Assurance Of Salvation: It's Blessings And Possibility - [1 John 5:13]

The last time I preached I was in Israel just in Jerusalem and just in the wonderful

providence of God.

I was doing some scripture reading for our group in a place where they think Caiaphas lived and

The high priest and I was doing some scripture reading and I looked up.

There was only probably 22 folks in our group and then the entire Congregation all the

empty seats were filled by another group.

Some French Catholics wanted to come in and they just sat there looking at me.

And so I thought that means it's time to preach.

So we talked about sin redemption salvation in Jesus Christ alone.

Works can't save you and it's almost like they clapped when I was done.

So I thought alright.

So it was just a wonderful trip.

Thanks for praying.

It's good to be back.

Before we left the night before we left our flight from Boston to Newark got canceled.

And so we were trying to figure out what to do.

Similarly last night. I saw from Newark to Boston a list of standby

Passengers people on standby thinking will I make the flight or will I not?

You know, that was a wonderful Concept for me to think through that's kind of like assurance of

salvation, isn't it?

When you know for sure that God has paid for your sins.

When you know, you're forgiven and you have the confidence you have the assurance you have the security

knowing that Jesus Christ is going to be faithful to his word and I'm going to have an

assurance of salvation.

How much more can you get done in ministry if you don't know you're gonna go to heaven you can imagine

time effort.

Focus trying to deal with that issue because you're flying standby.

You don't know if you'll make it.

But when you've got the ticket last night was especially wonderful because we were jammed in a flight from Tel Aviv to

Newark 12 hours and jammed in and so my Newark flight to Boston.

While the rest of our group sitting in the back with the hoi polloi and the other folks in the back

I was sitting up front and I had a TV an extra legroom.

They gave me premier seating and I thought the Christian thing would give it would be to give it to Loy.

But I know he wanted to sit with his wife, so I didn't do that.

But I'm telling you it's packed that flight.

We're all wanting to get home.

Everybody's anxious to get on the flight.

There's a list of standby folks and I have my ticket in my hand.

I got a seat seat assignment secure.

Why don't you take your Bibles and go to first John chapter 5 and I want to talk about assurance of salvation.

Because it's good for you to know God wants you to know if you're a Christian that you're gonna go to heaven.

The assurance of salvation.

It's a wonderful gift a mercy of God for you to be able to say I know for certain

I'm going to heaven and so while you're turning to first John almost in the very back of your Bibles I ask you the

question are You going to heaven?

It's the most important question that you can answer.

Are you going to heaven?

Are you certain that if you were to die tonight and stand before God?

That you'd go to heaven.

I want to say ten times in the last two weeks Security folks have gotten onto our bus

with fully automatic machine guns checking us.

Well checking Lucille's what they were doing.

They weren't checking me.

They're profiling of course.

And I thought it would take about 14 seconds for all 22 of us to just be killed

going to Jordan.

Things are dangerous there and so we had a Jordanian policeman escort us on the bus escort us to

Petra.

And I just thought you know what from airplane crashes to anything else.

We are close to eternity.

George Whitfield often preached Consider your soul.

And so one day it might not be in the Holy Land.

It might not be in Jordan.

It might not be here, but one day you're gonna die and then stand before God.

And then what and for the Christian he or she has Totally trusted in the finished work

of Jesus when Jesus said it is finished at Calvary.

Paid in full he paid the sin debt of all who would ever believe.

Old Testament New Testament people today people overseas all paid in full

redemption accomplished and Now God wants you to know

if you're a Christian that you have eternal life.

So number one, are you a Christian?

Are you trusting wholly in the work of Christ.

And number two?

Do you know that for sure?

So all this morning we're going to talk about Assurance of salvation the gift of God that you can know

for certain that you're going to heaven.

Fannie Crosby was at her friend's house.

Fannie Crosby was the blind Hymn writer.

She wrote all kinds of poems and wonderful hymns that we sing and her friend Phoebe Knapp was

having a Organ installed and the organ wasn't quite ready and so Phoebe sat down and

played a little song that she had been working on on the piano a New melody and

Knapp asked Crosby her friend.

What do you think the tune says?

What does it sound like to you.

And Crosby said blessed assurance.

