Christian Certainty

 

~ Certainty (not doubt) Is The Normal Christian Position ~ 

What Christians Are  ~  “For the message of the Cross is … to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).  “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake” (1 John 2:12).

What Christians Know  ~  “We know that we have passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14a).  “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.  And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (1 John 3:24).  “This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11).  “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). 

What Christians Have  ~  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  “Be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2).  “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14a).

What Christians Expect  ~  “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).  “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). 

Blessed Assurance  ~  Consider the great Christian hymn:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love

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

Closing Question  ~  To you have this Blessed Assurance?  If not, why not?  You can have complete confidence in the One who died on your behalf as payment for your sins!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Do You Know These Things?

~ John Tells Us of What We Should Be Sure ~  

We live in a time when there are so many questions asked, so many opinions expressed. Some declare that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Even some Christians fall for some “ism” or false doctrine. It is important to note how positive and confidently John, the beloved disciple, wrote concerning his knowledge of our Savior. 

We know that we know Him – 1 John 2:3 – “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him – 1 John 3:2 – “we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  

We know that we have moved from death unto life – 1 John 3:14 – “We know that we have passed from death to life”

We know we are loved and we know what true love really is – 1 John 3:16 – “We know love, because He laid down His life for us.” 

We know that He abides in us by the Spirit which He has given to us – 1 John 3:24 – “By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

We know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error – 1 John 4:6 – “By this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.” 

We know that we dwell in Him, and He in us – 1 John 4:13 – “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

We know that we love the children of God – 1 John 5:2 – “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” 

We know that we will receive divine answers to our prayers  – 1 John 5:14-15 – “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”  

We know that that whosoever is born of God does not continue in sin – 1 John 3:9 and 5:18 – “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” 

We know that we belong to God – 1 John 5:19 – “We know that we are of God.” 

We know that the Son of God has come – 1 John 5:20 – “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding.” 

We know Him Who is true – 1 John 5:20 – “We may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.” 

We know that we are of the truth – 1 John 3:19 – “This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence.”

MEDITATE:  Spend an hour or more this week contemplating the knowledge we find in the First Epistle of John. 

As a Christian you know the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ”