Assurance — Ernest C. Reisinger

Verses from Romans 8 beginning at verse 35 to 39. But before we read the book let's pray that the author of the book will assist us to hear and assist us to speak. Let us bow our heads in our hearts and just a word of prayer.

Oh Holy Father righteous Father we bless thy name for this another opportunity to expose our hearts to your holy truth. We ask that thou would send thy spirit to assist us in speaking assist us in hearing.

And may we hear from thee. We thank you for those gathered here for those churches that they represent the homes that they represent. We pray that because we have come together Lord that we might be of mutual help one to the other in most difficult days.

Help us to edify one another by our presence and by our conversations. Hear our prayer O Lord and send us of thy spirit. Lord you said if we ask for bread you would not give us a stone. And if we ask for a fish you would not give us a scorpion.

O send thy spirit because thou has promised. How much more you would give the spirit to them that ask. Grant to us that spirit that gives us discernment and conviction and power for Jesus sake and for the good of his church.

Amen. May I just read these few passages who shall separate us from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay in all things we are more than conquers through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principality nor power nor things present nor things to come nor height nor death nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Scope and Controversies of Christian Assurance

This is quite a large subject Christian assurance and certainly one subject that has connected with it no small amount of controversy. There are some aspects of Christian assurance that I will make no effort to touch on.

Not because I don't think they're important but because I have tried to siphon down some of the things that just statements of what I believe the Bible teaches about assurance I might say at the outset all that I have to say on the subject would be also expressed in those two great confessions one the mother of all confessions the Westminster Confession and the London Confession which is of the Baptist Confession.

What I have to say would be that which is expressed there and in that framework and in that form of doctrine I won't be saying much about the little statement there that says oh that the assurance is not of the essence of faith.

Many remain confused about this point when they turn to the Reformers because I think there's an answer for it. The Reformers were fighting a different battle. They were fighting Rome a church that hates the doctrine of assurance as much as it hates the doctrine of justification by faith.

And they were fighting a battle of no assurance. And therefore they didn't make that fine distinction that the Westminster divine later made when they set set forth in chapter 18 of the Westminster Confession the chapter on assurance of grace and salvation.

I would suggest however there's 40 pages in the book I mentioned this morning by Cunningham that will solve all your problems. I have been in some difficult arguments and straits myself about people trying to prove to me that Luther and Calvin and Zwingli did not believe that assurance was not of the essence of faith and one of the reasons for silence I commend to you Cunningham on his about 38 or 40 pages on the subject of assurance and reference to the reformers.

The second thing I won't be touching on much is spending a great deal of time on the other aspect of assurance which has caused no small amount of division and difference among well-informed theologians and that is the aspect of the witness of the spirit that's a subject or of all by itself.

And of course I won't be touching on those subjects that are closely related to assurance namely perseverance of the Saints. I remember we wanted John Murray to write up a pamphlet on perseverance of the Saints and Christian assurance.

And when we talked to him about this he hadn't turned us down yet but he said there he said in his little classical little classic on the atonement the redemption accomplished and applied. He did say that he didn't want that book to go out until he had written a chapter on assurance because he believed that they're so related that is the perseverance of the Saints and assurance that he that he.

But he was pressed for time and he didn't do it. So I won't be touching on that although it's vital. And the other thing self-examination is closely connected with assurance and of course the degrees of sanctification.

Now I just say at the outset before I begin recommend by way of recommendation. No by no means an exhaustive list of books but some books that I found very helpful and I'd commend them to you on this subject first the one I mentioned here I would also recommend the Westminster Confession or the London Confession.

On the subject I'd recommend Thomas Goodwin volume 8 particularly a little treatise by great Scottish experimental divine William Guthrie. The Christians great interest I noticed in reading dr. Clarke he's written a little book called what Presbyterians believe.

He's written a lot of books but this is one of them. And in his chapter telling somebody he must have been fixing the lawnmower that day wrote that chapter because he uses a wonderful illustration about the and I like it.

But in this chapter he recommends on the subject of assurance a book that I'd like to doubly recommend. And that's Jonathan Edwards religious affection if you can wade through it. Especially he points out certain chapters and many others.

