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Chapter Four ASSURANCE OF SALVATION PROMISES OF ETERNAL LIFE: 1 Jn 2:25, “This is the promise, ETERNAL LIFE” Tit. 1:2, “God promised ETERNAL LIFE” Mk 10:30, “He shall receive in the world to come ETERNAL LIFE.” Rev 2:10, “Be faithful unto death and receive a crown of Life.” I Jn 5: 13, “Written that you can know you have ETERNAL LIFE.” Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. 1 John 1:7-10,“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” WE HAVE ALL SINNED IN THE PAST 1 John 1:10,“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT PAST SINS? Rom 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom 2:4, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” Rom 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom 6:3-4,“Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” WE ALL SIN IN THE PRESENT 1 John 1:8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SIN AFTER BAPTISM? Should I get baptized again? I would have to live in a little yellow submarine! 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This was written to Christians. (I Jn 2:12, 13) WHAT IF I DIE IN THE PROCESS OF SINNING? XE "WHAT IF I DIE IN THE PROCESS OF SINNING?" Let’s say that I’m walking down a busy four lane highway and I notice a beautifully shaped lady lying out in an eensy weensy yellow polka dot Bikini and I lust for her in my heart. Now let us suppose that suddenly, from out of no where, a semi truck comes by and splat, I’m nothing but a big spot of grease on the highway. Do I go to heaven or hell? 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in thee light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” “If we walk” Cleansing is conditional. Once saved always saved is not advocated here. Rom 11:22, “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” Rev 22:19, “And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” 2 Peter 2:21-22, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’” 1 John 1:7, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light...” This does not mean sinless perfection. V8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves.” This passage is talking about our practice. I had a friend by the name of Doctor Hobby. Let’s say that one day I pass him and he is changing his tire. How should I greet him? Should I refer to him as “Mechanic Hobby”? After all, he is doing the work of a mechanic. No, he’s still Doctor Hobby. Why? Because his whole thrust in life is being a doctor. It’s his practice. So it is with Christians, though we sin sometimes our sin does not necessarily change our practice. We can’t call a brother a “hell bound sinner” if he has truly become a Christian and has Christ on the throne of his life. It’s not so much how we walk as where we walk. Notice above, “If we walk in the light...” Walk is a continuous action word. It implies a continuous effort to do what is right. It does not imply perfection. 1 Jn 1:7, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” This is not just talking about past sins. The present tense indicates a life of sin and a continuous cleansing. Mud balls & water falls illustrate the continuous cleansing. Let’s say that we are standing under a powerful, gushing waterfall and the kids are throwing mud balls at us. They go splat and the dirt smears out across our bodies but as soon as the mud hits, our bodies are washed clean by the powerful cleansing force that comes from above. Satan runs up the ladder after seeing us sin and taps God on the shoulder and says, “Look at your little Christian down there. He’s sinning.” God looks out of the window of heaven and replies, “That’s funny, I don’t see any sin. All I see is the blood of Jesus.” Not a license to sin: Some people feel that if we can know we are going to heaven, we can stop being concerned about sin and sin all we want. Rom 6:1-2,“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” Sin causes pain, hard work and death. Why would anyone want to get tied up with it again? When the doors are shut my kids came in. When my kids were small the neighborhood children ran in and out of our house like they owned the place but when the doors went shut at night mine stayed in and the others went out. My kids had their own place at the table and their own bed to sleep in at night. The neighborhood children did not have these blessings. Now I suppose that the neighborhood parents could have argued that their kids were better than mine (which of course they were not) but let them have the benefit of the doubt. Let’s say that all the neighborhood children were better than mine. It wouldn’t change the situation one bit. These are my kids and therefore they have a place at my table, just because they’re my kids! If we are God’s kids we have benefits that others do not have. That woman will go to heaven before a Christian. NO WAY! We’ve all heard this argument at one time or another. A person gives to the needy and is a constant servant of others. She seems never to complain and always has a smile on her face. Though she never goes to church many would say she is better than many of the church-goers in the neighborhood. In many ways she might outshine some Christians in the neighborhood but, first of all the worst sin a person can commit is to turn their back on Jesus which she appears to have done. And second, if she isn’t a Christian she doesn’t have the blood of Jesus keeping her clean; therefore, the weak Christian that keeps trying and failing will go to heaven and she will not. Kick babies: Can you imagine anyone kicking a baby just because he couldn’t get up and run at his first attempt? When our babies start walking they fall more often than they walk and with each step they take we shout with joy. So it is with God. He knows we are going to fail more than we succeed but when we try and have small successes in walking with Him, He is so pleased. Matt 7:1,“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Bikini: Now let’s get back to the story of the bikini. If I get killed in the process of sinning do I go to heaven or hell? If I have truly become a Christian and have Christ on the throne of my heart, even if I die while sinning, I will go to heaven and live with God forever. Aunt Mae: I once had a sweet aunt who told me that the last thing she wanted to do each night before falling asleep was to ask God for forgiveness of all her sins. This is not a bad practice but I wonder if she ever had the peace of God which transcends all understanding - Phil 4:7 XE "Phil 4\:7" . Incidentally the word peace is found in the Bible 429 times. Surely God expects us to rest in peace regarding our eternal destiny. How can we have this peace if we stake our destiny on whether or not we pray for certain things before we fall asleep? Notice the harmony of what we have said with the following passages. Rom 8:1 ,“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:6, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Rom 8:28,“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:33, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.” Rom 8:34,“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Rom 8:37,“...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” 1 Jn 1:7, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” Two lines of fellowship: 1. Become a Christian 2. Keep Christ on the throne of our lives This will provide fellowship in God’s family. 1. Become a Christian John 3:5,“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” If a person has not become a Christian he has no part in God’s family. 2. Keep Christ on the throne of our lives 1 John 1:7,“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light...” IF WE WALK... If we don’t walk we won’t have fellowship with God. CONTINUOUS Willful sin is the deadly dual. Heb 10:26,“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left...” A person can deliberately sin and still go to heaven. A person can continuously commit a sin and still go to heaven. But a person cannot continuously deliberately sin and remain under the continuously cleansing blood at the same time; therefore, if a person dies in this condition he will go to hell. Read Heb. 10:26-39. IF I DIED TONIGHT I
KNOW THAT I WILL GO TO HEAVEN BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL, I AM HIS CHILD AND I
HAVE CHRIST ON THE THRONE OF MY HEART. Dear reader, have you come to the place in your life where you know for sure that if you die tonight you will go to heaven? Wouldn’t it be great to lay your head on your pillow tonight and know if you die you will have eternal life with God? You can know! If you are not on the right track make your decision now to get into the way to heaven. Chapter Four Study Guide
If your answer to question 20 was no, you need to talk about this with your parents, teacher or friend. If you have no one to talk to, call me at the number shown at the top of this page. Now please click on "Ephesians 2:8, 9." |
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