Part 5
thoroughly consider what I have said about our imperfection in assurance,
just as in other graces, this ancient Protestant doctrine would be relieved of
much prejudice and gain greater respect among us.
Lastly, it is crucial to note that the reason why we are to assure ourselves
in our faith that "God freely gives Christ and salvation to us personally" is
not because it is a truth before we believe it, but because it becomes a
definite truth when we believe it, and it will never be true unless we, to
some extent, persuade and assure ourselves that it is so. There is no absolute
promise or declaration in Scripture that God certainly will or does give
Christ and His salvation to any one of us in particular; nor do we know it to
be true already through Scripture, sense, or reason before we absolutely
assure ourselves of it. Indeed, we are currently without Christ's salvation, in
a state of sin and misery, under God's curse and wrath. However, I shall
prove that we are commanded by God to assure ourselves in this way, and
the Scripture sufficiently encourages us not to deceive ourselves by
believing a falsehood but, according to our faith, it shall be unto us
(Matthew 9:29). This is a peculiar form of assurance, far distinct from other
conventional forms; hence, it is unsurprising that it may be weak and
imperfect, difficult to attain, and subject to various doubts. We are
compelled to believe other things based on the clear evidence we have that
they are true, and they would remain true whether we believe in them or
not. Therefore, we cannot deny our assent without rebelling against the
evidence provided by our senses, reason, or conscience. However, in this
case, our assurance is not impressed upon our thoughts by any evidence of
the matter; rather, we must cultivate it within ourselves with the assistance
of the Holy Spirit. This process brings our thoughts into captivity to the
obedience of Christ. Only God can justly require this type of assurance
because He alone calls things that are not as though they were (Romans
4:17). He alone can bring things into existence that do not yet exist and
make something true, based on our belief in it, even if it was not true
before. Only He can fulfil that promise: "Whatever things you desire, when
you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them" (Mark
11:24). "Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has
commanded it?" (Lamentations 3:37). Therefore, this faith is owed
exclusively to God and greatly brings glory to Him. People may often
demand a similar kind of belief, such as when someone says, "I will forgive
your transgression and be your friend if I can see that you believe it and
consider me a friend." However, their fallible word is not sufficient grounds
for us to persuade ourselves absolutely that we will receive their promised
favor.
The faith of miracles sheds some light on this matter. Christ assured those
on whom the miracles were performed, and who had been given the power
to perform them, that the miracles would occur if they believed without
doubting the outcome (Mark 11:22, 23). There is a reason for this analogy,
as the purpose of working miracles was to affirm the doctrine of the gospel,
which teaches salvation through faith in Christ's name, as clearly indicated
in the Scriptures. In truth, the salvation of a sinner is a remarkable miracle.
It is reported that wizards often require those who approach them to believe
that they will obtain what they desire, or at the very least, that the wizards
possess the ability to fulfill their desires. In doing so, the devil, who is the
master of these wizards, presents himself as an imitation of God, attempting
to claim the honour and glory that belong solely to God.
Now that I have explained the nature of the assurance I have directed to, I
will present several arguments to prove that there is, and must necessarily
be, such an assurance or conviction of our salvation within saving faith
itself.
Firstly, this assurance of salvation is implicit in the previous description
of the faith by which we receive Christ and His salvation into our hearts. I
described faith as a grace of the Spirit, through which "we wholeheartedly
believe the gospel and also believe in Christ, as He is revealed and freely
promised to us in it, for all His salvation." In the explanation, I
demonstrated that believing in Christ is equivalent to resting, relying,
leaning, and placing our confidence in Christ or God through Christ for our
salvation. Some may prefer this description because it employs terms
commonly used even by those who deny the necessity of assurance.
However, these ordinary terms do encompass assurance in the nature of
faith, and they cannot exist without it. This indicates that many people
implicitly hold and profess the doctrine of assurance, even if they believe
otherwise. Believing in Christ for salvation, as freely promised to us,
inherently involves a reliance on Christ with a conviction that salvation will
be freely given, as it has been freely promised to us. If believing with a
divine faith, grounded in the infallible truth of the promise, did not to some
extent exclude mere uncertainty and wavering opinion or conjecture, it
would not be worthy of being called faith. It would be absurd for someone
to claim that faith is merely believing that we will be saved by Christ if we
fulfill certain conditions He requires. In such a case, it would leave us in the
same state of uncertainty about our salvation until those conditions are met.
