INTRODUCTION
The Lord wishes His people to enjoy the assurance of salvation. During His earthly ministry, our Saviour assured with His own lips those who believed in Him (John 14:1-3, Luke 23:43). Having ascended to Heaven our Saviour has sent us another Comforter. The Holy Spirit has how a very definite work in producing assurance of salvation.
Before entering into a study of the Spirit's work in assurance, we will review some basic truths concerning this subject. This will benefit those who have never studied this subject before. I. THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE.
A. The possibility of assurance.
1. God's people have experienced assurance in the past - Psalms 23:6, II Corinthians 5:1, Hebrews 11:13, Philippians 1:21, I John 4:16.
2. God's Word asserts that we may have assurance - I John 5:13 and 3:14.
3. God commands us to seek assurance - II Peter 1:10, II Corinthians 13:5.
4. God's grace the basis of assurance - Romans 4:16.
Those who make salvation to depend in part on man's works can never preach security in Christ. This is illustrated in all groups that teach that man must help earn or keep his salvation. B. The necessity of assurance.
The assurance of salvation is necessary to both the joy and the service of the saint. The basis of our rejoicing is the certainty of our salvation (Luke 10:20, Romans 5:2). Christian service likewise is not motivated by fear but rather by assurance (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5-7). We do not serve God as trembling servants, but as rejoicing children. Our faith works by love (Galatians 5:6). Full assurance may not be possessed by every saint, nor do any enjoy it to the fullest at all times, yet every Christian should seek "to make their calling and election sure" (II Peter 1 :10). C. The basis of assurance.
"Is assurance based on God's Word, or on our experience?" This question is deceiving because it plays off Christian experience against the Bible. While it is a mistake to base our assurance upon experiences that have no Biblical basis, yet as we proceed it will become evident that our Christian experience does play a part in assurance. Many today having been told to "take it by faith" have never experienced a work of grace, and will find themselves deceived at last. To reject Scriptural teachings concerning the Christian experience as it relates to assurance is not "faith in" but rather "ignorance of" God's Word. Let us then understand that God's Word is the basis of our faith, and the judge (rather than the replacement) of our experience. II. THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN ASSURANCE.
The works of the Spirit in producing assurance are manifold. For ease of comprehension we will divide them into three categories. These might be referred to as the "three tiers of assurance." A. The terms of the Gospel - Acts 20:21, John 3:16, Luke 13:3, Acts 10:43, Acts 17:30, Luke 24:46-47.
Anyone wanting assurance of salvation should certainly begin by seeking to know that they have complied with the terms upon which God offers the forgiveness of sins. These are of course: repentance and faith. Remember that while both repentance and faith are acts of man yet they are made possible by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
1. Repentance - Evangelical repentance must not be confused with penance, or reformation. Repentance is a "change of mind" that involves:
a. A conviction of personal sinfulness.
b. A godly sorrow over sin - II Corinthians 7:10.
c. A desire to be forgiven and cleansed from sin. True repentance involves more than a desire for forgiveness. The truly repentant sinner desires salvation from the penalty, power and presence of sin.
Repentance must not be confused with turning from sin, turning to God, or faith in Christ. These things always follow repentance and verify its presence, yet they must be distinguished from it (Mark 1:15, Acts 26:20, Acts 3:19, Matthew 3:8).
2. Faith - Saving faith must not be confused with mere historical assent (James 2:19), or with some temporary emotional experience.
True faith involves:
a. A spiritual conviction of the truth of the gospel (I Corinthians 2:45, I Thessalonians 1:4-5 & 2:13).
b. A whole-hearted looking to Christ Jesus for salvation (Romans 10:8-10, Acts 16:30-31).
Some may wonder why we do not close our discussion on assurance at this point. The fact however that scripture has much more to say about assurance reveals that a person may truly repent and trust Christ and yet not possess full assurance. Assurance is not part of the essence of faith. To look to Christ for salvation is not the same as knowing that He has saved us (I John 5:13, II Corinthians 13:5). Those who are new Christians often fear lest their faith is not true saving faith. Doubts about their state and experience may torment them.
