Sermon
delivered on July 15th, 2018
Sunday Morning Service
By: Pastor Greg Hocson
Scripture Text: Romans 8:9-17
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so
be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his. 10: And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of
sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11: But if the Spirit of
him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ
from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth
in you. 12: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live
after the flesh. 13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14: For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15: For ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16: The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17: And if children,
then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Introduction
How
would you respond if I asked you right now, "Are you
saved? Do you know for sure without a shadow of doubt that you pass on
from this life you are on your way to heaven?"
The
question, "Am I saved?"
is one of the most important questions I can ever ask myself. I need to know
the answer; I must know the answer. This is not a small thing.
This is dead serious. This is life and death.
Charles
Spurgeon said ...
"If any man
is not sure that he is in Christ, he ought not to be easy one moment until he is sure. Dear friend, without
the fullest confidence as to your saved condition, you have no right to be at
ease, and I pray you may never be so. This is a matter too important to be left
undecided."
It
is not God's plan and intention for the believer to live their Christian life
ever doubtful of their salvation. It is God's will that we enjoy our
salvation. During His earthly ministry, our Saviour assured with His
own lips those who believed in Him. And then, having ascended to Heaven, the
Lord Jesus Christ has sent us another Comforter. The Holy Spirit has now a very
definite work in producing assurance of salvation.
This
morning consider with me the Holy Spirit's ministry of giving
assurance. After He regenerates a person, the Holy Spirit takes up
residence in that person and begins His ministry of producing assurance of
salvation in the believer. Consider these three headings - the Struggle for
Assurance; the Significance of Assurance; and the Source of
Assurance.
I The Struggle for Assurance
There
is so much confusion regarding this doctrine of assurance of salvation. There
are those who have assurance who
shouldn't have and there are those who don't have assurance who should have. There so many saved people
who struggle with the assurance of salvation. There are those who are not
convinced that it is possible to know one's salvation while still living. They have this idea that the only
time you can know is when you pass on from this life. They believe that no one
can be saved and really know it until they are dead. Then again, there are
those who think that to claim salvation is to be proud and conceited. They
regard Christians who claim they know they are going to heaven as
boastful and arrogant.
But
what does the Bible say about the assurance of salvation? Is it really possible to know for sure that we have eternal
life? Is it arrogant for a person to claim that he knows that he going to
heaven? Where do we turn for answer? It is wise and safe for us to turn to the
Scripture for answer.
1 John 5:13 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.
John
writes to those who have believed and wants them to know that if they have
truly believed on the Son of God, they have eternal life. Arrogant people are
strong, confident, and secure; they have lost sight of their need in life. But humble
people know their need for deliverance from sin, and they remember
what life was like before they met the Saviour. So on the contrary; it
is not arrogant but humility to claim to have eternal life because to
receive eternal life and salvation requires an honest admission of
being dead in sin and trespasses and honest admission of one's
desperate need of a Saviour.
I
pray that God would use this message to bring the lost into the light and the
saved into greater light.
II The Significance of Assurance
This
doctrine is serious and supercritical. It is very important to have a well-grounded assurance of
one's salvation. Because a well-grounded assurance is related to joy, comfort
and faithful Christian service. You cannot have joy of salvation or
comfort of salvation if you do not have the assurance of salvation.
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to
make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never
fall:
The
most useful and productive Christian is the man who is accepted before God and
knows that he is accepted.
I
heard about the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, when they
first started to build the build, no safety devices were used and 23 men fell
to their death. After that they spent $100,000 to put a large net under the
construction. It saved the lives of 10 men. But an interesting fact is that 25%
more work was accomplished when the men were assured of their safety.
Similarly,
when you know that you know that you are a child of God and that you are
eternally secured in Christ, you will accomplish more for God and His
kingdom.
We
don't need doubting Christians. We need confident Christians who are able sing
... .
Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine,
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine;
Heir of salvation, purchased of love,
Born of His spirit, washed in His blood.
We
need to be like this fellow I heard about...
A
businessman was traveling through the country and got lost. So, he stopped at a
country store to ask a young boy for directions; "Son,
I seem to be lost. Do you know how to get to next town?" The boy replied, "Nope." "Do you know how far it is to the next
town?" Again he replied, "Nope." "Do you know the name of the next town?" Again he answered, "Nope." "Do you know where this road goes?" Again the answer was "Nope." Finally the man said, "You
don't seem to know much do you?"
