Assurance

Temple Baptist Church - 6-24-2015

1 John 5:13

 

Introduction:

 

A.  We have now spent several weeks dealing with the witnesses of salvation because God wants all men to be saved and all saved to be sure.  This is a part of our spiritual heritage and can only come through faith in what God has promised!  Your flesh will fail you, your feelings with fail you, and you faith will sometimes fail you (John the Baptist), but God will never fail you and His promises can be totally relied upon.

 

B.  Verse 13 is the culmination of all of the preceding witnesses: the witness of a changed life, the witness of the Trinity, the witness of men, and the witness of God’s record of a finished work in Christ.

 

C.  I want to look at verse 13 and give some valuable, biblical insight into this blessing called “Blessed Assurance.”  My favorite song is “Blessed Assurance” because our assurance is a foretaste of glory divine!  It is our assurance of a blessed, eternal hope.  As I begin this long message, let us break verse 13 down into 5 important parts.

 

1.  “These things have I written unto you” speaks of the very Word of God that we now hold in our hands.  God has given us His promise of salvation through His Word.  It matters not what man thinks, feels, or says concerning salvation because all of these things can be wrong.  It only matters what God says!

 

2.  “That believe on the name of the Son of God” speaks of what we trust and rely upon for our salvation.  When we believe the record that God gave of His Son, we are anchored to the Rock that cannot move!  Once again, it matters not what you think, feel, or say—it only matters what you believe!

 

3.  “That ye may know” speaks of something that can be fully known and, therefore fully relied upon.  The key word of the Book of 1 John is “know.”  Now that you and I are saved, God wants to us know some things; to be fully assured of some things!

 

4. “That ye have eternal life” speaks of the surety and seal of our salvation.  Its surety is found in the Bible and its seal is found in the indwelling Holy Ghost!  Salvation is not being put on probation.  Salvation is a complete, eternal deliverance!

 

5.  “And that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” speaks of our trust in God for all things pertaining to life and godliness.  “And” means at the same time and in the same amount.  God wants us to trust Him, not only for our eternal salvation, but for everything in this life and the life to come.

 

D.  It make take a few weeks to preach this but just sit back, listen, and enjoy the eternal salvation that God has given to you!

 

1.  Full Assurance Comes From Knowing Our Position: What We Are.

 

a.  We are Saved - 1 Corinthians 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

 

1)  We are not trying to be saved.  Your first reaction would be to say, “We all know that.”  We know it in principle but too often not in our actions.  Though we know that salvation cannot be lost, we still base our assurance on what we are or are not doing!

 

2)  We are not being saved.  Once again, we know well the doctrine of salvation.  We are saved in an instant when we hear God’s Word and personally believe God’s Word.

 

3)  We are not on probation.  Probation is a legal term that simply means that we are found guilty of a crime and sentenced.  Many times, the perpetrator goes to jail for a period of time and then in released for good behavior and placed on probation.  As long as you keep the “rules,” you stay out of jail but, if you break the rules, you are placed back into jail to serve the remainder of your sentence.  That is actually what people who believe that you can be saved and then lost look at salvation.  We are saved!  We have been delivered!  It is over and we are safe!

 

4)  Salvation is a present, unchanging position in Christ!

 

b.  We are Forgiven - 1 John 2:12  I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 

 

1)  The word “forgiven” means reversal, separation, or completion.  Forgiven to God means reversal.  That which was at enmity is now reconciled through the blood of Christ.

 

2)  Forgiven to God means separation.  As far as the East is from the West, not as far as the South is from the North.  You can measure the distance from South to North but you cannot measure the distance from the East to the West!

 

3)  Forgiven to God means forgetting!  Our sins are to remembered no more.  God does not bring our sin us again but places them in the Sea of Forgetfulness.

 

4)  Forgiven to God means completion!  Jesus Christ died not only for our past sins but for our present and future sins.  They are all under the blood through foreknowledge.  Jesus paid it ALL on Calvary!

 

Psalms 32:1-2  Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  (2)  Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

 

c.  We are Washed - 1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

1)  God has spiritually bathed us through the cleansing agent of the blood of Christ.  His blood pays the penalty for sin.  Isaiah 1:18 says we are “white as snow” and “like wool.”