Those who teach that faith and assurance are the same confuse many. They often say "if you have truly trusted Christ you have no doubts." This is to base assurance upon our experience of assurance and is very disconcerting to the weak or trembling child of God. It is to teach that we must believe we are saved in order to be saved.
The Scriptural doctrine is that assurance is the natural reflex act, or consequence of the faith. Assurance should follow faith as a result of self examination and study of the Scriptures (I John 5:13).
Having discussed this issue let us proceed to the other "Tiers" of assurance. Through these the young believer comes to full assurance. B. The fruit of regeneration.
How does one know that his faith is truly the "faith of God elect?" The entire book of I John was written to answer this question (I John 5: 13). Therein we see that one who has truly been born again will have certain evidences of this in his life. Just as the "Ugly Duckling" learned its true identity by seeing its reflection so the believer comes to greater assurance by seeing the marks of regeneration not only laid out in Scripture but produced in his own heart. The Spirit bears co-witness with our own spirit to the certainty of our sonship (Romans 8:16). Is not the witness of our own spirit the personal awareness we have that the Holy Spirit has made us new creatures in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17)?
Our Lord said that a tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:17-20). Paul knew that the Thessalonians were elect because of the Spirit's work in their lives (I Thessalonians 1:4-6). Following are some of the marks of regeneration that true believers will see in their own lives:
1. An awareness of personal sinfulness - I John 1:8 & 10, Matthew 5:3-4, Romans 7:22-25.
2. A new desire to obey God - I John 2:3, 5:2-3, 3:18-19, Romans 8:14.
3. A love for God's people - I John 3:14-15.
4. A faith that lasts - I John 5:4.
5. An open ear to God's Word - I John 4:6.
6. A love for God - I John 4:1-9.
7. A new attitude toward this world's system - I John 2:15.
Let me conclude this section by reminding the reader that the marks of regeneration do not save us but rather reveal that we are saved. The spiritual side of salvation is called a "new birth" because it produces in us a likeness to our Heavenly Father (II Peter 1:4, Colossians 3:10). Are these characteristics manifest in your life? C. The witness of the Spirit.
In Romans 8:16 we find that the Holy Spirit has a witness that He bears to the fact of our salvation. This is in conjunction with, but different from the witness borne by our own spirit to the new life we have in Christ. This witness of the Spirit is an inner testimony of God's love for us and His acceptance of us through Christ.
In Scripture the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the "spirit of adoption" (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6-7). This is because He actually causes the saint to feel like a child of God and incites him to run to God in prayer. Those who trust in Christ are free of the spirit of bondage and very naturally look to God as their "Father."
To this end the Spirit is said to cause us to cry "Abba, Father." Abba was a word meaning "father" that slaves were not permitted to use toward free men. This reveals the new spirit of freedom that the believer feels. The Holy Spirit enables them to feel like "sons" rather than "servants" of God (Galatians 4:5-7).
Beyond this the "witness of the Spirit" involves a direct manifestation of God's love and presence to the believer's soul. In Romans 5:5 where the context is assurance, we find that God's Spirit sheds the love of God into our hearts. We actually may experience the love that God has to us (I John 4:16). Christ promised to manifest Himself to those who love Him (John 14:21). He sups with those that open unto Him (Revelation 3:20). While we may not at all times enjoy these manifestations of God's love, yet like the bride in the Song of Solomon we should pray that the Spirit would bring us these tokens of love (Song of Solomon 1:2, 2:3-6). The witness of the Spirit is the highest form of assurance, and every child of God should desire to experience it in ever increasing clearness and power. "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." (James 4: 7). CONCLUSION
In the study of a subject such as this let us not be satisfied with a mere intellectual apprehension of truth. What profit is there in knowing about assurance, if we do not possess it? Why should the children of a King Go mourning all their days? Great Comforter! descend and bring Some tokens of thy grace. Dost thou not dwell in all the saints, And seal them heirs of heaven? When wilt thou banish my complaints, And show my sins forgiven? Assure my conscience of her part In the Redeemer's blood; And bear thy witness with my heart, That I am born of God. Isaac Watts
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