GAINING AND KEEPING ASSURANCE
by Peter MastersFROM SWORD & TROWEL 2003 No 1
‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast.’
ASSURANCE is one of those wonderful subjects on which there was
almost complete agreement among the leading British expositors of the 17th century -
the Puritans. A magnificent foundation of definitions was then laid in published
sermons and treatises, and best of all, in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646),
echoed in the Second London Baptist Confession (1677 and 1689).
There were some differences of opinion, certainly, on matters such as the
exact way in which the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit, and on the extent to which
believers may fail to possess assurance. But there was general agreement, and for this
reason we obtain immense help from the divines of those days.
This first article will look at a number of key New Testament verses
conveying the facts about assurance. These texts must be the basis of our understanding of
the subject. Another article will draw the substance of these texts together in a more
structured way, answering common questions.
One has the impression that the old confessions are greatly underestimated
on this subject, even among those of Calvinistic persuasion, and yet they provide excellent
and pastorally practical explanations. Indeed, they include all the essentials of assurance
clearly and ingeniously laid out in a fine demonstration of compressed profundity.
Our tendency, sometimes, is to turn to more complex sources to find the real
meat of the subject, such as the sermons of the Puritans. But in their sermons those great
men tended to over-elaborate on the practical securing of assurance, proliferating categories
and procedures which sometimes greatly complicate matters. One notable Puritan provided
over thirty sermons on how to examine the conscience (to find evidence of grace within).
His numerous observations are superb, and would helpfully engage a thoughtful pastor, but
taken as a whole they go far beyond practical usefulness, and could even shake the
assurance of susceptible readers.
Before reviewing our selection of assurance texts, it will help to quote a few
paragraphs common to the Westminster and Baptist Confessions
as this will demonstrate how closely they relate to the all-authoritative texts of Scripture.
In the 18th chapter of both confessions (entitled: ‘Of Assurance of Grace and
Salvation’) we read:
‘Such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.’ More will need to be said about that little word ‘may’, for it has assumed
enormous elasticity. Who fails to obtain assurance - many people, or few? We shall argue
that those who ‘wait long and conflict with many difficulties’ (in the words of the
confessions) are a proportion of new converts, who may wait for a while, plus an extremely
small minority of Christians, sadly, who never seem to gain assurance. (We will elaborate
on this later.)
The confessions go on to say that assurance rests on three grounds or
supports, the first being . . .
‘the divine truth of the promises of salvation’ (Westminster), or, ‘the blood
and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel’ (Baptist). The first basis of assurance is identified as our own faith in the
doctrines of the Gospel, and particularly in the blood and righteousness of Christ. When the
Holy Spirit gives us saving faith in Christ, this clearly consists of two components: (1) a
realisation and certainty that the Gospel is true, and (2) a certainty that God’s promises of
salvation will be kept in our case, as we embrace Christ. Assurance begins here.
The second basis of assurance in the confessions is that it rests . . .
‘upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises
are made’. In other words, as we recognise the evidence of salvation within us (the new
nature and the process of sanctification now operating), we are confirmed in our certainty
that God has brought us to salvation.
To summarise, firstly, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes so that we become
convinced of the truth of Gospel promises and embrace Christ. Secondly, we are
encouraged to see the fruits of salvation in our own lives.
The third basis of assurance noted in the confessions is -
‘the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we
are the children of God’. This third aspect of assurance will receive attention later in these articles.
The viewpoint followed by this writer is that this is not strictly a distinct experience of
assurance, but that the witness of the Spirit activates and magnifies (sometimes very
greatly) the certainty derived from the first two sources.
These are the three means of being assured according to the confessions, and
later we shall add to them (although our ‘additions’ are really contained and implied within
the three).
A subsequent article will cite the scriptures (and the confessions) to present
reasons for the loss of assurance and its recovery.
We now turn to a selection of Scripture passages that refer to assurance,
beginning with several which speak of the necessity of this blessing, and our duty to pursue
and maintain it.
Our first text is John 10.14-15, recording the Lord’s words that
He will be known by His people:
‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As
the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the
sheep.’
The sheep know their Shepherd. We see Him with the eye of
faith, trust Him to be the unchanging, perfect Saviour Who has accepted us as His own, and
have experience of His dealings with us.
The Lord makes no exceptions, His words implying that all believers
(generally speaking) will have confidence or certainty in their perception of Him, by faith.
John 17.25 repeats the thought:
‘O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee,
and these have known that thou hast sent me.’ The Lord uses the knowing word to refer to clear-sighted
certainty about His divine person and mission. The eyes of the disciples had been opened,
and they had received the capacity to exercise faith in the Lord. This faith was confident and
certain.