 

2)  God spiritually washes our feet through the cleansing agent of His Word.  As the Old Testament priest washed at the Laver which was made of the looking glasses of the women, we wash at the well from whence comes the Water of the Word.

 

3)  In salvation, we have had an all-over bath!  In light of eternity, we are clean and clean indeed.

 

4.  In fellowship, we simply wash our spiritual feet as we walk through this dirty, sin ridden world.

 

John 13:6-10  Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?  (7)  Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.  (8)  Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  (9)  Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.  (10)  Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

 

d.  We are Sanctified - 1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

1)  Once saved, we are born in the family of God (also called the body of Christ and the church).  We are one in Christ; hid with Christ in God.  We are not only brothers and sisters in our relationship with one another, Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren.

 

2)  We are the sons of God through the new birth!  Spiritually birthed and Spirit baptized!  We are different from this world as we have died with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life.

 

3)  I will not go into all of it but being born into the right family has a lot of “perks” that go with it.  Since we are “adopted” sons, we cannot be cut out of our spiritual inheritance.

 

Galatians 3:26-29  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  (27)  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  (28)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  (29)  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.  (This cannot be baptism into a local church because we are baptized into Christ.  The local church has Jew and Greek, bond and free, male and female.  The body of Christ has only equality.)

 

e.  We are Justified - 1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

1)  Innocent!  Not guilty!  We did not do it!  Oh, the amazing grace of a thrice holy God that declares sinners innocent.  Jude 24 says that we will be presented faultless, not forgiven.  In the economy of God, we have committed no sin!

 

2)  Free!  Free indeed!  Not bound by sin.  Though our flesh fails, nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus!

 

3)  Righteous!  We that are saved have been robed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ!  When God sees us, He sees the purity and perfection of His Son!

1 John 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

 

Jude 24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

f.  We are Complete - Colossians 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

 

1)  God has given us all that we need!  The child of God lacks nothing spiritually.  God sees us seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  In the mind of God, we are already home.

 

2)  God has done all that needs to be done.  Calvary is sufficient!  “It is finished” was His cry from the cross and you can add or subtract nothing.

 

3)  In His time, He will take us home by way of death or the rapture and NOT ONE OF US WILL BE MISSING.

 

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

2.  Full Assurance Comes From Knowing Our Possession: What We Have.

 

a.  We have Freedom - Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;  (The price tag for sin as high and our debt was great but the wonderful Son of God paid the price and canceled the debt for each of us.  He bought us off of the “slave block” of sin and made us free!!)

 

1 Peter 1:18-20  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (20)  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

Job 33:24  Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.  (A sum of money that satisfies!  Free from condemnation, free from hell, free from the Law, free from fear of death, free—praise the Lord—free at last.)

 

b.  We have Peace - Romans 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Not always do we have the peace of God, though it is available, but we have peace WITH God, which is unconditional peace to the child of God!  There is no enmity between God and His children.)

 

Ephesians 2:13-15  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  (14)  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;  (15)  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  (We are one with Christ.  As no man hateth his own flesh, so Christ loves His own body, the church.)

 

c.  We have Eternal Life - John 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  (Without beginning or end, perpetual, forever, literally the life of God Himself!  As God always was, always is, and always will be—so are we because we are “dead” and our life is “hid with Christ in God!” Colossians 3:3.)

 

John 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (We are saved, safe, and eternally secure.  No power in heaven or on earth can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.)

 

d.  We have the Spirit of God - John 7:37-39  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  (38)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (39)  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)  (Not only God with us and God for us but also God IN us.  What a blessed Gift from God; what a blessed Friend who walks with us.)

 

Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

 

2 Timothy 1:14  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

 

e.  We have the Word of God - Hebrews 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  (We have the inspired, inerrant, infallible, preserved Word of God.  As true Bible believer, we champion the Scriptures, preach the Scriptures, and try to follow its precepts.  We are few but we are not lonesome!  We are maligned but we are confident!  It either is God’s Word or it is only the work of man which contains some of God’s Word.  We are confident in our King James Bible and make no apology or compromise.)

 

1 Peter 1:23-25  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  (24)  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  (25)  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

 

f.  We have a High Priest - Hebrews 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;  (Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King!  He is with us and on our side.  He represents us to God.)

