INTRODUCTION:
One of the perennial pastoral problems in the Church is the question of assurance of salvation. On the one hand are some Christians who hold that to seek any kind of solid assurance is presumptuous. On the other hand are other Christians who appear to glory in just that kind of presumption—”just prayer this prayer, and wham, you’re in forever.” There is a third way—full assurance and no presumption. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
THE TEXT:
“But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said” (Heb. 3:17-4:3a)
OVERVIEW:
The writer to the Hebrews is confronting a very real pastoral crisis. A number of the Christians he knows are contemplating apostasy—abandoning the Christian faith, and returning to the types and shadows of the old covenant, the blood of bulls and goats. If they left the faith, that would be a real apostasy. Would it be a fall from the eternal determinations of God? Of course not, but would it be a fall from something? Yes, of course. As the author of Hebrews considers this problem, his mind turns to a parallel situation in the Old Testament, the time the people of Israel spent in the wilderness, and how many of them fell away from God there. He takes this theme from Psalm 95. With whom was God grieved for forty years? With those He had delivered from Egypt, but who sinned and whose bodies fell in the wilderness (3:17). God, speaking to the people He had delivered, swore that some would never enter His rest? Who made up that group? Those that believed not (3:18). The thing that shut them out was their unbelief (3:19). So then, he says, turning to these first century Christians, let us fear lest any of us fall short of the rest Not everyone who is set aside by the gospel is set aside in the gospel (4:2). When the word is preached, mix it with your faith (4:2). Those who believe are always those who enter the rest of God (4:3). Sola fide.
YOU CAN’T LOSE WHAT YOU NEVER HAD:
We need to understand this basic principle at the first. You can never losewhat you never had. This means if someone maintains he can never lose his salvation, even though he lives like the devil, and this unloseable salvation is his because he “prayed a prayer once,” he is resting in a false confidence This man cannot lose his salvation for the same reason that I cannot lose my Argentinian citizenship. He doesn’t have it to begin with.
This illustrates the difference between the very popular “once saved, always saved” doctrine, and the Reformed doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Now it is true that if someone is truly saved, then that person is always saved. But how can we tell? We can tell if they persevere in faith and holiness to the end, and not because they threw a pine cone into the fire at youth camp forty years ago.
EXAMINING YOURSELF:
We have to be very careful here because saving faith always looks to Christ and His promises. Saving faith does not focus on the presence or absence of saving faith. We are supposed to be looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We are not to be looking at ourselves, trying to determine if we are believing or not. “Myself believing” is not the proper object of my faith. Christ is the object of our faith. As you believe Christ and His promises, you will certainly be (dimly) aware that you are doing so, but never get distracted by that.
THAT SAID . . .
The Bible does say that it is appropriate under certain circumstances to examine yourself (2 Cor. 13: 5). But you must examine yourself using biblical criteria, and not your own made-up standards, like “maybe I don’t love Jesus enough.” Here are the biblical standards: 1. You are looking to Jesus Christ in faith, and you confess Him (Rom. 10:9; 1 Jn. 4:15). “Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” 2. God has given you the gift of His Spirit (1 Jn. 4:13). “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” 3. We love other Christians (1 Jn. 3:14). “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” 4. We have been given humility of mind (Matt. 18:3). “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 5. A true Christian understands spiritual things (1 Cor. 1:18). “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” The natural man doesn’t get it (1 Cor. 2:14). 6. Christians obey God (1 Jn. 2:3). “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” 7. Christians disobey God, and catch it (Heb. 12:5-8). “For whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth . . .”
But remember, you only look at these things with your peripheral vision—straight on, you are looking to Christ.
QUESTIONS AND DOUBTS:
Always remember the difference between a doubt and a question. A doubt is something that cannot ever be answered in principle. It starts off with “what if this” The reply should be “what if that?” What if Jesus isn’t divine?” is a doubt. “What does Paul teach on the Deity and humanity of Christ?” is a question. “What if my husband isn’t faithful?” is a doubt. What if he is? “Who is that blonde in the red convertible driving around town with him?” is a question, and actually, it is a pretty good one.
Keep it simple. You have no right to doubt your salvation. Look to Christ. And if you find all kinds of indications that you have never looked to Christ, then that should give rise to some honest questions. The early Christians ate and drank together in gladness and simplicity of heart. Don’t over-engineer it. As Martin Luther put it once—do you doubt whether you are elected to salvation? “Then say your prayers, man, and you may conclude that you are. It is as easy as that.”