82 Sermon Illustrations on Assurance of Salvation

Frances Havergal, the songwriter, lived and moved in the Word of God. His Word was her constant companion. On the last day of her life, she asked a friend to read to her the second chapter of Isaiah. When the friend read the sixth verse, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee," Miss Havergal stopped her. She whispered, "Called-held-kept. I can go home on that!" And she did go home on that. She found His promises unfailing.

There were two brethren who differed on the question of the believer's safety in Christ. They were discussing the question, and one said to the other: "I'll tell you, a child of God is safe only so long as he stays in the lifeboat. He may jump out, and if he jumps out he is lost." To this the other replied, saying: "You remind me of an incident in my own life. I took my little son out with me in a boat. I realized, as he did not, the danger of his falling or even jumping into the water. So I sat with him all the time, and all the time I held him fast, so he could neither fall out nor jump out of the boat." "But," said the first speaker, "he could have wriggled out of his coat and got away in spite of you." "Oh," said the other, "you misunderstood me if you supposed I was holding his coat; I was holding him."

Nothing disqualifies us for doing God's work more than a doubt as to our salvation. Mr. Moody used to illustrate this by saying: "If I were in the river, and I didn't have a firm grip on something, I couldn't help anybody. I've got to get a good hold for myself before I can help someone else." There is no liberty, peace, rest, joy, or power until we have assurance. Not a Dying Thief but a Living Thief A minister was talking to a man who professed conversion. "Have you united with a church?" he asked him. "No, the dying thief never united with a church and he went to heaven," was the answer. "Have you ever sat at the Lord's table?" "No, the dying thief never did and he was accepted." "Have you been baptized?" "No, the dying thief was never baptized and he went to heaven." "Have you given to missions?" "No, the dying thief did not, and he was not judged for it." "Well, my friend, the difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief and you are a living thief." The Cross of Christ-Key to Salvation A little girl once begged a famous preacher to visit her dying mother. "Come and get my mother in," she pleaded. He followed the girl to a slum tenement, and sitting by the mother's bed began to speak of the beautiful example of Christ. But the woman interrupted him saying, "That's no good, mister, no good for the likes of me. I'm a poor sinner and I'm dying!" He was one of those preachers who did not think it proper to speak of the cross and the blood of Christ. But he remembered the simple story of Jesus dying on the cross, which he had heard from his mother, and he explained it all to the woman. "Now," she cried, "you're getting at it! That's the story for me!" The minister said afterward, "The gospel message got her in, and got me in, too!" That's the message that can bring salvation-the cross of Christ. The Bridge of Repentance and Pardon Across the River Zambesi, below the Victoria Falls, is a bridge which spans the widest chasm and overlooks the most terrific turmoil of waters to be seen on any river in the world. That bridge was made by building out an arm from either shore and uniting the two outstretched arms in the center above the roaring stream. Neither arm could have reached the opposite bank by itself; the two were needed to meet each other. Such are repentance and pardon which form the bridge across that tumultuous stream and those stupendous falls which separate the soul from God. At first one is inclined to say, "Why cannot the bridge of pardon be thrown over exclusively from God's side?" Perhaps others are tempted to say, "Surely the bridge of repentance will span the chasm and bring the soul to the unregarding God." But no, the truth lies here: pardon without repentance is impossible, and repentance without pardon is useless. When repentance and pardon meet, the soul is joined with God.

“And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous in this generation.” Genesis 7:1

Noah, like Abraham, is a very striking example of one who has been declared righteous because of his faith. It was faith that led him to prepare an ark for the saving of his house, when there seemed no evidence of a coming flood. It was faith that led him to obey God and enter that ark, with all his family, when commanded to do so by God. Inside the ark all were secure until the deluge was over. They were kept by omnipotent power. The ark bore all the brunt of the storm. Noah and his household were shut in by God, who had Himself closed the door. The same hand that shut them in shut all the unbelieving antediluvian world outside. The ark was a type of Christ. All who are in Christ are eternally secure.