But I have already refuted such an absurd notion by demonstrating that
this believing in Christ is not only the condition of our salvation but also the
means by which we actually receive it. Believing, being the rightful action
of faith, naturally has its opposites, such as wavering (Rom. 4:20), doubting
(Matt. 14:31), and fearing (Mark 5:36). These contrary attitudes greatly
elucidate the nature of faith and show that belief must entail some
confidence, for without it, doubting would be inherent to faith itself. After
all, how can anyone who understands the value of their immortal soul and
the peril of losing it avoid fear, doubt, and distress of heart through a belief
that doesn't assure them of their salvation? The other terms used by
orthodox teachers, such as "trusting" and "resting" on Jesus Christ, etc., to
describe faith, must include assurance of salvation because they convey the
same meaning as believing in Christ. The soul requires adequate support to
withstand oppressive fears, troubles, cares, and despair, so that it may trust
and rest in this manner. Trusting and hoping in the Lord rightly involves
assuring ourselves, in the face of all fears and doubts, that the Lord is our
God and He has become our salvation. "I trusted in You, O Lord; I said,
'You are my God'" (Ps. 31:14). "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust" (Ps. 18:2). "Behold,
God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid" (Isa. 12:2). "O my soul,
hope in God, who is the health of my countenance and my God" (Ps.
42:11). True hope is founded solely in God, that He will bless us, and that
He may serve as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast (Heb. 6:17-19).
If you trust, rely, and anchor yourselves in Christ or hope in Him without
any assurance of salvation through Him, you are making no better use of
Him than if He were a broken reed. To truly anchor yourselves in the Lord,
you must regard Him as your God, as the prophet instructs, "Let him trust in
the name of the Lord and rely upon his God" (Isa. 50:10). If you wish to
rest in the Lord, you must believe that He deals bountifully with you (Ps.
116:7), for otherwise, you may unknowingly find yourself on the path to
damnation. It shows little regard for Christ and your soul if you dare to rest
under God's wrath without any conviction of a secure interest in Christ.
People may delude themselves with such trust or rest when they are at ease,
but in times of temptation, it dissipates and proves not to be genuine faith,
but rather a source of shame. The soul that lives in such wavering and
doubting regarding salvation finds no true rest, but is "like a wave of the sea
driven and tossed by the wind; that person is double-minded and unstable in
all their ways" (James 1:6, 8).
If you persist in mere uncertainty and doubt regarding salvation through
Christ, your desire to trust is nothing more than a feeble wish without any
firm resolve, and you are not yet willing to take the risk of persuading and
assuring yourselves of your desire to trust and rely on Jesus Christ. In
response to this, I can say that you cannot do even this much in a proper
manner unless you desire and dare to persuade and assure yourselves of
your salvation through Christ, despite all the reasons you have to doubt and
fear otherwise. If it is objected that we can trust in Christ solely as a
sufficient means of salvation without any assurance of the outcome, I will
acknowledge that the sufficiency of God and Christ is indeed a good
foundation for us to rest upon. However, we must understand that this
sufficiency includes not only the power but also the goodwill and mercy of
God towards us. For what use is the sufficiency of God and Christ's power
to us if we do not have His goodwill? And if this belief is truly held, it will
eliminate any doubts concerning your salvation.
1. Several passages of Scripture explicitly state that we are to be
assured of our salvation through the faith by which we are justified
and saved. Let me provide some examples. We are urged to draw
near to God with full assurance of faith (Heb. 10:22). Many interpret
this verse as referring to what they call the reflex act of faith
because they believe that all assurance must necessarily come
through reflection. However, the words of the text clearly prompt us
to understand it as referring to the very act of faith by which we
draw near to God, that is, the direct act, and it is the very faith by
which the righteous live - the faith that justifies and saves (v. 8).
And this assurance must be complete, at least in its true and proper
nature, in contrast to mere doubt and uncertainty, although we are still to
strive for the highest degree of perfection. The same faith by which we are
encouraged to draw near to God and by which the righteous live is later
declared to be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things
not seen (Heb. 11:1). Why would saving faith be given such lofty titles and
attributes if it did not contain a sure persuasion of the great things we hope
for in our salvation, making them evident to the eyes of our mind as if they
were already present in their substance, even though they are not visible to
our physical eyes? The faith through which we become partakers of Christ
and belong to His house is worthy to be called "confidence" and is
accompanied by rejoicing hope: "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the
confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm until the end" (Heb. 3:6, 14).