In 1 John 1.3-4 we are given the first of a series of powerful
verses on assurance in this epistle:
‘That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his
Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.’
There is no question in the mind of the apostle John that all believers
should enjoy a confident sense of being in happy fellowship with the Father
and with the Son. The reason for John’s letter is that some believers evidently did not enjoy
this assurance to the full. A lack of assurance, or its diminution, is supposed, and this
should be corrected. The likelihood of assurance being clouded or diminished by a number
of factors is set forth in other scriptures also, and the confessions set these out very
clearly.
In 1 John 5.13 the apostle repeats his purpose for writing,
namely, that all his readers should possess assurance:
‘These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of
God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the
name of the Son of God.’
In Hebrews 3.6 we again learn that assurance is intended to be
the possession of all believers. It is stated that Christ has been established over His house -
‘. . . whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of
the hope firm unto the end.’ ‘Hope’ means anticipation (of Heaven). It is clear in this verse that there is
something we must do to maintain assurance throughout life - we must ‘hold fast’.
In verse 14 the thought is reiterated:
‘For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence stedfast unto the end.’ These words are not conditional, as if failure to hold on to assurance will
result in the loss of salvation. The writer means that if we have been made genuine
partakers of Christ, we will hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto
the end. This holding is a sign of grace.
In Hebrews 4.6-16 we find the term ‘boldness’, which refers to
great confidence:
‘Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to
whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief . . . Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.’
The believer should be clothed with a boldness (literally - outspokenness) in
his approach to God in prayer. The exhortation assumes that certainty about the faith and
salvation is a realistic and attainable attitude.
In Hebrews 6.11 the duty is confirmed in the words -
‘And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope unto the end.’ The confessions are careful to warn that assurance may be shaken,
diminished or suspended due to negligence in maintaining it.
Ephesians 3.12 refers to assurance which flows from reflecting upon and
affirming the faith of Christ - the first basis of assurance in the confessions:
‘In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.’ The words ‘boldness’ and ‘confidence’ speak of strong certainty about the
Truth, and also about one’s own salvation and access to the Lord. It is something intended
to be possessed by all believers. The text says that the faith of Christ is the basis of our
certainty.
In other words, this certainty comes when the sincere believer says in his
soul: ‘I believe in the promises of the Gospel, and in the saving work of Christ. I
wholeheartedly affirm and express in prayer and praise my dependence on these things, and
I assure my heart before God.’
We must consciously and intelligently affirm the faith in our prayers and
thoughts, thanking God for the truths on which our souls rest, and we must do this with all
our hearts both in public worship and personal devotions. As we do so, with heartfelt
conviction, the Spirit will graciously magnify our insight and certainty. (The Holy Spirit’s
role will be seen in a later group of texts.)
Hymn singing is of immense value for rehearsing and affirming distinctively
New Testament truths and promises. If heartfelt affirmation is a basis of assurance, then our
heritage of godly hymns is very precious to us.
This first basis of assurance - faith in the promises of the Gospel - is by far
the most important. The comfort drawn from the evidence of God’s work in our own souls
must never become more important. This would be to take the fast road to introspection and
excessive self-concern. To see the evidences of salvation (and sanctification) is precious
and vital, but the first basis must always be sure belief in the Gospel.
In 2 Timothy 1.12 we have the famous words of Paul -
‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.’ Here is assurance grounded firmly on the promises of the Gospel, the person
and work of Christ, and His absolute integrity and infallibility. The first and highest ground
of assurance is to place one’s faith in these things, and because the apostle is totally
persuaded of them, his heart is assured.
Romans 8.38-39 shows the level of certainty known by the
apostle.
‘For I am persuaded [convinced utterly], that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Paul’s conviction here is grounded on the integrity and power of God, Who
has made infallible promises to all who trust in Him, and has sent Christ to pay a terrible
price for our souls.
Who is right on the subject of assurance? Is Rome, which says we cannot be
assured? Are the Methodists right, and others, who say that we may lose our salvation and
assurance? No, says Paul in this text - God’s people may be utterly certain of salvation.
In Hebrews 6.18-19 we learn yet again that very deep assurance
arises from active trust in the promises of God’s Word:
‘. . . that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie,
we might have a strong consolation [indicating certainty and assurance], who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil.’ In this verse assurance is based on the affirmation of promises about future
glory, and the active exercise of trust in them.
In Hebrews 10.19-22 we are given further verses about
assurance flowing from faith exercised in the work of Christ -
‘Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.’