Assurance Jesus is mine.

I wonder if you could say that this morning.

Blessed assurance.

Jesus is mine.

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.

What's the song go on to say air of salvation purchase of God born of his

spirit?

Washed in his blood.

Can you sing with the songwriter?

This is my story.

This is my song Praising the Savior all day long.

Do you have assurance of salvation?

Do you have the hope of heaven?

Do you have the confidence of course given by the power of the Spirit of God?

To know the things that are given to you by sovereign grace and

mercy and It is rare by the way to meet people who have not struggled with this.

Have you struggled with your assurance?

It's rare for me to meet someone says I've never struggled at all.

The wonderful writer the Puritan Thomas Brooks said our knowledge of God of

Christ and of ourselves and of Scripture is imperfect in this life.

How then can our assurance be?

Perfect and so everyone struggles with assurance some more than others.

Would it be a comfort to you to know that Charles Spurgeon?

Occasionally struggled with the assurance of his salvation and here's the problem.

There's lots of people selling false Assurances, they're selling false

assurance people.

Might remember the other old song.

It's an old spiritual.

Everybody talking about heaven ain't going there or maybe to use the words of Solomon in

Proverbs.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

No wonder Paul said examine yourselves.

To see whether you're in the faith.

Are you in the faith?

Do you know that for certain?

I?

Think if you know for certain you're gonna be a much more productive Christian if you're not a Christian I don't want you to have any

assurance, but if you are a Christian I want you to have assurance so you're not focused on trying to get assurance.

The Golden Gate Bridge 20 some people lost their lives.

There were no nets and they would fall and Catapult to their deaths and then they put

a net underneath it.

Ten more men fell into the net.

But their lives were saved and do you think production of the bridge went up or down after that?

It went up 25 % increase because they were certain they had that ticket.

Boston Logan Seat assignment

problem is if you have folks going around teaching wrong assurance.

There's trouble and so before we get into the text today.

Let me give you a few wrong ways to have assurance that I want you to avoid and certainly here's what's going to happen.

This will be applicable to you directly because maybe you struggle with assurance and it will be

applicable to you indirectly because.

Many people will talk about assurance many people will come to you.

I'd like to have assurance.

Could you help me now when I grew up?

I grew up as a Lutheran.

I grew up as a sacramentalist and the Lutheran booklet baptism saves says this.

Baptism establishes a new relationship with God through Christian baptism.

We have our sin forgiven.

Become heirs of eternal life and remain his children forever.

Amazing grace.

I Mean if I were to ask you the question, how do you know you're gonna go to heaven?

What would you say when it comes to assurance?

Would you say like many like very many I've been baptized.

I don't care if it's immersion.

I don't care if it's sprinkling, but I've been baptized.

Therefore I know I'm gonna go to heaven matter of fact.

We were just by the Jordan River weren't we where we were it was kind of muddy and there were people getting baptized there.

Can you imagine how are you gonna go to heaven?

Well, I know I'm gonna go because I was baptized in the Jordan River.

Some people were dunking themselves three times, by the way.

And I thought that was kind of interesting and I would try to secretly kind of take pictures.

And they're down there dunking themselves three times.

I guess in the name of the Father Son and the Holy Spirit.

I saw some people along with our group up in the Galilee and they were going over.

Is it the supposed spot where Jesus made the disciples?

Breakfast and they would go over and bend down and get the water and they would drink the water.

Not because they were thirsty but because they wanted to get a blessing.

Can you imagine when you die and stand before God?

Why are you gonna go to heaven because you've been baptized because you drank the Galilee water.

Catholic Catechism page 321 says by baptism all sins are rigid are forgiven.

Personal sins as well as punishment for sins.

So I don't want you to have this false assurance.

I Think of other people with false assurance maybe in our circles with easy believism.

How do you know?

You're a Christian?

How do you know for sure?

How do you have confidence?

Well, I walked in aisle.

Pastor said raise your hand with every head bowed every eye closed.

I've done that He told me saved eternally secure ready for heaven.

Other people in our circles, I'll call them experiential lists.

Maybe I could call them charismatics as well.

How do you know you're gonna go to heaven?

Well, because I have a private prayer language.

