Hello Friends!
As a Christian, have you ever wondered if you are truly
redeemed – saved from your sins? That is, if your life has truly been
transformed by Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit?
In this six part series of Biblical lessons we are going to
consider 10 valid proofs from the book of 1 John so that we may examine our own
personal faith and evaluate whether or not that we have eternal life based on
the Word of God. It is my hope that these “10 tests” will give you the
confident assurance that you do indeed know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord
and Savior and are committed to follow Him wholeheartedly all the days of your
life…
Are You Truly Redeemed? (Part 1 of 6)
As Christians walk through life, there are many uncertainties in
which we face. However, one thing is for certain – we can absolutely know
for sure that we have eternal life!
The apostle John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
revealed this glorious promise from his Epistle with these words:
These things I have written to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have
eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of
God – 1 John 5:13 ”
This verse parallels John's purpose for
writing his Gospel:
These are written so that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you
may have life in his name – John
20:31
Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
John wrote his Gospel so that people would believe
and be saved. He wrote his first epistle so that those who
believe would know they are saved.
If you truly are a Christian, you do not have to be uncertain as
to where you will spend eternity. The Apostle John comes to the end of his
letter and he essentially says, “Look, all the things I have written in this
epistle, I have written to you who believe Jesus Christ is God, and I have
written this letter that you might know for certain you have eternal life.”
The word know that is used here is not saying “I
hope so.” It does not even mean a growing understanding of your salvation.
Rather, it is a word which indicates an absolute guarantee that
you can know for sure you have eternal life. There is no need for
any doubt!
So then, how can one know for sure they have eternal life? By
the valid tests John has given.
Sadly, by ignoring these certain and sure
promises of God, over half of professing Christians today believe they can lose
their salvation. They believe eternal life is only conditional,
based on what they continue to do instead of what Jesus Christ has already done. They claim to believe in Jesus Christ but they do not
believe what He promises. Jesus said:
I tell you the truth, whoever
hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned,
he has crossed over from death to life – John 5:24
Those who are depending on their own
self-righteousness, performing good works or adhering to a religious system,
can never be assured
of salvation. They will never know if they have ever done enough. There is no
true joy when people put their faith in what they do instead of what God has
done in Jesus Christ!
When salvation depends completely on God,
there is no possibility for failure! Whenever man is involved in attaining and
preserving salvation there can be no assurance – only a
false hope.
True believers have assurance through God
the Father. Jesus said:
I give them eternal life, and
they shall never perish... My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than
all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand – John 10:28-29
The life Jesus Christ gives is everlasting,
not temporal or perishable. True believers also have assurance through God
the Son. Jesus said:
This is the will of the Father
who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that
everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I
will raise him up at the last day – John
6:39-40
Born-again Christians also
have assurance through God the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul
declared:
You also were included in
Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; having
believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is
a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance – Ephesians 1:13-14
The words "everlasting" and "eternal” describe not only the life believers have in Jesus Christ,
but also the punishment that awaits those who die without Jesus Christ.
At the very moment anyone understands and
believes the Gospel, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who guarantees they
will be co-heirs with Jesus Christ:
…and if
children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together – Romans 8:17
Assurance is based on God's power and
promises:
Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant
mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that
does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of
God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time – 1 Peter 1:3-5
The gift of eternal life is eternally secure
because God's gifts are "irrevocable:"
For the
gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable – Romans 11:29
Eternal life can only be received as a gift of
God's grace. Anyone who attempts to earn or merit this gift of their own
abilities nullifies God's grace:
And if
by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.
But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work – Romans 11:6
By self examination, the Apostle Paul also instructs us to test
ourselves:
“
Examine yourselves as to
whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that
Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified – 2
Corinthians 13:5
Professing Christians who want to be certain
of their salvation must believe the promises of the Gospel and repent of any
teaching; religious experience or feeling that opposes the Word of God. Only
then will they become certain of their eternal life in heaven...
Please join us next week as we continue to further investigate this
promise of eternal assurance from the Word of God – Are You Truly
Redeemed?
May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect
love, mercy and grace!
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah
and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
Blessings!
Shane <><