Can a Christian Have Assurance of Salvation?

In the 1960’s, the late Dr. D. James Kennedy crafted an approach to reaching the lost for Christ called Evangelism Explosion which is hinged upon two diagnostic questions:

Do you know for sure that if you were to die tonight that you would go to Heaven?, and
If you were to die tonight, and were to stand before God, and He asked, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What would you say?

Time does not permit an exploration of all of the possible responses and how to handle them, but a surprising number of professing Christians offer a spoonful of doubt with their answer to the first question:

“I hope so.”

“I am not sure.”

“I’m 90% sure.”

“I don’t think anyone can know for sure.”

So, is it possible for a Christian to be 100% sure of his salvation? Come, let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18)...

Jesus promised eternal life to those who put their trust (Gk: pisteuō) in Him (John 3:16-18, 6:47, 20:31)
Jesus is God (John 1:1,2 ,14; 8:58, 59; 10:30, 33)
God cannot lie (John 17:17; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2)

So, if Jesus, who is “the Truth,” says that you are saved when you put your trust in Him, and you don’t believe Him, what are you effectively calling Him? (Yes, a liar. Cf. 1 John 5:10)

John’s first epistle is a mighty exposition on the assurance of salvation, but I’d like to call one verse in particular to your attention:

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

If it were truly not possible for Christians to know that we have eternal life, then it would seem a rather odd for John to make, would it not?

You may not “feel saved” (whatever that means), but our salvation is not contingent upon our feelings--it is contingent upon the work that Christ did on the cross to pay for our sins, and His subsequent resurrection three days later which defeated death, validated His message and gave us the hope of the resurrection to come.

So, if you’ve confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (i.e. God) and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9), relax--He’s got this, and His purposes will not be thwarted.

Dan KreftJanuary 16, 2019