Many think that, because of sins, especially those done right now or more recently or lately more currently, that they are disqualified or are not one of His right now currently, etc...?
What would you say...?
Well, there are people who are busy with getting themselves to do things. Their attention is to themselves. And I think ones can tend to pay attention to what they do and what they do not do, because they feel they have to control everything . . . while God is simply keeping a record book on what they do and do not do. But how this can work is they get told that some thing is a no-no, but they find they fail to stop themselves from doing that sin. And then is when they can start wondering if they are Christians or if they will "go to Heaven".
But that can be a self-centered way of evaluating ourselves. And ones can be depending on themselves to control what they do or do not do.
This can keep our attention away from first if we are becoming more like Jesus . . . conformed to the image of Christ. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus starts right off with how to be >
poor in spirit
meek
merciful
pure in heart
This is how we become in God's love.
"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)
So, from this I see that our Biblical reason for assurance is not only that we stop certain sins, or that we said a prayer for salvation, but what matters is how our Father perfects us in His love so that
"as He is, so are we in this world."
So, yes there are certain wrong things we must stop doing, but this alone is not enough. We need how God is perfecting us in His love so we are ready to share eternity with Jesus. And His correction changes us so we become ready for Jesus.
Hebrews 12:4-14 guarantees how God corrects every one of His children; so this is included in our Biblical assurance of salvation.
As we are matured in God's love, we become more like Jesus, plus we discover how our Father has us sharing with one another in this love.
So, assurance is not only for you, by yourself. But
"we" (1 John 4:17) share assurance with one another, as be become and relate the way God's love has us living as family with God.
And God's word tells us actions which are anti-love. But also His word tells us about emotional and spiritual things which are against our becoming and relating like Jesus; plus He tells us how we need to relate, instead >
"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)
"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)
"submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:21)
So, in us there can be ways of relating which are anti-love. And these can help to keep us from enjoying the goodness of intimate sharing with one another in Jesus.
"with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love," (Ephesians 4:2)
So, I see how more and more our attention needs to go to what is happening inside of us . . . not only to outward things we may do or that are no-no's. But we help one another to grow in Jesus and in loving as His family. Or else, a person could be living in an isolated, self-proclaimed sort of salvation.
We need to be with each other; God uses us to minister His grace to one another > 1 Peter 4:9-10.
