Title: For Christians Who Struggle With Assurance
Meta: Kevin talks about some ways that the devil tries to attack the Christians assurance, and cause them to lose their firm persuasion that God is for them and has lovingly saved them.
Tags: kevin williams,assurance,salvation,doubt,struggle,faith,believe,Gospel,confidence,fellowship conference

1
00:00:00,540 --> 00:00:09,390
*Singing* “The earth is filled with Your glory.”

2
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:19,510
Good morning. It really is a delight to be here again

3
00:00:19,510 --> 00:00:22,480
When you come to these conferences

4
00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,370
it’s really is a taste of heaven everywhere you look you’re  thinking,

5
00:00:25,370 --> 00:00:27,250
he’s there and she’s there.

6
00:00:27,250 --> 00:00:31,760
You know it is so wonderful when you see all brothers and sisters

7
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,910
whom you have not seen for some time.

8
00:00:34,730 --> 00:00:43,390
If you would open your bible with me please to Philippians 3:3 (P)

9
00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,970
Philippians 3:3

10
00:00:55,970 --> 00:01:05,390
I came here wanting to preach the Gospel this morning, but I was strongly led last night to change my message.

11
00:01:05,390 --> 00:01:13,410
And so what I want to speak to you on this morning is assurance of salvation.

12
00:01:13,410 --> 00:01:22,470
What I am aiming at here is to help believers who struggle with assurance.

13
00:01:22,470 --> 00:01:29,280
I want you all to be wise in some of the ways in which Satan, our ancient foe,

14
00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:36,030
attacks and tries to take away the believer’s assurance and the joy of our salvation.

15
00:01:36,030 --> 00:01:41,230
So then if you are a Christian who struggles with assurance.

16
00:01:41,230 --> 00:01:44,270
If you are tossed about with fear and doubt,

17
00:01:44,270 --> 00:01:50,400
and are struggling with if you are saved on a periodical basis.

18
00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,420
Or perhaps you’re not now

19
00:01:52,420 --> 00:01:58,730
but you get like that from time to time, then this message is especially for you.

20
00:01:58,730 --> 00:02:02,290
But even those who don’t struggle with assurance

21
00:02:02,290 --> 00:02:04,650
this message is also for you

22
00:02:04,650 --> 00:02:10,520
because you will certainly come into contact with other believers that do struggle.

23
00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,880
So what do you say to them?

24
00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:19,300
Do you just write them off like Job’s sorry comforters? (P)

25
00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:30,480
So let me begin by making sure we all have a correct understanding of what assurance is.

26
00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:36,130
To give you some dictionary definitions of the word "assurance" it means:

27
00:02:36,130 --> 00:02:43,010
full confidence or trust; a firm persuasion;

28
00:02:43,010 --> 00:02:47,670
a certain expectation;

29
00:02:47,670 --> 00:02:50,800
freedom from doubt.

30
00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,580
If you think of someone assuring someone else that they love them,

31
00:02:55,890 --> 00:02:59,410
or think of a young child who is scared.

32
00:02:59,410 --> 00:03:05,800
The mother or the father may say things to assure that child that they are okay.

33
00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,660
So then when we speak of assurance of salvation

34
00:03:09,660 --> 00:03:15,650
what we mean is a confidence in God, a firm persuasion that God is for you,

35
00:03:15,650 --> 00:03:19,870
that God loves you and has saved you.

36
00:03:24,140 --> 00:03:29,510
As the apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12,

37
00:03:29,510 --> 00:03:33,820
“For I know whom I have believed,

38
00:03:33,820 --> 00:03:41,280
and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

39
00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:47,110
You see, the idea there is that Paul, he knew the character of his Redeemer

40
00:03:47,110 --> 00:03:52,000
and he had no reason to doubt His care.

41
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:59,070
Paul had committed his soul and all his trust into the bank of Heaven, of which no thief can break in and steal.

42
00:03:59,070 --> 00:04:02,540
And he knew the character of God.

43
00:04:02,540 --> 00:04:10,760
So he had no reason to doubt that God would be faithful to His promises.

44
00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:18,680
So then a firm confidence in God, a confidence that you are saved and secure,

45
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:24,320
is what we are talking about when we speak of assurance of salvation. (P)

46
00:04:29,210 --> 00:04:39,440
Let’s all pray before we look now at why having assurance is so important.

47
00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:45,840
Heavenly father, I thank you that you have brought

48
00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:48,690
each of us to this place together.

49
00:04:48,690 --> 00:04:53,360
We thank you Lord

50
00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,840
that You can speak to us now. And we ask this, that by your Spirit

51
00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:01,460
I pray for anyone who has been struggling here,

52
00:05:01,460 --> 00:05:04,640
that You will set them free through this sermon.

53
00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,900
That You would help them to be wise to the schemes of the devil,

54
00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:13,740
to the deceits of the evil one.

55
00:05:13,740 --> 00:05:20,640
Bring people a confidence before God in which they can serve You and can approach You boldly.

56
00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:25,060
In Jesus name. Amen. (P)

57
00:05:25,060 --> 00:05:34,540
Let me give you one reason, at least, as to why having assurance is important for the Christian.

58
00:05:34,540 --> 00:05:43,460
You generally serve God better, far better, with assurance.

59
00:05:43,460 --> 00:05:49,390
With assurance, you become bolder in your witness for Christ.

60
00:05:49,390 --> 00:05:53,810
Because, without it you tend to go on a downward spiral.

61
00:05:53,810 --> 00:05:56,170
Let me give you an example:

62
00:05:56,170 --> 00:05:59,750
when a Christian begins to lack assurance

63
00:05:59,750 --> 00:06:02,400
you might not pray as you should;

64
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,640
because you can start thinking, "what is the point of me praying for others when I don’t even know

65
00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,000
if I am saved myself?"

66
00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,380
I mean, think of the difference

67
00:06:13,380 --> 00:06:16,570
between a child asking their father or their mother

68
00:06:16,570 --> 00:06:22,560
for something when they are confident that their parents love them and accept them.

69
00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:30,000
Think of the difference between that and asking someone you hardly know.

70
00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,970
So lack of assurance, number one, is going to affect your prayer life.

71
00:06:34,970 --> 00:06:39,210
And without assurance you’re not going to evangelize as you should.

72
00:06:39,210 --> 00:06:46,500
Thinking, "How can I tell others the gospel when I don’t even know if I’m saved myself?"

73
00:06:46,500 --> 00:06:52,200
So, you’re not going to be as bold for Christ if you don’t have assurance.

74
00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:58,970
And if you lack assurance you’re going to lack your joy in Christ.

75
00:06:58,970 --> 00:07:07,140
Now the devil, he cannot take away the Christian’s salvation; but he can take away the Christian’s joy of salvation.

76
00:07:07,140 --> 00:07:15,300
He can take way his assurance, if he deceives you.

77
00:07:15,300 --> 00:07:23,800
If your joy is gone, then what do you have left? A miserable Christian.

78
00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:31,800
And a miserable Christian is a bad witness.

79
00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:39,190
It says to other people, "Why should I follow your God if all it will make me is as miserable as you?"

80
00:07:39,190 --> 00:07:45,190
Whereas if you have assurance of salvation you can have great joy, even in trials!

81
00:07:45,190 --> 00:07:50,920
And that is a great witness. The world cannot explain that one. (P)

82
00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:56,950
Now the reason why I wanted us all to turn to Philippians 3:3 here is because

83
00:07:56,950 --> 00:08:03,840
before we look at some of the various ways in which the devil tries to take away the believer’s assurance

84
00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:12,840
I wanted to first make sure that we all have a correct definition and understanding of what a Christian is.