But so much for some of the key recommendations on this subject. Now just a few statements as to what is assurance. So we know what we're talking about when we say we believe the Bible teaches certain things about assurance.

Assurance as the Spirit’s Work in the Believer

What are we talking about. Assurance is a God-given conviction of one standing in grace stamped on his mind and heart by the Holy Spirit. Supernaturally it's in the same sense as the great truths of the gospel fact must be stamped on the heart and on the mind.

Supernaturally it is a sensible and an experimental discerning of our being in the state of grace. That's assurance. And to the main elements of assurance one would be the arrow. Assurance is the Holy Spirit confirming to our conscious awareness that God has really wrought a saving work in us bringing us to real faith bringing us to real repentance bringing us to a real knowledgeable sensible knowing a real change in our nature renewing our heart really taking us out of the old paths of sinful habits and bringing us into a new path of Christian obedience and righteous living.

That's one element of it that is the spirit confirming to our conscious awareness these things. The other element is this. It's more of a some would call it a direct immediate test of God's fatherly love given as a kind of a communication to the soul like God saying to the soul I love you or I am my salvation I am by I am my Savior awareness of that.

And I don't think of this as some isolated single experience what I'm saying now the second element rather something altogether different. I'm not a Greek student the only Greek I know makes submarine sandwiches.

He's here somewhere where I enjoy. But I do have some Greek friends Greek friends and some and know some Greek scholars and everyone I checked on Romans 8 16 it's the Greek present tense which means a continued activity.

The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit is not a single isolated thing but continued activity. That's the second aspect of a of assurance. Bunyan does well with this when he pictures the Christian receiving a mark.

You remember when the pins fell off his back at the cross the burden fell off his back three shining ones appeared and one put a mark on him and gave him a role. That was his assurance. He found that at the cross Thomas Goodwin said assurance is the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2 17 which none knows but the one that received it.

William Cunningham who I referred to a moment ago said we believe that this is a strong statement. And if it was true then think what is true. Today we believe that the prevailing practical disregard of the privilege and duty of having assurance is no inconsiderable is to no inconsiderable extent at one the cause and effect of the state of the low state of vital religion among us.

James Denny that author of that great classic on the atonement the death of Christ in the place of new interpretation the New Testament said quote the acid test of any version of Christianity is his attitude toward assurance some regarded as presumption some regarded as duty.

The New Testament said that Denny proclaims it as a fact. I'm quite aware of the abuses. I'm quite aware of the wild views and the controversy. And I think that these wild views and the controversy has led to much silence about the subject of assurance.

I find few ministers. Unfortunately I find few ministers even among those places where it expected that at least in the outworking of their convictions about assurance there's no signs that they understand the biblical doctrine of assurance.

And I believe part of this silence naturally results in much ignorance. Nevertheless assurance is important. It's the fruit of faith. Assurance is a privilege. Assurance is a duty. Assurance is a gift.

Assurance makes men more holy makes men more strong in the faith makes them bolder makes them more zealous. Assurance makes men tireless in Christ's service. Assurance brings joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Therefore every Christian worker whether he be a deacon or a preacher should have two desires in respect to this doctrine. One is to bring people to bring people his family his parishioners his friends his Sunday school class.

One desire of every Christian or to be to bring the people of his acquaintance that he's interested in to a well-grounded assurance. That ought to be one desire. The second we ought to be desperately anxious that men do not fall into a state of false peace and false assurance.

And that double desire automatically has two very serious dangers Bishop Lyle said. In trying to point out these dangers Bishop Lyle said the subject of assurance is a narrow path. For while seeking to rob those of a false assurance there is always a danger of robbing the weak in faith who are genuine Christians.

But weak in faith robbing those of a true assurance I think another divine and I'm not sure where I got it who said it. But another divine put it this way he said the road to heaven is very narrow. And beside being narrow there are two serious deep ditches one on either side.

There is the ditch of despair on one side and the ditch of presumption on the other. But bless God he said in front of those ditches are two hedgerows. In front of the ditch of despair is a hedgerow of God's promises.

