Should Christians know that they are saved?
Assurance of salvation is defined as, ‘a God-given confidence, for every true believer in Christ, of their present approval and future acceptance by their Father.’
Augustine of Hippo also understood the security that those who have responded to Christ’s call and have truly turned to him should have. In his commentary on Psalm 150 he affirmed that our salvation must be a work of God, all Christians were selected by God.
“Our predestination is not wrought in ourselves, but in secret with Him, in His foreknowledge. But we are called by the preaching of repentance. We are justified in the calling of mercy and fear of judgment. He fears not judgment, who hath previously attained salvation. Being called, we renounce the devil by repentance, that we may not continue under his yoke: being justified, we are healed by mercy, that we may not fear judgment: being glorified, we pass into everlasting life, where we praise God without end.… The verse wherewith this Psalm concludes is the voice of life everlasting.” (1)
John Calvin, in contrast to the teaching of the Roman Catholic church up till that time, considered a sense of confidence that a person is saved to be a very important aspect of faith. He went as far as teaching that a sense of belonging to Christ was essential for salvation and that the change in lifestyle was a secondary evidence.
“We only know that we are God’s children by His sealing His free adoption on our hearts by His Spirit and by our receiving by faith the sure pledge of it offered in Christ. Therefore, love is an accessory or inferior aid, a prop to our faith, not the foundation on which it rests.” (2)
Roman Catholicism responded to the Reformers’ statements about gospel assurance by emphatically declaring at the Council of Trent (held between 1545 and 1563) that,
“No one can know with a certitude of faith which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained God’s grace.” (3)
The Biblical promise of assurance of salvation is unique among world religions. Unfortunately the confidence given in Scripture is not always found in every Christian tradition. In some cases, it is actually forbidden. Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621), an able theologian of the counter-Reformation movement and opponent of Galileo, wrote:
“The greatest of all Protestant heresies is assurance.” (4)
This became, and still remains a major difference between Roman Catholic and Protestant teaching. The Roman church teaches that the only saints are those canonised by the church and for this people have to be exceptional. They teach it is the church who choses who will be called saints and to be selected takes a prolonged period after they have died. (5) In contrast the Bible teaches that all Christians have been made saints by Christ from the time of their conversion. (6)
Imputed Righteousness
John Bunyan, the writer of Pilgrim's Progress, struggled terribly before he came to a settled faith in Christ. Here's what he wrote:
“One day as I was passing into the field . . . this sentence fell upon my soul. Thy righteousness is in heaven. And methought, withal, I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, was my righteousness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, he wants [lacks] my righteousness, for that was just before [in front of] him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, "The same yesterday, today and, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).
Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God.” (7)
When we are dying and going through all that emotional and physical turmoil it is wonderful to be reminded of the most comforting words in all the world,
"Remember, Christ is your righteousness. Christ is your righteousness. Your righteousness is in heaven. It's the same yesterday today and forever. It doesn't get better when your faith is strong. It doesn't get worse when your faith is weak. It is perfect. It is Christ. Look away from yourself. Rest in him. Lean on him."
We also can rejoice with the saints of the past in the salvation The Lord Jesus Christ has won for us. We are meant to have this confidence. The author of Hebrews urges us,
“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart with full assurance of faith” Hebrews 10:22
The reason we can be confident is because Jesus Christ is our High Priest who has already paid the price for our sin. He didn’t die in vain! We cannot cleanse ourselves but we have been cleansed. The writer continues,
“. . . with full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22
Christ has become the sacrifice for our sins once-for-all time, and he has been raised from the dead as our representative priest. By faith in Him, we are as righteous before the throne of God as He is righteous. For we are justified, made right with God, in His righteousness! If we are in Christ, we are committed to living with and for him, and we can rest secure on the promises of God. We can no more lose this justification than He can fall from heaven. Thus our justification cannot be added to or made more secure because it is complete in Christ! (8)
With this in view, the author says,
“. . . by one offering He has perfected for all time those who come to God by him.” Hebrews 10:14
After a carol service in St. Helens Church, Bishopsgate, the rector, William Taylor, was talking with a young Hindu man who asked him,
“Why do you Christians have such a confidence about your being accepted by God?