I've spoken in tongues as the evidence of the Holy Spirit.

What would you say?

How do you know you're going to heaven?

We want to be very careful because the stakes are high.

Jesus said not everyone that says to me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

But he that does the will of my father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day Lord Lord.

Have we not prophesied in your name in your name cast out devils in your name done wonderful works and I will

profess to them.

By the way, these next words.

I don't want Jesus to profess about you.

Not one of you.

I want every one of you to go to heaven.

Can you imagine if Jesus would profess these words to you?

I Never knew you.

Depart from me you who work iniquity.

So what we're going to do this morning is we're gonna look at first John 5.

Some of first John then John 10 and then Romans 8 because I want you a

to know what the gospel is.

So, you know, you're going to heaven and be have assurance of it.

All right, and here's what happens and I'm just gonna help you along.

Before we start and get into some exposition of the text.

Spurgeon said this.

I've thought of it many many times even in my own struggles and issues and helping others as well.

If you try to capture Assurance because you're lacking it.

You'll never get it.

It's like a dove that just flies away you try to catch it and it just it's flies

and and scurries off.

But if you focus your attention on the person and work of Christ Jesus the Lord

through his word and you are Confident of what he says and

what he's done and how he's accomplished salvation.

Then the dove of assurance will float right down and sit on your shoulder.

And so today we're going to look at the objective ways to deal with assurance.

First John chapter 1 verse.

Excuse me.

First John chapter 5 verse 13.

Could this be one of the most spectacular?

Truths and Verities and concepts and all the the Bible to know with absolute

certainty that if you die this second you get to stand before God cleansed forgiven

redeemed reconciled.

First John chapter 5 verse 13.

Why John right?

Well many reasons, but here's one.

I Write these things what things John?

First John 1 first John 2 first John 3 first John 4 first John 5.

I write these things Contrary to all these false teachers who are saying the opposite

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

So that you may know that you have eternal life.

Friends if you're a Christian God wants you to know that you're going to heaven.

It's a special mercy of God.

He wants you to know so that you may know.

Can you imagine the gospel of John is written so that you believe right John 20 verse 31

and first John is written.

Yes in chapter 1 that you might have joy.

But here in chapter 5 so that you might know.

I want you to know that you're going to heaven.

Look at chapter 5 verse 20 while we're there.

Can you imagine entire book written for you as a Christian so that you can have assurance

and keep assurance first John 5 20 and We

know how many times in John does he talk about we know?

36 times I believe I've counted in English and we know.

We have confidence in we have hope of we're persuaded of that the Son of God has come

and it's given us understanding in order that we might know him who is true and

We are in him who is true in his son.

This is the true God and eternal life

John is writing and he wants you to know so I ask you do you know for certain?

Do you have assurance of salvation?

Let's have a little survey.

Look at first John chapter 2 verse 5.

Here's the beloved John and he's writing when he's older and I Don't want to somehow

Wrongly call him a grandpa, but you know like a grandfather would love to have his his

grandchildren just happy and healthy and just at his feet and you can just see

how much John loves his his children that is the children in the faith and he wants them to

know and whoever first John 2 5 Keeps

his word in him the love of God Has been truly

perfected by this we know that we are in him.

You can know first John chapter 2 verse 25.

How wonderful how amazing and this is the promise that he made to us

eternal life.

Chapter 3 it talks about the same thing chapter 3 verse 19 of first John.

We shall know by this that we are of the truth and we shall assure our

heart before him verse 24 and the one who keeps his

commandments abides in him and he in him and We know by this that he

abides in us by the spirit whom he has given us a

Couple more verses in first John chapter 4 verse 13, please and This we know

first John 4 13 and this we know that we abide in him.

And he is in us because he has given us of his spirit.

Chapter 5 verse 1.

Whoever believes whoever's believing right now.

Are you believing right now?

This is the language of John's 316 whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

That's the language here.

Whoever believes who's believing right now.

That Jesus is the Christ is born of God and whoever loves the father loves the children

born of him.

Here's the thing friends.

Assurance could be subjective.

Romans 8 the spirit bears witness to my spirit that I'm a Christian especially in times of suffering

and pain and trouble.

