“Whosoever shall call upon the [N]ame of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10)

 

Reader, We have written upon the “Ugly” in the Christ-ian Faith.  That “ugly” is the unforgriven Christ-ian.  There is not anything that is more unsightly that comes to my mind.  Today, God willing, we shall write upon that which is the most saddest in the Christ-ian faith. Today, we will write upon the doctrine of assurance, God willing. But first (1st) let us ask a few questions. *What is the doctrine of assurance?  *What are the signs of assurance?  *What is one (1) really saying when one doubts this doctrine.  *What or Who is one truly doubting by calling assurance into question?  *What must one (1) do to enjoy thix doctrine of assurance?

What is the doctrine of assurance?
*The doctrine of assurance cab be defined simply as owning and enjoying one’s salvation.  Assurance affords the believer to trust in, be thankful for, enjoy one’s salvation that is found in Christ, Alone and not in themselves.  Everyone, at somepoint during their salvation experience, can question their salvation.  However, at some point in this experience one must stop worring and doubting. At some point it begins to insult God and His Word and His faihfulness.

What are the signs of Assurance?
*Love for the Godhead
*Love for the brethren
*Love for God’s Word and Promises
*Do you still call upon the Name of the Lord?
*Do you obey God as a rule in your life?

The above general rules or characteristics of ones (1’s) life, or walk with God speaks well to one’s (1’s) wlk with God.
*Love for the Godhead: A consistent walk with Godhead signifies one’s (1’s) love for God. A  person once asked Martin Luther how he might know that he is truly saved.  Luther, who struggled with this same concern for much of his life, answered quite simply, “If you are concerned about being saved or one (1) of the elect, you are certainly one (1) of God’s elect, for none but the elect think aupon these things.”  How simple, but profound an answer.

Are you concerned about the salvation of loved ones (1s)? This is a sign of one’s sure election, Reader.

Do you have a genuine love for and an attraction to the Triune God? Do you love God as Father?  Do you love God’s Son as brother, as Lord, and as Saviour?  Do you call upon the Name of the Lord?  If you find yourself calling upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, You have been, are, and will be saved.  The promise of calling upon the Name of the Lord has been despised the the church.

Many in the church see this promise as being relegated to the salvation prayer, but what ignorance does this betray in the church and the Bible”so-called” teachers. “To call upon the Name of the Lord,” is a promise for all believers until He returns.  The promise is for everyday……”Whatever believer spends his or her life, calling upon Me, shall enjoy Me, my Salvation and shall endure until the end.”  Reader, do you call upon the name of the Lord?  Is He your Lord?  If Christ is not your Lord, you ARE NOT saved and have not been, for Christ is not the Saviour but to those who call upon His Name as Lord.

Do you lean upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, support, to maintain your faith, to increase your faith? Do you trust Him to grant wisdom, knowledge, understanding?  Do you find in Him for your growth into Christ-likeness? Do you thank the Father for the Spirit’s aid in all things and especially His indwelling.  Reader, do you love God in His great Triunity of Loving Persons?  Are you thankful that God the Father chose you unto His Salvation?  Do you love and thank Christ for His love and passion in your name?  Do you love the Spirit of God for His Presence in you life and drawing you to Christ?  Reader if you can aswer th above questions in the affirmity, You are blessed saved.  Reader, you must know this simple but awesome truth:  Your salvation was decided upon by the Godhead, in sternity past and came to fruition in time…the only part you have was being the etrnal object of God’s love and decision. True you must repenr and believe, but MY GOD, believer, those were decided upon by God and GRANTED by Him as well.  Rentencae was GRATED to you. belief was GIVEN you.  STOP LOOKING INWARD AND BEGIN LOOKING UPWARD.

Do You Love Your Christ-ian brethren?
*This is a simple question, Reader,  Do you or do you not love the brethren?  Are you concerned about them, do you pray for them, do you rejoice with them when they rejoice and weep with them when they weep?  These tears need not be physical. Do you desire the spiritual growth of others?  Are you concerned when you see others drifting away?  Do you pray for others?  Do you pray for those that are not saved?  Reader, these are signs of one’s (1’s) salvation.

Do you love the Word of God?
*Do you love the Word of God?  Do you read the Word? Do you believe the Word?  Do you obey the Word? Do you search the Word, Do you study the Word of God? Is the Word your spiritual meet and drink? Do you find yourself degending the veracity of God’s Word?  Do you share the Word of God?  This is a sure sign of being saved, Reader and a sure reason to be concerned about your salvation.

Do you obey the Lord?
*The author of Hebrews, most likely Paul, said in chapter five (5), Christ is the Saviour to all then that, “OBEY Him.”  Reader, Christ is the Saviour of those that Love Him (1 Corithians 16) and obey Him in Hebrews five (5).  It cannot be stated for simply than this, either believe it and enjoy peace or doubt it and suffer from a hopeless and doubt filled salvation.  The latter is truly a pitiful existence.

To choose the latter is to greive the Godhead for a time and graduate to an affrontery and offense.  Reader, the doubt one’s (1’s) salvation will grieve the Godhead for a time until it graduates into a great affront and even offense in everyway.  Paul stated clearly in 1 Thessalonians 5, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.”  To grieve Him is to sadden Him for a time that may grow into anger.  Reader, YOU DO Not Want TO GRIEVE HIM OR ANGER HIM. To doubt Hima nd His work and His goddness will do both. To Dobt the Ghost…is to doubt the Work of Christ and the Word of God.

Reader, to be blunt and even harsh…To doubt God in this matter is to exalt youself above Him and His Sovereign work and free choice, His love and His power.  To doubt Him and His power is to exalt yourself, and you sin above Him and His BLOOD’S GREAT WORTH AND WORK…Reader, at some point your doubt stops being a sign of the worth you place upon God’s whatever and begins to be an AFFRONT upon, His Word, His Work, AND HIS WORTH.  Reader, it is time to believer He can save to the uttermost and to confess your doubt in His work, Word, and worth, and denounce your salvation…not on the gournds of you and your unworth but of the grounds of God’s failure, His unfaithfulness and ability…you and your whatever is greater than God!!!

 

A person’s salvation and eternal secirity is based in Go’d free choice, Christ’s Work performs in the Place of God’s chosen and the Spirit’s application of Christ’s Work performed in the place of the Father’s free choice.  This is as much Gospel truth as it is Christ’s Work in the stead of elect sinners.  To doubt God’s salvation is to place “what you did” above what He did, does, and eternally will do.

It truly is a pitiful thing to see a believer living in doubt…in doubt not only of salvation but in God, God’s Word, God’s Love, and God’s blessed faithfulness.  At some point your doubt becomes less of a thing of humilty and more of a thing of God’s inability and faithlessness to Himself, His word, and His chosen and beloved.

Believer, it is past time to grow up into the faith of God’s Word and promises.  We invite you to spend time in Roman’s chapter seven, the last several verses as well as the life of King David.  If the man he speaks of in Roman’s seven (he speaks of himself) is saved than I think you are. If David, with all his baggage, remains a much loved servant, son, and saint, me thinks you will too.

 

Reader, Take your eyes off of self and “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face…”

Godspeed.