85
00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:17,800
You see what I do not want to get from this sermon, what I do not want to happen,

86
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,060
 is for someone who is completely lost listening to this

87
00:08:22,060 --> 00:08:26,470
and they say, "Ah the devil is trying to take away my assurance"

88
00:08:26,470 --> 00:08:30,750
when the person is not even saved in the first place.

89
00:08:30,750 --> 00:08:37,240
So, if you look with me in your bible here in Philippians 3:3 let us make clear

90
00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,960
what a true Christian is.

91
00:08:44,750 --> 00:08:48,920
And so Philippians 3:3 here begins: “For we...”

92
00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,990
'We' there meaning the Christians.

93
00:08:51,990 --> 00:08:56,240
Paul the apostle and the people he is writing to.

94
00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,130
He says, “...we are the circumcision."

95
00:09:00,130 --> 00:09:03,940
Now, 'the circumcision' was a name for Jews.

96
00:09:03,940 --> 00:09:08,490
What Paul is saying here is we are the true Jews.

97
00:09:08,490 --> 00:09:14,360
Now, let me remind you that Paul is writing to Gentile converts there in Philippi

98
00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:19,210
and he includes them as the true Jews.

99
00:09:19,210 --> 00:09:26,110
“We are the circumcision” we are the true Jews is another way of saying that we are the true Christians.

100
00:09:26,110 --> 00:09:31,760
We are the true people of God.

101
00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:37,910
Now, what we are concerned here with is what does this look like.

102
00:09:37,910 --> 00:09:45,110
And Paul continues, ”...and worship by the spirit of God”

103
00:09:45,110 --> 00:09:49,040
Not in all outward rights and ceremonies.

104
00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:58,900
And it is the Holy Spirit that made us a Christian by circumcision by changing our hearts.

105
00:09:58,900 --> 00:10:01,210
Verse 3 continues,

106
00:10:01,210 --> 00:10:05,320
“...and glory in Christ Jesus.”

107
00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:12,900
The word glory there means to boast. That’s where our confidence is, in Christ Jesus.

108
00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:17,160
In Him is where the Christian’s hope lies.

109
00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,520
“...and put no confidence in the flesh.”

110
00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:27,190
Now, by 'flesh' here, by our flesh, Paul means anything other than Christ

111
00:10:27,190 --> 00:10:33,880
that we might put confidence in to recommend ourselves to God with as far as justification goes. (P)

112
00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,730
Because if you notice in the following verses from verse 4 onwards,

113
00:10:37,730 --> 00:10:41,080
Paul then gives us a list of things.

114
00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:47,670
“Though, I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh for boasting in the flesh also

115
00:10:47,670 --> 00:10:53,410
if anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh I have more.”

116
00:10:53,410 --> 00:10:57,990
And then Paul gives examples of things that, before he was saved,

117
00:10:57,990 --> 00:11:03,110
he wrongly trusted in to try and recommend himself to God with.

118
00:11:03,110 --> 00:11:06,530
So let’s consider just a few of these. In verse 5 there,

119
00:11:06,530 --> 00:11:12,540
he says that before his conversion he was trusting in his circumcision.

120
00:11:12,540 --> 00:11:17,350
Now, in our day, of course, a modern equivalent of this would be

121
00:11:17,350 --> 00:11:21,950
someone trusting they are saved because they have been baptized,

122
00:11:21,950 --> 00:11:28,030
or they have been christened, or they gone to some kind of confirmation service.

123
00:11:28,030 --> 00:11:32,380
Well, if that’s you, if you think "I am Christian because I have been baptized,"

124
00:11:32,380 --> 00:11:34,940
then you most certainly are not a Christian

125
00:11:34,940 --> 00:11:38,440
if that is where your hope lies.

126
00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:43,830
And also in verse 5 Paul says, "of the people of Israel".

127
00:11:43,830 --> 00:11:52,080
Before Paul was converted, one of the things he was trusting in was that he was born of Jewish decent.

128
00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:53,310
Now in our day,

129
00:11:53,310 --> 00:11:58,820
this is just like someone thinking they are saved because they have been born to Christian parents;

130
00:11:58,820 --> 00:12:02,400
because they had a Christian upbringing.

131
00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:06,250
Listen, and especially you children,

132
00:12:06,250 --> 00:12:12,860
if you think you are saved because you had a Christian upbringing, because you have Christian parents,

133
00:12:12,860 --> 00:12:18,600
if that’s where your hopes lies then you are not saved. (P)

134
00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,870
And then in verse 5,

135
00:12:20,870 --> 00:12:28,500
Paul tells us that before his conversion he was trusting in that he was a Pharisee.

136
00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:36,190
Now, when we tend to think of a Pharisee today we tend to think of the bad guy in a film.

137
00:12:36,190 --> 00:12:41,590
He walks on and everyone thinks “boo!” An obvious hypocrite.

138
00:12:41,590 --> 00:12:44,500
But it was not like that in this day.

139
00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:51,720
You see, the Pharisees were, albeit wrongly, considered to be the elite of the Jews in their day.

140
00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:59,020
So, in our day this is just like someone who is trusting in that they are saved because they

141
00:12:59,020 --> 00:13:04,300
go to what they consider to be a good church or hear good sermons.

142
00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:10,480
These are all good things, just like baptism, or being brought up in a Christian family.

143
00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:16,260
But listen, your hope for salvation must not lie there.

144
00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:22,750
And in verse 6 we see that Paul, before he was saved, was trusting in that he was zealous.

145
00:13:22,750 --> 00:13:25,990
And this is very similar to someone in our day

146
00:13:25,990 --> 00:13:32,000
who's confidence in God is based on that they are busy serving in whatever way.

147
00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:40,000
Or that they are passionate about some part of Christianity, but not Christ.

148
00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,880
Your hope must not lie there in your zeal.

149
00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,460
And then in verse 6 Paul says, “As to the righteousness

150
00:13:48,460 --> 00:13:52,480
under the law, blameless.”

151
00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:58,700
So before Paul was saved another thing he was trusting in was his works.

152
00:13:58,700 --> 00:14:04,840
He was thinking that God would accept him because he kept the law. He thought he was good enough.

153
00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:11,920
Again, if you think you are a Christian, if you think "Of course I’m going to Heaven! I’m a good person.

154
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:17,850
I mean I believe. I’m not like one of those drunks or rapists."

155
00:14:17,850 --> 00:14:19,700
Well, if you think like that,

156
00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:23,000
if you have a 'Jesus plus something else' you are trusting in your works

157
00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,760
then you are not a Christian. (P)

158
00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,100
So then, this is my point:

159
00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:30,350
'confidence in the flesh' here

160
00:14:30,350 --> 00:14:35,740
refers to anything in themselves that one might put confidence in apart from Christ

161
00:14:35,740 --> 00:14:42,830
to recommend themselves to God with as to why God should accept them.

162
00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:48,630
Notice here, once again, in verse 3 the truly saved person, the true Christian,

163
00:14:48,630 --> 00:14:53,540
is someone who glories in Christ Jesus.

164
00:14:53,540 --> 00:15:01,530
That means Christ is his or her boast.

165
00:15:01,530 --> 00:15:11,110
The true Christian’s confidence of eternal life of his acceptance by God is in Christ Jesus alone.