The boy replied, "I may not know much, but this I know - I know I am not lost."
That's
what we need to tell the world I may not know much but this one thing I know,
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
What
a blessing!
III The Source of Assurance
You
and I can know that we are children of God. You and I, while still living, can
know for sure that we are on our way to Heaven. And you may say, "How? How can I know that I know for sure?"
First
of all, we must understand that assurance of salvation is not based on
what a person may claim. What a man says is not a reliable sign that
he possesses eternal life.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him
a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
also so to walk, even as he walked.
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth
his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother,
he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he hath not seen?
These
texts tell us that a person may say that he is a believer, and be
deceived all the while. Therefore, don't base your assurance of salvation
only on the fact that you have made a profession of faith in Christ. That is no
sure and certain proof at all!
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. 22: Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23: And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
So,
how can I know that I know for sure that I am a child of God? How can I know
that I know for sure that I have eternal life? How can I have assurance of
salvation? The answer is found in our text ...
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God:
We
have assurance of salvation because of the witness of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
It
is the Holy Spirit who gives real assurance. He speaks to the heart of the
child of God and ensures him and enables him to say, Abba Father.
1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because
he hath given us of his Spirit.
Assurance
of salvation is the work of the Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that bears witness not the personal worker. Be careful of
persuading people that they are saved. That's the work of the Holy Spirit, for He
alone searches and knows the heart. It is not our responsibility as
witnesses to tell people that they are saved but rather our
responsibility is to tell them how they could be saved.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God:
Again,
it is the work of the Holy Spirit to give us the assurance that we are children
of God; no man can give us this witness. That's the role of the Spirit not man.
But how
does the Spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God?
The
Holy Spirit bears witness through the Word of God. The witness of the Spirit
does not mean that the Spirit of God gives some direct revelation as though God
inwardly speaks to a man, and testifies to him, and tells him that he is a child
of God, by a kind of secret voice or impression. No! The Spirit bears
witness that we are children of God through His Word. He does not bear
witness apart from the Scriptures.
1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness
in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11: And this is the
record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. 12: He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. 13: 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.
How
do I know I am saved? Because I have it in writing! Someone
said that the Bible is the Christian's birth certificate. Assurance
or confidence is not based on wishful thinking or feelings or emotions but
should be based on solid ground and foundation. The first solid ground is the
Word of God. Because the Word of God promises eternal life to
those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. 17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the
world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Assurance
of salvation comes from the word of God. It comes from the promises of God.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
This
verse underlines the importance of knowing and rightly dividing the Word of
God.
"I believe
hundreds of Christian people are being deceived by Satan now on this point,
that they have not got the assurance of salvation just because they are not
willing to take God at His word."
- Dwight L. Moody
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved.
The
source of assurance is not found by focusing on our hearts and ourselves. It
is found by focusing on the promises of God. It comes by focusing on
what the word of God declares about the Lord and His finished work of redemption.
The Bible says, Jesus Christ has died for you, He has saved you through His
bloody deathyou belong to Him. You are a child of God!
John
R. Rice said, "Don't ever put a question mark where God has put a period. The
Basis of knowing you are saved is the Word of God."
The
Spirit gives His testimony with the Word and through the Word, never against
the Word or without the Word.
Closing Thoughts
Are
you a child of God? Are you sure that you are a child of God? Do you have the
assurance that if you were to die right now, you would go straight to Heaven?
If not, my appeal to you is to look away from yourself and look to
Jesus! Abandon all trust in your own good works and righteousness and
trust in Christ alone to save you from your sin and God's judgment. That is the
main source of assurance. The source of assurance is not found by focusing on
our hearts and ourselves. It is found by focusing on our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
I
pray that you are one who believes in Christ. If you are trusting in Christ
then be assured that you have been sealed with the Spirit, in-dwelt by the
Spirt, and led by the the Spirit. If you are a born again believer today,
rejoice and and give God the glory for this salvation.
Born of the Spirit with life from above
Into God's family divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary's love,
O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made,
When as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer, of grace He did proffer,
He saved me, O praise His dear name!
AMEN!