What is confidence in anything other than trusting in it with a firm
conviction of its truth? If we only have a strong opinion about something
without absolute certainty, we usually say that we are not entirely confident
about it. The faith by which we are justified should resemble the faith of
Abraham, who against all hope believed in hope that his offspring would be
multiplied according to God's promise. Despite the lifelessness of his own
body and Sarah's womb, he had no evidence from his own qualifications to
assure himself of it, and all appearances were to the contrary (Rom. 4:18,
19, 23, 24). As absolute as the promise was to Abraham, it would not be
fulfilled without this assurance of faith, and through a similar faith, the free
promises of salvation through Christ will be absolutely fulfilled for us.
The apostle James explicitly requires that when we ask good things from
God, we should do so in faith, without doubting - clearly including
assurance. He plainly tells us that without it, a person should not expect to
receive anything from the Lord. Therefore, we can firmly conclude that
without assurance, we will not receive the salvation of Christ (James 1:6,
7). And what the apostle James instructs us not to doubt is our obtaining the
things we ask for, as we can also learn from similar instructions given by
Christ Himself: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe
that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24).
There could be more passages of Scripture cited to support the same
point, but these are sufficient to demonstrate that we are obligated to assure
ourselves of our salvation in faith itself, otherwise we are unlikely to
experience it. Living in a state of mere suspense and doubtfulness regarding
our salvation is not humility, but rather proud disobedience. This assurance
must be in the direct act of faith by which we are justified and saved. As for
what is known as the reflex act of faith, it is universally acknowledged that
it is not absolutely necessary for anyone's salvation, and it is sinful and
harmful for many to believe that they have already entered into a state of
grace and salvation.
God provides us with sufficient basis in Scripture to come to Christ with
confident faith right from the start, trusting assuredly that Christ and His
salvation will be given to us without any failure or delay, regardless of how
vile and sinful our condition may have been before. The Scripture speaks to
the most wicked sinners in a manner that seems purposefully designed to
engender immediate assurance of salvation in them. This promise is
universal: "Whoever believes in Christ will not be put to shame," without
making a distinction between Jew and Greek (Rom. 10:11, 12). And this
promise is confirmed by the sacrifice of Christ, who was given for the
world and lifted up on the cross for the very purpose that "whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:14-16). His
invitation is open to all: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink,"
and this drink is promised to everyone who believes (John 7:37, 39). The
command to believe is presented not only in general terms but also
specifically, and the promise of salvation upon belief is applied personally,
even to those who were previously in a state of sin and wrath, such as the
wicked, persecuting, self-destructive jailer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and
you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31). God commanded
those who had lived completely in sin before to call Him their own Father
in their very first return (Jer. 3:4). Likewise, God declares, "You are My
people," and they will say, "You are my God," confidently affirming their
personal connection to Him (Hos. 2:23). God has joined confidence and
salvation inseparably together: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in
quietness and trust shall be your strength" (Isa. 30:15).
Many people fail to make proper use and benefit from the revelation of
God's abundant grace towards sinners. They say that if we see that we have
fulfilled the condition of believing, then we may confidently claim Christ as
our own. They overlook the primary use they should make of these
revelations. The very act of fulfilling the condition is to immediately take
Christ as our own, to eat and drink Him by confidently believing in Him for
our salvation. If an honest wealthy man says to a poor woman, "I promise to
be your husband if you will have me; just say the word, and I am yours,"
can't she confidently respond, "You are my husband, and I choose you as
my husband"? Shouldn't she say that rather than saying, "I do not believe
what you say"? If an honest person says, "Just take this gift, and it is yours;
just eat and drink, and you are warmly welcomed," can't I accept the gift
and eat and drink without any further hesitation, with the assurance that it is
freely mine? If I do it with doubt, I undermine the honesty and credibility of
the giver, as if he were not a person of his word. Similarly, if, fearing to be
too confident for fear of believing a lie, we come to Christ with doubts and
in a state of mere uncertainty as to whether we will be freely received,
despite God's free invitations and promises, wouldn't we undermine the
faithfulness of God? Wouldn't we be guilty of calling God a liar? As the
apostle John teaches, because we do not believe the testimony that God has
given about His Son: "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal
life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:10, 11).
And what if the promised salvation is not absolutely intended for all who
hear the gospel? It is enough that God faithfully gives us His word that
those who believe will receive it, and no one else, and He has absolutely
intended to fulfill His word so that no one will find it to be a lie, and He has
inseparably linked belief and salvation together.
On this basis, God is justified in causing the promise of this salvation to
be proclaimed to all and in rightly demanding that all believe in Him
confidently for their own salvation, so that it may be seen whether they will
give Him the glory of His truth. And if they do not, He is justified in
rejecting them and punishing them severely for dishonouring Him through
their unbelief. In this case, we should not look to the secret decrees of God,
but to His revealed promises and commands. Just as God promised the
Israelites in the wilderness that He would give them the land of Canaan and
would fight for them against their enemies, and He commanded them not to
fear or be discouraged, so that the promise would be fulfilled for them, yet
God never absolutely decreed or intended that those Israelites should enter,
as the subsequent events quickly made evident (Deut. 1:20, 21, 29, 30).