Suppose when the ark was completed God had said, “Now, Noah, go and get eight large, strong spikes and drive them into the side of the ark.” Imagine Noah procuring these spikes and doing as commanded. Then when each spike was securely fastened, let us presume that God said, “Come thou and all thy house and take hold of these spikes, and all who hang on to the end of the flood will be saved.” How long do you think Noah and the, rest would have been secure?

I can imagine each one taking hold of a spike — then the waters rising as the rain poured down. In a few minutes they would have been soaked to the skin. Then think of the terrific strain on joints and muscles as the ark was lifted from the earth and began its perilous voyage through the raging waters. I think I hear Noah calling to his wife, “Mother, how is it going; is all well?”

And she calls back, “I’m holding on. Do pray for me that I may be able to hold out to the end!”

Soon poor Mrs. Ham would cry out, “It’s no use, can’t hang on any longer. I am going to backslide.” And she would let go and be swept away by the flood. How long do you suppose it would be before every one of them would be obliged to let go and so go down to death?

Thank God, that is not a true picture of His salvation. He is not calling men to hang on to Christ. But just as Noah entered into the ark and found there perfect security, so every believer is in Christ and saved for eternity. It is not a question of our ability to hang on, but of Christ’s ability to carry us safely through to the glory. He who has begun the good work in us will perfect it until the day of manifestation.

Possessing Our Possessions

“But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” Obadiah 1:17

While God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, many Christians fail woefully when it comes to the enjoyment of those things which are ours by divine bequeathment. Many of us have never really explored the good land which the grace of God has opened up to us.

All of Canaan was given to Israel by God before they ever set foot upon it, but, as they were about to enter under Joshua, He told them that every place that the sole of their feet should tread on should be theirs. As they went through the length and breadth and found out for themselves what God had given them, they took possession of city after city and district after district, but never until the balmy days of King Solomon did they really possess it in all its fullness. They soon lost their hold on it, however, because of sin and unbelief, but Obadiah tells us that, in a future day, the House of Israel shall possess their possessions.

That will be when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns in glory on this earth and Israel will be restored to God. For us as Christians there is a great lesson in all this, a lesson which we have been slow to learn, and that to our own great loss.

The story is told of a man who obtained by inheritance a beautiful country estate. As he lived in the city he thought it best to dispose of this estate and use the money he would obtain from it in some other way. Getting in touch with a widely known real estate firm, he instructed them to go out and make a careful examination of the house, outbuildings, and the land belonging to the estate, and write it up in such a way as to make it seem attractive to anyone who was looking for a home in the country. When all his instruction had been carried out, a representative of the firm brought in the draft of the advertisement, which they intended to insert in various papers. In this ad, the old home was described in glowing terms: the beautiful porches, the large hallway, the circular staircase, the drawing rooms, living rooms and sleeping apartments, and all the different appointments which made for a perfect country home. The billowing lawns, trees, shrubbery, gardens and contiguous farming ground were also pictured in language calculated to arouse the interest of anyone who desired such a country estate.

As the agent read the description, the owner of the estate listened carefully, making no comment. At the close, the agent inquired, “What do you think of that? That ought to sell it, do you not think so?”

The owner replied, “Well to be frank, I have changed my mind; I have decided not to sell. I have wanted a place like that all my life and I had no idea that this estate was just exactly what I have been longing for. Your description has shown me what a fool I would be to part with it. So I will pay you for the work you have done, but you need not make any effort to sell it; I will live there myself.”

Doubtless, the agent was disappointed as he saw a large fee disappearing, but the owner had learned the value of his possessions and soon moved in and enjoyed what he had been so ready before to pass on to someone else.

Are not many of us like this man? In God’s Word we have unfolded for us the riches of our inheritance in Christ, and yet we fail to enter into and enjoy that which has been purchased for us at such a cost.

