Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June.67

Contributor - J.W.Vandenberg

Title - Assurance of Faith

Topic - Faith

Readers, Greetings!

It seems that many in our day live with more doubts than certainties, and it is a pity to hear from a fellow minister (outside our good country) that so many of the older people in the congregation he serves. being a Christian all their life, still have no certainty Of their salvation and continue to "hope". With this hope many only "guess' 'that there is salvation, whatever that (salvation) may mean and apparently have not understood the message and reason for Christ's coming and suffering and being raised from the dead.

The source of this doubt is mainly to be found in the teachings and beliefs of the church of Rome and in the many sects. Other sources are rationalism and humanism and a host of other places, but not Holy Scriptures! And since this writing is planned to be of a positive nature, it is well to turn first to a definition of terms followed by a discussion which is very much influenced by what John Calvin wrote in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, chap. 2.

Faith = "a certain knowledge of God's benevolence toward us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit."

Assurance = confidence, conviction, steadfastness.

1. ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED-FOR

In Hebrews 11 : 1 we are told: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

a. Assurance of Salvation.

The Bible is constantly trying to show us that we can be very sure about God's promises. As Calvin said: the chief assurance of faith rests in the expectation of the life to come, which has been .placed beyond doubt through the Word of God." No matter what a person will have to go through, no matter how much he will have to suffer or lock, he will be able to say with Job: "the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord." And on the other hand, just so we realize how great and versatile our God is, we are told in Romans 2 : 4: "Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" The Lord uses many and varied ways to bring the truth of His Word across to His people and the blessings of God are expressed by Him in withholding things, allowing discomforts and illnesses to plague us, and also, giving us great wealth, all as tests of faith.

Then you say, well, how come that I am not so sure of Salvation? Do you notice that in this question there are three important parts, namely: I, to be sure and Salvation. The last one, Salvation is an act of God and as such there is no doubt about that whatsoever. That leaves us with "I" and "to be sure". Well, what is our concern? God has provided this way to eternal life, and who are we to doubt this. God is sure of His promises, He is a faithful God as you may remember from studying His Word and realizing the work of !Ps hand throughout Salvation history. Then the "I" of the question should fall away, and what we have left is: SALVATION IS SURE!

Then there are no more questions and if's and but's? Of course we remain human, but as far ,s God is concerned from His side it is all secure. And God did not only reveal this in words but also made it known (and makes it known) by His presence.

b. Assurance of God's presence. So far it almost looks as if we have to be convinced by logical argument or the power of reasoning that there is assurance of faith and I will admit that some reasoning and knowledge is indeed necessary. But now we come to a part of our subject where we have to leave everything up to God. Jesus said that He would be in the midst where two or three were meeting in His Name; He will not leave us desolate, but come to us; "and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him, you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you".

We may know, feel, experience this presence of Christ and trust Him for working in and among and with and through us with His Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, they who do not know the presence of Christ in their lives, even though they call themselves Christians, cannot blame this on God. It usually is that way, because of an unwillingness to be inspired (which is just another word for "serving") and too great and too strong a connection to worldly things as over against the need to be working-with and working through the Spiritual matters. From here it is just a short step to the next part where we will look at the purpose God has with us and His Church, that is the Body of Christ.

c. Assurance of God's Purpose. As much as Christianity is a religion for individuals it is not a religion of individuals. Believers live and are to live in Fellowship and in Unity. The joy that has been instilled in our lives is something to be shared with others. And that just does not mean only those who go to our church (congregation) or our denomination, but this joy is to be shared with the whole world, True faith impels us to pass-on the content of itself (true faith). I am sure that God is greatly displeased with complacent and self-satisfied "followers" of Christ, for only Satan 'II be pleased with such attitudes. By now, the reader must be thinking that, unless it is clearly visible that one is "witnessing for Christ, one is not a "good" Christian. Now there is a great deal of truth to this, but here the eye can be very deceiving! It is namely not always clearly visible whether a person works because he is moved by the Spirit of the living God, or because a person rationalized and actually was put into motion because of the idea of good works. And strange enough, even of the latter types God can make use, if it were only to show others and inform them. But for those who have learned the ways of the Lord there is no excuse.

II. IF NO ASSURANCE, THEN NO HOPE AND NO FAITH!

Only by the Grace of God may we claim the consequences of Christ's sacrificial work. Salvation is based on GRACE. Not one person can claim it any other way.

The resurrection of our Lord means our resurrection to eternal life. If not, then everything else in Christianity is of no value. Then Christ's death was for nothing and there would then not be a way of salvation. Some have tried to minimize some of the basic truths of Christianity, such as Paul discusses in I Cor. 15, but he states ,If in this life we who are in Christ have only hope, we are of all men most to be pitied". If there is no resurrection life, well what a sad story! How empty we would feel. What utter uselessness in even thinking about a Christ an d His sacrifice'

But our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Through grace we, who are the most sinful and unrighteous, are being made righteous in Christ. Jesus our Lord paid the price for our sins. He redeemed our life from the pit, from eternal punishment. If anyone feels that he or she lacks the assurance of faith, let him or her search, and search and continue to search. Not in a manner as if saying: Lord why did not you give it to me, but: Father, forgive me for having been more concerned with myself and my own good and how others were or were not loving me instead of being myself more loving to Thee and my fellow man.

So often there are great barriers that separate us from God, barriers that are there because of a lack of love. And not because of the lack of love in others, but the LACK OF LOVE IN ME! That's what made us blind so long, that's what kept the grace of God from penetrating our whole being. What is wrong with the world? Well it's AM! Have you ever tried to look at the other person with eyes that were only moistened from unselfish and undemanding love? Try it sometime, and you will see great miracles.

Of course, God works through His Holy Spirit, and it is not my intention to neglect the Third Person in the Trinity. At the same time let me refer you back to previous articles and discussions on this subject. The Spirit of the living God, manifested in many and various ways, is active even today. We cannot possibly limit the working of the Holy Ghost, but at the same time we have to test the manifestations of the Spirit by the Revelation of God. No other revelation h as been given or will be given to man, and it has pleased God to use His Word through the ages and He will continue to do so till the end of time. Then with the author of Hebrews we may confess: "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Heb. 10 22 ff).

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