Can I Know I’m Saved?
Introduction:
Jesus wants everyone to be saved. (II
Peter 3:9)
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but
is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance.”
NKJV
He made it possible so that everyone could be saved. (John
4:42)
“Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said,
for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ,
the Savior of the world.’ ”
NKJV
But
we also know that we do sin. (I
John 1:8)
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us.”
NKJV
So can I know with assurance that I am saved? If so, how?
Body:
I.
Is Assurance Possible?
·
The apostle Paul possessed confidence. (II
Timothy 1:12)
“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep
what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
NKJV
Paul was not perfect. He admitted that he sinned.
·
The inspired writer John used the word “know” over twenty times in
I John.
See
I John 5:13. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of
the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you
may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
NKJV
To know is to be confident of something as a fact. So if the faithful
Christian were to die unexpectedly, he can know [have assurance] that he
would be saved.
·
For the unfaithful Christian, there is no hope at all. (Hebrews
10:26-27)
“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the
adversaries.”
NKJV
A Christian can fall from grace and forfeit salvation. (Galatians
5:4)
“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by
law; you have fallen from grace.”
NKJV
(II
Peter 1:10)
“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election
sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble,”
NKJV
II.
What about Sins of Ignorance or Weakness?
·
Faithful Christians have no fear of being lost. (John
10:27-29)
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish neither shall anyone snatch
them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than
all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
NKJV
The
word “snatch” denotes the use of force. As long as we are with Christ, no
one can rob us of our salvation. Can we choose to walk away from our
relationship with Jesus? Absolutely!
·
The faithful Christian should find comfort in knowing he does not have to be
sinlessly perfect to go to heaven. You just have to keep “walking in the
light.” (I
John 1:6-7)
“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie
and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ
His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
NKJV
This text reveals a precious promise:
“. . . if we are Christians, if our heart is right, and if our walk and
lifestyle is in harmony with the will of God, He does not wait until we have
confessed and prayed to forgive.” Cecil May Jr.
The child of God still sins – still misses the mark – still transgresses.
But he doesn’t go from “saved” to “lost”, back to “saved,” back to “lost”
several times a day.
·
While God certainly doesn’t approve of our sins of weakness and ignorance,
Christ’s blood continues to cleanse us of those sins.
I John 1:7-8
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all
sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.”
NKJV
Guy N. Woods wrote concerning this text.
“I John 1:7-8 teaches us that sins involving frailties, weaknesses,
unintentional lapses are continually cleansed as we ‘walk in the light of
God’s truth.’ He further adds: “This is a state of grace – not of human
perfection – and we should be ever more thankful that in spite of our
imperfections, we may through grace enjoy His approval.”
·
God does not ask us to do the impossible. (Ecclesiastes
7:20)
“For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.”
NKJV
The Bible instructs us to make every effort.
(II
Peter 3:14)
“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be
found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;”
NKJV
So we have seen that for the faithful Christian, the Lord does not count our
sins against us. (Romans
4:6-8)
“just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes
righteousness apart from works; ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are
forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
shall not impute sin.’ ”
NKJV
So
what does it mean to be a faithful Christian?
III.
What Does It Mean to Be A Faithful Christian?
·
We must have a forgiving spirit toward others. (Matthew
6:14-15)
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.”
NKJV
God
will not forgive us of our unintentional sins if we are not willing to
forgive others of theirs.
·
Our forgiveness is based upon our willingness to confess our wrongs. (Psalm
19:12-13)
“Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back
Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over
me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great
transgression.”
NKJV
We must confess the sins we are aware of and be aware that there are many we
are not aware of. We should pray to God that He will help us do better, and
those sins are forgiven. We need never worry that God will hold them
against us.
·
We must pursue faithfulness. (Revelation
2:10)
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the
devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and
you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will
give you the crown of life.”
NKJV
This
means not being content with ignorance, but pursuing holiness. (I
Peter 1:14-16)
“as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in
your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all
you conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ ”
NKJV
Conclusion:
Thankfully our salvation is based upon Christ’s meritorious work, not our
meritorious work. So don’t ever ask if you are good enough to go to
heaven. You aren’t! But you can still go there.
As we have seen today, God does not automatically forgive everyone. But as
Brother V. P. Black commented:
“The man of whom God will not mark up his mistakes , his blunders, his
shortcomings, is this faithful, dedicated child of God who is walking in the
light, giving his best to the master, doing his very best to serve God.”
A
thanks goes to Brother Ben Giselbach for his insights.
Bobby Stafford
July 28, 2019
