Personal assurance of salvation: It's serious, because you can waste a lot of psychic energy worrying about your eternal future. All kinds of personality disorders can develop because of this deep anxiety, making not only yourself miserable, but others closest to you. The apostle John says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Is that like knowing you have a certain amount of money in the bank? You feel better if you know it's there in your name. Obviously, God does not want us to fret and worry.
On the other hand, He also wants us to exercise common sense. The Bible does not teach the heresy of Universalism. Clearly, some people, "the number ... as the sand of the sea" (Rev. 20:8) will not enter into eternal life. Christ will be forced to tell "many," Sorry, "I never knew you" (Matt. 7:23).
So, how do we walk this fine hairline? Several Bible principles may help us:
(1) The only Person in the Bible who has ever been guaranteed eternal life is Christ Himself. God says of Him, "Behold My servant, ... Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth" (Isa. 42:1). "I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded" (1 Peter 2:6).
(2) All the rest of us are "chosen ... in Him" (Eph. 1:4), because His new role is that of "last Adam," or second Adam. He is the new Head of the human race; and just as the human race is naturally "in Adam" by birth, so now by faith we can individually ratify His election of us "in Him."
(3) He wills that "all men" should be saved (1 Tim. 2:3, 4); you waste your time if you worry about whether He wants you to be saved.
(4) His love is so strong, His persistence is so great as "Good Shepherd," that He will continue to assure you of His search for you as His lost sheep.
(5) He claims you as His purchased possession, purchased with His blood.
(6) He says that He has you in His hand. "My sheep hear My voice ... and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any one pluck them out of My hand" (John 10:27, 28). "Assurance"? You bet!
(7) But let the common sense kick in right here: if you cling stubbornly to unbelief, if you deliberately choose to rebel, you yourself can jump out of His hand. So He says, "Abide in Me," stay where I have put you by means of My great sacrifice for you (John 15:4).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: January 22, 2000.Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
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