When Dorothy and I were in the first years of our marriage, Billy Graham came to Australia to conduct a series of crusades. One of them was in Sydney where we lived. We signed up to be counselors at the crusade and for a number of weeks we were required to go to a training class that was to prepare counselors at the crusade. We had to learn Scriptures. Some of those Scriptures were about assurance of salvation so that new believers would have assurance of being born again. Verses like John 1 verse 12-13 (NKJV) –

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

It was important that a new born again believer would have the assurance of salvation and so be able to stand against the attacks of Satan who would seek to sow thoughts of doubt into their minds.

As a pastor over many years I realized that not everyone has assurance and not everyone has the confidence that assurance brings.

WHAT IS ASSURANCE

Assurance is being convinced about a matter. So as to no longer be in a state of doubt or unbelief. Assurance is to be fully convinced in what you believe, you are totally sure about it.

Let me give you some verses from the Bible that speak of Assurance –

Hebrews 10 verse 22-23 encourages us to be assured of our salvation. It says “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (NKJV)

Hebrews 6 verse 11 also reminds us of the hope that every Christian should have – “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.” (NKJV)

One other Scripture 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 5 which reminds us of the ministry of the Holy Spirit that provides the power of assurance in our lives –

“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” (NJKV)

These three verses bring a confidence with
1) the assurance of faith
2) the assurance of hope
3) the assurance that the Holy Spirit empowers us.

We need also to remember that assurance is both internal within us. It is subjective and personal. It is also tied to the external of the Word where we can declare “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it.”

A MAN CALLED PETER

When I was a young man I was greatly influenced by a book “A Man Called Peter.” Indeed it was one of the major factors that led me into the ministry. Peter Marshall was a Presbyterian Minister who eventually became the chaplain of the U.S. Senate in Washington D.C.

A book containing some of his sermons entitled “Mr Jones Meet the Master” contains a message entitled “Some Things I Know” where he deals with this question of assurance.

When a person can say, “I know Whom I have believed” … when he can say: “I know that prayer changes things”, he has done more to instil faith in other hearts than all the arguments since the world began.

What do I know out of the crucible of my own experience?

I know that Christ is alive,
and personal
and real, and closer than we think.
I have met Him.
I have felt His presence.

I have seen the changes He can make in me . . .
in lifting a mood,
in taking away despair or frustration or hopelessness,
in breaking down my stubborn will,
in melting my pride,
in getting me to do the right thing when I preferred to do the wrong thing.

I know that I now belong to Him.
I am His child.
I know that I am a Christian.

Now upon this point, there need be, and indeed can be no doubt or hesitation.
One either is a Christian – or one is not.
One either is a believer – or one is not.
There is no middle ground of compromise or indecision.

When someone asks you if you are married, there is no hedging or uncertainty.
You either are – or you are not.
You are in no doubt concerning your citizenship.
You either are a citizen of the land in which you live, or you are not.
There is no possibility of equivocation.

So, it is not humility or piety to say that you are
“trying to be a Christian” . . .
or that you “hope you are a Christian”.
You either are – or you are not.

Either you have given your life to Jesus Christ and asked Him to be your Master, or you are still trying to run your own life. Either you have promised to obey Christ in all things or self, ego, is still at the centre and at the helm.
It is one or the other.

I know that Christ has “taken me on” – that I am now His child and His responsibility, and that He will make all the changes necessary to me, now and through eternity, until I am what He wants me to be.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Let me ask you the question – “Do you have assurance?”
And assurance that brings us a confidence that by the Word and by the Spirit enables us to live victoriously? It is not trying to be Christian and it is not hoping we are a Christian. It is knowing that we are His.

I myself am in the last 2 minutes of the game, as they say in American football games. In other words I have a limited time yet to live. Next February it will be my 90th birthday. But I have assurance, the assurance that I am saved, that I belong to Him who is my Savior and Lord. The assurance that I am going to heaven and all that heaven involves for eternity.

When you see your upcoming death you need to have assurance in your heart that you belong to Him and heaven awaits you.

May all of us live in the light of that Assurance.

Let’s finish with an old hymn.

Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.


This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.