RESULTS OF SALVATION | ASSURANCE (2)

1. Results of Salvation

a) People who are "saved" have received salvation. The word salvation tells many wonderful things that God supplies for those who accept Christ. Some of these are past and can never be changed again. Some are in the present time, going on day by day, 1 Peter 1:9. Others will come to pass in the future.

b) "Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time", 1 Peter 1:5.

c) For now, we will think about the present side of salvation, in another later, future salvation.

d) The word sanctify means to set apart for God. Since God is holy, sanctify can mean to make someone holy, or to make a person a saint. All believers are saints, Romans 1:7. They have been made holy, have been set apart for God by the Holy Spirit. But sanctification is something that goes day by day as well. The Lord who sanctifies and they who are being sanctified are all of one, Hebrews 2:11.

e) Sanctification is not only a thing of the present time. It is past, 1 Corinthians 6:11, and also will continue until Christ makes us perfect, Ephesians 5:26-27.

2. What is Assurance?

a) A Christian who is not sure that he is really saved keeps on worrying and working. But his works are for himself, to keep himself "saved", and do not please God. Only works done for the glory of God alone can bring Him pleasure.

b) The Bible teaches that the real believer can never be lost again. Some people do not believe this. They think this means that therefore you can do as you please. We have already seen that the Father will punish His children if they do not obey Him.

c) But these people think they can prove from the Bible that a believer may fall away and be lost again. In order to prove this they use the following verses:

i) "He that shall endure to the end shall be saved", Matthew 24:13. But this verse speaks of the Jew in the years of tribulation, not of a Christian who is being tempted to sin.

ii) "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", Philippians 2:12. But this does not say, work for your own salvation. In fact the next verse shows that it is God that works in us.

iii) It is impossible... if they shall fall away, to restore them again unto repentance, Hebrews 6:4-6. This refers to Jews who go back to their old religion. If it meant Christians who have gone into sin and no longer follow the Lord, this verse says they could never be restored!

iv) "Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand", John 10:28. But what happens if I pluck myself out by going into sin? Even if I sin I am not lost, for the Lord Jesus says in the same verse, "They shall never perish."

d) There are many verses which teach that the believer is perfectly safe and secure. He should know it and rejoice in it.

i) Him that comes to me I will not cast out, John 6:37.

ii) Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die, John 11:26.

iii) Sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13.

iv) The full assurance of understanding, Colossians 2:2.

v) I know whom I have believed and am sure, 2 Timothy 1:12.

vi) He is able also to save them from all time, Hebrews 7:25.

vii) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 1 John 3:2.

e) To say I must work to be saved or keep myself saved is to say Christ's work is not good enough. This does not give honor to Christ. The wonderful Son of God is:

i) "Mighty to save", Isaiah 63:1.

ii) "Able to keep", Jude 24. 

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