It could be That I look at the Bible and what do Christians do.

Christians love the word.

Christians love to evangelize.

Christians love these things and I I don't do it perfectly, but I can see some of that love in my heart for the lost and for

other people.

That's subjective.

What we're going to talk about today is Objective assurance that is what Jesus said and

did and when you focus on what Jesus said and did.

Rightly your assurance should go up if it's a man -centered kind of accomplishment that Jesus did

99 and we did one or we allowed Jesus to do this out of the other the more man -centered your view

is of salvation the higher increase of.

What's the what's that what's the opposite word of assurance.

I wanted to say lack of assurance.

That's walking your lack of assurance will go up if your view of Christ's death goes down.

Now here's the thing Lucille and I were talking about this by the way, that's $3.

I owe you now.

When you go to Israel your heart breaks for the Jews.

Don't you want the Jewish people to be saved?

Don't you want people to be saved?

I mean all the phylacteries and all the body praying and all the things and

and Zeal though without knowledge.

I want them to go to heaven.

If you went to Jerusalem, wouldn't you think I should know what these Jews believe because I want to give them the good news.

If you lived in Utah, wouldn't you think to yourself?

What do what do Mormons think about Jesus because I want to tell them some good news.

You can be certain you can have eternal life both of which by the way Jews and Mormons

low on the assurance level.

And friends I have to tell you in this part of the world.

Almost every one of your neighbors does not believe in assurance.

Because the Roman Catholic Church teaches to have assurance is a veni excuse me as a mortal sin.

It's a sin.

Listen to their encyclopedia.

Here's the sin of presumption.

It may be defined as the condition of a soul.

That because of a bag it badly regulated reliance on God's mercy and power listen

hopes for salvation without doing anything to deserve it or

for pardon of the sins without repenting of Them

if you dare think that if you die today that you will go directly to heaven based on the work of Christ.

That is a mortal sin.

It's called the sin of presumption and if you as a Christian Value assurance and you

love assurance and to know that you know that you have hope and confidence.

Like Richard Baxter on his deathbed ask.

How are you doing?

Mr. Baxter, and he said I'm almost well.

To die knowing for certain you're gonna go to heaven.

Don't you want your friends to have that as well?

And it is a perfect opportunity for you to preach the gospel to your Roman Catholic friends.

Gregory the great 7th century Pope said that Assurance was

dangerous.

Quote the greater our sins the more we must do to make up for them.

I Mean just imagine whether we have done enough to atone for them or not.

We cannot know until after death.

We can never be sure of success assurance of salvation and the feeling of safety.

Engendered by it is dangerous for anybody and would not be desirable even if possible.

It's dangerous.

It's not desirable to know for certain and Then Trent comes along and

surpasses Gregory by saying it's a mortal sin.

Listen Council of Trent Don't believe the new PC Pope stuff.

What does the what does their doctrine teach Council of Trent quote?

If anyone saith that he will for certain of an absolute and infallible Certainty

have that great gift of perseverance unto the end unless he has learned this by special revelation.

Let him be anathema.

Maybe if God told you directly like Paul in 2nd Corinthians 12, you might know it.

Maybe if in you're the Virgin Mary you might know it, but for you you can't know it.

Let's turn to John chapter 10 now and I want to work through a passage John 10.

That's very important for not only the security of believers, but also

for assurance.

Remember God is the one that accomplished your salvation.

And so if God can lose you then you can be lost but since God can't lose one.

You can't be lost.

It's not the right question.

Can I lose my salvation?

Can Jesus lose one that he's lose one that he's purchased is a better question and many people go to John

10 Not to teach what Jesus taught security of salvation

they teach that it's the opposite and This is where they go and I can prove that they go

there because Catholic basic training comm says.

Verses such as John 10 can seem on first reading to support the notion of eternal assurance,

but this is not the case.

The Catholic apologist does not need to seek out many verses which deny eternal assurance in order to seek his or her point.

Well, it is certainly true that no one can snatch them out of my hand.

It is entirely possible for someone to what when people go to the passage in John 10, which I'll read in just a second.

You can't be snatched out of God's hand, but you can what?

You can walk away or you can jump.

Is that really what he's teaching?

Let's find out.

