Questions Answered in This Article
What does the Bible say about assurance in Christ?
The Bible teaches that true assurance comes from God's prior act of grace and revelation of forgiveness through Christ.
When we consider our faith, it's important to realize that its authenticity is evaluated by what we see in Scripture as God's historical acts of grace. The Lord reveals His grace to us through His word, which becomes the foundation for our belief. Therefore, our assurance is based on the objective truth of Christ's atoning work and the promises of God that are unfailingly reliable, providing us with the confidence we seek amid spiritual uncertainty. The culmination of faith, then, lies not in our strength in believing, but in resting upon the completed work of Christ and the divine assurances given to us through the Gospel.
Romans 4:3-5, 1 John 5:13
How do we know the doctrine of grace is true?
The doctrine of grace is confirmed through Scripture, particularly in God's revelations of His sovereign actions towards humanity.
Furthermore, the consistent narrative throughout Scripture showcases how God's grace operates through various covenants and redemptive acts. For instance, the story of Abraham illustrates how God grants righteousness through faith apart from works (Romans 4). This reflection on God's faithfulness and the historical manifestations of His grace throughout biblical history helps us to affirm the truths we believe regarding grace. Ultimately, our confidence rests not on human tradition or philosophy, but on the reliability and sufficiency of God's revelation in Scripture, assuring us of the truth of the doctrine of grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:3
Why is faith in Christ alone important for Christians?
Faith in Christ alone is essential as it affirms salvation by grace and underscores the sufficiency of Christ's atonement.
Additionally, the importance of faith in Christ alone is affirmed in the doctrine of justification. Romans 5:1 declares that we are justified by faith, which illustrates the peace we gain with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This reliance on Christ not only secures our acceptance before God but also assures us of eternal life and the work of the Holy Spirit within. In a world filled with competing claims of various religious systems, faith in Christ alone draws a clear line that underscores the uniqueness of Christianity and its message of grace, making it paramount for Christians to hold firmly to this truth.
Romans 5:1, John 14:6
The truth is, it is not possible that any person can truly believe his iniquities are laid upon Christ, except there be a previous act of the Lord’s laying them on him; the Lord’s act of laying must go before our act of applying it to ourselves. It is not possible for any man to act anything, but there must be an object in being, about which it is conversant. Suppose a man believe his sins are laid upon Christ, I would fain know, whether his believing be true or false; if he believe indeed, he hath a foundation for this faith of his, and what is that? He hath a grant from the Lord, that is the very being of his faith; a grant, I say, he finds out, that is a stirring up of his believing. Now suppose I am to believe the forgiveness of my sins, what must be the ground of this my believing? The Lord must make his grant to me, and finding that, I have ground to believe it; then whensoever this grant was made, the thing that I am to believe, was done in respect of God’s act. Now we can find no grant, but as the Lord reveals the same in the word of his grace to us; when, therefore, that which is the foundation of my faith was made, then the act of God was made to me, which I apply to myself.
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