166
00:15:11,110 --> 00:15:13,930
The believer realizes

167
00:15:13,930 --> 00:15:18,290
they have come to a place where they realize they have nothing meritorious

168
00:15:18,290 --> 00:15:21,490
in and of themselves to recommend themselves to God with.

169
00:15:21,490 --> 00:15:23,760
Like the hymn we sang last night goes,

170
00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:30,270
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness”

171
00:15:30,270 --> 00:15:33,640
So, a true Christian is not trusting in his works.

172
00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,900
He or she is not trusting in their own performance

173
00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:43,530
or things they have done in order to recommend themselves to God with.

174
00:15:43,530 --> 00:15:49,430
A true Christian is someone who realizes they are a guilty, vile and helpless sinner

175
00:15:49,430 --> 00:15:52,670
who had nothing to offer God

176
00:15:52,670 --> 00:15:57,400
in and of themselves to recommended themselves to God with.

177
00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,850
And instead, they are trusting in Christ alone.

178
00:16:01,850 --> 00:16:09,820
They realize that their acceptance with God is through what Christ has done on our behalf. (P)

179
00:16:15,100 --> 00:16:17,180
And as I said, I wanted to make that clear

180
00:16:17,180 --> 00:16:21,000
before going on because I do not want someone to take this sermon

181
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,620
on how the devil attacks assurance

182
00:16:23,620 --> 00:16:28,650
and think, 'the devil is attacking my assurance’ when the person is not even saved.

183
00:16:28,650 --> 00:16:31,700
And so, just quickly, what do you do?

184
00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:35,130
If upon hearing that you suddenly realize and think,

185
00:16:35,130 --> 00:16:36,640
"I’ve never been a Christian";

186
00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:43,170
you suddenly realize you’ve always been trusting in something else other than Christ.

187
00:16:43,170 --> 00:16:50,000
Well, as Paul says, count them as rubbish as far as your justification goes.

188
00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:56,320
Realize you have nothing to recommend yourself to God with and make Christ your boast now.

189
00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,570
Put your hope and trust in Him now.

190
00:17:00,570 --> 00:17:05,050
Don’t try to have a righteousness of your own when you can receive

191
00:17:05,050 --> 00:17:10,510
as a gift the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. (P)

192
00:17:15,890 --> 00:17:18,190
You know, many people...

193
00:17:18,190 --> 00:17:21,820
If I was to tell you from this book

194
00:17:21,820 --> 00:17:25,540
and I had verses to prove it, that salvation was:

195
00:17:25,540 --> 00:17:32,260
that you got saved and justified before God by walking from Texas to California,

196
00:17:32,260 --> 00:17:38,370
then many would take it for exactly for what it said and begin that journey tomorrow.

197
00:17:38,370 --> 00:17:46,980
But man and his pride is always looking for something to do to try and bribe God.

198
00:17:46,980 --> 00:17:52,000
In those verse there when Paul says, “I count these things as rubbish”

199
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:56,150
it literally means 'dung'.

200
00:17:56,150 --> 00:18:02,510
If you think of when someone is trying to work to earn their salvation,

201
00:18:02,510 --> 00:18:10,300
they are effectively trying to bribe the Judge.

202
00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:17,090
But you are not bribing him with money, you are bribing him with a bucket of dung Paul says.

203
00:18:17,090 --> 00:18:24,310
Imagine going to a judge and holding that up.

204
00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:30,520
See your works just as that when you’re trying to earn your justification.

205
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:35,620
Don’t look for something inside of yourself to try to be saved!

206
00:18:35,620 --> 00:18:39,220
You must look outside of yourself and away from self

207
00:18:39,220 --> 00:18:45,000
and to Jesus Christ hanging on the cross for your sins.

208
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:52,490
See His finished work, that He has paid your debt, and put your trust in Him. It is that simple. (P)

209
00:18:52,490 --> 00:18:57,430
Now then, if you can please turn with me to 1 John 5:13.

210
00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:22,050
Because the next thing I want to make clear this morning

211
00:19:22,050 --> 00:19:25,280
is that you CAN have assurance.

212
00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:30,800
This is a biblical doctrine and it is a right for every Christian.

213
00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,970
There are some circles today, it’s unfortunate that I have to address this, but

214
00:19:34,970 --> 00:19:38,790
there are some circles today who say you cannot have assurance.

215
00:19:38,790 --> 00:19:42,790
There are some who claim that you cannot know that you are saved;

216
00:19:42,790 --> 00:19:45,960
and if you tell them that you are saved and going to Heaven

217
00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,790
they say, "Well that's being presumptuous."

218
00:19:49,790 --> 00:19:51,600
In fact some of them

219
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:57,510
even take it as far as to say that if you’re confident that you are saved, then you’re not

220
00:19:57,510 --> 00:20:00,950
because they say you’re not being humble enough.

221
00:20:00,950 --> 00:20:07,230
They say, "If you were truly saved you would be more miserable like me."

222
00:20:07,230 --> 00:20:17,550
They say, "If you were truly saved you wouldn’t be so proud. You would be humble like I am."

223
00:20:17,550 --> 00:20:24,340
But let me make it clear here, the believer’s confidence is not in himself but in Christ.

224
00:20:24,340 --> 00:20:30,720
So when a believer has assurance they are saved, that is not being arrogant or proud.

225
00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:35,400
You see, it is not being presumptuous to believe God at His word.

226
00:20:41,390 --> 00:20:45,220
So I want to make it clear in everyone’s mind here

227
00:20:45,220 --> 00:20:52,020
that a believer can have assurance of salvation. Let me show you from this verse that this is a biblical teaching. (P)

228
00:20:52,020 --> 00:20:56,800
So, look with me, 1 John 5:13 says:

229
00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,640
“I write these things to you who believe

230
00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,220
in the name of the Son of God that...”

231
00:21:05,220 --> 00:21:08,730
So, the Apostle John is writing to believers here

232
00:21:08,730 --> 00:21:14,380
and is telling us one of the reasons why he wrote this letter of 1 John.

233
00:21:14,380 --> 00:21:17,600
“That you may know...”

234
00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:22,410
That you may be assured you have eternal life.

235
00:21:22,410 --> 00:21:26,570
So then, one of the primary reasons the book 1 John was written

236
00:21:26,570 --> 00:21:31,610
is that Christians may have assurance of salvation.

237
00:21:31,610 --> 00:21:34,800
Let me also point out here from this verse

238
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,480
that assurance is not just for “super Christians”.

239
00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,930
It is not just for apostles and pastors.

240
00:21:41,930 --> 00:21:48,290
Not that a pastor is a “super Christian”.

241
00:21:48,290 --> 00:21:53,990
You see, John is not writing to a select group of apostles here, is he?

242
00:21:53,990 --> 00:21:58,360
But every Christian can have assurance.

243
00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,440
And also consider some of the other statements of Paul.

244
00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,740
He said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,”

245
00:22:05,740 --> 00:22:10,060
He said, "To depart and be with Christ is far better."

246
00:22:10,060 --> 00:22:14,010
Now that to me sounds like Paul had assurance.

247
00:22:14,010 --> 00:22:21,140
So then, it is clearly a false doctrine that says you cannot know you are saved. (P)

248
00:22:31,130 --> 00:22:33,730
Now, another point here

249
00:22:33,730 --> 00:22:40,060
also form this text in 1 John 5:13. Listen carefully because this one is important.