And in front of a ditch of presumption is a hedgerow of God's precepts. You follow John Bunyan much as I do. You notice when he got in giant and test and it was when giant despair had him in locked up in the castle.

What was it that caused him to get out of doubting castle. He was in that one ditch of despair doubting castle. Bless God. He discovered within his bosom he had a key. You know what the keys called promise.

That's right the key of promise that got him out. So bearing that in mind the dangers are desires coupled with those desires. These two particular dangers may I just state without much meat on but a few bones.

False Assurance and Self-Deception

What the Bible teaches about assurance. First the Bible teaches clearly that there is a false assurance. Very clearly teaches us that the heart is deceitful. Many of the parables set forth the real and the scurrious.

And not only do they set him forth but they set him forth in such a way that they make both look alike. The weak and the tears. They both look so much alike. Christ told us don't you touch. We see it in the two houses.

They both look alike until the storm of God's wrath. And then we see that there aren't ones on a bad foundation but in appearance they look alike. This is only to say and point out the great possibility of self-deception.

Our Lord in Matthew. The passage of pastor Martin referred to last night Lord Lord have we not all this list of things. And he said depart from me. What's that. But self-deception. They had grave assurance that all was well but it was a false assurance.

They were fundamental and orthodox in their theology. And yet they were self-deceived. They were devout. No one can pick up the New Testament and read about the devotion of the Pharisees and scribes without saying they were devout.

They had a peculiar dress that identified them with religion. The Bible says our Lord accused him of long prayers. Some of you don't pray at all but they prayed long prayers. The Bible tells us they tithe and fasted two days a week.

And yet they were self-deceived. They were not only devout and they'll put you to shame in their devotion but they were evangelistic no less. I read in Matthew chapter 23 verse 15 that they compass land and sea to make one convert evangelistic in their effort and still self-deceived.

I would remind you that it was the religious man in Luke 18 that had the assurance. He was the fellow that had all the assurance. When he says I'm glad I'm not like this fella I'm religious. There is a false assurance in the Bible from beginning to end warns Christ warns.

True Assurance and the Believer’s Lack of Full Confidence

Christ teaches but parable and precepts. And we have it an example of those that there is a false assurance. Secondly the Bible teaches that there's a true assurance. We have it in such texts as I've already mentioned Romans 8 16.

The spirit himself there is witness with our spirit that we are that we are the children of God. 1st John 2 3. We know that we know him. 1st John chapter 3 verse 14. We know that we've passed from death and life.

Paul and writing to Timothy uses language like this. I know and whom I have believed and am persuaded that's the shirt. The passage that I read to you tonight from Romans is a what Charles Hodge and many other good commentators consider a classic New Testament statement on Christian assurance.

In fact Hodge calls it a rhapsody on Christian assurance. That's his way of describing in Britain passages like who shall separate us from the love of Christ. And immediately in verse 38 I am persuaded we have it in other ways expressed in the Bible that teaches the true assurance.

We have it for the children. No less in the psalm and in the Shepherd psalm. The Lord is my shepherd. Not I'd like him to be. Maybe he is. It'd be nice if he'd be. But the Lord is my Shepherd. That's all sure.

The Lord is my Shepherd. So the Bible teaches there's a false assurance. The Bible teaches there's a true assurance. The Bible further teaches that a man may be a true believer. Some of you might leave me here.

I just beg you to bear with you study those old confessions and the scriptural support. The Bible teaches that a man may be a true believer and yet lack full assurance that he's a child of God. I offer you some scriptural proof of that.

But the strongest proof would be 1st John chapter 5 verse 13. John is writing to believers very clear. You don't need to turn to the commentaries. He said these things have I written on to you that believe that he may.

K &OW. That's assurance. So apparently it's obvious that there were some believers who did not have all the assurance. That they might have. Or maybe none. I don't know but at least he was writing that they might have a proper a well-grounded assurance.

I think we see it in passages like Luke 9 24 the father of the boy who was amused. We see this expression. I believe he said to Christ help thou my unbelief. He had faith in Christ but he wasn't sure of his faith.