Could there be a better chapter in all the Bible for Jesus?

And his sheep by the way, we saw a lot of sheep in Israel.

And so it makes me think what a wonderful shepherd we have in our Lord John

10 24.

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him how long will you keep us in suspense if you're the

Christ tell us plainly Jesus answered them.

I told you and you do not believe.

The works that I do in my father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not

among my sheep.

My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me

verse 28 I Give them eternal life and they will never

perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Friends may I read that verse again?

I give them eternal life.

He's the one that gives it.

It's his gift to give.

What kind of life does he give he gives eternal life?

When does eternal life start upon reception and they will never perish.

No one will snatch them out of my hand.

My father verse 29 who has given them to me is greater than all and

No one is able to snatch them out of the father's hand.

I and the father are One.

Now for people to go to that passage of all passages and say yes.

But by the way, it doesn't really mean what it says.

You can actually jump out of his hand.

That's exactly opposite of what Jesus is trying to teach.

What kind of assurance is that, you know all the sheep there on the hills of

Bethlehem that the Bedouins are watching over are safe because the Bedouins strong he's

he's a wise.

He knows what he's doing.

He has experienced and all of them will get safely home unless one runs into the ditch.

That's not the point Arthur Pink said no stronger passage in all the Word of God

can be found.

Guarantee guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God.

I Mean just set and you go and let it set in.

I'm one of God's sheep.

I Follow Christ.

That's what the text says.

I get eternal life.

Alright, let's put it this way if eternal life ends.

Is that a contradiction or not?

I know we have quite a few WPI kind of folks around here and some binary thinkers.

I guess eternal life if it ends it is no longer eternal.

Listen to what pink said it is impossible for a sheep to perish even if it desired to as.

Though one ever did the hand of Christ is beneath us.

The hand of the Father is above us.

Thus we are secured between the clasped hands of omnipotence.

I and the Father are one it has been well said that of one soul who trusted in Christ should be.

Missing in heaven then there would be a vacant seat there one crown unused one harp unstrung

and this would grieve all heaven and proclaim a disappointed God,

please turn to Romans chapter 8.

We've looked at first John now.

We're going to look at John.

We looked at John 10 as well.

And now we're gonna look at Romans 8.

Trying to put together an objective view of what Christ has done.

So your insurance will increased for those of you that want to get back to Malachi.

We will be back soon enough, but this is such an important issue.

Romans chapter 8.

Now remember some people will say, you know, I know Jesus paid it all all to him.

I owe.

I know that he said it is finished at Calvary.

I know that the father accepted the sacrifice of the son because the father raised the son from the dead

on the third day.

Confirming that Jesus wasn't a sinner that accomplishment of atonement was accepted by the

father.

The sacrifice was good and proper and holy and blameless.

But you know, I can just jump out of the father's hand anytime.

I want that's how we lose salvation.

So Romans 8 I think addresses it and If you ever struggle with your assurance.

Read John 10 or read 1st John or read Romans 8.

These are three of my favorite ones it when I ever struggle.

Romans chapter 8 verse 35.

You know the chapter starts off with there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, you know Romans 7

ends with wretched man that I am and Here it says in Romans 8 25.

Contrary to the sin of presumption.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ.

You could make it very personal if you would like.

Who shall separate Mike Abendroth from the love of Christ, by the way, that's not Mike's love for Christ.

That's the love of Christ his love for me my love Flickers

my love fails my love wanes my love ebbs my love flows.

My love isn't that good?

But God's love for me.

That's a lot different.

That's why if you're always basing your assurance upon.

Well, did I measure up to what Christians do and am I measuring up and do I love him like I should?

Those are all fair questions and biblical questions.

But you've got to get back to step one with assurance with Christ's love for us and who shall

Divorce us literally from the love of Christ.

You know, maybe my life is hard.

Maybe there's all kinds of issues.

Maybe it's money health.

Circumstances relationships, you know, it's it's very very difficult.

Maybe God doesn't care for me.

Do circumstances show that he doesn't really love me.

How can God love me and let all these things happen in me?

And Paul then lists these seven non separators.

These things can't divorce you from the love of Christ.

