Is assurance of salvation possible?

[Thess]

I believe salvation being contingent upon trusting Christ alone, in contrast to the salvation by works crowd who trust in their works to qualify them to be saved.

And Jesus Himself said,

[Luk 13:24 NIV] 24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."

 

[bcbsr]

And Jesus Himself said,

[Luk 13:24 NIV] 24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."

The narrow door being putting faith in Christ alone, which the many widened to incorporate putting faith in works.

 

[Thess]

The narrow door being putting faith in Christ alone, which the many widened to incorporate putting faith in works.

Very interesting. Thank you.

 

[Danielwright2311]

I would say probably not since God is the final judge or I might become an Apostate. What do you think?

Only with Jesus as your savior.

 

[GraceBro]

I would say probably not since God is the final judge or I might become an Apostate. What do you think?

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

Yes, assurance of salvation is not only possible but rather it is guaranteed to those who are born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If you know what salvation is then you would not have any question about assurance of it. In short, salvation is the restoration of the life of God that was lost when Adam sinned in the Garden. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you receive the life of God, made available through His resurrection. That life will never leave you because of the forgiveness the death of Jesus Christ on the cross purchased for you. There is now no sin that can cause His life to leave you. That is why it is called an eternal life; a life that carries you through this physical life, past death, and into eternity. Be blessed.

 

[HolyTheophany]

I would say probably not since God is the final judge or I might become an Apostate. What do you think?

The holy fathers of the Church say that we can have assurance of our salvation only by divine revelation from God. Otherwise, we cannot be the source of our assurance. Moreover, we cannot improperly interpret the Scriptures to give ourselves the impression that we are assured of our salvation. What I've seen many people do is say, "Look at this Scripture. It plainly says that you're saved!" No, brother, you're deceived. You interpret it very incorrectly. Who are you to pronounce a judgment on yourself or others? That is God's task, not yours. Otherwise, "hope that is seen is not hope" of salvation; such a faith is based on human rationalism, erroneous interpretation of the Scriptures, and self-assurance rather than God's assurance.

When over 2000 years of theologians say that there is no assurance of salvation apart from a personal divine revelation (not through the Scriptures), and when many say, "No one man can be right by himself on matters of dogma", then I must put my trust in the consensus of holy pious teachers of the faith, rather than renegades who were so puffed up in their minds that they created their own denominations.

 

[redleghunter]

The holy fathers of the Church say that we can have assurance of our salvation only by divine revelation from God. Otherwise, we cannot be the source of our assurance. Moreover, we cannot improperly interpret the Scriptures to give ourselves the impression that we are assured of our salvation. What I've seen many people do is say, "Look at this Scripture. It plainly says that you're saved!" No, brother, you're deceived. You interpret it very incorrectly. Who are you to pronounce a judgment on yourself or others? That is God's task, not yours. Otherwise, "hope that is seen is not hope" of salvation; such a faith is based on human rationalism, erroneous interpretation of the Scriptures, and self-assurance rather than God's assurance.

When over 2000 years of theologians say that there is no assurance of salvation apart from a personal divine revelation (not through the Scriptures), and when many say, "No one man can be right by himself on matters of dogma", then I must put my trust in the consensus of holy pious teachers of the faith, rather than renegades who were so puffed up in their minds that they created their own denominations.

Would this personal revelation you speak of be what the Apostle says in Romans?

Romans 8:

15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

 

[FireDragon76]

Some measure of assurance seems necessary just to function as a Christian. Years ago, Pope Benedict XVI said it's not good to have a question mark at the center of ones life. Knowing our standing with God is important, which is why Luther emphasized the doctrine of justification. It wasn't just to be contrarian.

 

[HolyTheophany]

Would this personal revelation you speak of be what the Apostle says in Romans?

Romans 8:

15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Not quite.

Indeed, we receive the Spirit whereby we become the children of God and co-heirs with Christ.

But notice the contingency attached to the inheritance: "if indeed we suffer with Him".

And remember the parable of the prodigal son and the good Father. This son was an heir of his Father's goods, but he squandered his portion and was essentially "lost" and "dead" to his Father. It was only upon his repentance and continual abiding with the Father that he was restored to his former status of "son" and received an inheritance again. So, take note, the son lost both his inheritance and sonship upon departing from the Father.

 

[☦Marius☦]

working out is not the same as working for. Working out applications of faith is quite different than working in order to be saved. In fact the scripture says, "Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:4,5

The narrow door being putting faith in Christ alone, which the many widened to incorporate putting faith in works.

Did I say works alone saved? No. Stop making assumptions.

I literally just posted a verse with no opinion.

 

[FireDragon76]

Not quite.

