1. Blessed Assurance

2. Introduction
Miriam-Webster defines “assurance” as “(1) the act or action of assuring: as pledge, guarantee; (2) the state of being assured: being certain in the mind, confidence of mind or manner; (3) something that inspires or tends to inspire confidence.”
The English word “assurance” occurs 7x in the NASB (Deut. 28:66; Job 24:22; Col. 2:2; Heb. 3:14; 6:11; 10:22; 11:1). These occurrences actually track and overlap the NT use of a particular Greek word, that we will consider later in the lesson, that carries a similar meaning and is significant to this study.

3. “Blessed Assurance”
Reflect upon the comforting words of “Blessed Assurance,” the beautiful song by Fanny J. Crosby, Song #454 in Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs.
“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.
“Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight, Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
“Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

4. “Blessed Assurance”
“This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long; This is my story, this is my song; Praising my Savior all the day long.”

5. The Wicked Experience No Assurance
The wicked live without assurance. If ancient Israel did not carefully observe all the words of the Law, they would suffer manifold judgments, and have no assurance of their life (Deut. 28:58-68, esp. v. 66).

6. The Wicked Experience No Assurance
Arguing that God seems to ignore wrongs, Job said, “He rises, but no one has assurance of life” (Job 24:13-25, esp. v. 22). Job was overly pessimistic about God’s provision for the righteous, but correct in his assessment of the uncertainty of the wicked.

7. The Righteous Enjoy Full Assurance
Of Understanding
Of Hope
Of Faith

8. Of Understanding
Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding (Col. 2:1-3, esp. v. 2).

9. Of Hope
Disciples must diligently pursue God’s purposes, so that we might realize the full assurance of hope until the end (Heb. 6:9-12, esp. v. 11).

10. Of Faith
Disciples should draw near unto God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies that are washed with pure water (Heb. 10: , esp. v. 22).

11. Conclusion
The gospel hymn, “Blessed Assurance,” stresses (1) the relationship that we share with Jesus, (2) the necessity of submission to His will, (3) the promise of future glory, and (4) the peace of present spiritual delights.
Yet, we also recognize that believers enjoy conditional assurance: “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Heb. 3:12-19, esp. v. 14).