Nevertheless, were they not obligated in this case to trust confidently in
God to give them victory over their enemies and possession of the land?
Did they not have sufficient grounds for such faith? Would it not have been
just for God to consume them in the wilderness for their unbelief? "Let us
therefore fear, lest, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, any of
you should seem to have failed to reach it... Let us therefore strive to enter
that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience" (Heb.
4:1, 11).
1. The faithful individuals described in the Old and New Testament
Scriptures commonly professed their assurance and conviction of
their relationship with God and His salvation. They were directed by
God's Word to do so, and genuine saints always had some true
assurance. We should not assume that this assurance was based on
their own self-righteousness, but rather on the promises of God
through direct faith. We can assess the typical profession of faith
exhibited by saints through a few examples. Let's start with the
profession made by the Israelites when they were in a state of
corruption, just after their exodus from Egypt. During that time,
only a few of them could confidently assert, based on their own
righteousness, that they were already in a state of grace – an
assumption that many nowadays consider the sole basis for
assurance. Despite their corrupt state, the children of Israel sang the
triumphant song of Moses, declaring, "The Lord is my strength and
my song, and he has become my salvation; he is my God," and so on
(Exodus 15:2). Moses taught them to affirm their personal interest in
salvation through this song and guided them in their duty. They did
not find fault with Moses, as some do with ministers today, for
encouraging them to express greater confidence in their song than
they can find solely from their qualifications. Instead, they engaged
in the exercise of faith, in line with the song. Undoubtedly, this faith
was genuine for a few of them, though it was merely superficial for
others. This is evident from the testimony that when "they believed
his words, they sang his praise" (Psalm 106:12).
Numerous other psalms and songs appointed by divine authority in the
Old Testament serve as clear evidence of the assurance of faith commonly
professed and expected from people during that time. Psalms such as 23,
27, 44, and 46 reflect this assurance. Many other psalms or verses within
psalms could be cited. Only a few individuals in comparison could have
fully complied with such psalms, even though they were true believers, if
the entire assurance of God's love depended solely on their certain
knowledge of the sincerity of their own hearts.
We have a great multitude of witnesses gathered from the entire history
of the Old Testament (Hebrews 11) who, by their faith, did, endured, and
achieved great things. Their examples are presented to encourage us to
believe and save our souls (Hebrews 10:39). If we carefully consider these
examples, we will find that many of them clearly guide us towards a saving
faith that inherently contains an assurance of the outcome. I acknowledge
that we often read about the fears and doubts experienced by the saints in
the Old Testament. However, we also read how they themselves condemned
these doubts as contrary to faith, as seen in the Psalms (Psalm 42:11, 31:22;
78:7, 10). The most mournful psalm in Scripture begins with an expression
of some assurance (Psalm 88:1). It is worth noting that the doubts
encountered by the saints of old were usually caused by extraordinary
afflictions or grave transgressions, not by common shortcomings or the
inherent corruption of human nature, nor by uncertainty regarding their
election. There was no notion that it is an act of humility to doubt and that
they were not obligated to be confident in God's salvation, for that would
imply that many should be obliged to believe a falsehood. It is difficult to
find any instances of such occasions for doubting under the Old Testament,
although they have become all too common among us now under the New
Testament.
During the time of the apostles, it is reasonable to expect that the
assurance of faith would have grown stronger. This is because the salvation
of Christ was revealed, the Spirit of adoption was abundantly poured out,
and the church was freed from its previous bondage under the fearful legal
covenant. Paul could demonstrate to the early Christians, based on their
own experiences, that they were "children and heirs of God" because they
had not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of
adoption, by whom they cried, "Abba, Father." The Spirit itself bore witness
with their spirits, as the Syriac and Vulgar Latin translations render it, and
as a similar Greek phrase is rendered (Romans 9:1), "that we are the
children of God. And if children, then heirs" (Romans 8:15-17; Galatians
4:6). Furthermore, the apostle told the Ephesians that after they believed,
they were sealed with the Holy Spirit, which served as a guarantee of their
inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). In other words, they were sealed from the
moment they believed, as the original words are in the same tense. If this
witness, seal, and earnest of the Spirit were not common among believers, it
would not have been sufficient to prove that they were children of God.
Such a mode of argumentation could have driven some to despair if they
lacked this witness, seal, and earnest.