Verse 23 endorses the point:
‘Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.’ To approach God with faith in Christ’s all-availing blood, is to
have assurance. To profess means to confess, or to assent, to agree, to declare openly, to
acknowledge the Truth, or to affirm.
Hebrews 13.5-6 shows that assurance will also come from placing
our trust in a promise of God to provide for us. (In this case the great promises of
Joshua 1.5 and Psalm 118.6 are quoted.)
‘Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such
things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that
we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do
unto me.’
John 6.37 is a promise by Christ much resorted to by both seekers and
long-standing believers:
‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast out.’
This has been said to have been Luther’s favourite assurance text. For him,
the eternal security of the saints was a crowning basis of assurance.
1 John 5.20 also elevates faith in the Gospel promises as the
chief basis of assurance:
‘And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true,
even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.’ These words unmistakably affirm that knowing Christ (which means
possessing the enjoyment of certainty) rests on believing and embracing the truths of
salvation. As we rest our souls on these truths, affirm them and rejoice in them, our
conviction, confidence and certainty is consolidated and deepened. Faith is
assurance.
Calvin speaks of assurance being part and parcel of true faith, and therefore
possessed from the moment of conversion. Yet he also allows for its late arrival and for its
development, saying that it may take years to deepen through nurture and cultivation.
The youngest believers often possess great certainty, boldness and
confidence, with solid joy and peace. Still, there is undoubtedly a deepening and maturing
of assurance. Perhaps the refining of assurance over time leads to a more stable form, better
equipped to withstand great shocks. Whatever we may think about development of
assurance, we should remember that the Scriptures speak of certainty being possessed by or
available to all believers, whether young or old in the faith.
The second ground or basis of assurance mentioned in the confessions is ‘the
inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit’. Many texts could be quoted to show this
source of assurance, of which the following are key examples. 2 Corinthians
13.5 is our first:
‘Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.
Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates?’
The context of this verse is not actually assurance, but warning. The
Corinthians were behaving inconsistently with the standards of the faith, and were given a
challenge to self-examination. Nevertheless the principle that self-examination reveals our
spiritual standing also holds good for inspiring assurance.
1 John 2.3-5 speaks more directly about assurance being derived from
the evidence of grace within us:
‘And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.’
The point is repeated in verse 6. Here is a test of spiritual life from which we
may draw great encouragement. If there is serious concern in our hearts to live a godly life,
and if our consciences are tender so that the Word of God challenges our behaviour, then
we have within us an indication that we are children of God.
1 John 2.10 is the first of several verses showing that the special
bond between true believers is sure evidence of grace:
‘He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of
stumbling in him.’
1 John 3.10 combines the two previous points:
‘In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother.’
1 John 3.14 is the conclusive statement on the evidence of the ‘family
bond’ with believers:
‘We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.’ Here we are directly encouraged to observe whether or not this vital grace is
in us. Can we say, ‘For all my faults, weaknesses, foolish grievances and unworthy
attitudes, I know that I have a far greater bond with fellow believers than is possible with
non-believers’? If so, and if there is a genuine degree of affection and supportiveness, then
there is probably grace in the heart.
The theme continues in 1 John 3.17 and 19:
‘But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and
shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in
him? . . . And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him.’
This is just one of the evidences in the second category of assurance, namely
the Christian graces placed in our hearts. It hardly needs saying that this kind of evidence is
subordinate to the first basis of assurance - sure belief and embracing of the Word.
2 Peter 1.4-11 is a frequently quoted passage about assurance
derived from inward evidences of grace. The first sentence is about Gospel promises:
‘Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust.’
The next sentence is about the conscious cultivation of Christian graces:
‘And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue
knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness
charity.’ The third sentence approaches the great point as far as assurance is
concerned, for it implies that self-watch and self-awareness are present in the believer.
‘For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Proceeding directly to verse 10, we see how the passage has been building up
to an exhortation about assurance.
‘Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.’
This refers, not to a fall from salvation, but to a fall into sin and backsliding.
As we stir up Christian graces and become aware of the grace of God at work within, we
find this to be a great source of assurance to us.
‘. . . for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’
This final verse surely refers to our entering into the present enjoyment of
the everlasting kingdom (with certainty or assurance), because it is ‘ministered’ to us even
now, in this present life.
We cannot leave out the magnificent statement of Philippians 4.7:
‘And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’
The previous verses have exhorted us to rejoice always, and a method
has been described, namely: (i) striving to react with magnanimity and sweet reasonableness
in all trials (‘moderation’); (ii) remembering that the Lord is near; (iii) allowing no
excessive anxiety; (iv) bringing everything to the Lord in prayer; and (v) not forgetting to
offer praise and thanksgiving. The result of these activities will be the all-surpassing peace
of God, which is a great form of assurance, and a sure fruit (when coupled with other
evidences) of Christ’s work in our lives.