One thing I know--I cannot speak for others, but can speak for myself; I cannot read other minds and other hearts; I cannot read the Bible and lay hold for others; but I can read for myself, and take God at his word. The great trouble is that people take everything in general, and do not take it to themselves. Suppose a man should say to me, "Moody, there was a man in Europe who died last week, and left five million dollars to a certain individual." "Well," I say, "I don't doubt that; it's rather a common thing to happen," and I don't think anything more about it. But suppose he says, "But he left the money to you." Then I pay attention; I say, "To me?" "Yes, he left it to you." I become suddenly interested. I want to know all about it. So we are apt to think Christ died for sinners; He died for everybody, and for nobody in particular. But when the truth comes to me that eternal life is mine, and all the glories of Heaven are mine, I begin to be interested. I say, "Where is the chapter and verse where it says I can be saved?" If I put myself among sinners, I take the place of the sinner, then it is that salvation is mine and I am sure of it for time and eternity.

Suppose a man is going to Cincinnati, and he gets on the cars, but he feels uneasy lest, the train will take him to St. Louis instead of his destination. He will not rest till he knows he is on the right road, and the idea that we are on the road to eternity as fast as time can take us, and do not know our destination, is contrary to Scripture. If we want peace we must know it, and we can know it; it is the Word of God. Look what Peter says: "We know we have an incorruptible dwelling." Then in Paul's epistle to the Colossians, i., 12, "Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet"--hath made us, not going to--"to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us"--not going to deliver us, but He hath delivered us: this is an assurance--"from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son."

There is no doubt about assurance in the Word of God. A person said to me some time ago: "I think it is great presumption for a person to say she is saved." I asked her if she was saved. "I belong to a church," she sobbed. "But are you saved?" "I believe it would be presumption in me to say that I was saved." "Well I think it is a greater presumption for anyone to say: 'I don't know if I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ because it is written, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.'" It is clearly stated that we have assurance.

The man of God who has fixed his feet on the rock of salvation can say with certainty, "I know." If you have not got assurance and want it, just believe God's Word. If you go down South and ask those three million colored people how they think they are free, they won't talk about their feelings; they just believe that Abraham Lincoln made them free. They believe the proclamation, and so we must believe the proclamation God has made in the Bible. "One thing thou teachest," that is salvation.

The Journey To Emmaus; Gustave Dore. Luke xxiv, 13-32

Jesus Questioning The Doctors; Gustave Dore. Luke ii, 41-51

"'The earth is never the more unsettled because to giddy brains it seemeth to run round.' Even so the salvation of the saints is sure, though to their trembling hearts it may seem to be in terrible jeopardy. A passenger on crossing the Channel is none the less in safety because he himself feels ready to give up the ghost with the nausea brought on by the rolling of the vessel. Our feelings are poor judges of facts. Some who felt sure of heaven are now in hell, and others who had almost lost hope are now glorified in heaven. My brain may whirl and make me think all things are running round, and yet I know those very things to be steadfast as the hills, and therefore I do not believe my feelings, but trust the facts; and so, when my poor silly heart imagines that the eternal promises will fail, I must chide its folly, and fall back upon the everlasting verities. Yes, Lord, thou art immovable and immutable! This I know of a surety. Therefore give me grace never to doubt thee, or to distrust thy faithfulness to all those who put their trust in thee.

"* I remember one of the fathers bringeth in the flesh, saying of believers, 'Ego deficiam, I will surely fail them and make them miscarry; and the world, Ego decipiam, I will deceive them and entice them; and Satan, Ego eripiam, I will snatch them and carry them away; but God saith, Ego custodiam, I will keep them, I will never fail them nor forsake them." Here lieth our safety and security." In other words, the flesh saith, "I will deceive;" the world, "I will defile;" the devil, "I will destroy;" but the Lord saith, "I will defend"; and that one word of God takes the sting from all the rest. The flesh is as a drawn sword, the world as a sharp spear, and Satan as a poisoned arrow; but the Lord God is a shield, and this baffles all. The flesh is much, the world is more, and Satan is most of all; but God is all in all. The flesh must die, the world must pass away, Satan must be overthrown; but the word of our God abideth for ever; and as the word of God is the life of the saints, they shall also abide world without end. What a rest this affords us when we are looking out of the windows of the future! The Lord will be our succour in the days to come!

