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Assurance
of Salvation
Eternal Security
It is said that D.L. Moody
was once accosted on a Chicago street by a drunk who exclaimed
“Aren’t you Mr.
Moody? Why
I’m one of your converts!” Said Moody in reply
“That must be true
for you surely aren’t one of the Lord’s.”
The
gospel promises not only forgiveness of sins but also new life. When a person
receives this new life
his or her life should begin to show some changes.
Eternal Security
Those who don’t believe in
eternal security say that the doctrine leads to license and sin. This is as
absurd as saying that because we have Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance
we will
chew on razor blades or guzzle hydrochloric acid. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Assurance of Salvation
Several years ago one of the
astronauts who walked on the moon was interviewed and asked
“What do you think
about as you stood on the moon and looked back at the earth?” The astronaut
replied
“I remembered how the spacecraft was built by the lowest bidder.”
We as Christians can rejoice that the
work of salvation did not go to the “lowest bidder” but was performed by an
infinite God. There will never be a deficiency in his work. Our salvation is as
sure as the architect of that salvation
almighty God. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Assurance of Salvation
Picture a small lake in the north when
winter has just made itself at home. A wooden dock juts out into the thin shell
of ice on the pond. Over the whole scene lies a cotton cushion of snow. A young
lad walks out onto the dock
long familiar to him from lazy summer days of
fishing. He daydreams at the end of the dock
but suddenly his sister’s call
from shore arouses him. As he turns around to see her
he loses his balance
one
of his feet lands on the ice
and he crashes into the icy water.
You see
as long as both his feet were
solidly planted on the wooden dock
the boy stood securely. But as soon as he
shifted one foot to the ice
even though by mistake
he toppled into the water.
As long as we keep our trust totally
on Christ’s finished work on the cross
we stand assured of God’s promise of
eternal life. But as soon as we rest any weight on the thin ice of our own
efforts
we will topple into the icy waters of insecurity. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Assurance of Salvation
There is a commonly known story that
comes from the life of Martin Luther. It is said that the devil approached
Luther one day and tried to use the fact that every person is fallible. He
presented the Reformer with a long list of sins of which he was guilty. When he
had finished reading
Luther said to Satan
“Think a little harder; you must
have forgotten some.” This the devil did and added other sins to the list. At
the conclusion of this exchange
Martin Luther simply said
“That’s fine. Now
write across that list in red ink
‘The blood of Jesus Christ
His Son
cleanses us from all sin.’” There was nothing the devil could say to that. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Assurance of Salvation
There is a story about a boy flying a
kite. The kite was so high that it had disappeared into the clouds. A man came
by and asked
“Why are you holding on to that string?” The boy said
“I’ve got
a kite up there.” The man looked up and said
“I don’t see it.” The boy
replied
“Well
I know it’s there because I can feel the tug.”
That’s like the witness of the Holy
Spirit within us. We may not always see the evidence
but we feed a tug in our
hearts constantly
letting us know that we are in touch with God. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Assurance of Salvation
C.H. Spurgeon is quoted as saying that
he was so sure of his salvation that he could grab on to a cornstalk and swing
out over the fires of hell
look into the face of the devil
and sing
“Blessed
assurance
Jesus is mine!”
When the storms of life
the winds of
trouble
and the sea of discomfort and emotional agony seem to overwhelm
we
have to say with the songwriter
“Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’
blood and righteousness… We dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean
on Jesus’ name.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Harry
Ironside stated that salvation was like Noah inviting a pagan in his day to
place his trust in God's Word and come in to the ark. Some view salvation like
Noah offering to put a peg on the outside of the ark. "If you just hang on
through the storm
you'll be saved." Salvation is not dependent on our
holding on to God
but on our being securely held by and in Christ.
Source
Unknown.
No Illustrations yet.
'Tis not God's design that
men should obtain assurance in any other way
than by mortifying corruption
and increasing in grace
and obtaining the lively exercises of it. And although
self-examination be a duty of great use and importance
and by no means to be
neglected; yet it is not the principal means
by which the saints do get
satisfaction of their good estate. Assurance is not to be obtained so much by
self-examination
as by action.
Jonathan Edwards
The
Religious Affections
Yale University Press
1959
p. 195.
A group of botanists went
on an expedition into a hard-to-reach location in the Alps
searching for new
varieties of flowers. One day as a scientist looked through his binoculars
he
saw a beautiful
rare species growing at the bottom of a deep ravine. To reach
it
someone would have to be lowered into that gorge. Noticing a local
youngster standing nearby
the man asked him if he would help them get the
flower. The boy was told that a rope would be tied around his waist and the men
would then lower him to the floor of the canyon. Excited yet apprehensive about
the adventure
the youngster peered thoughtfully into the chasm.