250
00:22:40,060 --> 00:22:42,520
Many get confused on this

251
00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,000
and that is that

252
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,110
it is also false

253
00:22:46,110 --> 00:22:48,540
to go the other extreme

254
00:22:48,540 --> 00:22:53,850
that says if you do not have assurance then you are definitely not saved.

255
00:22:53,850 --> 00:23:01,180
There are many today who equate salvation with assurance. They think that they are inseparable

256
00:23:01,180 --> 00:23:05,170
and they wrongly think you cannot have one without the other.

257
00:23:05,170 --> 00:23:06,900
But that is wrong

258
00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:10,470
and I can prove that very easily from this text

259
00:23:10,470 --> 00:23:14,690
that it is possible to be a Christian and not have assurance.

260
00:23:14,690 --> 00:23:18,990
If you look with me again at 1 John 5:13

261
00:23:18,990 --> 00:23:23,520
he says, “I write these things that you who believe

262
00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,980
in the name of the Son of God...” that sounds like a Christian to me,

263
00:23:27,980 --> 00:23:34,440
“that you may know that you have eternal life.” That you may be assured.

264
00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:41,200
I want you to notice here, John is writing this letter to people who are already believers.

265
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:47,670
He is writing to people who are already saved. Their hope is in Christ,

266
00:23:47,670 --> 00:23:51,110
but he is writing that they may have assurance.

267
00:23:51,110 --> 00:23:56,600
In other words, these believers do not already have assurance.

268
00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,980
So then, it is possible to be a Christian and not have assurance.

269
00:24:00,980 --> 00:24:08,740
A Christian, as well, can lose their assurance. (P)

270
00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:14,000
Now, all that said, of course do not be content without assurance.

271
00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,240
It is a Christian’s right, you will serve God better,

272
00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,870
you will have more joy and so forth with assurance.

273
00:24:21,870 --> 00:24:25,940
So I don’t want anyone who has been struggling to think from that,

274
00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:32,780
“Well I don’t have assurance so it doesn’t matter because I may still be saved.”

275
00:24:32,780 --> 00:24:39,180
I mean, would you not rather live your life knowing your Father loves you?

276
00:24:39,180 --> 00:24:42,010
So then, for the remainder of the sermon this morning

277
00:24:42,010 --> 00:24:46,380
I want for us to consider some of the various ways in which the devil

278
00:24:46,380 --> 00:24:54,720
tries to deceive the Christian and take away their assurance and the remedy for these. (P)

279
00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,880
Number one,

280
00:24:59,880 --> 00:25:03,200
when a Christian falls into sin

281
00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:11,600
the devil will tell you that you have no right to go back to God now and ask for forgiveness.

282
00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:16,570
Satan may say to you with subtle and suggestive thoughts,

283
00:25:16,570 --> 00:25:20,410
he may say, "You have blown it this time.

284
00:25:20,410 --> 00:25:24,570
You have done it too many times now."

285
00:25:24,570 --> 00:25:27,220
And then he may tell you,

286
00:25:27,220 --> 00:25:33,100
"You’re not a Christian otherwise you wouldn’t have sinned."

287
00:25:33,100 --> 00:25:37,480
Now, what is the devil doing there? What is his tactic?

288
00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:45,470
What is he trying to do, he is confusing in your mind the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

289
00:25:45,470 --> 00:25:48,640
He is causing you to look back at your works

290
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:52,800
as far as your acceptance before God is concerned.

291
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,140
Satan is trying to trick you, he is trying to tell you

292
00:25:56,140 --> 00:26:05,030
that you are not saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ, by His blood.

293
00:26:05,030 --> 00:26:06,870
You see, by his lie

294
00:26:06,870 --> 00:26:13,340
that you cannot go back to God and ask for forgiveness when you sin, Christian, the devil is insinuating to you

295
00:26:13,340 --> 00:26:20,340
that your works have some merit in regards to your justification.

296
00:26:20,340 --> 00:26:29,240
Now the remedy with this lie of the devil -as with all of them- is truth.

297
00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:36,870
As Ephesians says, “put on the belt of truth that you may be able to withstand the devil’s schemes” (P)

298
00:26:36,870 --> 00:26:39,750
Listen Christians, number one:

299
00:26:39,750 --> 00:26:45,520
you must realize the truth of adoption.

300
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:55,200
Believer, listen to me, being saved is more than just forgiveness.

301
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,540
Let me give you an example:

302
00:26:57,540 --> 00:27:02,460
there is a huge difference between a judge that merely pardons someone

303
00:27:02,460 --> 00:27:08,340
and a judge who not only pardons the criminal but adopts you into his own family

304
00:27:08,340 --> 00:27:13,050
and brings you up as his child.

305
00:27:13,050 --> 00:27:16,540
Do you know this truth believer?

306
00:27:16,540 --> 00:27:20,080
From the moment that you believe the gospel

307
00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:24,890
and are justified before God by faith alone in Jesus Christ,

308
00:27:24,890 --> 00:27:29,990
God is no longer your judge as a punitive sense.

309
00:27:29,990 --> 00:27:35,970
But from the moment you are saved you come into a whole new relationship with God.

310
00:27:35,970 --> 00:27:40,890
You become a child of God for the first time; and so He is now your Father

311
00:27:40,890 --> 00:27:46,000
and that is how God relates to you.

312
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:51,030
Now this is important to grasp, believer, because when a Christian sins

313
00:27:51,030 --> 00:27:57,610
you are no longer dealing with God as a Judge who is about to throw you in hell.

314
00:27:57,610 --> 00:28:05,700
But you are dealing with the injured Love, wounded love as a Father whom you’ve sinned against.

315
00:28:05,700 --> 00:28:16,990
Whom like the father of the prodigal who is just ready and waiting to embrace you once again. (P)

316
00:28:16,990 --> 00:28:19,230
To give you another example,

317
00:28:19,230 --> 00:28:21,500
there is a huge difference

318
00:28:21,500 --> 00:28:28,300
between when you offend your father or mother then if you break the laws of the land.

319
00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:32,510
Because one is a relationship of law, the laws of the land;

320
00:28:32,510 --> 00:28:38,000
where the other is a relationship of love.

321
00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:46,190
From the moment you are saved you are in a relationship of love.

322
00:28:46,190 --> 00:28:50,300
So when you sin Christian remember, you are not going back to a judge

323
00:28:50,300 --> 00:28:53,070
hoping that he will acquit you again.

324
00:28:53,070 --> 00:28:59,000
But like the prodigal you are going back to your loving Father, Who is waiting to embrace you.

325
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,810
I mean, how many of you parents

326
00:29:01,810 --> 00:29:10,700
if your child offends you do you say to them, "You are not my son, or you are not my daughter anymore."?

327
00:29:10,700 --> 00:29:21,000
If you being evil know how to treat your children, how much more God?

328
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:33,660
You see, the point is, our actions as Christians do not affect how we are related to God.

329
00:29:33,660 --> 00:29:40,750
If you believed Christ alone for salvation then God is still your Father, no matter what state you are in.

330
00:29:40,750 --> 00:29:50,150
Justification is something that happened in the past. The moment someone gets saved, it is once for all time.

331
00:29:50,150 --> 00:29:58,000
You do not get re-justified every time you sin and repent.

332
00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:02,070
That is a Catholic doctrine from the pit.

333
00:30:02,070 --> 00:30:08,480
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not count his sin against him, Romans 4 says.

334
00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:12,230
Because the Lord has paid for it. (P)

335
00:30:12,230 --> 00:30:17,170
Now if you look at 1 John 1:9 here with me.

