How can I be sure - I have been saved
How can I be sure I have been saved?
How can I be sure that I haven’t got it all wrong?
How can I be sure that my life is not just a waste of space?
John 10:22-30
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered round him, saying, How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered, I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one.
They wanted certainty. The only certainty that Jesus would offer them was that his sheep knew him and he knew them and they were safe with him.
Will I find a husband or wife? If I do, how can I be sure that they are the right person?
If I am married, how can I trust my wife? Is she being faithful to me?
Does my husband love me?
What will my exam results be? Will I get into college?
Am I going to hit my target for the firm this quarter?
Will I have enough money to buy food at the end of the month or pay the rent?
When it comes to the big questions of life there are plenty of voices telling us that faith and the bible and believing in God are stupid. There the intellectuals like Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens, there are the liberal humanists like Polly Toynbee or authors like Philip Pullman. Much of the media is liberal and atheistic. Followers of Jesus find themselves in the minority in school, college, work or even on your street.
It’s enough to make anyone uncertain and unsure.
Alison and I went to a funeral on Thursday. Liz Brice (the lady in the wheelchair).
Her family had decided to do a completely non-religious funeral as they are atheists.
In many ways it was a charming funeral. It reflected her personality – full of fun, somewhat light-hearted. There was an open coffin and it was all quite prettily presented.
But in other ways it was an empty memorial. Underpinned by people’s anger at the suffering she endured for which they had no explanation and it expressed no hope for the future. No reason for life and in particular no reason for the suffering of a life blighted by MS. No certainty of meaning or purpose.
Although I respect other people’s decision to live a life without belief in God, it is not a prospect that I find at all enticing.
As Christians, as people who have chosen to follow Jesus, we are privileged to walk in certainty. We know what we are here for. We are given a purpose and a hope for the future. We have a context for suffering and for doubt.
How can I be sure?
- God’s promise is declared in the bible and based in history
- A personal relationship with Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit
- Becoming more like Jesus
- Decisions and declarations in your life
We can be sure because God revealed himself in history
He is the God who loves us enough to reveal himself to us. Not a distant and unfriendly god.
We know what he is like because of Jesus, God’s son.
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John goes on to say that as one of the disciples he has seen, touched and heard him. Jesus was a real, living, walking, talking human being. But even the disciples had doubts – remember the story about Thomas who demanded to see Jesus before believing he was alive.
Sometimes we doubt too:
I am not sure. I struggle to believe – do I believe?
I have behaved badly. I am not good enough. I am afraid I will miss out.
The fact is that your thoughts and doubts are normal.
But the good news is that you can be sure. You can choose to live your life in the assurance of your salvation.
Jesus’ life and death is an historical fact and the bible tells us clearly why he died.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God has made it possible for you to be saved. And this is a matter for rejoicing.
Imagine it this way: a judge is sitting in the early hours after the riots in London. A young, dishevelled man is brought up to the dock charged with looting and theft. The appropriate punishment is a fine of £10,000.
The young man knows he hasn’t got the money and hangs his head in the realisation that means a prison sentence. But then the judge takes off his wig and gown. Gets out his cheque book and writes out the cheque for £10,000 and the young man can walk free. He is forgiven, redeemed, saved.
Why would the judge do that? Because he recognised the unshaven, poorly-dressed man as his long lost son.
We are a long way from God and when we stand in the dock we know we are guilty and that we can’t pay the price of our release. But then we find that the judge is our loving, merciful, heavenly father who has done what is needed to set us free, to save us.
Or think of the political prisoners being released from Libyan jails. The people broke into the compounds and with hammers and pickaxes smashing open the doors of the cells and set the prisoners free.
In Jesus, God has broken into the prison and zapped the locks on the doors and we are set free. Free from an imprisonment in loneliness and separation from Him. Set free and saved by believing in him. Jesus has paid the price for your sin and mine.
The symbol for this is the cross. The physical, painful, torture instrument that is the cross.
Jesus crucified is the historical statement that declares our freedom and salvation.
John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, It is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (life).
It is finished? The sacrifice for sins. For yours and for mine.
It has been done, accomplished, complete, consummated, final, forever.
When Jesus died for us it was sufficient, it did the entire deed of forgiveness needed.
When Jesus rose from the dead he triumphed over death and brought life.
Romans 8:1,2
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is something that has happened, when you believe in him you are forgiven and saved through an actual person and event, Jesus crucified.
It is done and remains forever accomplished. Is that not good news?
So you can be sure because of a biblical promise based in an historical event.
You can also be sure because you have a relationship with a person with Jesus.
We build trust and assurance by wisely placing our trust in a person.
Not in the sat nav but in the driver who knows the way.
Not in a map but in the guide - for life.
Not in a belief system or an institution but in the all-powerful and loving person of Jesus.
I am sure of Alison. I believe in Alison.
I don’t believe that she is faithful to me because of the private detectives I have watching her when I am not around or the CCTV cameras in the house.
I believe in her because I know her. Because 30 years ago we went through a public ceremony which was a symbol of our commitment to each other. I have heard her promises to me.
There are times when we feel more distant from each other than at other times. Times when we treat each other wrongly and need to say sorry and forgive each other. But I don’t need cameras and private detectives to believe in her.
Even more so, I believe in Jesus because I know him.
Miracles are great and intellectual rigour is encouraging. But I know Jesus even when there are no miracles and when the intellectual formulas don’t seem to work.
I have read and heard his promises to me. I have understood what Jesus, God’s son, did for me on the cross. I have made a public statement by being baptised.
I have questions and times when I don’t understand. I often have doubts.
I do wander from him sometimes, do things I shouldn’t do - and feel distant.
But I repent, turn around, say sorry and receive his forgiveness. Whether or not I have answers to all the questions, whether or not my circumstances are great. And through thick and thin I know he is there, forgiving me, affirming me and calling me on.
How can I be sure?
- God’s promise is declared in the bible and based in history.
You can be sure because the bible tells the truth about a real human being, Jesus Christ, living, dying and being raised from death in our history. You can be sure because God has promised that you are his. He has done what is needed. Jesus has promised that no-one can take us from his hand.
- A personal relationship with Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit
You can be sure because when you repent and ask Jesus for forgiveness he gives you his Holy Spirit to live in you and speak to you of his love and mercy and grace. The Holy Spirit does in us what Jesus did for us. Setting us free. I am loved and am able to love him.
- Becoming more like Jesus
In fact the word save has even deeper meanings in that it also refers to healing – to healing of our souls and minds and bodies. Being made whole. Being saved - being set free and put right and reconciled with our creator starts a process of becoming whole.
So you can be sure because you can see your life change – you become free from guilt and shame, you begin to live differently; things that once dogged you and held you down no longer have power of you. You can start to break bad habits and learn to love instead of hate. We will look at this more next week.
- Decisions and declarations in your life
You can be sure because you can choose a point when you make a decision to follow Jesus. You can choose to be baptised as a dynamic symbol of what has happened in your life. You can be filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to understand what he is saying to you.
Let me speak to those who have followed Jesus for a long time.
Don’t forget the wonder of your salvation. Don’t take it for granted. Receive his grace and forgiveness every day, say thank you every day, share the good news every day, live it out every day. Commit yourself to a life that follows hard after Jesus, seeking to become more like him and more effective in changing the world.
Let me speak to those who are new to faith.
For those who have recently decided to follow Jesus, expect your life to change (just as if you had got married): ensure you take the basic steps to get you travelling in the right direction: get baptised, read the bible, pray – alone and with others, join a house group and come on Sundays to celebrate and to learn. Take the opportunity to share the good news of God’s forgiveness and grace with others.
Let me speak to those who haven’t yet decided
If you are still asking questions, seeking, uncertain about Jesus – that’s fine. The choice is ever before you. Don’t leave it too long! Step forward, invite Jesus into your life and experience the promise of God and freedom from captivity, the power to live, the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Then you too can be sure of your salvation.
This is the good news. It’s fantastic and amazing. We can live lives with confidence and optimism when we know this. We can smile and celebrate with joy whatever the circumstances of our lives.
Jesus was crucified for you and for me so that we can receive forgiveness for our sins and be restored to a relationship with our loving, creator God.
You can be sure that you have been saved.
John 10:22-30
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
David Flowers, 04/09/2011