16 The Certainty Of Salvation

Chapter Sixteen THE CERTAINTY OF SALVATION

Large numbers of Christians go through life without any certainty as to whether or not they are saved. Many even hold that one cannot be certain about this matter. Many others, while never questioning the fact of their salvation, are not sure that they shall be kept safe from final separation from GOD and from His judgments because of sin. The lack of certainty as to the future is the cause of much, yes, very much, of the world’s economic distress. Assurance is of inestimable value in all phases of human life. So also in the spiritual life of all who are saved, it has a most important place. Fortunately, GOD’s Word has not left man in the dark in this important matter.

How Can One be Sure He Is Saved?

All doubts and uncertainties as to whether or not one is saved can be traced to one of three causes. It might be due to man’s proneness to consider his own feelings. While emotions have their right place in the life of one who is saved, they have nothing to do with the fact of salvation. Uncertainty might also be due to a feeling that one is not good enough to be saved. Salvation never depends upon the goodness of man. It depends upon the goodness and love of GOD and man’s acceptance thereof. Finally, uncertainty may come from man’s reasoning about salvation. As soon as man begins to reason, he is off the ground of faith. As faith is GOD’s only condition placed upon man to be saved there must be uncertainty when, because of reason, doubts take the place of simple faith. When any man who is known for his truthfulness promises that he will do something, his word is accepted and his fellow men act in full assurance that he shall do as he has said. GOD is known for His truthfulness. He cannot lie: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus 1:2). "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19). Therefore that which GOD says in His Word can be accepted without the least hesitation on the part of man. GOD’s Word must always be the basis for knowledge about salvation. In speaking of salvation GOD uses very definite and clear terms which need no interpretation, but sometimes a re-emphasis because man’s preconceptions blur their clarity. One of the most definite statements concerning man’s present possession of salvation came from the lips of JESUS. He said; "Verily, verily, I say unto You, He that heareth my word; and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). Notice that the statements begins with a double "verily" as though it was necessary to strongly emphasize that which follows because of man’s slowness to rest in the assurance that it is true. Then, in the words, "I say" JESUS declares Himself as the authority for that which is said. The statements that follow must necessarily be accepted as the direct word of GOD, and true. To question them is to question the truthfulness of the SON of GOD.

Concerning every one that believes, JESUS said that he has eternal life. He did not say that he might or even shall receive it at some future time after death. It is a present possession of all who believe. As this life is eternal it cannot die. It is not mortal as is the physical life. It is impossible now to have eternal life and not be saved for time and eternity. This one statement should suffice, but it is followed by another. The one who believes shall not come into judgment. The judgment for his sins fell upon JESUS on the Cross and therefore no judgment awaits the believer. One who shall not come into judgment must be saved and saved now. There is even a third statement declaring the present saved condition of one who believes. "He is passed from death unto life." This means nothing less than having passed from the state of being lost (death) into the state of being saved (life). It is an accomplished fact. In view of these three statements, attested to by the SON of GOD Himself, there can be absolutely no question whatsoever as to the present salvation of every one who believes. The only question that can possibly raise a doubt in any person’s mind is, Have I believed? To believe has already, in XV. By Grace Through Faith, or, How is Man Saved?, been explained as meaning to depend upon GOD and to count on Him to do that which He has promised. It is to depend upon JESUS CHRIST as the propitiation for one’s own sins as explained in VII. GOD’s Justice Satisfied and includes a change of mind as to sin and a confession that one is a sinner and needs to be saved. It is an intensely personal matter between GOD and the believer. Certainly, no one needs question whether or not he or she has believed. Can One Be Certain of Being Kept Safe? The above passage not only gives assurance as to a present salvation. It also assures the one who believes that there can be no future failure in his salvation. One who has received eternal life cannot die spiritually and be lost. One who shall not come into judgment cannot be lost because it is in the judgment that the lost are declared to be forever separated from GOD. One who has passed from death unto life has passed from the domain of Satan (V. Delivered from the Power of Darkness) into the kingdom of the SON of GOD and that kingdom is a sealed state: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). It is not subject to change. In viewing the greatness of salvation it was seen that it could not be measured by measures applying to creation, but only by the infinite terms applying to GOD. If one who has been saved can be lost this could not be true because there would be a time limit to salvation. If a person remained saved for but a few years, salvation would be but a temporal work. But GOD says that it is eternal "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9). All the things that GOD does in saving man are of such a nature that the possibility of failure at any point is shut out. Redemption from the penalty of the law was with the incorruptible blood of JESUS CHRIST. This redemption price can never lose its value. It assures an eternal redemption: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12). One who has been redeemed can never again become guilty under the law.

Justification is by GOD counting the infinite righteousness of JESUS to the one who believes. There can never be found any flaw in that righteousness. This was made possible because man’s sins were reckoned to the account of JESUS and He paid the penalty therefore. As all the demands of GOD’s justice were then satisfied there can never be any charge brought against the person that has been justified. When the justice of GOD has been satisfied nothing whatsoever can limit the operation of His love. All who are redeemed, justified, and reconciled to GOD are unalterably subject to His grace which is the full expression of His infinite love. They are the objects of GOD’s infinite power, even the same power that He exercised in raising JESUS from the dead and setting Him far above all things in the universe. By regeneration man is born into the kingdom of GOD just as truly as by the natural birth he has been born into the human race. That spiritual life which is born of GOD (John 1:13) partakes of the divine nature and therefore cannot sin "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). It was sin that separated man from GOD. Because the spiritual life cannot sin, it can never be separated from GOD.

He who is born again is in a new creation in which the fixed law is, "grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ." All who are reconciled to GOD by the death of His SON shall be saved by His present life in heaven where He ever lives to intercede on their behalf. As salvation is exclusively of GOD, as it is by grace and therefore unmerited by man, and as fallible man can contribute nothing toward his own salvation, there is no point at which there can be failure.

Salvation of one who believes in JESUS CHRIST is as certain and as enduring as is GOD Himself.

There are many passages in the Bible that declare the certainty of salvation but only one needs to be quoted here: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand" (John 10:27-29). In view of all this, need anyone question his own salvation and whether or not he has been saved for all eternity?