Shall tribulation by the way tribulation is External difficulties

you're squeezed in you can feel the pressure.

He goes to the internal distress.

This is your you can almost feel you can't breathe like you used to because they're just so much pressure.

It's an internal distress.

Persecution famine.

Nakedness peril or even death.

Can any of those Stop God's love.

Can any of those change, you know, you get a little barometer on your In your in your house.

You've got a barometer outside your house.

Maybe you've got them inside your house, too.

And you know the temperature goes up and the temperature goes down.

Maybe you know things are going great in my life.

God's showing a lot of love towards me now I've got some problems.

His love is waned.

No God's love doesn't change.

And by the way, it's always God's plan to have his people go undergo trials.

Verse 36.

He quotes just as it is written for thy name's sake or thy sake.

We're being put to death all day long.

We're considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

But in all these things on the contrary we Overwhelmingly

conquer.

Only here in the New Testament its language of super conquer.

It's a super Nike is what it is super invincibility pre eminently conquers.

How?

Through our own Bootstraps.

Through our own works.

Through him who?

Loved us.

And now verse 38.

For I'm convinced and for Paul I stand convinced.

Nobody's gonna convince me any differently.

I Stand convinced.

This is a Luther here.

I stand kind of language that neither death nor life.

Nor good angels nor bad angels principalities nor things present nor things to come.

There's nothing that's going on in my life now that would separate me from the love of God.

There's no future contingency somehow down the line something weird could come up.

Nor things to come.

Nothing in the future.

Nor height nor depth.

And now think through what we've been talking about in John chapter 10.

You're safe and secure from all alarm unless you decide to jump out in a weak moment.

Romans 8 addresses that nor any other created thing.

Any other created thing.

Well, maybe Paul could give a list of 500 things that will

not separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

But instead of less than all 500 he just says I'll put out an umbrella statement out there.

Any other created thing.

There's nothing else.

Got a question for you or to speak non -nebraskan.

I have a question for you.

Are you a created thing?

You're a created thing.

So how can you even separate yourself from the love of God in Christ Jesus according to the Bible

you can't.

So this.

Going to John 10 for security of salvation with Jesus's intention and then switching it

all around to say Yeah, but what if I jump out if you try to jump out and you're one of Jesus's sheep?

He won't let you jump out.

We were on the Sea of Galilee and Last time we were on the Sea of Galilee.

I did a little Bible teaching from Mark chapter 4 and I wanted to jump out.

I Wanted to just jump out in the Sea of Galilee.

I don't know you ever done a cannonball in the Sea of Galilee.

I thought it'd be kind of nice.

Totally holy cannonballs.

I didn't jump out this time because it's freezing cold, but I can remember

standing by the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado.

You ever been at the Royal Gorge Bridge anybody.

I think it's a high suspension bridge and all the Country world outside India.

I don't know it's a very high suspension bridge and you can imagine if my father is

Holding my hand.

He is not going to let me go.

You're gonna be safe with me son unless you jump out in your own.

It's just it just doesn't make any sense at all friends eternal life is eternal life.

He's promised you that you can know you can go to your friends.

You can go to your Lutheran friends your easy -believe ism friends your Catholic friends your legalistic

friends and say, you know.

You can know for sure.

You can have eternal life.

You can know what a great gift by the Lord.

If I were to say this to you This is a sin to say no matter what the future

holds.

I'm saved what would you say?

But that's exactly what Rome teaches.

But for the Christian, can you imagine no matter what the future holds?

Based on the Word of Christ.

I'm taking God at his word.

I give you eternal life.

I know I'm secure no matter what the future holds.

I'm secure.

Salvation is Guaranteed now friends think about it.

Isn't that good news?

That's good news.

You can tell your friends.

It's a perfect opportunity to tell your friends as I told my Roman Catholic grandmother grandma.

Do you think you're gonna go to heaven?

I don't know.

Do you want to go to heaven?

Yeah.

Do you know you can know for sure?

Do you know the Bible says do you know your Bible says grandma and your Bible right here?

It says in 1st John chapter 5 that you can know you don't have to purify yourself grandma.

You don't have to make up for those sins.

You don't have to have special revelation grandma.

