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Matthew 7:21–23

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven” (v. 21).

It seems that David has suddenly lost all faith in God’s ability to preserve him and to fulfill His promises to bring him to the throne of Israel. Simply put, David is overwhelmed by his doubts and fears. Christians often go through a similar struggle, wondering whether they have actually been saved from the penalty of their sins and will come to heaven one day. Like David, they lack assurance. This is no small matter, for this lack can cripple the Christian’s walk with God, impeding growth in Christlikeness. Because this is an important (but often unrecognized) element of the Christian life, we will spend the remainder of this week examining Biblical assurance—the basis of it, what it provides for us, and how we can have it. Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new Renewing Your Mind teaching series, The Assurance of Salvation, will be our guide.

When it comes to assurance, there are four kinds of people:

  1. Those who are unsaved and know it. Romans 1:32 depicts such people; they defy God brazenly, even though they know the penalty.
  2. Those who are saved and know it. These people have full assurance of being in a state of God’s grace. Every true Christian should be—and can be—in this category.
  3. Those who are saved and do not know it. These individuals have been regenerated and have trusted Christ, but do not yet realize what has happened to them.
  4. Those who are unsaved and “know” they are saved. They have great confidence that they are believers, but their assurance is false.

In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks of people who have such false assurance. They will come to him at the Last Day, having served Him in manifold ways, and they will address Him as “Lord, Lord” (using repetition to suggest an intimate relationship). Jesus says there will be many such people, who will be full of confidence that they are His and He is theirs. However, they will find they are mistaken, for Jesus will say, ” ‘I never knew you; depart from Me.’ ”

These are terrifying words, for they show that assurance can be unjustified. However, as we will discover as we continue this series of studies this week, it is possible to gain true assurance of salvation. In fact, God commands us to pursue it for the good of our souls.

Coram Deo Living before the face of God

Are you confident that you belong to Jesus? If so, are you certain that this assurance is built on a Biblical foundation? Take time to pray today that God would help you find unshakable assurance that you are His child. Pray that this brief series of studies would give you a clearer understanding of this important aspect of the Christian walk.


For Further Study

    When Faith Falters

    Sources of False Certainty

    Keep Reading The Sanctity of Work: A Biblical Perspective on Labor

    From the July 2003 Issue
    Jul 2003 Issue