336
00:30:23,950 --> 00:30:28,770
This is what you do when you sin, believer.

337
00:30:28,770 --> 00:30:35,470
This is what you are told to do. You have it on good the authority here.

338
00:30:35,470 --> 00:30:41,240
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins,

339
00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:50,190
He is faithful” -God is faithful- “and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

340
00:30:50,190 --> 00:30:55,830
So do not believe the devil’s lie that because you’ve sinned that you cannot go back to God now

341
00:30:55,830 --> 00:30:58,780
when the bible says the opposite.

342
00:30:58,780 --> 00:31:03,000
Because His word promises here, if you confess your sins to God,

343
00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:09,300
and other people if necessary, then God is faithful to forgive

344
00:31:09,300 --> 00:31:15,400
And He is just, meaning He’s already paid for your sins. He’s already dealt with it.

345
00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:18,990
"There’s a thick cloud, I have blotted out your sins. There’s a thick cloud,

346
00:31:18,990 --> 00:31:28,420
I have blotted out your transgressions," He says in Isaiah 44:22, "so return onto me for I have redeemed you."

347
00:31:28,420 --> 00:31:33,110
But also here notice He is just to forgive your sins, because He paid for it.

348
00:31:33,110 --> 00:31:36,310
So when you believe the devil’s lie

349
00:31:36,310 --> 00:31:40,130
that you have gone too far this time and cannot go back to God,

350
00:31:40,130 --> 00:31:45,200
then what you are doing there is you are questioning the faithfulness and justice of God.

351
00:31:50,540 --> 00:31:59,000
What you’re saying is that God is imputing sins to you that have already been paid for.

352
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:05,260
Because if the penalty of your sin has been paid for the Judge is not going to come after you again for it.

353
00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:13,280
So by believing the devil’s lie, you are saying that God is unjust and that He is unfaithful.

354
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:18,250
But also notice it does not say,

355
00:32:18,250 --> 00:32:26,780
"If we confess our sins after we spent a few hours or “x” amount of time trying to earn our way back to God

356
00:32:26,780 --> 00:32:33,070
by reading so many chapters of the bible or by being miserable or whatever."

357
00:32:33,070 --> 00:32:42,700
Nor does it put a limit on the number of times the believer sins and can be forgiven.

358
00:32:42,700 --> 00:32:50,400
God does not say like Peter suggested, “Shall I forgiven you 7 times?”

359
00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:59,480
No, 70 times 7. And that’s not a literal number there, you keep on going.

360
00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:03,590
As I heard brother Ryan preach the other week,

361
00:33:03,590 --> 00:33:09,009
love never fails. The love of God for the believer never fails. (P)

362
00:33:14,865 --> 00:33:17,995
Now let me also let me make clear here

363
00:33:17,995 --> 00:33:23,241
that he is not telling you this here to give you an excuse to go on in sin.

364
00:33:23,241 --> 00:33:26,319
As he says in just a few verses in 1 John 2:1,

365
00:33:26,319 --> 00:33:31,911
"My little children I am writing these things that you may not sin

366
00:33:31,911 --> 00:33:37,485
but if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous."

367
00:33:37,485 --> 00:33:41,717
You see believer, realizing these truths and acting upon them

368
00:33:41,717 --> 00:33:46,831
gives the believer a confidence and assurance before God that He is your Father

369
00:33:46,831 --> 00:33:50,000
and this helps you walk closer to Him.

370
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:56,700
Realizing this grace helps the believer sin less and less;

371
00:33:56,700 --> 00:34:03,450
because you will always struggle trying to walk at a distance from God.

372
00:34:03,450 --> 00:34:11,500
It is realizing you are justified that gives you the power to live the Christian life.

373
00:34:11,500 --> 00:34:17,711
I mean how you respond to a truth like this is really a test of salvation in and of itself.

374
00:34:17,711 --> 00:34:24,769
You see, if an unconverted church member hears truths like this: that they can keep going back to God and be forgiven

375
00:34:24,769 --> 00:34:31,089
and their response is "Oh great this means I can just sin as much as like and enjoy my sin

376
00:34:31,089 --> 00:34:36,800
and so long as I keep on repenting and confessing it then great!"

377
00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:42,381
Listen, if hearing wonderful truths makes you think like that then you are lost.

378
00:34:42,381 --> 00:34:49,695
But whereas the true believer, on hearing truths like this, they think, "What wondrous love is this?" (P)

379
00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:56,945
Now then: way number 2

380
00:34:56,945 --> 00:35:02,672
in which the devil tries to take away the Christian’s assurance of salvation,

381
00:35:02,672 --> 00:35:09,250
and that is misunderstanding or misinterpreting how God deals with us.

382
00:35:09,250 --> 00:35:13,237
What I mean by this is when trials come upon you.

383
00:35:13,237 --> 00:35:19,586
There are a lot of people (especially with so much prosperity, health, wealth and false doctrine out there)

384
00:35:19,586 --> 00:35:26,142
who have the false idea that when you become a Christian everything will go wonderful.

385
00:35:26,142 --> 00:35:29,000
for the rest of your life.

386
00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,714
And so when a fiery trial comes upon you, you are surprised by it

387
00:35:33,714 --> 00:35:37,000
and your faith is shaken.

388
00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:42,922
And the devil, the accuser, comes to you and says, "Look what you’re going through.

389
00:35:42,922 --> 00:35:51,900
If God was really your Father, if He loved you then He wouldn’t let His child go through this."

390
00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:54,700
Again the remedy here is once again truth.

391
00:35:54,700 --> 00:35:58,162
You must have a correct understanding of the Christian life.

392
00:35:58,162 --> 00:36:05,275
That as Paul said in Acts 14:22, ‘Through many trials and tribulations you must enter the kingdom.’

393
00:36:05,275 --> 00:36:12,703
Philippians 1:29, ‘It has been granted not only for you to believe, but also to suffer with Him.’

394
00:36:12,703 --> 00:36:18,303
You see, God does not keep the Christian free from the fire of trials; but He promises you

395
00:36:18,303 --> 00:36:23,000
that He will be with you in it and sustain you.

396
00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:26,183
You must understand Christian that whenever a trial,

397
00:36:26,183 --> 00:36:30,079
whenever something seems to go wrong and comes upon you

398
00:36:30,079 --> 00:36:38,298
that it is Romans 8:28, that God is working everything in your life for your good. (P)

399
00:36:38,298 --> 00:36:40,892
But also,

400
00:36:40,892 --> 00:36:48,141
in regards to a Christian misinterpreting how God deals with them,

401
00:36:48,141 --> 00:36:52,905
God sometimes withdraws His smile from the believer

402
00:36:52,905 --> 00:36:56,638
and brings conviction in order to chasten them.

403
00:36:56,638 --> 00:37:03,300
And the devil twists this and says, "God doesn’t love you anymore."

404
00:37:03,300 --> 00:37:09,558
But the answer is the word of God which says, ‘whom the Lord loves He chastens.’

405
00:37:09,558 --> 00:37:15,851
If a child is not doing what he should then his parents-or her parents-

406
00:37:15,851 --> 00:37:20,618
may first sit down with that child and exhort them and explain to them

407
00:37:20,618 --> 00:37:25,444
so they understand the need and how to do it correctly.

408
00:37:25,444 --> 00:37:33,717
But if they are still being disobedient then a loving parent will bring out the rod.

