Assurance Is Attainable

Immediately the Father

of the child cried out

and said with tears,

'Lord, I believe; 

help my unbelief

Mark 9:24

     The question in regards to assurance is: is it essential to faith? No! To say so is to speak contrary to Scripture and to the experience of Christians. What is meant? First the Bible speaks of a weak faith and throughout Scripture there can be found consolation that is surely intended for those doubting and are despondent. Here is some good news: God accepts those who can only say the above Scripture; "help my unbelief." Maybe this has happened to you that faith has become mere intellectual assent because faith has become founded on assurance. If so, then faith is nothing more than an intellectual function. Furthermore, when faith is founded upon assurance it is easy to become censorious. We begin to refuse and recognize those who do not agree with us. Now, this is not to say not to disagree with those whose practices and theology are contrary to Scripture for we are commanded to be on watch for those types and to correct wrong when it occurs. The Apostles and early Church fathers spoke and wrote against heresy and wrongdoing. What is refused is matters of indifference such as simple as using chairs, or Church pews, maybe more serious would be communion; is it done every Sunday, once a month? When? The Bible speaks clearly on that matter, when it is done, then do it as set forth in the Bible. If we continue to refuse other brothers and sisters in Christ we often are also, antinimian. 

     The Scriptures teach and experience teach that assurance is attainable and is a privilege and a duty. When faith is not present there may be assurance, but where there is true faith, the lace of assurance is either to the weakness of faith, or to erroneous views of the plan of salvation. It is easy to become to introspective, meaning that those who are are looking exclusively within themselves and their hope is graduated by the degree of evidence of regeneration which they find in their own experience. Only rarely can this lead  to the assurance of hope. It is that we may examine ourselves microscopically and never be satisfied that we have eliminated every ground  of misgiving and doubt. You see, the ground of assurance is not so much within us, it is without us. Scripture is universal and unconditional in regards to the promises that God gives to those who come to Him in Christ. God will in no way cast them out and whoever will come, take this living water can and without any money for there is no price that can buy that promise. We must abound in assurance that God is faithful and will certainly save those who believe. God love in infinite, immutable, and gratuitous. Paul writes in Romans 8:34, and emphasizes these points: "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34). The covenant of redemption promises that all given by the Father to the Son, shall come to Him, and that none of them will be lost: :While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled" (John 17:12). Christ infinitely makes intercession for all those given to Him and the Holy Spirit assures us that we are the objects of that love which Paul goes on to describe as not only infinite, but immutable, and gratuitous (Romans 5:3-5). It is the Holy Spirit that bears witness that we are the children of God. Now, if any true believer lacks the assurance of faith, this fault is within themselves and not in the plan of salvation or in the promises of God.

     Our assurance is not of faith, but, it is included in faith. Assurance is just that, it is assured, it is promised by the immutable and infinite God, through His Son and testified to His children. Rest assured, have faith in God, and allow the rest and peace of God guard your hearts.

For the LORD is righteous,

     He loves righteousness;

His countenance beholds the 

    upright.

                 Psalm 11:7

May God Bless

Richard L. Crumb

Participation in The Life of Chirst is an Effect of Faith

...That Christ may dwell

in you hearts

through faith;

that you, being rotted

and grounded 

in love.

Ephesians 3:17

     This union with Christ is participation in His life, by faith, it is an effect of faith. We are partakers of His death and resurrection (Romans 6:4-10). Jesus Christ is in us: "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness" (Romans 9:10). Jesus gave an illustration of this life as branches being grafted into the vine (John 15:1-16). As with any grafted branch into the vine, the life of the vine is diffused to and through the branches. This means that the children of God are partakers of this life, this spiritual and eternal life. Paul illustrates the same when using the example of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Christ is the head: "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1:22). It is the body that is joined to the head and edifying all parts in love giving life and energy to the whole body. the indwelling of the Spirit is the indwelling Jesus Christ. Paul writes: "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:9-11). 

     We should never explain this mystical union which is vital between Jesus Christ  and His people as a mere union of thought and feeling, this is absolutely inadmissible. It is contrary to the plain meaning of the words. An example would be that to use Plato as dwelling in men, that it is his life that is their life, that man can do nothing without him, and that their holiness, happiness and eternal life is in him, would be fallacious and inadmissible to any sentient person. If one supposes that this union is of feeling and thinking as that our union is analogous as one man to another, their supposition is contrary to Scripture. This union is a relation between men and a divine person, who has Himself given His life to as many as He wills to give. Further it ignores  all that Scripture teaches of the work of the Holy Spirit and of His indwelling in the hearts of men. Finally, to think that this union is one of feeling and thought is to overlook the supernatural character of Christianity.  This thinking then would reduce Christianity to nothing more than a mere philosophical and ethical system.

     This union with Jesus Christ bring peace: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). God promises pardon, to be received into His favor, and salvation to all who would believe that God is reconciling us.  Our faith may be weak or strong, and peace may be intermitting and tremulous, but it is assured.

Blessed are those whose

     lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

    Blessed is the man to whom

The LORD shall not impute

     sin.

                         Psalm 32:1-2

May God's love be with you

Richard L. Crumb

Through Faith We Are Justified

For this reason I bow my knees

to the Father of our 

Lord Jesus Christ,

from whom the whole family

in heaven and earth is named,

that He would grant you,

according to the riches

of His glory,

to be strengthened with might

through His Spirit in the inner man,

that Christ may dwell

in your hearts through faith;

that you, 

being rooted and grounded in love...

Ephesians 3:14-17

     It is this union with Jesus Christ that is the proximate effect, and that of justification. Two effects occur simultaneously when we through faith, and that of the free gift of God, come to Jesus Christ as Savior through faith, and that is justification and sanctification. Both occur in the sight of God through Jesus Christ we have both effects. An example is the thief on the cross, who by means of his faith entered in paradise with Jesus Christ upon his death. He did nothing of himself to achieve that wonderful promise, that of of living with our Savior for eternity. Now being justified is one thing, being sanctified is another, for we are justified in this life, but we must allow ourselves to become sanctified, and that is through our faith and our participation in Jesus Christ. This sanctification is a growing effect, not stagnant, and as we are renewed we come within ourselves, Jesus Christ becomes our head and our life. Paul writes: Knowing that a man s not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be saved" (Galatians 2:16). Now, it is faith, the condition upon which God  promises in the covenant of salvation and redemption to impute unto men righteousness of Christ. It is not any righteousness of ourselves, it is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed, as was done to the thief on the cross. Therefore, as soon as  a child of God believes he is no longer condemned. It it by being clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ that answers all charges of condemnation. Those who would adhere to a theology of a person who may lose their salvation have no ground for such a theology. When God saves, you are saved! Again, Paul, and I, remind all, that there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and that faith one has is due solely to the election of God: "Who is he who condemns? it is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us" (Romans 8:33-34). 

     What joy should flood the soul! What more does anyone need to be exhilarated about than the fact that by Jesus Christ' oblation, and passion, all who God has elected to salvation will come and never lose their right through the work of Christ and our faith, not of ourselves, but of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit living in our hearts, we are saved, saved for eternity. Let us then be reminded, although we have been saved, justified, sanctified, through Jesus Christ, we must by all necessity have our lives renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, the Holy Spirit will renew us only as we allow Him to do so. One of the ways, and the best way to do that is by reading and applying His Word in our lives. This changing power and revelation is by means of that Word.  It is that Word in our hearts that the Holy Spirit recalls in those times when we need it most. The Psalmist states: How can a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought you; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:9-11). 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

     be with you all. Amen

                            Philippians 4:23

Richard L. Crumb