You can know for certain you can go to heaven because the Jesus of the Bible

Doesn't need to be slain on an altar every day or every week the Jesus of the Bible makes

expiation that is forgiveness by making Propitiation that is God's not angry

anymore.

God's not your enemy anymore.

God looked upon Jesus as Jesus was the advocate and Jesus Intercepted all the

wrath grandma you deserved and he pays all the wrath for sinners like you.

You can know for certain grandma that you can go to heaven.

What a great opportunity for us here in New England to talk about believing on the

Lord.

Jesus Christ for salvation and for assurance of

salvation.

Ludwig Ludwig Ott wrote fundamentals of Catholic dogma, and he said, you know, you can

get close to knowing.

But it's not with certainty if you persist in the eight beatitudes

frequent communion active charity love for Christ love for

the church and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

But friends Why was Jesus Fully man the most

amazing thing in the Sea of Galilee and around Nazareth and around Jerusalem was not to go

to the exact spot where Jesus was baptized to bend down and kiss the little.

You know ornaments there the plaques.

The most amazing thing walking around Israel was this.

God Had to become a man and he had to come to this earth and walk around.

Because the way to heaven is always the same.

It's by being perfect.

The way to heaven is always the same.

The doers of the law shall be justified.

The way to heaven is always the same.

Do this and live the way to heaven is always the same.

Deuteronomy 28.

Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things according to the law and the people said amen.

The problem is I Could never keep the eight beatitudes.

I could never have enough communion enough charity enough love for Christ enough love for anybody else because I

am Sinful and I fall short.

I need another where is the man who doesn't fall the temptation Adam in the garden?

Tempted and failed even the garden tempted and failed.

Israel in the wilderness tempted and fail.

I Often tempted and failed you often tempted and fail.

Isn't there anybody who won't fail?

And when Jesus was not tempted in a nice garden He was tempted out in the wilderness

after not eating for days and Satan gives him everything he's got and Jesus

never falls to temptation.

And that is why Jesus is called the representative.

That's why Jesus not only lives in our place.

But he dies for our sins when we did fall the temptation and he's raised from the dead.

I often think this.

Maybe you don't think this is sanctified.

So maybe this is a no -compromise radio moment.

I don't know.

I say Lord, you know, I'm struggling with the salvation struggling with assurance and and

you know, I've devoted my whole life to your scriptures and I Am so convinced

that this is true.

That if Jesus Death isn't enough for me Jesus's life isn't

enough as a representative for me that the claims of the Bible aren't true.

Then I'm willing to go to hell.

I'm all in.

It's this or nothing in other words put positively Lord where else can I turn?

I know I'm sinful.

I know you're holy.

I know heavens holy.

I have no way to get to heaven unless you grant it to me unless you give it to me and you have no way Of getting

sinful people into heaven by just saying I pardon you like some grandfather.

No, the wages of sin is death.

Someone has to die.

I'm focused on who Jesus is his life his death his representative work his

substitutionary work.

I'm trusting in you.

And what does faith really mean faith means God?

I take you at your word and your word is Jesus is my son and he's the only way of salvation

and if you turn from your sins and believe with your heart You shall be saved.

Now this kind of assurance is much different than do I measure up the scripture?

Do I read my Bible enough?

Do I love other people enough?

Do I not love the world, you know on all these things?

Those are fine things to work through but assurance at the get -go.

Has to work with the person and work of Christ.

You may ask yourself the question Why do they always talk about Jesus at this church?

Every time Jesus is life.

Jesus is death a.

I Told the elders to fire me if I stopped talking about him.

Be you'd probably all leave if I stopped talking about him see.

What else am I gonna talk about me that'd get old pretty fast.

Ask my kids.

Because we are born worshipers.

D.

Yes.

But I need to know about the other one because I fail.

I falter.

I ebb I flow.

So, please show me one that loves with an everlasting love.

This is the promise which he himself made to us.

Eternal life.

God wants you to know you can have eternal life.

God wants you to know that you have eternal life.

I Love the song simply trusting every day trusting

through a stormy way.

Even when my faith is small trusting Jesus.

That is all trusting him while life shall last.

Trusting him till earth is passed till his gracious advent call

trusting Jesus.

That is all.

