until we repent? If we sin just before taking our last breath, are we to assume that we are lost forever?
If I am in Christ, then my assurance is based on the fact that my sins are forgiven [past, present, future].

John 6:39
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

 

[Edify]

Are we then to believe that each time we sin we are lost until we repent? If we sin just before taking our last breath, are we to assume that we are lost forever?

No. There's a difference between sinning & practicing sin when they don't come back.

 

[TrustandObey]

If I am in Christ, then my assurance is based on the fact that my sins are forgiven [past, present, future].

And this is the crux of the matter. The "If".

If we are in Christ.

All of this talk is meaningless if we cannot prove our being "in Christ".

We all assume that will are in Christ but this is but an assumption and an assumption is not assurance.

Where there is false assurance there cannot be true assurance.

Paul was both zealous and assured of his status before God nevertheless it was a false assurance.

So assured that he was both willing to die and kill for it.

 

[GWH]

1 John 3:9 - No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (NASB 1995)

Yes, and we avoid practicing sin by confessing each sin as soon as we become aware of it,
whereupon we are forgiven or again filled by God's HS (1John 1:9-10) and avoid chain-sinning
like A&E or living in sin like the prodigal son.

 

[BillyBob]

And this is the crux of the matter. The "If".

If we are in Christ.

All of this talk is meaningless if we cannot prove our being "in Christ".

We all assume that will are in Christ but this is but an assumption and an assumption is not assurance.

Where there is false assurance there cannot be true assurance.

Paul was both zealous and assured of his status before God nevertheless it was a false assurance.

So assured that he was both willing to die and kill for it.

You made some very good points.
Assuming often makes an ass out of u and me!
However, I believe that if we honestly look at ourselves knowing that we are by no means perfect, but have a deep desire to be more Christ-like – then our assurance will be strengthened.

 

[SilverBigBack]

I have noticed, among self-acknowleged Christians, some Christians take the "Woohoo, I'm saved!" outlook, whereas other Christians still have a sincere fear of going to hell. The first group seems to be more carefree and without fear, whereas the second group still a bit unsure and cannot answer with 100 percent certainty if they are saved. The second group tends to be more fearful that Jesus will say that they did not do enough. Who is right? Or is the answer somewhere in between? Please support with Scripture. Which group are you in? I tend to be in the first group, but I can also see the second group's view.

Forgive me for only reading the first page of replies- this may have been said or addressed already- but passages like Matthew 7:23, the falling away of the former disciple Judas Iscariot, and the accounts of Ananias and Sapphira are very serious stumbling blocks to total assurance. And let's not forget Saul either. I do not claim to be "right" or as though I have proven some winning point, but I speak of my own experience and surely others' in understanding the biblical roots of an uncertain view of our own salvations.

 

[ChristRoseFromTheDead]

The parable says they believed — but only temporarily - and then revolted. That’s not a failure to grow, it’s a failure to endure. The Text never speaks of ‘spiritual salvation’ - that’s a system-inserted modifier, not a biblical term.

The idea of spiritual salvation is gnostic. They did not believe in the salvation of the body because the material world is evil and irrelevant to spiritual matters. The only thing that mattered was the salvation of the inward spiritual being, ie the real them, that they had become awakened to through gnosis.

Paul talks about the salvation of the spirit, soul and body as a whole. Though the natural body is destroyed in physical death, the saved spirit and soul will be clothed with an incorruptible spiritual body in the resurrection, and thus the whole person will be saved.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be guarded blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23​

 

[Karlon]

I have noticed, among self-acknowleged Christians, some Christians take the "Woohoo, I'm saved!" outlook, whereas other Christians still have a sincere fear of going to hell. The first group seems to be more carefree and without fear, whereas the second group still a bit unsure and cannot answer with 100 percent certainty if they are saved. The second group tends to be more fearful that Jesus will say that they did not do enough. Who is right? Or is the answer somewhere in between? Please support with Scripture. Which group are you in? I tend to be in the first group, but I can also see the second group's view.

very simple: John 3:5- "you must be born again"....., then 1st John 5:13- " these things have we written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, THAT YOU MAY KNOW YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE & that you may believe on the name of the Son of God"!!!!!!!!!!!!