He had true faith. You know some are sure they're saved and they're not. They never questioned their assurance. No self-examination. They've never questioned the validity of their profession. I'm afraid of those people I'll tell you now.

They never questioned. They're so sure they never lack assurance. For a moment. Others are saved and not sure. Now there's a difference between faith and assurance. Faith is the is the root. Assurance is the fruit.

Faith is that poor penitent thief crying Lord remember me. That's faith. Assurance is Job sitting in dust and covered with thorns saying I know that my Redeemer lives though he slay me yet shall I trust him.

That's assurance. Faith is Peter crying out as he began to think Lord save me. He had faith in Christ. Assurance is the same Peter standing before the council and other times rebuking for the salt rejecting the stone calling their Christ the stone that the builders rejected or saying to the crowd neither is there salvation in any other.

For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. That's assurance. Bunyan didn't miss any theological turns in progress. That's why he points out the fact that the Pilgrim on the hill difficulty.

What did he lose. Why it was a difficult hill. If you haven't found any of them yet. Well you just haven't been on the way very long. Just wait you'll find some hill difficulties before too long. And he was on the hill difficulty and he needed a little rest.

He saw that arbor. Oh boy I'm going to relax relax. He did on the hill difficulty. And what happened. He fell asleep. And he lost that role. Fellow from Moody that translated that English version missed the whole point.

He thought he lost his Bible doesn't mean that at all. You have to find out what that role is nothing more simple. The text explains it. It's his assurance. He didn't lose his salvation. I remember the first time I was a everybody's born in Armenian.

And I remember I said to my brother I love this book. I said the only only problem with Bunyan is he. He thinks you can get saved and lost. And I don't understand that. Well I just didn't understand. I had that wicked antinomian view.

Well let's not go into that. That's not in my notes anyhow you're gonna get me on that. But the point I make is this. Bunyan didn't miss the point that a man may lose his assurance and be yet a true believer.

The Command to Seek Assurance

So the Bible teaches that a man may be a true believer and lack full assurance or loses assurance. The Bible teaches that a believer now get this. The Bible teaches that a believer should attain seek after proper assurance.

And I want to give you two reasons for that. First of all it's commanded. And if you're a Christian you're interested in the command of the Bible. It's commanded in text like this. This is a text on assurance 2nd Peter 110.

Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence not half-hearted about it. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure. That's assurance. We have it in text like 2nd Corinthians 13 5. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith.

Be sure. Prove your own selves. Know your own self. That's exhorting and commanding to seek assurance the proper assurance. We have it in text like Hebrews chapter 10 verse 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

We have it in Hebrews in text like Hebrews chapter 6 verse 11. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full proof of the shirt. So I say true believers. The Bible teaches that true believers should attain or seek assurance.

For one reason because it's commanded. Secondly because it's related assurance is related to some other things. It's related to joy. It's related to your comfort. And God wants you to know the comforts of the Bible as well as the things that convict us.

It's related to service. And I believe that it's related to witnessing. Why do I believe that I think the clearest text to support that statement would be found in David's confession of his awful sin with the Sheba in Psalm 51.

And in the midst of that song where he cried out to God to have mercy on him. When he gets to verse 12 he says this. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.

And the next verse he says then he'll do something. Then there's David that's for sure restore unto me this. Then he said I'll do something. What do you say to do. Then will I teach transgressors thy way.

And sinners shall be converted unto thee. I say the second reason it's related to service. It's related to joy. It's related to comfort. How will I have joy in a thing that I'm not sure that I possess for the gospel.

If I'm not sure that I'm and it is mine. How I have comfort in the gospel. If I'm not sure that I've closed with the offers of mercy. No comfort. The comfort is an assurance. Or how will I want to say to my friends.

Oh come and share. Let me share with you the treasure that I've found. I've found salvation. Come I want to share with you salvation. And then in the next verse say I'm not sure I have it. No my dear assurance is related to joy.