"Wait
" he said
"I'll be back
" and off he dashed. When he
returned
he was accompanied by an older man. Approaching the head botanist
the boy said
"I'll go over the cliff now and get the flower for you
but
this man must hold onto the rope. He's my dad!"
Our Daily Bread.
Watchman Nee tells about a
new convert who came in deep distress to see him. "No matter how much I
pray
no matter how hard I try
I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord.
I think I'm losing my salvation." Nee said
"Do you see this dog
here? He is my dog. He is house-trained; he never makes a mess; he is obedient;
he is a pure delight to me. Out in the kitchen I have a son
a baby son. He
makes a mess
he throws his food around
he fouls his clothes
he is a total
mess. But who is going to inherit my kingdom? Not my dog; my son is my heir.
You are Jesus Christ's heir because it is for you that He died." We are
Christ's heirs
not through our perfection but by means of His grace.
Watchman Nee.
F.B. Meyer wrote about two
Germans who wanted to climb the Matterhorn. They hired three guides and began
their ascent at the steepest and most slippery part. The men roped themselves
together in this order: guide
traveler
guide
traveler
guide. They had gone
only a little way up the side when the last man lost his footing. He was held
up temporarily by the other four
because each had a toehold in the niches they
had cut in the ice. But then the next man slipped
and he pulled down the two
above him. The only one to stand firm was the first guide
who had driven a
spike deep into the ice. Because he held his ground
all the men beneath him
regained their footing. F.B. Meyer concluded his story by drawing a spiritual
application. He said
"I am like one of those men who slipped
but thank
God
I am bound in a living partnership to Christ. And because He stands
I
will never perish."
Our Daily Bread.
Morris Mandel
on
security: When God made the oyster
he guaranteed his absolute economic and
social security. He built the oyster a house
his shell
to shelter and protect
him from his enemies. When hungry
the oyster simply opens his shell and food
rushes in for him. He has freedom from want.
But when God made the
eagle he declared: "The blue sky is the limit -- build your own
house!" So the eagle built on the highest mountain. Storms threaten him
every day. For food he flies through miles of rain and snow and wind. But think
of it
the eagle
not the oyster
is the emblem of America.
The Jewish Press.
The story is told of a
monastery in Portugal
perched high on a 3
000 foot cliff and accessible only
by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single
rope by several strong men
perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded
basket. One American tourist who visited the site got nervous halfway up the cliff
when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed. Hoping to relive his fear he
asked
"How often do you change the rope?" The monk in charge
replied
"Whenever it breaks!"
Daily Walk
March 30
1992.
During initial
construction on the Golden Gate Bridge
no safety devices were used and 23 men
fell to their deaths. For the final part of the project
however
a large net
was used as a safety precaution. At least 10 men fell into it and were saved
from certain death. Even more interesting
however
is the fact that 25% more
work was accomplished after the net was installed. Why? Because the men had the
assurance of their safety
and they were free to wholeheartedly serve the
project.
Unknown.
The 3-year old felt secure
in his father's arms as Dad stood in the middle of the pool. But Dad
for fun
began walking slowly toward the deep end
gently chanting
"Deeper and
deeper and deeper
" as the water rose higher and higher on the child. The
lad's face registered increasing degrees of panic
as he held all the more
tightly to his father
who
of course
easily touched the bottom. Had the
little boy been able to analyze his situation
he'd have realized there was no
reason for increased anxiety. The water's depth in ANY part of the pool was
over his head. Even in the shallowest part
had he not been held up
he'd have
drowned. His safety anywhere in that pool depended on Dad. At various points in
our lives
all of us feel we're getting "out of our depth" --
problems abound
a job is lost
someone dies. Our temptation is to panic
for
we feel we've lost control. Yet
as with the child in the pool
the truth is
we've never been in control over the most valuable things of life. We've always
been held up by the grace of God
our Father
and that does not change. God is
never out of his depth
and therefore we're safe when we're "going
deeper" than we've ever been.
Charles Ryrie
So Great
Salvation
Victor Books
1989
p. 137ff.
A manager and a sales rep
stood looking at a map on which colored pins indicated the company
representative in each area. "I'm not going to fire you
Wilson
" the
manager said
"but I'm loosening your pin a bit just to emphasize the
insecurity of your situation."
Bits & Pieces
May 26
1994.
A Japanese attack on
Hawaii is regarded as the most unlikely thing in the world
with one chance in
a million of being successful. Besides having more powerful defenses than any
other post under the American Flag
it is protected by distance.
Taken from the book At
Dawn We Slept by Gordon Prange. Written on Sept. 6
1941 by journalist
Clarke Beach.