1. 1 The Believer’s Assurance Can We Know If We Are Saved?

2. 2 The Believer’s Assurance Why Do Some Feel Insecure? Lack of Faith In God / His power, grace, mercy, love? Fear of not being able to understand God’s Word? Misconceptions concerning sin? Fear of not knowing enough? Fear of not doing enough? Lack of Faith In God / His power, grace, mercy, love? Fear of not being able to understand God’s Word? Misconceptions concerning sin? Fear of not knowing enough? Fear of not doing enough?

3. 3 The Believer’s Assurance Why Do Some Feel Insecure? The possibility of falling is real - but not inevitable - It is not wrong to think we stand - It is wrong to think we CANNOT fall! The possibility of falling is real - but not inevitable - It is not wrong to think we stand - It is wrong to think we CANNOT fall!

4. 4 The Believer’s Assurance

5. 5 ✴ “... to you who believe in the name of the Son of God... ” - (submissive, obedient, believers - John 8:51) ✴ “... that you may know that you have eternal life...” - (confidence in the promises of God, in that they knew they had submitted to God) ✴ “... and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” - (at that time they were saved and could know it - but they must continue to believe or be lost) ✴ “... to you who believe in the name of the Son of God... ” - (submissive, obedient, believers - John 8:51) ✴ “... that you may know that you have eternal life...” - (confidence in the promises of God, in that they knew they had submitted to God) ✴ “... and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” - (at that time they were saved and could know it - but they must continue to believe or be lost) “These things I have written

6. 6 The Believer’s Assurance ✴ “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness...” - 2 Tim 4:8 ✴ “Cast not away your confidence...” - Heb 10:35 ✴ “We know... we have... a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” - 2 Cor 5:1 ✴ “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness...” - 2 Tim 4:8 ✴ “Cast not away your confidence...” - Heb 10:35 ✴ “We know... we have... a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” - 2 Cor 5:1 The faithful should NOT feel insecure about their salvation!

7. 7 The Believer’s Assurance We Can Have Assurance 1 Thessalonians 5:21-24 (NKJV) 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

8. 8 The Believer’s Assurance We Can Have Assurance We can know God’s Will! We can do God’s Will! We can trust God!! We can know God’s Will! We can do God’s Will! We can trust God!! His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME (1 John 5:2-5) His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME (1 John 5:2-5)

9. 9 The Believer’s Assurance ✴ Idolatry: Changing God into a god that overlooks sin! - Rom 1:18-25; 1 Jn 1:5-10; Acts 17:30 ✴ Self-Deception: Justifying our sinful behavior! - 1 John 1:6,8,10 ✴ False Doctrine: Changing the gospel to fit our sinful behavior! - 1 John 3:4- 10; Jude 1:4 ✴ Idolatry: Changing God into a god that overlooks sin! - Rom 1:18-25; 1 Jn 1:5-10; Acts 17:30 ✴ Self-Deception: Justifying our sinful behavior! - 1 John 1:6,8,10 ✴ False Doctrine: Changing the gospel to fit our sinful behavior! - 1 John 3:4- 10; Jude 1:4 However - security is not found in:

10. 10 The Believer’s Assurance Security Is Not Found In The False Doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved”

11. 11 The Believer’s Assurance Security Is Not Found In The False Doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved”

12. 12 The Believer’s Assurance Security Is Not Found In The False Doctrine of “Once Saved, Always Saved” How is this SECURITY???

13. 13 The Believer’s Assurance Security Is Found In Christ

14. 14 The Believer’s Assurance John 6:37-40 (NKJV) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure He is faithful - He will not cast away those who come to Him!! (What about those who leave Him? Will He constrain them against their will? NO!!) He is faithful - He will not cast away those who come to Him!! (What about those who leave Him? Will He constrain them against their will? NO!!)

15. 15 The Believer’s Assurance John 10:27-29 (NKJV) 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure

16. 16 The Believer’s Assurance John 10:27-29 (NKJV) 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure Those in the secure fold of the Shepherd hear and follow the Shepherd & are secure in Him! Who will / can overpower Him and steal us away? Will He constrain us against our will if we desire to leave Him? NO! Those in the secure fold of the Shepherd hear and follow the Shepherd & are secure in Him! Who will / can overpower Him and steal us away? Will He constrain us against our will if we desire to leave Him? NO!