The rector drew on a piece of paper a ladder spiralling upwards. He then explained,
“Human religion relies on me trying to work my way up the ladder, whether by religious rituals, my behaviour or the badge of religion I carry. These are portrayed in the eight fold path of Buddhism. Karma is essentially my effort. In contrast, in Christ God came down to us and died to pay the price for our sin. Because we are now in Christ, heaven is now our home.”
There was a pause in the conversation as the young man looked at the diagram. He then said,
“What you are saying is that what we spend our lives striving for, you Christians have got already.”
A Buddhist, when he first understood the gospel said something similar,
“What we long for you have already been given.”
The story is told that on his deathbed someone asked Ghandi, “Babki, you have spent your whole life searching for God. Have you found him yet?” To which the revered man of peace said, “No, not yet.” What humility on the part of Ghandi, but how sad is that statement? Particularly sad since the Triune God of the Universe has willingly and readily revealed Himself to humankind. But that revelation can only be found, can only be apprehended, understood as God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who came from the Father, to reveal Him perfectly to us so that we can enter into a relationship with God.
The reason we can stand before God in full assurance is because of what Christ has done for us. We can therefore now experience our -
“ . . . hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and … bodies washed with pure water” Hebrews 10:22
Martin Luther had tried his utmost to live a godly life as an Augustinian monk. But then he realised that his righteousness could only be ‘filthy rags’ in God’s eyes compared to the righteousness that the Lord Jesus has offered as a free gift to his people. He wrote,
“There are two kinds of Christian righteousness . . . The first is alien righteousness, that is the righteousness of another, instilled from without. This is the righteousness of Christ by which he justifies though faith, as it is written in 1 Corinthians 1:30: “ . . . whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” In John 11:25-26, Christ himself states: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me.....shall never die.” Later he adds in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” This righteousness, then, is given to men in baptism and whenever they are truly repentant. Therefore a man can with confidence boast in Christ and say: “Mine are Christ’s living, doing, and speaking, his suffering and dying, mine as much as if I had lived, done, spoken, suffered, and died as he did.” Just as a bridegroom possesses all that is his bride’s and she all that is his—for the two have all things in common because they are one flesh [Genesis 2:24]—so Christ and the church are one spirit [Ephesians 5:29-32]. Thus the blessed God and Father of mercies has, according to Peter, granted to us very great and precious gifts in Christ [2 Peter 1:4]. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:3; “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Through faith in Christ, therefore, Christ’s righteousness becomes our righteousness and all that he has becomes ours; rather, he himself becomes ours. Therefore the Apostle calls it “the righteousness of God” in Rom. 1:17; For in the gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed...; as it is written, “The righteous shall live by his faith.” Finally, in the same epistle, chapter 3:28, such a faith is called “the righteousness of God”: “We hold that a man is justified by faith.” This is an infinite righteousness, and one that swallows up all sins in a moment, for it is impossible that sin should exist in Christ. On the contrary, he who trusts in Christ exists in Christ; he is one with Christ, having the same righteousness as he. It is therefore impossible that sin should remain in him. This righteousness is primary; it is the basis, the cause, the source of all our own actual righteousness. For this is the righteousness given in place of the original righteousness lost in Adam.” (9)
The whole of the Bible emphasises that the righteousness that saves us is this ‘imputed righteousness.’ it is not our own, it is the gift of Jesus Christ. King David understood that this imputed or gift of righteousness was the only way to be right with God.
“In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1
It is God’s own righteousness that is imputed to those who belong to his Son, the Lord Jesus. Compared to Christ’s righteousness our attempts to be righteous, worthy as they may be, are inadequate. The prophet Isaiah, writing 700 years before Jesus understood this.