 

Hebrews 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

 

g.  We have and Advocate - 1 John 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  (Jesus Christ is our Go Between, He is our Intercessor.  When Satan accuses us, He pleads our cause through the blood that was shed and applied to the Mercy Seat in heaven.)

 

1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

 

Hebrews 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

3.  Full Assurance Comes From Knowing Our Perception: What We Believe.

 

a.  We know that God has changed our lives - 1 John 5:18-19  We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.  (19)  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.  (I can tell you about a time and take you to a place where the Lord saved and CHANGED me by His marvelous grace!  I can take you back to where my wife got a new husband, my children got a new dad, my church got a new FAITHFUL member, the world got a new witness, and a life got a new purpose and desire!  I understand that small children have no personal change of the magnitude of an old sinner like me but, God changes a small child the same way.  You are as faithful as I am; you love the Lord just as much as I do; and you are here faithfully every Wednesday night just like  I am!)

 

2 Corinthians 5:17-18  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (18)  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

 

b.  We know that our life is more abundant through Christ Jesus - John 10:9-10  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  (10)  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  (Whereas our lives were once vain and empty, God has filled us with His life: one of purpose.  I have often heard and repeated that God saves from the guttermost to the uttermost!  The blessing of life and hope all wrapped up in one.)

 

Hebrews 7:24-25  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.  (25)  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

c.  We know where truth is and what truth is - 1 John 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  (Lost people cannot know nor can they grasp biblical truth.  You cannot disciple them until they get saved and have the blessed Holy Ghost inside to convince them of truth.  It bothers me when I cannot convince more liberal minded church members and preaches of simple doctrinal truth.  One man said that they cannot grasp biblical truth because it is a “family secret.”  I do not know who is saved or who is lost but I do know that I have never had a problem with not being able to understand the clear teachings of God’s Word.  We know where Truth is!  It is in our King James Bible alone!  Liberal minded people cannot grasp this truth or will not grasp it.  It is as simple as this:  if we have God’s Word, it must be contained in one Bible, not many.  Things that are different are not the same.  We either have one Bible right and all of the rest are wrong or they are all wrong because they are all different.  Simple common sense!)

 

John 8:30-32  As he spake these words, many believed on him.  (31)  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  (32)  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

d.  We know that we are secure because we are in Him - 1 John 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  (Positional Sanctification is a wondrous doctrine rarely believed by most so called Christians.  At the moment of salvation, we are placed into Christ and “in him is no sin.”  Our sin is in our flesh but there is a part of us that is sealed by the Holy Ghost until the day of redemption!  So many preachers deny the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the emersion into the body of Christ [also called the family of God and the church].)

 

Romans 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (Into Jesus Christ, not into a local church!  This is not water baptism!)

 

1 Corinthians 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  (One SPIRIT – one BODY!  There are many local church bodies and we are baptized in the local church by a man, not the Spirit!  That one body spoken of in this verse is not a local church.  It is THE CHURCH!)

 

Galatians 3:27-28  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  (28)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  (The local church has Jew and Greek, bond and free male and female but, in the body of Christ, there is no difference and all are the same.)

 

Colossians 3:3-4  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 

 

4.  Full Assurance Comes From Knowing Our Prospect: What We Shall Be.

 

a.  We know about and look for His coming - Hebrews 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.  (Expectant and excited!)

 

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

Acts 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

 

Isaiah 25:8-9  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.  (9)  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

 

b.  We know that when He shall come:

 

1)  Our dead shall be raised - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

2)  We all shall be changed - 1 Corinthians 15:51-54  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  (52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  (53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  (54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 

3)  We shall be caught up with him - 1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

4)  We shall see Him as He is - 1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

5)  We shall be like Him - 1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

6)  We shall be with Him - John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

7)  We shall be satisfied with His likeness - Psalms 17:15  As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

 

Conclusion:  After weeks of preaching on 1 John 5:13, I guess I can say, “I said all of that to say this, God wants all men to be saved and all saved to be sure!  Trust Jesus Christ with what you committed unto Him!

 

2 Timothy 1:12  For the which cause 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 that which I have committed unto him against that day.