Blessed Assurance
November 30th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
It’s a heartache to me as a pastor to realize that so many Christians lack the assurance of their salvation. They lack the confidence that their sins are truly forgiven and that their place in heaven is eternally secured.
In 1654 the Puritan Thomas Brooks wrote,
“Assurance is the believer’s ark where he sits, Noah-like, quiet and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions. . . . [However] most Christians live between fears and hopes, and hang, as it were, between heaven and hell. Sometimes they hope that their state is good, at other times they fear that their state is bad: now they hope that all is well, and that it shall go well with them for ever; [then] they fear that they shall perish by the hand of such a corruption, or by the prevalency of such or such a temptation. . . . They are like a ship in a storm, tossed here and there” (Heaven on Earth, p. 11).
It doesn’t have to be that way. The apostle Peter said, “Be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you” (2 Peter 1:10, emphasis added). The prophet Isaiah said, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever” (Isaiah 32:17). Where God grants righteousness, He also adds peace and assurance.
Thank you for this post, it reminds me of John Newton’s hymn, I asked the Lord that I might grow in faith and love and every grace…
One of my personal favorites, Isaiah 48:18
“Oh, that you had heeded my commandments, then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”
Book of Life Requirements in the BIBLE.
Wake up. Strengthen what remains. Make your deeds complete in the sight of God. Obey, repent, don’t soil your clothes. Walk with Jesus. Be worthy. Then Jesus will NEVER blot your name out of the Book of Life. Revelation 3:1-6
Does this mean if you don’t do these things you will lose your salvation and go to HELL?
Inhabitants of the earth who do not worship the Beast are written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Revelation 13:8
If you are astonished when you see the Beast your name is not written in the Book of life. Can it ever be after that?
Revelation 17:8
The dead were judged according to what they had done.
If your name was not found in the Book of Life you will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:11-15
Nothing impure, shameful, or deceitful will enter the New Jerusalem; only those written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Revelation 21:27
This might sound like a sarcastic comment but it is not: I thought you had to sincerely pray the sinners prayer and accept Jesus into you heart as your personal Lord and Savior to be written in the BOOK OF LIFE. But the BIBLE does not say that. Please clarify this for me.
Was your name in The Book of Life, but has since been blotted out because your deeds where not complete?
Can you get your name back in once it has been blotted out?
Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?
How do you know?
Because you accepted Jesus?
Show me that in the Bible. It seems to be based on DEEDs or WORKs.
Keith,
You said, “Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? How do you know? Because you accepted Jesus? Show me that in the Bible. It seems to be based on DEEDs or WORKs.”
Perhaps I misunderstood you but are you saying that salvation is through works?
You also said, “Inhabitants of the earth who do not worship the Beast are written in the Lambs Book of Life.”
More like “Inhabitants of the earth, whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life, will not worship the beast.” My name was written in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world. I know this because by God’s grace I have been saved and am being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. I have assurance of salvation because the Holy Spirit is bearing witness with my spirit by sanctifying me. I know that within me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Therefore any Christlikeness in me must come from the Holy Spirit. This is my assurance of salvation.