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Can We Be Confident In Our Salvation Introduction:
How would you answer the question, “Are you saved?” It
would depend on if you are a Christian or not.
A person can not be saved outside of Christ for He is the Savior of His
body, Ephesians 5.23.
The first thing a person must do before he can have any confidence in his
salvation is to be saved. Can the Christian
have any confidence in their salvation? If
you say no then it sounds as if you do not trust God’s word.
Yes may sound arrogant. Maybe
sounds like you are dodging the question. Our Calvinist friends believe the
perseverance of the saints meaning a saved person is always saved.
We want to see what the Bible says. I)
Bible Warnings and Assurances A)
Bible Warnings 1.
1 Corinthians 10.12 warning of
thinking one is immune to temptation and sin 2.
2 Corinthians 13.5 “test
yourselves” why? For what purpose would a person test themselves if there is
no danger of failing the test? Why
test yourselves if there is not way you can pass the test? 3.
1 John 4.1 “test the spirits”
again the question arises of why? For
what purpose should we test the spirits, make sure we are abiding in the
doctrine of Christ, if it makes no difference in what we believe? 4.
All of the warnings in the New Testament are there for a reason.
A Christian can sin and be lost. B)
Bible Assurances 1.
2 Corinthians 5.6-7 Paul speaks of
his confidence in eventually being with the Lord 2.
2 Timothy 1.12 “I know whom I have believed” 3.
2 Timothy 4.6-8 “there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness” 4.
Each passage speaks of confidence in salvation or the basis of our salvation. C)
How can one be both confident and yet on guard? II)
Being Saved “Past Tense” A)
The means of our salvation, Romans 8.24 “we were saved in this hope” 1.
We can have confidence in the basis of our salvation which is Christ, He is the
center piece of the Gospel. Do we
have confidence in the Gospel? Yes 2.
His perfect life and sacrifice on the cross for our sins, Hebrews 10.10. Was His
sacrifice good enough? Yes 3.
It is through God’s grace in Christ we have salvation, Ephesians
2.8. Are we confident that
God’s grace was extended to man in Christ? Yes B)
A person has “been saved” when: 1.
They obey the Gospel of Christ, 2 Thess.
2.13-14 2.
Numerous passages speaks of our salvation in the past tense
a. Romans 5.1 “being justified in the faith”
b. Being baptized for the remission of sin, Acts
2.38
c. Baptism is connected to our sins being washed away by the blood of
Christ, Acts 22.16 C)
Our confidence is in God’s word --
Those obedient to God’s word are saved. III)
Being Saved “Present Tense”, 1 Corinthians 1.18 A)
What did Paul mean “being saved?” 1.
Being saved is not a one time act or event.
2.
After a person obeys the Gospel they must stay saved.
B)
Numerous warnings to the saved 1.
Continuing in the doctrine of Christ, 2
Corinthians 12.20-21 2.
Not going back into the world, 2 Peter
2.19-20 3.
The Calvinist wants to say these warnings does not concern the salvation not the
Christian but his example. However,
if this is true then the warnings are of no real importance. C)
Working out our salvation with fear and trembling is a continual process, Phil.
2.12 1.
A person outside of Christ must get into Christ, Galatians
3.27 2.
A person inside of Christ must remain true to Him, Acts
2.42 D)
If we obey His word we have salvation, John 10.27-28 1.
No one can cause you to be lost except yourself.
You can separate yourself from God but no one else can do that to you. 2.
God word is solid, Matthew 5.18 E)
Our confidence is in His word IV)
Being Saved “Future Tense” A)
Being faithful till death, Revelation 2.10a 1.
This is described as receiving the crown of life, 2
Timothy 4.8. Paul did not
receive this crown at his baptism, neither was he receiving it at this time but
he would in the future. 2.
No one can take salvation away from you. 3.
God will reward the faithful B)
Those not saved will be lost, 1 Peter 4.17-18 C)
The faithful will be saved, Revelation 2.10b, 2 Timothy 2.19 Conclusion:
A person has to look at where they are in relation to salvation.
A person that is lost will be saved when they are baptized into Christ,
Acts 11.13-14. A person that is
in Christ and is faithful to God’s word is saved,
1 Corinthians 15.1-2. A person
that dies in Christ will receive their salvation, Matthew
25.21
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