“How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6
The gospel of Jesus Christ answers this mystery,
“God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious mystery of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27
Merielle was a patient of mine who had just become a Christian. She had advanced cancer and was moved to the local hospice where I visited her. She was still holding onto her Saviour even though she was sleepier from the drugs. We looked at Romans chapter 8 which is another great chapter on assurance,
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
To make this clearer I wrote her name on a piece of paper and placed it inside the Bible and explained,
“Let this Bible represent the Lord Jesus. You have now committed your life to him. You are therefore utterly secure. When God looks at you, he does not see your sin but the righteousness of Jesus. Furthermore because Jesus has now returned to heaven and is living with his Father and because you are now in him, you are guaranteed to be with him in heaven.”
The Bible keeps reassuring those who are personally committed to following Christ that they are safe. This word ‘safe’ has the same origin as the word ‘saved’. Paul confidently wrote,
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16
Some can have a false sense of assurance. Being baptised and confirmed and being active in a church does not mean a person belongs to the Lord Jesus. The proof of our salvation is our desire to obey what he has taught us in Scripture and nothing less (see John 14:15, 21, 23).
Is a sense of assurance essential for salvation?
The Roman Catholic church has taught that professing believers can never be certain of their salvation. For this reason, believers needed to be careful to perform all the duties and sacraments required by the church to merit final justification. But even the most dedicated believers could still not know for sure if they would be saved.
In the 16th century William Perkins, an Anglican minister and great Biblical theologian, argued strongly against the Roman Catholic view that people cannot be certain about their salvation. His Reformed doctrine of assurance was later set out by the Westminster Assembly at Chapter XVIII of its Confession:
"...such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed."
Rome however, holds that man, without special revelation, may at best only attain a conjectural and probable persuasion of salvation. It is upon this perpetual uncertainty and doubt that the Roman church has profited or, in other words “... built the most gainful parts of their traffic.” (Robert Shaw). Its people seek to remove doubt in part through repeated prayers of the Church, absolutions by Priests, Masses for the dead (which often have to be paid for), and the merits and prayers of the Saints and Martyrs. The sale of Indulgences rested on fear. This subject is therefore most important.
Although both Martin Luther and John Calvin seemed to think that a sense of security was essential for salvation, other theologians realised that our emotions do not always reflect our status before God. I remember treating a lovely elderly missionary bishop who was dying. He had lost his sense of security, doubtless because of his illness, but did that mean he was not saved?
The Westminster Divines wrote pastorally about this problem in the section on assurance. They acknowledged that while the assurance of those devoted to Jesus is infallible, the experience of it is not the same for all believers at all times. Assurance can take a long time to have and, therefore, is not so essential to the faith that a person must have to be saved. Assurance can also be weakened or damaged by neglect, sin, temptation, and even by a sense of “God's withdrawing the light of His countenance.” (10)
Paul
The Bible is clear that each of us who have become followers of Jesus have been chosen by God for a purpose. In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian church he is confident that they are truly saved for two reasons. These are just as relevant to us today.
“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers, loved of the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13
The embers of this church were loved by the Lord and the evidence is firstly that they had a ‘belief in the truth.’ A little earlier Paul has stressed that to reject God’s truth is to reject salvation.
“They perish because they have refused to love the truth and so be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10
Where is this truth to be found? Paul continues,
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15
The second evidence that we are safe in Christ is that His Spirit is changing us to become more like Jesus, with his standards and his ambitions, this is ‘the sanctifying work of the Spirit’ (v. 13).
Consequently we don't have to wonder if we've done enough to be saved. We don't have to live in fear that God will reject us at the judgment day. Our eternal salvation has been accomplished. Paul was able to write to the new Philippian Christians,
“ . . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
John
John wrote three letters to the early church to remind them of their standing in Christ and the changes they will see happening to themselves as God’s Spirit changes them. At the end of the first letter he summarises why he has written the letter:
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” I John 5:11-12
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God . . .” 1 John 5:13
Again it is clear that we are meant to have confidence in our eternal future if we belong to Jesus Christ. The decision is ours.
