DCA 102 ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
1. Know what happened to him at Salvation?
2. Develop confidence in his Salvation experience.
3. Understand the remission of sins and the gift of righteousness.
4. Know who he is in Christ.
INTRODUCTION
There are three reasons why people don’t have confidence in their salvation:
- SIN CONSCIOUSNESS (2 COR. 5:21)
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- Most times people are still aware of their past sin that they cannot take hold of the gift of salvation which they have received.
- This problem is solved by the revelation of the remission of sin (see Luke 24:47) and the revelation of Justification and righteousness (ability to stand in the presence of God without guilt or condemnation):
- There are two ways the believer is made righteous. One is by imputation and the other is by Impartation. Imputation means that the Righteousness of Jesus is transferred to our accounts while impartation means the nature of God, is put in us.
Luke 24:47 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- There are many times a believer does not feel like he is saved.
- This problem can be solved by the teaching of faith in God’s word and not in feelings because feelings are not dependable. Feelings can change with circumstances. They are affected by Weather, Events etc. which themselves are constantly changing. In the things of God, we move by faith and not by feelings or emotions.
- FEELINGS (2 COR. 5:7)
2 Corinthians 5:7 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
- SATAN’S ACCUSATION (REV. 12:10-11)
Revelation 12:10-11 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
• Satan is referred to in the bible as “The accuser of the brethren who accuses us before God, day & night”. This can seriously affect our confidence in salvation if we allow it.
To tackle this, we need to:
• Understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer, especially in bearing witness with our spirit that we are sons of God (Rom. 8:16).
Romans 8:16 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• Understand the power of the blood of Jesus, which is the price He paid for our sin.
• Understand what the word of God has said about our salvation and use it against the enemy when he accuses us (2 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 8:1, 33-39).
2 Corinthians 5:7 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Romans 8:1 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:33-39 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Understand the role of confession i.e. Keep saying over yourself what God has said concerning you. Know that the accuser is not the Holy Spirit but the devil.
• Understand the difference between the convicting and comforting ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the accusation ministry of the devil. The Holy Spirit never accuses, He only convicts and comforts. The devil does not convict, he only accuses and condemns. Conviction works in your favour, accusation works against you. The Holy Spirit is your defense attorney while the devil is your prosecuting attorney.
• Know that when sin is confessed, it is forgiven and forgotten (remitted).
SECTION 1 – LESSON
- WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST?
• My Sins Were Remitted. When you remit money to someone else; it means the money is gone. It is no longer yours. Remission means the sin is wiped and blotted out; it is forgotten (Is. 43:25). Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins.
The accuser listed all the things against me on paper but God set it on fire – That is remission (Heb. 10:16-18). It is beyond atonement. In atonement, sins are covered and compensated for. In remission, sins are forgiven, erased and forgotten.
Hebrews 10:16-18 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
• I Was Justified, declared not guilty. Justification is the opposite of condemnation (Rom 5:8-10). The case against me was thrown out and I stand before God as though I never sinned.
Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. - WHAT IF I DON’T FEEL LIKE I AM SAVED?
• – You don’t have to feel saved to know that you are saved, because salvation is a spiritual reality. (Explain the differences between feeling and faith and the difference between facts and the truth). Facts are changeable, truth is unchangeable, Feelings can be based on fact but faith is based on truth. It does not change. (Rom. 3:4) Romans 3:4 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Facts are the present reality of a truth but Truth is eternal. Therefore our faith should not be based on facts or feeling but on God’s word. 2 Cor. 4:18, 2 Cor. 5:7 Facts are temporal realities while truth is eternal reality. 2 Corinthians 4:18 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:7 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) - HOW DO I KNOW THAT I AM SAVED?
• God’s word says so. If you fulfill the conditions in Rom 10:9-10, you are guaranteed salvation and God’s word cannot lie. Romans 10:9-10 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
• The Witness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. (1 John 5:10, Rom. 8:16).
1 John 5:10 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• You will notice an unusual love for God and for the brethren (1 John 3:14; 1 John 4:7).
1 John 3:14 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1 John 4:7 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
• If you believe in the name of Jesus Christ (John 1:12) and receive Him into your life, then know for sure that you are saved.
John 1:12 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: - WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR OUR SALVATION?
• Jesus died on the cross and paid the price for our sins.
• Jesus is sinless therefore He met the qualification for being our Savior.
• Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and that proves that He was sinless. It is only a sinless man that can be used as a sacrifice for others. The wages of sin is death but Jesus’ death was not for His own sin, He died on the cross for the sin of mankind. - HOW CAN ONE BE BORN AGAIN?
- He must repent of his sins
- He must believe Jesus Christ died in his place
- He must invite Jesus Christ into his life.
- He must confess Him as the Lord and Savior of his life
SECTION 2 – DISCUSSION/APPLICATION
1. When a believer backslides has he lost his salvation? (Ez. 18:24, 3:6; Gal. 6:1; James 5:19-20)
Ezekiel 18:24 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Galatians 6:1 1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
James 5:19-20 19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Backsliding is drifting while apostasy is complete abandonment of your belief and faith in Christ. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
Hebrews 6:4-6 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
2. How does sin affect a believer’s relationship with God (if & when he sins)? (1 John 1:6-9). Sin affects a believer‘s fellowship with God but does not destroy his sonship status or position.
1 John 1:6-9 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3. What should a believer do if he falls into sin? (1 John 1: 9, Prov. 28:13).
1 John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Confess immediately, forsake, and repent.CONCLUSION
In the New Birth, you are not called to do something but you are called to receive what God has done for you by faith (Eph. 2:8).
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Salvation has security in it. God made it difficult for the one who believes in Him to go to hell but that depends on the person’s choice.
(John 6:37, John 10:27-28, Rom. 8:39, Heb. 7: 25)
John 6:37 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 10:27-28 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Romans 8:39 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
ASSIGNMENT 1
- How does sin affect a Believer?
- What if I don’t feel I am saved?
- What does it mean to be born of water and of the spirit? John 3:5
John 3:5 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. - What are the requirements for salvation?
With bullet points summarize your points; each should no more than two lines.
ASSIGNMENT 2
- List 5 Revelations that can be seen from John 3:16
John 3:16 6 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - Enumerate the benefits that the shed blood of Jesus brought to man.