1 John 3:19-24

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.  Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.  And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.  Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

One of Satan’s tactics is to cause true believers to doubt the reality of their salvation.  Assurance of salvation is a precious gift of the Holy Spirit that is given to true believers that recognize their failures, entrust themselves to Christ, and walk in obedience to God’s commandments.  Doubt stems from denying our sin, trusting in our own works, disobedience, and quenching the Spirit’s work in our lives.

ASSURANCE COMES FROM CONFESSION: Believers continue to struggle with sin and it can be extremely frustrating for us to struggle against the temptations we face.  When we sin, our hearts condemn us.  Guilt over sin is a sign of spiritual life and health.  This is far better than a seared conscience that outright denies sin.  We must also be careful not to go to the other extreme and allow guilt to become condemnation.  God and His grace are greater than our guilt.  He knows the intentions of our hearts, and He is loving, patient, and forgiving to those who respond to their own sin with sorrow and confession.

ASSURANCE COMES FROM OBEDIENCE: By God’s grace and power, believers has the ability to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord.  We can live with a clear conscience before God and recognize how He has produced genuine change in our lives.  That work of God is most clearly seen in our love for one another and our obedience to His Word.  When we live in love and walk in obedience, there is a peace and assurance that comes over our lives as we enjoy living out the life God designed us live.  Salvation is the result of obeying the command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is our only hope of forgiveness.  Loving one another is the natural result of faith in Christ.  When faith in Christ is accompanied by obedience to God’s Word and love of others; assurance of salvation will be the result.

ASSURANCE COMES FROM THE SPIRIT: When we keep the Lord’s commandments and abide in Christ, we can be assured that the Spirit of God is abiding in us.  His ministry in our lives is multi-faceted, but one of His ministries is to give us assurance of salvation.  He abides in our hearts and ministers to us by convicting us of sin, leading us to repentance, applying Scripture to our lives, equipping us for service, reminding us of truth, affirming us in obedience, and many other ways.  When we see the work of His Spirit in our lives, it is a means of having assurance that we truly are children of God.  He is our seal of authenticity and the guarantee of God’s commitment to eternally rescue us from sin.

APPLICATION: Don’t hide our sin or try to pretend it does not exist.  Don’t wallow in the guilt of sin under false accusations.  Repent and confess our sin and rejoice in God’s forgiveness.  Trust the Lord Jesus Christ, obey God’s Word and love one another.  Rest in the assurance the Spirit of God gives to us as we follow Christ.

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