In his gospel John repeatedly reminds his readers that the gospel is the good news that those who are committed to Jesus Christ are secure, safe or, in another word, saved.
“Yet to all who received him (Jesus), he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” John 3:36
“Jesus gave them this answer, ‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has passed from death to life.” John 5:24
“Jesus said to her,’I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes Lord,’ she told him, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who has come into the world.’” John 11:25-27
What confidence all these promises of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are. We can know now that we ‘have passed from death to life’ because we are committed to Jesus, God’s Messiah.
What if my experience is uncertain?
What if I don’t feel that different after opening my life to Jesus?
Many years ago, a short man called Mr Falconer was working as a missionary to the sailors at Port Chalmers in New Zealand. He had just finished a short service for the seamen, which was held in a large loft used to store the ship’s sails. A young sailor, Frank Bullen, stayed behind to talk. Frank explained that he did believe and had prayed a prayer of commitment to Jesus as his Saviour and Lord, but no obvious change had occurred. He felt no assurance that he had been accepted by God. Mr Falconer read him one of the important sayings of Jesus:
“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24
‘Ah, I see how it is,’ exclaimed Mr Falconer, ’you are waiting for the witness of your feelings to the truth of him who is himself the Truth. You dare not take him at his word unless your feelings, which are subject to a thousand changes a day, corroborate it. You must believe him in spite of your feelings and act accordingly.’
Many years later Frank Bullen wrote:
‘In a moment the hidden mystery was made clear to me, and I said quietly, “I see, sir; it is the credibility of God against the witness of my feelings. Then I believe God!”
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria came to know this confidence concerning her eternal salvation. One day she had attended a service in St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the sermon had gripped her.
Afterwards she asked her chaplain,
"Can one be absolutely sure in this life of eternal safety?"
The poor clergyman replied that he didn’t think anyone could be sure of eternal life. This incident was published in the Court News and so the story came to the notice of a minister named John Townsend. After reading of Queen Victoria's question and the answer she received, he prayed and then sent the following note to the Queen:
“To Her Gracious Majesty, our beloved Queen Victoria, from one of her most humble subjects: With trembling hands, but heart-filled love, and because I know that we can be absolutely sure now for our eternal life in the home that Jesus went to prepare, may I ask Your Most Gracious Majesty to read the following passages of Scripture: John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10. I sign myself, your servant for Jesus' sake, John Townsend”
John Townsend was not alone in praying about his letter to the Queen - many people prayed for her.
About two weeks later he received the following letter, signed using her maiden name:
“To John Townsend: I have carefully and prayerfully read the portions of Scripture referred to. I believe in the finished work of Christ for me, and trust by God's grace to meet you in that home of which he said, "I go to prepare a place for you." (Signed) Victoria Guelph”
After Queen Victoria's discovery of Christian assurance, she used to carry a small booklet to give away to people she met. It's title was ‘Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment.’ (11)
She found this confidence firstly in the promises of God but as she lived with and for her Saviour, Jesus Christ, the relationship with him grew. So may it be with all of us.
BVP October 2021
Augustine of Hippo, “Expositions on the Book of Psalms,” in Saint Augustin: Expositions on the Book of Psalms, ed. Philip Schaff, trans. A. Cleveland Coxe, vol. 8, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1888), 682.
2. Commentary on 1 John 3:19
3. Council of Trent 1547.8.
4. Quoted in Sinclair Ferguson's article http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/greatest-all-protestant-heresies/
5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27140646
6. Ephesians 1:1,15, 6:18, Philippians 1:1, Philemon :7
7. John Bunyan, ‘Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners’, Evangelical Press, 1978, [orig. 1666], pp. 90-91
8. Sinclair Ferguson, https://www.the-highway.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/45403/the-greatest-of-all-protestant-heresies.html
9. Martin Luther, ‘Two kinds of righteousness’ http://www.mcm.edu/~eppleyd/luther.html
10. Westminster Confession of Faith, 18.4
11. https://effectualgrace.com/2011/12/04/to-her-gracious-majesty-our-beloved-queen-victoria/
