Generally speaking, assurance is something we tend to have in degrees. On the one hand, I know I am a true follower of Christ. On the other hand, how certain am I? Personally, I don’t believe we can have 100% certainty on this issue. Our perseverance as Christians is the ultimate test of our faith (see Heb 3:14, noting especially the verb tenses). Thus, there are times when we may question our faith. This is absolutely appropriate. The Apostle Paul encourages those in Corinth saying, "Examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith" (2Cor 13:5).
Yet at the same time the Apostle John writes, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). And so I believe we can know with some degree of certainty whether or not we have eternal life. In this regard, Wayne Grudem describes four helpful tests which can help us to discern whether we are truly God’s children. I have summarized them here.
- Saving faith evidences itself in Christlikeness (1 John 2:4-6). If we see within ourselves the character of Christ in an increasing manner, it will provide us with a measure of assurance that we are truly God’s children.
- Saving faith evidences itself by the subjective testimony of the Spirit (Rom 8:16). Paul indicates that the Spirit gives us an inner sense of peace about our standing before God. And while we must be careful that our hearts don’t deceive us, we should expect an inward testimony of the Spirit in conjunction with the other evidences of saving faith we experience.
- Saving faith is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and should see the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5 produced in his or her life.
- Saving faith is evidenced by sound doctrine (1 John 1:23-24; 4:6). If we find that we believe and affirm the central doctrines of the Christian faith, then that should also provide us with a basis for assurance that we are truly children of God.
So, if to the best of our ability to discern we believe we are showing signs of Christlikeness, we have experienced an inner sense from the Spirit that we are truly God's children, we have seen the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and we believe the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, then we should take these things as evidence that we are truly God's children.
Lastly, I think, to the extent that we are not able to have 100% certainty, we must be content that our salvation is ultimately in God’s hands. If we have come to know God, this should encourage us all the more!
Good insights, Steve. I appreciate the softer approach.
ReplyDeleteI believe that biblical soteriology if far too dynamic to support the notions of apodictic ‘certainty’ akin to so much of the popular-level teaching on so-called “eternal security.” The experiential and psychological nature of regeneration, the indwelling and witness of the Holy Spirit and the internal struggle of sanctification—the means of our persevering in faith—cannot avail certainty, in any normal sense of the term.
For myself, “100% certainty,” with its modernistic connotations, doesn’t square with a biblical frame of reference. The idea still seems hung-over on the Enlightenment’s epistemic tonic of pure, original and absolute human Reason. The Scriptures, from the beginning (Gen 2 – 3), make clear that all our knowledge is provisional and dependant upon God. It is in His light that we can even see light (Ps 36:9).
I find it helpful in thinking about and discussing the issue to make the distinction between “eternal security” and “believer’s assurance,” stressing that it’s a material distinction, not merely one of semantics, as is often supposed. Assurance, with the varying levels of confidence it can afford, is proper to the believer. I believe that eternal security is something that, as you put it, “is ultimately in God’s hands.”
For us, then, certain knowledge of our final salvation is part of the inheritance that we wait and eagerly long for, the redemption of our bodies. And as Paul put it, “For in this hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (ESV Rom 8:24—25).
Blessings!
As you are well aware, there are three criteria for knowledge. Knowledge must be true, knowledge must be justified, and knowledge must be believed. If I believe something that is true and I am justified in my reason for believing it, then I know it.
ReplyDeleteNote that there is nothing in any of those three criteria which necessitates the modernistic type of certainty you mention.
Q: On what should we base our assurance of salvation? I know the Word and the promises of the Gospel are our rock, but how do we distinguish between real faith and mere intellectual assent? I ask this because many evangelicals make me nervous when they say that if one has doubts about one's salvation, one is probably not saved, because the Holy Spirit is supposed to provide inner assurance. (I guess this ties in to the whole Pietist problem.) But in the face of emotional ups and downs, moral failings, intellectual doubts, and confusion over doctrine, how can one know if one truly has faith in Christ?
ReplyDeleteA: Lutherans believe that faith is created and strengthened not by looking inside of one's self (to one's own faith and/or doubts) but by looking outside of one's self (to God's Word and promises in Christ). Therefore, assurance of salvation is to be sought by looking to God's Word and promises in Christ (which create and strengthen the faith through which one is saved), not by looking inward at the strength or weakness of one's own faith (which creates either pride and false assurance or doubt and lack of assurance). Anxiety regarding doubts, strength of faith and certainty of salvation are signs of faith (however weak it may be), not signs of unbelief, since the unbeliever has no concern or anxiety about doubts, faith or salvation.