Finally let's turn to Isaiah 53.

I'm just gonna read several verses and we're going to close.

I want you to have all your focus on the death of Christ the risen Savior.

Who did die on a hill in Calvary?

I don't know which hill it was.

I don't know what Golgotha it was.

But it was there outside the city.

According to Jewish law Mosaic law.

And I want you to look at Isaiah 53 and I'm going to read verses 4 to 6 and

Here's the question if you're a Christian, do you take God at his word?

And God's word is he pays for all the sins of all the believers who would ever believe

including yours.

Including the sins of doubt including the sins of not trusting the Lord.

He died for all those sins.

If you're a Christian you can know.

You should know.

And if you're not a Christian, I hope you don't have any assurance.

Until you bow the knee to the Lord.

Isaiah chapter 53 verse 4 talking about the Messiah written hundreds of

years before Jesus was even born.

Surely verse 4 of Isaiah 53 he has borne our griefs.

Carried our sorrows.

Yet we esteemed him stricken.

Smitten by God and afflicted.

You know just taking a look at Jesus.

You'd say to yourself.

He had a coming Look at you don't get crucified for being a good guy now.

Do you from our perspective smitten by God look at him?

He's getting what he deserved but revelation tells us the word tells us

something differently.

But he was wounded for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Can you imagine every sin that you'd ever commit past present and future?

Sins of omission sins of commission mortal sins venial sins are all mortal by the way

every sin Put on Jesus.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Upon him the chastisement that brought us peace was the chastisement that brought us peace and with his stripes.

We are healed.

All we like sheep gone astray and we have turned everyone to his own way and left to

ourselves.

That'd be the end of it.

But God sovereignly Distinguishingly is gracious and he loves

His son he loves those the son has died for.

He loves people and the Lord Has

laid on him The iniquity of us all.

So Christian friend what will keep you from heaven?

Why don't you have assurance if every one of your sins One sin will keep you out of heaven.

But Jesus won't let those sins keep you out of heaven if you're a believer because you're trusting in him and he's paid for

every one of them he laid on him the iniquity of us all and.

And so I say for one last time as a reminder if you struggle with assurance

you really need to go back to the basics of substitutionary atonement and the

representative work of Jesus that is way my my favorite book and all the Bible for assurance is

the book of Galatians because Galatians says it's Jesus

plus nothing for salvation and my feelings my thoughts My concerns my

failings all don't matter because Jesus paid it all and he was the one cursed in

my place.

He's the one that paid all my sins and I have to trust in him.

He doesn't die for all your sins, but one do

you have blessed assurance?

Blessed assurance Jesus is mine.

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.

Let's pray.

I thank you father for our time and your word.

I thank you that you've given us Scripture so that we might not only know you and your son and

have eternal life, but we could actually have the subjective feelings of that the confidence of that.

As pastor Steve prayed earlier, I would pray for those who are here today That aren't

Christians, but somehow think they are or maybe they don't even think they are but I pray that you would

Arrest them.

I pray that you would convict them.

I pray that you would put all kinds of Blockades in their way as they try to live their life.

Not loving you and not honoring you and I pray Like you did for me and like you did for many

here that you would make them born again that you would grant them repentance and faith and that you would

See fit to save them father.

There are Christians here today that struggle regularly with a lack of assurance.

And father, I know you want them to have assurance as true Christians.

And so would you?

Be generous to them and kind and come alongside have the body of Christ come alongside as well to

help them.

I pray that you would root out any Legalism that might be in their mind or any kind of extra biblical thinking

it's the penalty of Sin that was paid for in full by Jesus.

I Pray that you'd help them to focus on Him and father for Christians today who have assurance

who are happy and joyful and they know for certain that if they die today They're going straight to heaven not because they're good.

But because of the good one the Son Jesus Christ the good teacher the one who died as a sacrifice

To satisfy all your justice for sin.

I pray that you would help them like Thomas Watson says to be sure to keep that assurance.

By having a clean conscience by keeping close accounts with you by walking by your spirit

Father, we're thankful that when it comes to the flight as it were to heaven.

No standby passengers.

No flights canceled safe and secure because your word says so and

May we rest in that in Jesus name.

Amen.