"Olivian, when dying, comforted himself with that promise, (Isa. liv. 10,) 'The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee.' Being in the agonies of death, he said, 'Sight is gone, speech and hearing are departing, feeling is almost gone, but the lovingkindness of God will never depart.' The Lord give us such a confidence in that day that we may die glorying in the preservation of our Redeemer." To this end let us live in the like assurance. It is certain that God can never leave those who put their trust in him, and it becomes us to be certain of this certainty. The security of the saints is grounded, not upon their own faithfulness, but upon the faithfulness of him to whose keeping they have committed their souls. If the Lord can depart from his people they will assuredly depart from him and perish; their comfort is that he has said in his covenant, "I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me." Our soul may live and die on this one sure promise.

"If a poor man be robbed of twenty or thirty shillings, no wonder if he cry and take on, because he hath no more to help himself with; but now, if a rich man be robbed of such a sum, he is not much troubled, because he hath more at home. So a man that is justified by faith, and hath assurance of the favour of God, he can comfortably bear up against all the troubles and crosses he meets with in his way to heaven." Remember the apostle's reckoning in Romans viii. 18: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." He was so rich in grace that all his losses were as nothing to him. One of old got his living by his losses, for he said, "By these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit": thus spiritual riches enable us to bear temporal losses with great patience. It is far otherwise with the worldling, whose goods are his god; for when these are taken he cries out like Micah, "Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and what have I more?" He to whom God is all things cannot be robbed, for who can overcome and despoil the Almighty? Lord, lead me to count nothing my treasure but thyself, and then I may defy the thief. If I have suffered loss, let me make a gain thereby by prizing thee the more.

Death, like the proud Philistine, comes marching out in his hideous shape, daring the whole host of Israel to match him with an equal combatant. The atheist dares not die for fear non esse,— that he shall not be at all; the profane dares not die, for fear male esse,— to be damned; the doubtful conscience dares not die, because he knows not whether he shall be, or be damned, or not be at all. Only the resolved Christian dares die, because he is assured of his election, he knows he shall be happy, and so lifts up pleasant eyes to heaven, the infallible place of his eternal rest. He dares encounter with his last enemy, trample on him with the foot of disdain, and triumphantly sing over him, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?" He conquers in being conquered; and all because God hath said to his soul, "I am thy salvation." T. Adams.

It is reported of one Mrs. Honeywood, a famous professor of God's truth, and one that for many years together lay under the burden of a wounded spirit, and was much troubled in mind for the want of her assurance as to the matter of salvation. At length there came a minister to her, who endeavored to settle her hopes and comforts in Jesus Christ, and urging promises of the gospel unto her. She took it with a kind of indignation and anger, that he should offer to present any promises to her, to whom, as she thought, they did not belong; and, having a Venice glass in her hand, she held it up, and said, "Speak to me no more of salvation, for I shall as surely be damned as this poor brittle glass shall be broke against the wall;" throwing it with all her force to break it. But it so pleased God, that, by a miraculous providence, the glass was preserved whole. The minister, seeing this, made a happy use of the accident, took up the glass, and said unto her, "Behold, God must work a miracle for you before you will believe." And from that day, she was a woman very strong in the assurance of God's favor. Spencer.

We hear, sometimes, a great deal said about possessing a full assurance of being a child of God; and then, every now and then, we hear of a doubt, a hope. As good Joseph Irons used to say, "They keep hope, hope, hoping—hop, hop, hopping—all their lives, because they can't walk." Little faith is always lame. Spurgeon.

Mr. Wesley records, that when he was enabled to believe in Christ as his Saviour, under the reading of Luther's Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, at about a quarter before nine, in Aldersgate Street, that he felt his heart strangely warmed within him; that he felt he did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and that there and then assurance was given him that Jesus had taken away all his sins, even his, and saved him from the law of sin and death.

— Dr. Jobson

The man who comes to assurance, and maintains it, while his conscience testifies of him that he is habitually declining in religious affections, living in the habitual neglect of known duty, or in the indulgence of actual sin, is one of the most fearful instances of self-deception in our world. J. A. James.

