Purpose: Encourage Christians by helping them to understand that they can know that they are saved.
I. We often sing the song Blessed Assurance
A. This is a wonderful song that conveys a very real spiritual truth
B. As Christians we have assurance of many, many things
II. God has promised us that if we continue to be faithful to him we can be assured of a home in heaven when this life is over
III. However, I am convinced that, many times, we sing this song with our fingers crossed
IV. We can have Blessed Assurance for the following reasons:
A. Because we do not live under the Old Covenant
B. Because of the cross of Christ
C. Because we are made righteous in Christ
D. Because the Father promises he will remember our sins no more
E. Because God can't lie
A. The Old Law was a law of condemnation. There was no salvation to be found in it - Romans
1. The law told people that they were sinners but gave no way to be justified
2. It served only to remind them of their sins - Hebrews
3. Jesus had this in mind when he said what we read in Matthew 11:11
B. The law was meant only to bring us to the Gospel and the church - Galatians
1. The church was God's eternal purpose - Ephesians
2. From the moment sin entered into the world, God set out to bring about our salvation through Christ
C. We should be so grateful that we do not live under that system
A. Sin was (and still is) the ultimate crime against the almighty God and therefore required the ultimate sacrifice
1. Hebrews 2:9
2. John 3:16
3. Christ's death on the cross made possible the forgiveness of our sins
B. We can also have assurance because now we know that death has no more power over us
1. Jesus rising from the dead shows us that if he could raise himself, he can raise us
2. Because of Christ's resurrection, we can look forward to death knowing that we will be with him in eternity
A. One gets into Christ by obeying the Gospel - Romans
1. Hearing -Romans
2. Believing -John
3. Repenting - Luke
4. Confessing -Acts
5. Being baptized -Acts
B. At the point of baptism one is put into Christ - Galatians
1. To be in Christ is to be in the Church - Ephesians
2. All spiritual blessings are located in Christ - Ephesians
3. This is where I want to be
A. Hebrews 8:12
B. 1 John 1:9
C. The only sin God will not forgive is the one that is not confessed - 1 John 5:16
A. When he says that something is going to happen, it happens
B. Hebrews
C. Titus 1:2 God promised eternal life and he cannot lie
D. We live in a world where people do not generally keep their word
E. What a comfort it is to know that God will not go back on his word
I. To those of you who have never obeyed the gospel, you do not have these assurances
A. However, we know that God will not go back on his word
B. As long as you're living it is not too late to obey him
C. Give plan of salvation
II. To those of you who have obeyed the gospel; I would like to ask you one question
A. This question is directed to those of you who have obeyed also
B. If you knew that Christ were going to come in the next 30 minutes would you have the assurance to know that you would be found faithful?
III. If you are not absolutely sure, there is something wrong
A. 1 John 2:3 tells us that if we keep his commandments we should know that we know him
B. Are you keeping his commandments?
-- Ralph Price, February 2000 --
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