The third ground or source of assurance focused upon in the confessions is
that which comes through the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the
children of God. Although this third basis is given a distinct and separate mention, as we
have already remarked, it is really connected with the first two, for the Spirit brings them to
life. The Holy Spirit does not give feelings of assurance unconnected with faith in His
Word, and efforts in sanctification and service. The witness of the Spirit operates with faith
and sanctification in a way we shall seek to describe.
However, the separate and special third heading for the witness of the Spirit
reminds us how important it is to honour His work, and to pray for assurance.
Our first text in this category is 1 John 3.24:
‘And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.
And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.’
This verse links the evidence of striving for holiness with the work of the
Spirit. It is the Spirit Who so touches our consciences with hungerings and thirstings for
advance, and these are evidences that we are saved.
1 John 4.13 confirms the point:
‘Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given
us of his Spirit.’
Romans 8.15-16 provides the words that explicitly mention the
witness of the Holy Spirit in assurance -
‘For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.’
The best view, and the most natural, takes these verses together, so that they
speak of the same experience of assurance - a certainty of belonging to the Lord that begins
at the time of conversion. The instinct and confidence to pray, the certainty that our Father
is listening, and the anticipation of Heaven, are all part of a new awareness. We shall
expand on this experience later, but it is clear that in this, the Holy Spirit brings to life our
belief and embracing of Gospel promises. Also, as we go on in the Christian life, when we
reflect on these promises the Spirit gives us a wonderfully clear view of them, and we
dissolve in wonder, love and praise.
Paul describes in a different and remarkable way the Spirit’s work in
assurance in Romans 5.5:
‘And hope [anticipation] maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is
shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ This realisation is a profound and wonderful view, greatly moving us, and at
times almost overwhelming us. Some people want the blessing of the Spirit to be
tantamount to an out-of-the-body sensation, imparted directly to the core of the soul. But
when the Spirit lights up our view of Christ’s Person and work, as revealed in the Word,
and moves us to deep insight and joy by this means, why should we seek alternative
mystical sensations which have no connection with the Word? The former are vastly
superior to the latter.
True faith includes a strong awareness of God’s love for us. This realisation
is not small, because Paul says it is ‘shed abroad’ or poured abundantly into our hearts. Paul
had been speaking about faith when he spoke of our being filled with a realisation of God’s
love for us. This is doubtless the witness of the Spirit, deepening our appreciation of the
things seen with the eye of faith.
In 2 Corinthians 1.21-22 we are introduced to the sealing of the
Spirit:
‘Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is
God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.’
This sealing appears again in Ephesians 1.13-14 -
‘In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.’ Paul does not speak as though such assurance is the rare attainment of a
privileged few, but clearly states that all the Ephesian believers were sealed from the time of
conversion.
The sealing work of the Spirit is an ‘earnest’ (or foretaste or guarantee) of
Heaven, and follows believing and embracing the promises of the Gospel. This sealing
includes a moving realisation of the gift of eternal life. These verses do not say that this
realisation descends into our minds as a gratuitous gift of the Spirit, but that the Spirit
works with our faith, giving us a far brighter eye of faith, and greater understanding of
mind. No wonder our feelings - acting in response - soar, and our certainty also is sealed.
Ephesians 3.16-19 again states that the believer’s privilege is a
high level of certainty and peace -
‘That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in
your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God.’
This passage encompasses all three of the confessions’ sources of assurance,
bringing the first two (faith in the Gospel and awareness of inner evidences) under the
direction of the third (the work of the Spirit).
We note once again that deep certainty and joy (which is Christ dwelling in
the heart) does not simply fall upon us as a sensational experience directly imparted by the
Spirit. It comes through our faith and love for Christ. It comes as the Spirit strengthens that
faith by enlarging our ‘comprehension’ of the things we believe. As we trust in Christ and
reflect on Him and His Word, we secure a fuller sight of His greatness and love, and are
filled with wonder at the outworking of that love in our own lives.
All three grounds of assurance named in the confessions have been
represented repeatedly in these verses. They are:
(1) the assurance which is part of true faith, and which is maintained and
strengthened by reflection on God’s Truth.
(2) the assurance which comes from recognising (and praising God for) the
fruit of salvation in our own lives.
(3) the blessing and work of the Spirit (for which we may and must pray)
especially in enlarging our sight and appreciation of the blessings in the first two categories
(chiefly the first).
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