Indeed, we receive the Spirit whereby we become the children of God and co-heirs with Christ.

But notice the contingency attached to the inheritance: "if indeed we suffer with Him".

And remember the parable of the prodigal son and the good Father. This son was an heir of his Father's goods, but he squandered his portion and was essentially "lost" and "dead" to his Father. It was only upon his repentance and continual abiding with the Father that he was restored to his former status of "son" and received an inheritance again. So, take note, the son lost both his inheritance and sonship upon departing from the Father.

The Prodigal was always the father's son and was never disowned, just presumed dead.

He took his inheritance and left, he didn't exactly lose it, he just foolishly spent it.

 

[St_Worm2]

Is assurance of salvation possible?

Hi David, it seems to me that the Lord wants those of us who are His (believers) to make sure that we are truly in the faith, and when we find that we are, to be blessed with the assurance of our salvation, knowing that we have come to possess eternal life.

2 Corinthians 13
5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

1 John 5
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may ~know~ that you have eternal life.

John 5
24 He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.​

Yours and His,
David

 

[FireDragon76]

The Prodigal Son reminds me of an old Jewish rabbinical story, where one rabbi asks another "What is the worst effect of the evil impulse?" "To make man forget that he is the son of a king". The son in the parable is not disowned by the father, but he is foolish enough to believe he has been.

 

[St_Worm2]

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Hi Marius, did you quote v12 with reference to the assurance of salvation, or with reference to something else?

Thanks!

--David
p.s. - if it is the former, in what way do you understand v12 to be speaking about assurance? Thanks again!!

 

[☦Marius☦]

Hi Marius, did you quote v12 with reference to the assurance of salvation, or with reference to something else?

Thanks!

--David
p.s. - if it is the former, in what way do you understand v12 to be speaking about assurance? Thanks again!!

In reference to the topic?

I don't believe in total assurance if that is what you are asking.

 

[HolyTheophany]

The Prodigal was always the father's son and was never disowned, just presumed dead.

He took his inheritance and left, he didn't exactly lose it, he just foolishly spent it.

The son was no longer a son to the Father: hence, "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:24). Now, tell me (since you seem to want to contradict simple reason) why you believe that even when the Father deemed His son dead and lost, that He always considered him His son? How can one who is dead and lost be a son to anyone? If my wife commits adultery and files a divorce, by your logic, she is still my wife as long as I refuse to accept that she is not my wife. That seems absurd.

You say that "He took his inheritance and left, he didn't exactly lose it, he just foolishly spent it." Interesting perspective. It seems that you are trying to oppose my reasoning by redefining words. But the Scripture explicitly says that he "wasted all his substance" and "spent all" his living. I was making a conclusion based on the Father's proclamation that the son was "lost", since being lost to one's Father is the same as "losing" one's inheritance, for when you have no Father, you also have no inheritance. In this case, the son not only squandered his inheritance, but had not hope of regaining it since he was "lost" to his Father. Thus, when he repented and returned, his Father restored all things to him, even the inheritance he had wasted living sinfully. And we know this because of the following: "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine" (Luke 15:31).

 

[St_Worm2]

In reference to the topic?

Yes, I was just wondering what Philippians 2:12 has to do with the assurance of salvation, or if you meant it in regard to something other than assurance (perhaps with reference to something Basil said in the post the preceded yours)?

Thanks!

--David

 

[FireDragon76]

The father in the parable was never angry with his son, he didn't throw him out angrily and tell him to never come back, which is sort of the model of salvation I saw in the Orthodox church- be good or else. It was a highly fear and anxiety driven atmosphere, with the Last Judgment weighing on ones soul, with Jesus ready to be there for a final "gotcha".

The message I hear in the Lutheran church is clear: my salvation was assured on Calvary 2000 years ago. Now I am free. That's not a false message, because it inspires me to live in bold confidence in God's grace, which is the only way for us to be authentically human and to do genuine good works. The existential weight of religious obligations are just too great for any human being to endure, so God himself takes that responsibility upon himself.

I know this from my own experience. I landed up in a mental hospital trying to be a good orthodox Christian.

 

[☦Marius☦]

Yes, I was just wondering what Philippians 2:12 has to do with the assurance of salvation, or if you meant it in regard to something other than assurance (perhaps with reference to something Basil said in the post the preceded yours)?

Thanks!

--David

"with fear and trembling" would seem to denote the opposite of assurance would it not?

 

[FireDragon76]

"with fear and trembling" would seem to denote the opposite of assurance would it not?

Fear and trembling is not the last word on the Christian life, though, and not a healthy place to be long term. At some point we have to move beyond that to simply being human beings doing human things and acting according to our own personal moral agency. We were never made to be particularly "religious".