Assurance
Assurance is of the Essence of Saving Faith – 1997 Grace Evangelical Society Conference – MP3 / YouTube
What is the difference between saving faith and assurance? Why is the nature of the gospel message, such that when a person believes the biblical gospel, he necessarily has the assurance of eternal salvation? If a person is not assured of his eternal salvation, then that person is not believing the gospel message of eternal life. Believing something false never saved anybody, although believing a falsehood may give false assurance. What is saving faith? Is it a persuasion or a decision? Most false professions are made when the decision/process precedes the persuasion. What does it mean to believe that Jesus is the Christ? It means that Jesus is the guarantor of resurrection and eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. At the moment of saving faith, the believer is sure that he is eternally saved. Passages mentioned include: John 3:16, 20:31; 1 John 5:1; John 11:25-27; John 9:35-38; Matthew 11:2-3; and 2 Timothy 2:18.
Assurance of Salvation – 1976 Dallas Theological Seminary Chapel – MP3 / YouTube
How do I really know that I have eternal life? We, as Christians, need the assurance that our basic relationship with our heavenly Father is not altered even by our failures or even by our sins. Does assurance come from seeking and serving God with the utmost diligence? Does assurance really rest on our perseverance in good works until the end of life? The fundamental grounds for assurance that we possess eternal life rests always on the promise of God. If we are searching for assurance in anything that we find in ourselves, we will never find assurance if we are candid and honest with ourselves. Faith is not occupied with itself. Faith is occupied with God and faith is occupied with the testimony of God. We are not invited to believe that we believe, but to believe that what God says is true. Passages mentioned include: 1 John 5:9-13, 1 John 1:3-4; 2:1,12-14,20-21,24-26; and John 3:16, 5:24, 6:35.
What Is Saving Faith? (April 21, 1990) – MP3 / YouTube
In this message given at Jansen Bible Church shortly after the publication Absolutely Free! (1989), Zane Hodges answers the following questions: What is Lordship Salvation? Is there any substantive difference between Lordship Salvation and the Free Grace position? Is the difference between Lordship Salvation and Free Grace, just a difference in semantics? What is saving faith? Why does Lordship Salvation need to redefine saving faith? Why is assurance part and parcel with saving faith? After his message, Zane answers various questions on salvation, including: What is the content of saving faith? Passages mentioned include: Revelation 22:17; 1 John 5:9-13; John 3:16; John 5:24; John 6:47; Acts 16:31; John 11:25-27; John 20:30-31; James 2:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 11:29; John 15; 1 John 1:5-6; 1 John 3:11-15; 2 Peter 1:3, 5-Revelation 22:17; 1 John 5:9-13; John 3:16; John 5:24; John 6:47; Acts 16:31; John 11:25-27; John 20:30-31; James 2:19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 11:29; John 15; 1 John 1:5-6; 1 John 3:11-15; 2 Peter 1:3, 5-7.
Luke 23:44-46 – The Cross of Christ Is God’s Waiting Room (April 7, 1996) – MP3 / YouTube
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is an amazing story. It is heartwarming, inspiring and absolutely true. Will the living Lord find you in the waiting room? All the pain in God’s waiting room has been borne by the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian has entered God’s waiting room and is waiting for the return of Christ to take them back to be with Himself. The only way to get into God’s waiting room is faith in the One, who loved you, died for you, and rose again. The only way we can take advantage of what Jesus has done for us is to believe on Him for everlasting life. The Christian can also learn something in God’s waiting room. Jesus died the way He lived His life, in confident trust of His loving heavenly Father. The cross of Jesus Christ is not only God’s waiting room, where we wait confidently for the coming of His Son, but it is also our school room where we learn to trust God through all our lives. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ for everlasting life, then you can trust Jesus for everything else regardless of what it may be. Other passages: John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:1-9; Hebrews 10:20; 1 Peter 3:18; Philippians 3:20; John 3:16; Titus 3:5; John 5:24; Psalms 22:14-15; John 20:5-7; Revelation 1:18; Hebrews 10:23.
Romans Part 4 (Romans 8:10-16:27) – God is to be Glorified in Us (May 20, 1997) – MP3 / YouTube
God has visited us with His wonderful mercy. We have been justified by faith. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are to experience resurrection life. In experiencing resurrection life, we are to work out the will of God. The bottom line of everything is that God is to be glorified in us. There is an extended discussion on Romans 8:22-23, Romans 8:16 (Holy Spirit’s role in assurance), and Romans 10:9. Zane answers the question of “What about those who have never heard the Gospel?” Other passages mentioned include: Genesis 27, Hebrews 12:16-17, Malachi 1:2,3, 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; Joel 2; John 5:24; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 11:22-24; Genesis 18:25; Genesis 1:2-3; and 2 Corinthians 4:6.