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ASSURANCE
Someone once said that the greatest thing is to be saved and the second greatest thing is to know it. Assurance of salvation is indeed a wonderful thing and a privilege of every true child of God. Contrary to popular ideas, however, biblical assurance – the kind the Bible teaches – is not based upon what a sinner has done. Rather, it is based upon what God has done. Sinners have often thought they were saved only to become convinced that they were not after they have been later born again by the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus said, “Ye must be born again,” (John 3:7). Consider these words of the Lord Himself: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out,” (John 6:37). God the Father gave certain individuals to the Lord Jesus. And here Jesus said two things about them: (1) that all those given to Him by the Father would come to Him; and (2) when those given-ones come to Him, He will not cast them out! Fantastic news! But why is it that the Father gave some to Christ? Why did He choose them and give them? The answer is given us by the Lord Jesus again. He said in John 6:44 that “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” The word “can” means to have the ability. Because of the sin of our father Adam, all men died spiritually in him. That is why they need to be born again or “quickened” (made alive) as Paul wrote. He said “Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved), (Ephesians 2:5). Just as anything physically dead can do nothing, so those who are spiritually dead can do nothing of a spiritual nature. It is both logical and biblical to understand that lost people – spiritually dead people – cannot come to Christ. But the Father draws some individuals to Christ and those are the individuals who come in a saving way to Him. Jesus promised never to cast out any of those who come – those whom the Father draws to Him. (This word “draw” is used of Peter drawing his sword and of Paul being dragged out of a city by those who thought he was dead.) So the question comes down to this: have you come in a saving way to Christ? Not have you prayed a little one-time prayer, but have you been drawn to Christ? If you have truly come you were given by the Father to Christ and the Father worked in you bringing you to His Son. As the song goes: “'Tis done! The great transaction's done! I am my Lord's, and he is mine; He drew me and I followed on, Charmed to confess the voice Divine.”
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