Can We Know that we are Saved?
August 1, 2004
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About 70% of the people in the United States, when asked— |
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“If you were to die today, do you know for certain you would go to Heaven?” |
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—answered “I’m not sure ” or worse, “No, I’m not going to Heaven ”. |
How would YOU answer this question about going to Heaven?
From our last survey, there was a question #11 which asked, “What question have we not asked that you would like to have answered?” This is the question that one of our members submitted: “Did Stephen and Paul know without a doubt they were going to heaven?” This morning, we want to address that question.
I. What statements do we have from these two men?
A. We’ll start with Stephen since his death occurred first.
1. The statement of his experience.
(Acts 7:55-56 NKJV) But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, {56} and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
2. I believe this was a special assurance to Stephen that He was right with God, and would live with Him eternally.
B. Consider Paul’s statement.
1. A statement of his faith.
(2 Tim 1:12 KJV) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
2. His final statement about where he would spend eternity.
(2 Tim 4:8 NKJV) Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
A. He was the great apostle Paul to be sure.
B. He was also Saul who persecuted the church, and he never forgot it.
(1 Cor 15:9 NKJV) For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
(Eph 3:8 NKJV) To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
C. He had many of the same struggles that we have.
1. He found himself not doing the good that he wanted to do.
(Rom 7:18-19 NKJV) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. {19} For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
2. But Christ was the answer for his problems.
(Rom 7:24-25 NKJV) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? {25} I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
(Rom 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
D. Are we without sin?
1. John makes it very clear that we are not without sin.
(1 John 1:8-9 NKJV) 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.
2. We are not to be continually sinning.
(1 John 5:18 NKJV) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
(1 John 5:18 NIV) We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.
(1 John 5:18 TLB) No one who has become part of God's family makes a practice of sinning, for Christ, God's Son, holds him securely, and the devil cannot get his hands on him.
(1 John 5:18 Amp) We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him [Christ’s divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch [him].
III. Is there assurance for Christians today?
A. John says that we may know that we have eternal life.
(1 John 5:11-13 NKJV) And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. {12} He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. {13} These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
B. Can we be overconfident?
1. Paul indicated that just because we feel good about ourselves is not proof that we are approved of God.
(1 Cor 4:4 NKJV) For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.
2. But we should have peace and hope.
(Rom 5:1-2 NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
“Now I lay me down to sleep
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”
I believe we ought to be able to live with the sentiments of that prayer:
That we are “safe in the hands of Jesus.”
As the Psalmist put it:
(Psa 23:4 NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
3. We should not become careless, or presume upon His grace, but we should not live our lives in constant fear that if we die at the wrong moment we will be eternally lost.
(Heb 2:14-15 NKJV) Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, {15} and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
There is a bondage to fear. A fear that God does not want His faithful children to have!
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