1. ASSURANCE: The state of being assured; freedom from doubt and uncertainty.

2. As a theological concept, assurance is one of the richest doctrines of the Bible.

a) It refers to the believer's full confidence and conviction that the penalty of his sins

has been paid.

b) That heaven has been secured as his eternal destiny by Christ's death and

resurrection.

3. Assurance means that the Christian not only possesses salvation, but that he also

knows what he possesses-- he is assured of this salvation.

4. If you died today, do you know you are saved?

a) Can you know?

b) How can you know?

5. Is it a feeling in your heart?

6. Or something more concrete, more tangible?

7. Some claim to have assurance of salvation who in reality don't (Mtt.7:21-23).

8. When asked if a Christian can be sure of eternal life one should answer with 1Jno.5:13

"These things I have written to you who believe on the name of the Son of God; that

9. Let us examine this passage closely:

A. This shows the purpose of the letter of 1John.

1) Also 1:4 "And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full"

2) The message of the letter is "assurance."

3) It was given to John and he declared it throughout the world.

B. 1John 1:1-5

C. Very similar to the Gospel of John (See 20:30-31)

D. But different in purpose.

A. The recipients were believers. (Used more loosely today)

B. In the NT it meant those who have come to a knowledge of the truth and have

been obedient to it (See 1Tim.2:4; Acts 6:7; Rom.6:17;Heb.5:9)

C. James wrote about those whose belief was not coupled with obedience (2:19-26).

D. The verb tense indicates that those to whom John was writing were those who

kept on believing (continous action).

E. They were living and active in their service to God.

A. Assurance can be ours:(1 John 5:12,13) speaks of security ("He who has the Son has

life") ("you may know that you have eternal life").

B. This assurance is not based on something of human origin:,

1) This can waver with fear, doubt, and uncertainty.

2) Not on feelings or conscience (Acts 23:1).

3) Not a small still voice (1Kgs.19:12; Heb.1:1-3; Mtt.17:5).

C. True assurance is founded on the Word of God alone--

1) The Holy Spirit bearing witness to our spirits that the Word of God is true and

reliable.

2) When the believer, by faith, stands upon the Word of God he assured its

promises.

3) John 10:27-29; Romans 8:35-39;

D. One who obeys the word, gains a joyous freedom to live the Christian life.

1) He has been forgiven by God in Christ

2) He is now free to forgive others,

3) He is now free to love as he has first been loved by God.

E. As long as a person is uncertain about his own standing before God, he is

defensive and self-centered.

F. But fully assured of God's salvation, the believer can begin to walk in the footsteps

of Christ (1 John 4:17-19).

G. Several purposes are stated for John's letter:

1) 2:1 That you may sin not

2) 2:12 Because our sins are forgiven

3) (2:26) To warn of those who would seduce us

H. All lead to the general purpose "That you may know that you have eternal life."

I. Two kinds of reasoning:

1) Subjective reasoning- subject to experiences. It is knowledge conditioned by

personal conditions, characteristics, or sutuations. (differs from person to person)

2) Objective reasoning- Observable and verifiable. Involves the use of facts, without

distortion by personal feelings or prejudices.

M. Feelings or emotions are not the standard for assurance because they vary and can be

fooled.

1) We are not on an assurance roller coaster

2) We have good days and bad days, but on the bad days we don't lose our assurance!

3) Happiness and rejoicing come as a result of being right with God.

4) Happiness and rejoicing are not the standard by which we know we are right with

God.

A. This promise is conditional upon our faithfulness and devotion to God.

1) It is a promise, not a possession (1Jno.2:25).

2) Must put God first in our lives if we want the reward of eternal life (Mk.10:29-30).

3) See also Titus 1:1-2

B. Eternal life is a future possession of the faithful Christian who has put God above

all that is of this world.

C. John was so sure that faithful Christians would obtain eternal life that he wrote of it

as if it were a possession.

D. Only enjoyed by those who are in Christ (1Jno.5:11-12; Jno.17:3).

E. Assurance is not to be confused with the Calvinistic doctrine of "Once saved always

saved."

F. Christians can fall from grace (Gal.5:4; Acts 8:13-25)

A. No one in the book of Acts was saved and then baptized!

1) Pentecostians 2:38; Samaritans 8:4-12, Eunuch 37,38; Cornelius 10:48; Lydia

16:15; Jailor 25-34; Corinthians 18:4-11; Saul of Tarsus 9:17-20; 22:16; )

2) In every case in the book of conversions (Acts) they heard and were baptized.

B. Baptism is necessary for us today also (Acts 2:39; Gal.3:26-27; Eph.4:5; 1Pet.3:21)

C. They all heard and believed (Rom.10:17) They all repented (Acts 17:30-31) They all

confesed Christ (Rom.10:9-10); They all were immersed in water in oder to receive

the remission of their sins (Acts 22:16); Only the ones who lived faithfully received

the crown (2Tim.4:6-8; Rev.2:10).

A. The so-called sinner's prayer is not found in the Bible! "Lord Jesus, believing I am

and life as you promised. Amen."

B. Just saying "I accept Jesus as my personal Saviour" is not taught in the Bible.

C. Just calling out the Lord's name or claiming to belong to Him is not taught in the

Bible! (Mtt.7:21-23; Acts 22:16).

1. We can have assurance!

2. It must be based on the right things.

3. We cannot "continue in sin that grace may abound" (Rom.6:1)

4. We must not fool ourselves into believing that we are right with God when we've

done nothing to make ourselves right.

5. We must examine ourselves in the light of the scriptures and make the necessary

adjustments.

6. 1John 4:1

7. 2Corinthians 13:5

8. Are you saved? How do you know?