I have seen shrubs and trees grow out of the rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring cataracts, and deep running waters; but they maintained their position, and threw out their foliage and branches as much as if they had been in the midst of a dense forest. It was their hold of the rock that made them secure, and the influences of nature that sustained their life: so believers are oftentimes exposed to the most horrible dangers in their journey to heaven; but, so long as they are "rooted and grounded" in the Rock of Ages, they are perfectly secure. Their hold of him is their guaranty; and the blessings of his grace give them life, and sustain them in life. And as the tree must die, or the rock fall, before a dissolution could be effected between them, so either the believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, ere their union can be dissolved.

— Date

A soldier lay dying in the hospital, in terrible agony. A visitor asked him, "What church are you of?"—"Of the church of Christ," he replied. "I mean of what persuasion are you?"—"Persuasion," said the dying man, as his eyes looked heavenward, beaming with love to the Saviour,—"I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus."

Robert Bruce, a Scotch minister, sat at his breakfast-table one morning. Having eaten a boiled egg, he turned to his daughter, and said, "I think I am yet hungry: you may bring me another egg." He then grew thoughtful a moment, and, musing a little, added, "Hold, daughter, hold! my Master calleth me!" Here his sight tailed him; but, calling for a Bible, he requested his daughter to place his finger on, "I am persuaded that neither life nor death shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord." He then said, "God be with you, my children! I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord Jesus Christ this night!" These were his last words; and, without a groan, he at once started on his flight to everlasting glory.

A theological student once called on Dr. Archibald Alexander in great distress of mind, doubting whether he had been converted. The doctor said, "My young brother, you know what repentance is, — what faith in Christ is. You think you once repented, and once believed. Now, don't fight your doubts; go all over it again; repent now, believe in Christ now: that's the way to have a consciousness of acceptance with God. I have to do both very often. Go to your room, and give yourself to Christ this very moment, and let doubts go. If you have not been his disciple, be one now. Don't fight the Devil on his own ground. Choose the ground of Christ's righteousness and atonement, and then fight him."

Capt. Burke of Indiana, being mortally wounded, was asked, "How does it seem to you to be thus stricken down, with all your prospects and hopes cut short? Isn't it hard for you to give up life, and leave your family, at your age?"—"It has come suddenly upon me," was his reply; "but I feel prepared for it. I have lived close to my Saviour in the army, and tried to keep my accounts square every night." His wife went to nurse him. His mind sometimes wandered; but his wife could calm him by saying, "My dear, Jesus is here; and that is all you want." His assured reply was, "You are right, wife: that is all I want,—all I want."

A man in a trance saw himself locked up in a house of steel, through the walls of which, as through walls of glass, he could see his enemies assailing him with swords, spears, and bayonets; but his life was safe, for his fortress was locked within. So is the Christian secure amid the assaults of the world. C. Evans.

A little boy on his father's knee said, "Pa, is your soul insured?"—"Why do you ask, my son?"—"I heard Uncle George say, that you had your house insured, and your life insured; but he did not believe you had thought of your soul, and he was afraid you would lose it: won't you get it insured right away?" It was all too true; and the question led the father to seek the divine guaranty of his soul's well-being.

WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT, Certiority of The soul as intimately and evidently perceives when it loves, delights, and rejoices in God, as when it loves and delights in any thing on earth. And it can no more doubt whether it loves, delights, and rejoices, or not, than whether it exists or not. If, therefore, this be just reasoning, he that now loves God, that delights and rejoices in him with a humble joy, a holy delight, and an obedient love, is a child of God. But I thus love, delight, and rejoice in God. Therefore I am a child of God. Then a Christian can in no wise doubt of his being a child of God. Of the former proposition, he has as full an assurance as he has that the Scriptures are of God; and, of his thus loving God, he has an inward proof, which is nothing short of self-evidence. Thus "the testimony of our own spirit" is with the most intimate conviction manifested to our hearts, in such a manner as, beyond all reasonable doubt, to evince the reality of our son-ship. J. Wesley.