Jesuseapalavra.com

The Assurance of Salvation

Read 1 John 5:12, 13; Romans 8:15-17; and 2 Corinthians 5:5. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, why can we have the assurance of eternal life? What is the basis for this assurance?

The Holy Spirit is the One who leads sinners to Jesus. Jesus' substitutionary death has reconciled us with God. Jesus' forgiveness sets us free to live a new life as God's adopted children. Now we are no longer God's enemies (Rom. 5:10), but we walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4) and set our thinking on the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5). If we would not have the Spirit of Christ, we would not be His children and would not belong to Him (Rom. 8:9). But now we have the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. He testifies to us that we belong to Jesus and that we are heirs of God and heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). The same powerful life that raised Jesus from the dead is now active in us and makes us, who were spiritually dead, alive (Rom. 8:10). Even more than that, He also seals in our hearts the assurance that we truly belong to God. Having heard and believed the gospel of our salvation, we were sealed in Jesus with the Holy Spirit, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance (Eph. 1:13, 14, NASB). Every believer may have this certainty (1 John 5:12, 13).

Read Ephesians 1:13, 14. What does it mean to be sealed by the Spirit?

Those who accept Christ are born again, that is born "of the Spirit" (John 3:3, 5). The Holy Spirit seals this fact in our hearts so that we can have assurance of being saved and experience the joy that comes from being a child of God. The Holy Spirit identifies us as belonging to Christ. "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ" (Rom. 8:9, NIV). We now have a consciousness that God is our loving Father and we are His dear children. The Holy Spirit is the down payment, the deposit or the pledge toward the ultimate gift of eternal life and immortality that will be given to us at Jesus' second coming (1 Cor. 15:51-54). This is the hallmark of authentic faith. It is difficult to see how Christians can witness with convincing power without having such assurance.

"Talk courage, talk faith and hope, and you will be all light in the Lord. Keep thinking of the open door that Christ has set before you, that no man can shut. God will close the door to all evil, if you will give him a chance. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up for you a standard against him." - Ellen G. White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, April 16, 1889.