Can I Be Sure of My Salvation? (Pt. 2)
Picking up where we left off (see bulletin 11.27.22), we continue our discussion by examining the title question of these articles: Can I be sure of my salvation? You should recall the previous writing wherein we spoke of the Spirit's testimony and how our own should coincide. Here, we will consider faith and faithfulness.
"Without faith," we know, "it is impossible to please Him" (Heb. 11:6a). It then stands to reason that faith is paramount to having an assurance of salvation. And, while one cannot necessarily judge the faith of another based upon Scripture alone – unless, of course, that person is blatantly unfaithful – one can examine themselves (see 2 Cor. 13:5). First, let us consider the very word "faith."
In the original language of the New Testament, the terms "faith," "faithfulness," "belief," "trust," and others come from πίστις (pis'-tis). Words such as "faithful" and "believing" are from a closely related expression πιστός (pis-tos'). Belief is, by its very definition, related to a state of being faithful (obedient). Admittedly, there are moments when this is not the case (see Mt. 8:28-29; Jas. 2:19).
For the sake of time and space, let us consider the "if" statements of 1 Jn. 1:5-10. There are five in total, three negatives, and two positives. First, the negatives:
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness."
"If we say that we have no sin."
"If we say that we have not sinned."
Each of these leads to a destructive state. The positives: "if we walk in the Light, "If we confess our sins," lead to fellowship with God. Here, I want to fill in a slight gap with the entirety of verse seven: "[but] if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (emphasis mine).
One reason many do not have an assurance of their salvation is because of a false belief that they are to be perfect in all they say and do and that God does not allow for mistakes. That is not, however, the case. "If you walk in the Light...we have fellowship...and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." Does the text say, "a portion or fraction or some of our sin"? No. Jesus cleanses all of it!
Remember: belief and faithfulness are interconnected. Belief is not enough. However, belief coupled with faithfulness (obedience) can assure us. All of this tying closely to the testimony of the Spirit.