409
00:37:33,717 --> 00:37:38,788
To quote Martin Lloyd Jones-he had a lot of good to say on this-he said,

410
00:37:38,788 --> 00:37:45,600
"When we won’t read His word and apply it to our lives (apply the things you’ve read in His word),

411
00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:50,955
God has to use His chisel to take off our rough edges."

412
00:37:50,955 --> 00:37:55,941
He says, "You’re going to a place where you will be without spot or wrinkle

413
00:37:55,941 --> 00:38:02,800
the Sculptor, believe it or not, has of work a lot to do."

414
00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:06,956
So then, if God is chastening you, if when you sin

415
00:38:06,956 --> 00:38:11,043
He is bringing you to conviction and repentance

416
00:38:11,043 --> 00:38:18,508
than that is not an evidence that you’re not a Christian, that is evidence that you are a Christian.

417
00:38:18,508 --> 00:38:23,153
Whereas, if God just lets you go on in sin and never bothers you

418
00:38:23,153 --> 00:38:27,610
then Scripture says you can be sure you are not His child.

419
00:38:35,430 --> 00:38:40,535
And also, of course, God may bring a trial into your life like He did with Job.

420
00:38:40,535 --> 00:38:49,743
Not because you sinned, but because He knows it is best for you to make you more like Jesus Christ.

421
00:38:49,743 --> 00:38:53,763
And to quote Martin Lloyd Jones again, he said,

422
00:38:53,763 --> 00:39:00,298
"When a Christian despises the Lord's chastening we are being very childish.

423
00:39:00,298 --> 00:39:10,500
It is a childish attitude that always wants to eat sweets and never what is best for you." (P)

424
00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:17,290
Now then, way number 3 in which the devil tries to attack the Christian’s assurance

425
00:39:17,290 --> 00:39:22,013
(and this one is quite common-as with all of them I suppose),

426
00:39:22,013 --> 00:39:28,987
he tries to convince you that you have committed the unpardonable sin.

427
00:39:28,987 --> 00:39:33,150
This is what is commonly known as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

428
00:39:33,150 --> 00:39:37,279
We see it in Matthew 12, Hebrews 6 and 10, and in other places

429
00:39:37,279 --> 00:39:43,672
where it speaks there of an eternal sin that cannot be forgiven in this age we live in now

430
00:39:43,672 --> 00:39:46,928
or the eternal age, the age to come.

431
00:39:46,928 --> 00:39:52,573
Now, there are various interpretations of what this sin is;

432
00:39:52,573 --> 00:39:55,347
but you can almost guarantee Christian,

433
00:39:55,347 --> 00:39:58,864
that whichever interpretation of it you hold to

434
00:39:58,864 --> 00:40:04,600
the devil will come along at some point and try and convince that you have committed it.

435
00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:09,923
In fact, I’ve seen it before, where a Christian will hold to one interpretation of it

436
00:40:09,923 --> 00:40:13,492
and the devil will convince them they have committed it and they’ll be...

437
00:40:13,492 --> 00:40:16,301
it’s like they are in a prison for a while,

438
00:40:16,301 --> 00:40:21,064
and then when they are released they later change their interpretation

439
00:40:21,064 --> 00:40:29,336
and then the devil convinces them again they’ve committed that.

440
00:40:29,336 --> 00:40:32,194
So what is the answer to this one?

441
00:40:32,194 --> 00:40:40,296
Well, those people in Matthew 12 and Hebrews 6 and 10, that have committed this sin,

442
00:40:40,296 --> 00:40:46,468
they were not troubled in their conscience; they were proudly mocking the Christian faith;

443
00:40:46,468 --> 00:40:53,592
they were laughing at the gospel; trampling under foot the blood of the Son of God, saying it is nothing.

444
00:40:53,592 --> 00:41:01,174
You see those passages there are not dealing with a Christian who merely falls into sin;

445
00:41:01,174 --> 00:41:07,274
but they are dealing with someone who completely renounces the gospel.

446
00:41:07,274 --> 00:41:15,175
They were ridiculing the spiritual realm there saying Christ was doing his miracles by Beelzebub.

447
00:41:15,175 --> 00:41:16,753
So then, my point is this:

448
00:41:16,753 --> 00:41:25,273
is that any time someone is troubled that they have committed this sin, it logically follows they have not.

449
00:41:25,273 --> 00:41:30,760
Otherwise, you would be laughing about it and not be so worried.

450
00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:33,416
Now you may say, "But what about Esau?

451
00:41:33,416 --> 00:41:36,433
I mean, he sought repentance with tears and could not find it.

452
00:41:36,433 --> 00:41:41,202
He was troubled it sounded like he has committed this sin?"

453
00:41:41,202 --> 00:41:45,463
Well, he was troubled with worldly sorrow for one, but I think Esau

454
00:41:45,463 --> 00:41:49,551
is more of an example of someone who rejects the gospel

455
00:41:49,551 --> 00:41:58,800
and plans to enjoy their sin and then except Christ on their death bed.

456
00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:06,077
To quote Lloyd-Jones one more time,

457
00:42:06,077 --> 00:42:11,257
he said, "If you can say 'Lord it is my chief complaint 

458
00:42:11,257 --> 00:42:19,200
that my love is weak and faint' then you are a Christian."

459
00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:29,500
Those guys in Mathew 12, Hebrews 6 and 10 their desire was not to love Christ more. (P)

460
00:42:29,500 --> 00:42:34,893
So then, let us move on. Way number 4 in which the devil tries to take away the Christian’s assurance:

461
00:42:34,893 --> 00:42:45,261
He tries to convince you that you cannot have assurance until you reach a certain level of perfection.

462
00:42:45,261 --> 00:42:54,100
You see, you sometimes see a Christian who is believing upon Christ's work for justification,

463
00:42:54,100 --> 00:42:57,617
when they sin they are broken they repent,

464
00:42:57,617 --> 00:43:03,283
but they have this false idea, this false idea creeps in that they cannot have assurance

465
00:43:03,283 --> 00:43:10,631
until they completely quit a certain sin and have not done it for 'x' amount of months or years.

466
00:43:10,631 --> 00:43:16,857
And then of course, when the Lord gives them victory over it-when the Lord gives you victory over it-

467
00:43:16,857 --> 00:43:22,650
the devil then says, "Well what about this?"

468
00:43:22,650 --> 00:43:25,472
And then another sin and so on.

469
00:43:25,472 --> 00:43:34,527
So you are deceived to believe that you cannot have assurance until you reach a certain level of perfection.

470
00:43:34,527 --> 00:43:40,403
Now let me make it clear here, you should see growth in a Christian life;

471
00:43:40,403 --> 00:43:46,151
but this happens over time.

472
00:43:46,151 --> 00:43:51,153
You must remember Christ justifies the ungodly.

473
00:43:51,153 --> 00:44:04,331
The Christian is completely right with God once for all, for all time while he is still ungodly.

474
00:44:04,331 --> 00:44:09,009
Romans 5:1, "And therefore having been justified by faith..."

475
00:44:09,009 --> 00:44:16,762
It doesn’t say, 'And therefore having been justified by growing over time we can have peace with God.'

476
00:44:16,762 --> 00:44:23,243
Therefore having been justified by faith, having a correct understanding and believing justification

477
00:44:23,243 --> 00:44:26,838
we can have peace with God.

478
00:44:26,838 --> 00:44:30,033
So you don’t have to get to a certain level

479
00:44:30,033 --> 00:44:33,963
of performance before you can have assurance. (P)

480
00:44:33,963 --> 00:44:38,603
Now, let me clarify here because this is a good question. Someone may say,

481
00:44:38,603 --> 00:44:41,753
"Well what about those in 1 Corinthians 6, 9 and 10?"

