- Ephesians 2:1-9 - And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
- 1 John 5:13 - These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
- John 16:8 - And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
What is required for salvation? Each of the three Persons of the Triune God acts in our salvation and gives us the comfort of full assurance regarding our salvation. Is it possible to know without a doubt that you are saved? Yes! God wants us to have full and undoubted assurance of our salvation. Three key words strengthen our confidence in the reality of our faith: 1. Knowledge. It is important to know that we are sinners and that our sins have separated us from God. Because we cannot fix this condition on our own, our only hope for salvation is God. We must also know that Jesus is God and that He came to die in our place, and thereby saved us. 2. Conviction. One of the tasks of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin so that we can see our need for a Savior. But that alone is not enough. The Spirit of God also convinces us that the message of salvation in Christ is true and invites us to respond to it. 3. Trust. After realizing our need and the fact that Christ's provision for the forgiveness of our sins is fully sufficient, the next step is trust—believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and relying on Him. Each Person of the Triune God participates in our salvation. The Son provided the perfect sacrifice for sin, the Father draws us to Christ, and the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and assures us that believing in Jesus is the truth. We are saved by God's amazing grace and infinite love.
Reflection
What causes you to doubt your assurance of salvation, and how do the truths read today help resolve that doubt?