17. 17 The Believer’s Assurance John 10:27-29 (NKJV) 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure

18. 18 The Believer’s Assurance 2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure

19. 19 The Believer’s Assurance 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NKJV) 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. The Faithful Child of God Is Secure

20. 20 The Believer’s Assurance The Faithful Child of God Is Secure 1 Peter 1:3-5 (NKJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

21. 21 The Believer’s Assurance The Faithful Child of God Is Secure! Conditioned Upon Our Faithfulness (Rom 8:1-17) ✦ We must walk according to the Law of the Spirit – (8:1,2) ✦ We must set our mind on the things of the Spirit – (8:5) ✦ We must put to death the deeds of the body – (8:12-14) Conditioned Upon Our Faithfulness (Rom 8:1-17) ✦ We must walk according to the Law of the Spirit – (8:1,2) ✦ We must set our mind on the things of the Spirit – (8:5) ✦ We must put to death the deeds of the body – (8:12-14) Due To God’s Faithfulness (Romans 8:28-39) ✦ God has provided all things necessary to accomplish His purpose in glorifying those who love Him – (8:28) ✦ He will glorify the faithful – (8:29-39) Due To God’s Faithfulness (Romans 8:28-39) ✦ God has provided all things necessary to accomplish His purpose in glorifying those who love Him – (8:28) ✦ He will glorify the faithful – (8:29-39)

22. 22 The Believer’s Assurance

23. 23 The Believer’s Assurance

24. 24 The Believer’s Assurance

25. 25 The Believer’s Assurance Do You Feel Insecure? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be?

26. 26 The Believer’s Assurance Do You Feel Insecure? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be?

27. 27 The Believer’s Assurance Do You Feel Insecure? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be? Is it because of what you are afraid you don’t know? Is it because you are afraid that you MAY not be doing something you should be? Is it because you are afraid you MAY be doing something you shouldn’t be?

28. 28 The Believer’s Assurance Do You Feel Insecure? Could it be because you doubt God’s mercy, faithfulness & love? Could it be because you know you are neglecting God? Could it be because you know you are neglecting known duty? Could it be because you know you are doing something that is sinful? Could it be because you doubt God’s mercy, faithfulness & love? Could it be because you know you are neglecting God? Could it be because you know you are neglecting known duty? Could it be because you know you are doing something that is sinful?

29. 29 The Believer’s Assurance We Can Have Assurance We can trust God!! We can know God’s Will! We can do God’s Will! We can trust God!! We can know God’s Will! We can do God’s Will! His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME (1 John 5:2-5) His commandments are NOT BURDENSOME (1 John 5:2-5)

30. 30 The Believer’s Assurance

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32. Charts by Don McClain Prepared March 15-17, 2012 Preached March 18, 2012 West 65 th Street church of Christ P.O. Box 190062 Little Rock AR 72219 501-568-1062 Prepared using PPT 2010 Email – donmcclain@sbcglobal.net donmcclain@sbcglobal.net More PPT & Audio Sermons: http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/donmaccla/2010SermonPage.html st.org/donmaccla/2010SermonPage.html Charts by Don McClain Prepared March 15-17, 2012 Preached March 18, 2012 West 65 th Street church of Christ P.O. Box 190062 Little Rock AR 72219 501-568-1062 Prepared using PPT 2010 Email – donmcclain@sbcglobal.net donmcclain@sbcglobal.net More PPT & Audio Sermons: http://w65stchurchofchrist.org/donmaccla/2010SermonPage.html st.org/donmaccla/2010SermonPage.html Note – Many of the transition effects used in this presentation may be lost using PPT 2007 Viewer http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cb9bf144- 1076-4615-9951-294eeb832823&displaylang=en http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cb9bf144- 1076-4615-9951-294eeb832823&displaylang=en Note – Many of the transition effects used in this presentation may be lost using PPT 2007 Viewer http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cb9bf144- 1076-4615-9951-294eeb832823&displaylang=en http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cb9bf144- 1076-4615-9951-294eeb832823&displaylang=en The Believer’s Assurance

33. 33 Hebrews 6:13-20 (NKJV) 1 3 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.

34. 34 Hebrews 6:13-20 (NKJV) 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

35. 35 Hebrews 6:13-20 (NKJV) 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.