482
00:44:41,753 --> 00:44:48,347
I mean those professing Christians there, you have professing Christians practicing certain sins

483
00:44:48,347 --> 00:44:55,535
who Paul says quite clearly that they will not inherit the kingdom of God. So THEY should not have assurance!

484
00:44:55,535 --> 00:44:57,467
Now that is correct.

485
00:44:57,467 --> 00:44:59,173
But listen,

486
00:44:59,173 --> 00:45:07,610
there is a huge difference between someone like that who is stubbornly carrying on in sin they know is wrong

487
00:45:07,610 --> 00:45:13,300
and is just shaking their fist against God saying, "I don’t care."

488
00:45:13,300 --> 00:45:15,916
There is a massive difference between that

489
00:45:15,916 --> 00:45:19,019
then someone who is struggling hard against something,

490
00:45:19,019 --> 00:45:30,179
who is broken when they do sin because they have grieved God and will gradually gain victory. (P)

491
00:45:30,179 --> 00:45:39,534
Now, way number 5-just a few more-in which the devil tries to deceive the Christian and attack their assurance:

492
00:45:39,534 --> 00:45:52,091
he convinces you that have to have a certain experience exactly like some other person.

493
00:45:52,091 --> 00:45:57,032
Now he is lying to you there. He is saying the word of God is not enough to give you assurance;

494
00:45:57,032 --> 00:46:01,694
that God must give you a special sign

495
00:46:01,694 --> 00:46:04,600
and some sort of experience.

496
00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:13,800
It was a wicked generation that saw the sign before they would believe.

497
00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:18,199
Now the answer to this one, of course, is many people have great experiences

498
00:46:18,199 --> 00:46:22,384
who later prove to not even to be saved.

499
00:46:22,384 --> 00:46:31,460
And among true Christians there is great variations in the realms of experience.

500
00:46:31,460 --> 00:46:39,765
Every believers walk and the experiences believers have are not the same.

501
00:46:39,765 --> 00:46:43,930
Now someone may say, "What about Romans 5:1, the verse you just mentioned?

502
00:46:43,930 --> 00:46:49,109
‘Now therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God.’" 

503
00:46:49,109 --> 00:46:53,650
"Peace is experiential," they say,

504
00:46:53,650 --> 00:46:59,081
"so therefore you must have a certain experience."

505
00:46:59,081 --> 00:47:06,100
Well what I say to that is a correct understanding of justification by faith should lead to assurance

506
00:47:06,100 --> 00:47:16,000
but it is not automatic; because otherwise 1 John would not have been written.

507
00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:22,709
I mean the devil sometimes... I mean you read in a wonderful Christian biography

508
00:47:22,709 --> 00:47:26,113
and you should be being blessed by it.

509
00:47:26,113 --> 00:47:33,800
You’re reading about someone like Amy Carmichael or Leonard Ravenhill

510
00:47:34,351 --> 00:47:36,823
and the devil says to you,

511
00:47:36,823 --> 00:47:41,732
"But where are you? Why aren’t you praying 10 hours a day?"

512
00:47:41,732 --> 00:47:50,872
Well, maybe because you have a full time job. (P)

513
00:47:50,872 --> 00:47:56,078
Way number 6 in the way the devil tries to attack the Christian’s assurance:

514
00:47:56,078 --> 00:48:03,500
he tries to convince you to spend all your time looking at your emotions and your feelings.

515
00:48:03,500 --> 00:48:07,632
This one hinders a lot of people so listen closely.

516
00:48:07,632 --> 00:48:16,227
Instead of your assurance being based on Christ and grounded upon what the word of God says,

517
00:48:16,227 --> 00:48:23,513
you fall into the devil’s trap of being assured on the basis on how you feel from day to day.

518
00:48:23,513 --> 00:48:27,581
So when you are feeling low you don’t feel saved

519
00:48:27,581 --> 00:48:30,767
and when you’re feeling high you do.

520
00:48:30,767 --> 00:48:35,244
Typically, this person will go to church with little or no assurance one day

521
00:48:35,244 --> 00:48:39,849
and then they will try to work it up in a worship service.

522
00:48:39,849 --> 00:48:47,600
And they’re always trying to workup the feelings and emotions by various means.

523
00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:52,427
But the answer is base it on truth, no matter how you feel.

524
00:48:52,642 --> 00:48:58,118
Your salvation in... Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

525
00:48:58,118 --> 00:49:02,635
Base it upon how the word of God says He feels. (P)

526
00:49:10,204 --> 00:49:14,263
Way number 7 in which the devil tries to

527
00:49:14,263 --> 00:49:19,298
attack the Christian’s assurance: and that is introspection.

528
00:49:19,298 --> 00:49:28,063
This is where the devil takes a good thing like self-examination, which Christians are to do periodically,

529
00:49:28,063 --> 00:49:33,700
but the devil he gets you to be constantly looking inward.

530
00:49:33,700 --> 00:49:40,173
So you are so focused on self and examining, constantly examining every minute detail

531
00:49:40,173 --> 00:49:47,695
you stop looking at Christ and when you stop looking at Christ your assurance goes.

532
00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:56,250
Now the answer to this

533
00:49:56,250 --> 00:50:01,251
is as Paul said, "rejoice in the LORD always, and again I say rejoice."

534
00:50:01,251 --> 00:50:05,473
Not rejoice in your feelings! Not rejoice in self!

535
00:50:05,473 --> 00:50:10,995
You see, you may hear that command from day to day and you may think, "Well it says rejoice in the Lord

536
00:50:10,995 --> 00:50:17,738
but I don’t feel like rejoicing." You may say, "I’ve had a bad day. I’ve not done as well as I should."

537
00:50:17,738 --> 00:50:23,100
But you’re not told to rejoice in self. That’s not what it says.

538
00:50:23,100 --> 00:50:28,047
You see, when your works come into it you’re either a Pharisee or a failure,

539
00:50:28,087 --> 00:50:30,829
so you lose your joy in Christ.

540
00:50:30,829 --> 00:50:39,006
But no matter how this finds you, Christ had a perfect day so rejoice in Him.

541
00:50:44,100 --> 00:50:48,316
Charles Spurgeon gave a good example.

542
00:50:48,316 --> 00:50:55,103
He said that... it’s in a sermon called 'By His Blood' I think. It is very good.

543
00:50:55,103 --> 00:51:01,490
I mean you can say that with all of Spurgeon’s sermons, it's very good.

544
00:51:01,490 --> 00:51:03,948
But he gives an example there,

545
00:51:03,948 --> 00:51:09,449
one of the conditions of salvation God says, "When I see the blood."

546
00:51:09,678 --> 00:51:15,483
When God sees the blood He will pass over.

547
00:51:15,483 --> 00:51:19,568
And he points out there that the Israelite is in the house.

548
00:51:19,568 --> 00:51:24,299
He can’t see the blood when the plague comes.

549
00:51:24,299 --> 00:51:30,085
But he says there, supposing instead of putting blood on the door

550
00:51:30,085 --> 00:51:35,589
we put jewels on the door.

551
00:51:35,589 --> 00:51:39,800
Would God’s judgment had passed over? 

552
00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:43,409
The answer is no. He has to see the blood,

553
00:51:43,409 --> 00:51:46,576
a picture of Christ there.