Assurance, Holiness, and Christian Conduct

It's related to comfort. It's related to service. And particularly witnessing. The Bible further teaches that assurance. This is one of the accusations of Rome. The Bible teaches that assurance does not lead to looseness.

How many times have I talked to people non-christian. Sometimes confessing my faith to them in Christ and confessing the joy that I have of knowing sins forgiven. That's a boy. If I if I believe that I just you do you please.

Oh would you. Well let me tell you they don't understand it. Why. Because God Almighty gives this assurance by bringing our spirits into harmony with his words. And that he brings our spirit into his spirit in harmony with his word.

It won't lose. It won't lead to looseness. I say why. Why. Another reason it will not lead to looseness is because this assurance is the fruit of diligence. We have it in first Peter 110. Where for the rather brethren give diligence.

So I say that assurance is the fruit of diligence. Therefore it can't lead to carelessness if it's the fruit of diligence. Now if your assurances of some other sort and not a well-grounded assurance.

If it's based on something you did long ago if it's based on some kind of a proof text assurance. If it's based on something like that well it may lead to looseness. But not so if it's based on God's Holy Word the kind of assurance that the kind of assurance that I'm talking about tonight may I call your attention to a few statements and I'm going to read them verbatim because they're I think they're so vital to this subject.

Charles Hodge points out some of the differences between true and false assurance. He said this true assurance begets unfeigned humility. False assurance begets spiritual pride. How true he said true assurance leads to increasing increased diligence in the practice of holiness.

False assurance leads to sloth and self-indulgence. True assurance said Hodge listen to this leads to candid self-examination. Boy when I meet those people that hate examination I never meet them. But when I think of what Charles Hodge said true assurance leads to candid self-examination and a desire to be searched and corrected if you will by Almighty God.

False assurance leads to a disposition to be satisfied with appearance and avoid accurate investigation as false assurance. True assurance he said leads to a constant aspiration after more intimate fellowship with God which is not true of false assurance.

True assurance rests upon the Word of God and the Spirit of God. God said certain infallible things in his word such as he that believes in Christ already possesses eternal life. God's infallible word also declares if we know him.

If we know him we keep his commandment. It says both those things. You can't just take one you must take the other. And the same God who declares these things produces them in his people. Therefore when we do believe in Christ and the best of our life is toward the pathway of obedience the Holy Spirit enables us to know that we do.

Only then are we in possession of true assurance now. Don't misunderstand me. Keeping his commandment is not part of our justification but keeping his commandments is part of us knowing that we're justified.

I hope you get that distinction not confused that vital point or I could say it like someone else's said we're justified by faith alone. And I believe that. But that faith which is alone is not justifying faith.

Holy Spirit applies what he's all. Don't look for some new. Never some new and special or private revelation. I'm not talking about that when I'm talking about assurance. No the Holy Spirit applies what he's already revealed.

When our spirits are brought into conformity with God's Spirit then what we say what we say. Will it be agreeable with what the Spirit says in the scriptures. Not in what God says along some proof text but rather in the fact that we are by grace in able to say of ourselves what God says about a true believer in the scriptures.

How Assurance May Be Shaken or Diminished

Actually the Bible teaches that Christians may have the assurance of their salvation shaken intermitted and diminished. I hope you recognize that language as from the Westminster Confession they may have.

That's also from this London decision. I gotta be careful with my Baptist friends. They don't have to believe I'm a Baptist. Now true believers may have the assurance of their salvation shaken. It's good thing intermitted and diminished.

Good question. How. How may a true believer have anything touch is assured by negligence in persevering in a holiness and obedience. That's one way it'll touch your shirt to by sin. I've talked to many many people after meetings when they seek you out.

You preachers know how these dear people seek you out. You ought to be glad for it I am. And when they're finished I don't know if they're Christian or not. I had that experience last week with somebody that I love somebody that once looked as though they walked in the light of God's countenance.

Somebody that once looked as though they followed that narrow road. And after a couple hours with this dear fellow I said in the course of this conversation I said do you think you were genuinely converted.

And he gave me the best answer he could he says right now I don't know. I was glad for that statement. It would be wicked for me to try to discourage him and say and try to repudiate all his past. That would be wicked.

