The Bible calls everyone to ask the hard questions to know where we really stand. What are the questions we should be asking to know where we stand with God? Looking at 1 John, we can shape our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ. In this video, Pastor David Platt provides guidance on being assured of salvation through the Bible.
- Why to Seek Assurance
- Where to Seek Assurance
Spiritual deception is a very dangerous thing, so it’s wise to ask, “How do I know if I’m truly a follower of Christ?” And scripture even encourages us, in places like 2 Corinthians 13:5, to test ourselves, examine ourselves to see if we’re in the faith. And so we need to ask the question, first and foremost, have we repented and believed? Have we turned from our sin and ourselves and trusted in Jesus’s as savior and Lord?
Have we turned aside from every effort to save ourselves and said, “Only in Christ, by faith alone in him, can I be made right before God?” Have you leaned completely on him for salvation? Have you submitted your life to him as the Savior and Lord that he is? And so have you repented and believed? These are questions that scripture beckons us to ask.
And then scripture gives us books like First John. I would encourage anybody struggling with assurance of salvation to spend time in First John. First John is written so that we might have assurance, we might know that we are followers of Christ, and that assurance is based on the past work of Christ on a cross for us, and our continually believing in that, and then the effects of that in our lives.
The Spirit Of God Is With Us
There’s no question that the Spirit of God assures us of His presence with us as we walk with Him, as we obey Him. And that’s part of what First John is about, is the more we walk with Christ, the more we obey Christ, the more we live out the life of Christ, the more our assurance grows. It’s not that we are earning salvation by what we’re doing; it’s that we’re assured of the salvation we already have because we see evidence of the Spirit of Christ working in us.
Questions To Ask If You Are Questioning Assurance of Salvation?
I would encourage anybody who’s wrestling with these things. These are good things to wrestle with. So examine, “What does scripture teach about what it really means to follow Christ, repent and believe? Has this been a reality? Has this become a reality in my life?” and then spend time in First John and ask questions about it, “Am I continually believing in Christ? Am I continually following Christ? And where are areas where I need to repent of sin that’s creeping back into my life?” And as the spirit works that conviction in our heart, the spirit’s work is actually in a sense affirming us that we’re his child, and he’s drawn us into a deeper and deeper intimacy with himself. These are good questions to ask. They’re questions we need to ask.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
