Topic 1 – Assurance of Salvation

Training Objective: He will be able to confidently express to another person his own assurance of salvation based on his personal faith in Christ and one or more promises from the Word.

“We can know we’re Christians”

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

I have found my first prayer:

“I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24 (ESV)

After I read the first Scripture provided by this topic, I was uniquely disappointed. I am supposed to read it, study it, meditate upon it, find its meaning for me today. Memorize it? And the first phrase is “I write these things.” Which tells me to go back and read these things. Which things? The paragraph prior? The entire book? If someone asks you for the reason for your hope in salvation, you cannot respond with this verse.

I’ve become critical. There is no joy. I want to wallow.

So I say a prayer to the Spirit. Guide me, show me, soften my heart and lead me. My heart is so hard and I don’t want it to be this way. I’ve been trying to protect my heart, when it must be broken. Crush it and heal it.

I DO believe in the name of the Son of God. I DO.  I know who is was and is and always will be. I am His and He wants me. I know this. I DO.

But can I say, it is like knowledge? I know the book. I know the rules. I know the story. I’ve read it. I’ve heard it. And I can tuck it away in my mind and bring it out when I need it, want it.

Sometimes it is like love. In my heart. It can bring me to tears without quite knowing the why. It can leave me breathless and panting. But of course, that seems foolish and unexplainable and we have to cover that up. How do you explain that to someone who is concerned, or rather, curious? Or annoyed?

Ahhh. And there it is. You cannot protect your heart and leave it open at the same time.

So I cannot waffle on the fact that I have eternal life. I am assured. Even if I choose to be critical to protect my heart. And hide my fear.

Hahaha. I know not to bother with Philemon – for my silly purpose anyway.