But it would be just as wicked for me to give him full assurance all as well when his own testimony is there's not a thing in my life that would tell me I've been born of God. I don't know if you're honest you've got a lot of people in your church like that that you don't know about don't run around telling their stage.

Another reason why assurance may be shaken or intermediate or diminished is this temptation not necessarily sin temptation. When God takes his assurance away from his child it's a blessing. And I'll tell you why.

Because it's one of the means to bring his child back to seek him. And anything that causes the child of God to seek him for fresh forgiveness and fresh assurance is a mercy. And when God shakes your assurance or intermediate or diminished or if for some reason unknown to us God just seems to withdraw the light of his countenance sometimes on his choices.

Saints we all know and have sung William Cowper's songs all through his life. He had a problem with melancholy and assurance all through his life. Now we must remember dear brother that when we're talking about assurance we're not talking about salvation.

When we say to a man what must I do to be saved or a man says what what must I do to be saved. That has one answer I know no other gospel. Then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only gospel I know.

But when somebody asks you how do I know that I've done it. That's a different question. That's a different question and it has a different answer. The answer is different altogether because we know that first for several reasons.

The Three Grounds of Assurance

There are three grounds of assurance at least one and I don't want to minimize this. When I say disparaging remarks about proof-text salvation there is a place for this. Now let me explain it first the Bible does there is the promises of God that are made real by the Spirit.

And notice I added not just some promise. I said the promises of God made real by a spirit not just memorized in a promise. So why do I say made real by his spirit. Simply for this you can know you can go to hell memorizing scripture.

You're not likely to. But you could. You can memorize scripture like you memorize the Gettysburg Address. And that's where I say the promises of God made real by his spirit. You see my dear man has two problems.

Not one problem. First of all they need the Bible because it's a lamp to our pathway and the Bible is a lamp to our pathway. Let's not minimize that. But my dear men have another problem. They don't only need light but they need sight.

I see some of the men here from Camp Susquehanna the best boys camp I know. That's a good plot for you there Chief Bob over at Camp Susquehanna where I was a chaplain last year they had a blind fellow wonderful Christian blind man.

And he had a wonderful dog. He died now. Dessa was the dog's name. Now remember the prudent director of that camp takes movies. And one night the blind man was teaching or showing the boys some things about a blind dog how a dog is trained told us all about the training of the dogs and all that.

And so the prudent director wanted to take movie of Chief Ed and he put big lights up shining lights that made it hotter than this place if you could believe it. But he put these shining lights and I thought to myself.

And Ed couldn't see a thing. He had these shining lights for the purpose of taking the movies. And poor Ed couldn't see a thing. But he had plenty of light. Plenty of light. He needed something else. He didn't have any sight.

No sight. When we deal with sinners my dear we must remember they do need the light for their pathway. But they need sight as well. Two problems. And that's why I say one of the grounds of assurance is this the promises of God made real by his spirit.

Another ground is this witness of the spirit with our spirit that we are the children of God. And I've touched on that. And the third ground you see works do have something to do with the sure. And the third ground of assurance is Christian character and conduct that has something to do with assurance.

If I don't act like a Christian love what a Christian loves hate what a Christian hates. If the bent of my life isn't toward that character of Christ what reason do I have to believe that I'm a Christian.

If I don't act like it talk like it love what a Christian loves it. What reason do I have to believe that I'm a Christian. Because somebody goes hocus-pocus. No I say another ground. I didn't say one ground.

This is not the only ground. First John the test. The first John are fine. But that's not the only ground of assurance. I like what that great old Presbyterian divine said when he was commenting on 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 10.

John Brown who wrote that great three volumes on 1st Peter he died before he finished his commentary on 2nd Peter if he ever gets as much as he's written. Well I get a hold of it if he can because on his comment in 2nd Peter he died before it was finished.

But when he commented on 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 10 he said this I'll never forget. The text says we're to give diligence to make our calling and election sure. And this is what he said. He said if we would prove to the world and to our own heart that we are the called and elect of God we must be and do what the called and elect of God are called to be and to do.