554
00:51:46,576 --> 00:51:50,165
But you see, this was Spurgeon’s point,

555
00:51:50,165 --> 00:51:55,983
is that sometimes God gives us gifts of the Holy Spirit,

556
00:51:55,983 --> 00:51:59,510
He may give us experiences,

557
00:51:59,510 --> 00:52:04,350
our sanctification.

558
00:52:04,350 --> 00:52:07,656
He helps us in those things.

559
00:52:07,656 --> 00:52:15,751
But Spurgeon says if we put the Spirit where Christ should be

560
00:52:16,135 --> 00:52:21,230
then God will take away our assurance.

561
00:52:21,230 --> 00:52:24,808
Why? To chastise us

562
00:52:24,808 --> 00:52:29,468
if we put the Spirit’s works where Christ should be.

563
00:52:29,468 --> 00:52:31,921
You see, you should look at your works

564
00:52:31,921 --> 00:52:36,861
and periodically examine yourself from time to time as the bible tells you;

565
00:52:36,861 --> 00:52:40,216
but you are not supposed to look at your works and then trust in your works.

566
00:52:40,216 --> 00:52:44,486
Rather you're supposed to say, ‘Ah God is in work in me.’

567
00:52:44,486 --> 00:52:50,048
And I encourage you believers, be like the apostle Paul.

568
00:52:50,048 --> 00:52:59,548
He is thankful for every little bit of grace he sees in people, even the Corinthians!

569
00:52:59,548 --> 00:53:05,500
Every little bit of grace you see in someone be thankful.

570
00:53:05,500 --> 00:53:08,765
Tell them that you thank God.

571
00:53:08,765 --> 00:53:14,526
Because that will give them the confidence before God

572
00:53:14,526 --> 00:53:18,533
that will help them to walk closer to God.

573
00:53:27,500 --> 00:53:29,846
For anyone whose lost,

574
00:53:29,846 --> 00:53:33,700
God said, "When I see the blood I will pass over."

575
00:53:33,700 --> 00:53:40,502
When God saw the blood flowing through Immanuel’s veins, He passed over my sin.

576
00:53:40,502 --> 00:53:44,276
See that also. (P)

577
00:53:44,276 --> 00:53:48,723
Now one more, I think this is number 8.

578
00:53:48,723 --> 00:53:52,949
Sometimes I’ve had people come who struggle with their thought life.

579
00:53:52,949 --> 00:53:57,914
Godly men. Godly women.

580
00:53:57,914 --> 00:54:02,126
They’re struggling because they are tempted.

581
00:54:02,126 --> 00:54:05,981
Well, we must know a distinction.

582
00:54:05,981 --> 00:54:12,199
This was a wonderful lesson for me to learn: that temptation is not sin.

583
00:54:12,199 --> 00:54:14,635
It’s not a sin to be tempted.

584
00:54:14,635 --> 00:54:24,328
How do we know this? Well, Christ was tempted in all things yet without sin.

585
00:54:24,328 --> 00:54:32,195
You see the devil he throws those fiery darts at you: thoughts, temptations.

586
00:54:32,195 --> 00:54:35,800
Well, it’s not a sin when he throws them at you.

587
00:54:35,800 --> 00:54:39,799
Let me give you example: you open your bible to read in the morning

588
00:54:39,799 --> 00:54:45,977
and straight away
maybe a lustful thought, maybe an angry thought,

589
00:54:45,977 --> 00:54:51,273
some kind of impure thought comes into your head.

590
00:54:51,273 --> 00:54:54,753
Do you really think that’s yours?

591
00:54:54,753 --> 00:55:02,161
You were reading your bible.

592
00:55:02,161 --> 00:55:06,000
Or you go to pray and that happens.

593
00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:10,999
Well it’s not as if you’re going out to be angry or whatever or to lust you’re going to pray.

594
00:55:10,999 --> 00:55:15,055
Well that’s the devil attacking you.

595
00:55:15,055 --> 00:55:19,063
So reject those. Realize this and reject it.

596
00:55:19,063 --> 00:55:22,417
Realize sin is not temptation.

597
00:55:22,417 --> 00:55:28,911
Temptation only becomes sin when we start to embrace it and we start to enjoy it.

598
00:55:33,616 --> 00:55:36,884
But the devil, you see, he puts those thoughts into your head

599
00:55:36,884 --> 00:55:44,700
then he says well you’re not a Christian otherwise you shouldn’t be having those thoughts. (P)

600
00:55:44,700 --> 00:55:46,938
Now there are many other ways, of course,

601
00:55:46,938 --> 00:55:50,750
in which the devil may try to attack a Christian's assurance.

602
00:55:50,750 --> 00:56:02,300
These are just some common examples. But always stand upon truth of God’s Word.

603
00:56:02,300 --> 00:56:09,800
You see all those attacks are based upon believing the devil's lies above what God’s word says.

604
00:56:09,800 --> 00:56:13,272
So you must be girded about with truth Christian.

605
00:56:13,272 --> 00:56:19,300
And do your upmost to most believe God.

606
00:56:19,300 --> 00:56:29,575
Realize that your justification before God stands by faith only in Jesus Christ.

607
00:56:29,575 --> 00:56:35,068
‘Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.’

608
00:56:35,068 --> 00:56:42,108
And again I say these things to you this morning not that you may sin;

609
00:56:42,885 --> 00:56:47,712
not that you may use them as an excuse to sin, but that you may see

610
00:56:47,712 --> 00:56:54,871
that salvation is by grace. It's all of grace.

611
00:56:54,871 --> 00:56:58,799
My hope is that this will give you a confidence

612
00:56:58,799 --> 00:57:10,604
to walk closer to God, to sin less. 

613
00:57:10,604 --> 00:57:15,451
The self-righteous Pharisee hears this and it makes him angry.

614
00:57:15,451 --> 00:57:19,777
But the humble hear it and are glad. (P)

615
00:57:19,777 --> 00:57:21,691
Let’s pray.

616
00:57:32,435 --> 00:57:34,869
Heavenly Father, I just thank You

617
00:57:34,869 --> 00:57:39,775
for Your glorious grace which is greater than all my sin.

618
00:57:39,775 --> 00:57:45,461
I thank you Lord that even on our best days we are deserving of hell,

619
00:57:45,461 --> 00:57:51,000
but Christ has put away our sins.

620
00:57:51,000 --> 00:57:59,869
We thank You that He who is faithful to begin a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

621
00:57:59,869 --> 00:58:03,178
And I pray You would set people free.

622
00:58:03,178 --> 00:58:08,577
Those who struggle back and forth,

623
00:58:08,577 --> 00:58:12,248
help them to know these truths

624
00:58:12,248 --> 00:58:17,649
and set them free so they may serve You, so they may sin less, so they may grow in holiness,

625
00:58:17,649 --> 00:58:23,574
so they may press on to know the Lord. Help us in all of this.

626
00:58:29,073 --> 00:58:35,909
What wondrous love is this? Oh my soul, oh my soul.

627
00:58:35,909 --> 00:58:41,531
Your gospel Lord is so glorious, all these truths.

628
00:58:41,531 --> 00:58:44,703
So hard to believe.

629
00:58:44,703 --> 00:58:47,998
We wouldn’t believe it Lord unless Your word said it.

630
00:58:47,998 --> 00:58:52,268
But You have said it and that settles it.

631
00:58:52,268 --> 00:58:56,923
We praise you. We thank you. We magnify you. We glorify you.

632
00:58:56,923 --> 00:59:00,285
In Jesus’ name. Amen. (P)