Assurance and Warning, Part 2

Series: The Journey of Faith 
Message: Assurance And Warning – Part 2 
Scripture: Hebrews 6:9-12 & 1 John

How can I know that I am truly saved?

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV)

“God’s grace is His active favor bestowing the greatest gift upon those who have deserved the greatest punishment.”  William Hendriksen

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works... For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:17–18 & 26, ESV)

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone, but faith that saves is Never alone!

As I reflect on my relationship with Christ I ask:

• Am I presently in a posture of surrender and trust toward Jesus Christ?
• Am I persevering in that posture? This is not about perfection, but it is about direction.
• Am I Exhibiting signs of a new life in Christ?

Signs of New or Eternal Life In Christ 1 John

1. Am I enjoying Fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ? (1:2-3)

2. Am I increasingly Sensitive To Sin? (1:5-10 & 2:1-2)

3. Am I growing in Obedience to God’s Word? (2:3-6)

4. Am I more and more Rejecting the values of this world? (2:15-17)

5. Am I seeing a decreasing Pattern of Sin in my life? (3:1-10 & 5:18)

6. Do I have a growing Love for other Christians?  (3:10-24; 2:9-11 & 4:16-21)

7. Do I ever encounter hatred or Suffering because of my faith? (3:12-13)

““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18, ESV)

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14, ESV)

8. Am I progressively more able to Discern between spiritual truth and error? (4:1-6)

9. Am I experiencing the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life? (4:13-15)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26, ESV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

10. Am I seeing God’s activity in answer to my Prayers?  (5:14-15 & 3:22)

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13–14, ESV)

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11–13, ESV)

As I reflect on my relationship with Christ I ask:

• Am I presently in a posture of surrender and trust toward Jesus Christ?
• Am I persevering in that posture? This is not about perfection, but it is about direction.
• Am I exhibiting signs of a new life in Christ?

Making it Personal

• Take some time to reflect on the questions above.
• What is your next step in response to these truths?
• Who can you share these truths with?