Let us now inquire whether the Spirit bears witness that we are the
children of God and enables us to cry, "Abba, Father," through the direct act
of faith or what they call the "reflex act" of faith. We must not think that it
is done through enthusiasm, without any ordinary means. Nor can we
reasonably imagine that only a few believers who are so certain of their
own sincerity can call God "Father" by reflecting on it and grounding an act
of faith regarding their own interest in Christ. No, surely. Therefore, we
may judge rather that the Spirit works this in us by giving us saving faith
itself, through the direct act of which all true believers are enabled to trust
assuredly in Christ for the enjoyment of the adoption of children and all His
salvation, according to the free promise of God, and to call God Father
without reflecting on any good qualifications in themselves. For the Spirit is
received through the direct act of faith (Galatians 3:2), and thus He is the
Spirit of adoption and comfort to all who receive Him. Those who assert
that the Spirit witnesses our adoption only by assuring us of the sincerity of
our faith, love, and other gracious qualifications, through the reflex act of
faith, commonly teach that we must then try whether the Spirit witnessing is
the Spirit of truth or of delusion, by carefully examining whether our
inward grace is sincere or counterfeit. In this way, the testimony of the
Spirit becomes so difficult to discern that it is of no help to us, and all our
assurance ultimately depends on our own certain knowledge of our own
sincerity.
There are several other pieces of evidence to show that believers in the
time of the apostles were generally convinced of their salvation. They loved
and eagerly awaited the coming of Christ to judge the world (1 Corinthians
1:7; 2 Timothy 4:8). They loved all the saints because of the hope that was
stored up for them in heaven (Colossians 1:3-5). Even the Corinthians, who
were very worldly and still spiritual infants, were persuaded that they would
judge the world and angels, and that their bodies were members of Christ
and temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:2, 3, 15, 19). When the
gospel first came to the Thessalonians, it came "in the Holy Spirit" and
"with much assurance," so that they received it with joy in the midst of
affliction, without having had enough time to gain assurance through
reflecting on their good qualifications (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 6). Likewise,
the Hebrew believers, when they were enlightened at their conversion,
joyfully endured the plundering of their possessions, knowing that they had
a better and lasting inheritance in heaven. This was their confidence, which
they were not to cast aside, for the righteous live by faith. Thus, it becomes
evident that this confidence is necessarily part of justifying saving faith
(Hebrews 10:34, 35, 38).
Now, those who bring forth the examples or experiences of many modern
Christians to disprove everything I have asserted, should carefully consider
whether these are suitable to be weighed against all the examples and
experiences from Scripture that I have presented from the Old and New
Testament. I admit that the profession of assurance of salvation is less
common among Christians in these times than in the past, and we can
attribute it to certain teachers who have abandoned the doctrine of earlier
Protestants on this matter and have propagated various errors, as previously
mentioned. They now try to use the doubts in Christians, which have
mainly been caused by their teachings, as an opportunity to confirm the
truth of their doctrine. However, the nature of saving faith remains the
same. I maintain that in these days, as well as in the past, it always includes
some assurance of salvation through Christ, which becomes evident at the
very least in resisting and condemning all doubts, praying against them, and
striving to trust confidently and call God "Father" – except in cases of
extraordinary spiritual desolation, which should not be used as the basis for
evaluating our condition.
We should not rely on the judgment of many concerning themselves.
They may falsely believe that they have no assurance at all because they
have not yet identified, through marks and signs, that they are already in a
state of grace. Or they may think that assurance does not exist when there
are many doubts, or that it is weak and overwhelmed by doubting to the
point where it can hardly be discerned, like life in a fainting fit. However, if
they are better informed, they may come to recognize some assurance
within themselves. We must also be cautious not to mistake those who are
not true believers for genuine believers and not to judge this matter based
on their experiences, which is a common error. Some people's misguided
charity leads them to consider all those who are filled with doubts and
concerns about their salvation as true believers, even though they may only
be convicted of sin and have some zeal for God that does not align with the
knowledge of salvation through Christ. They believe it is their duty to
comfort such ignorant individuals by persuading them that their condition is
good and their faith is right, even though they have no assurance of
salvation. In doing so, they falsely judge the nature of faith out of their
blind charity towards those who are still in ignorance and unbelief. Instead
of providing comfort, they lead them astray from seeking consolation
through saving faith in Christ and ultimately contribute to the eternal ruin of
their souls.
1. The primary role of this faith in its direct saving act is to actually
receive Christ and His salvation into our hearts, as has been
demonstrated. This role cannot be rationally fulfilled unless we
persuade our hearts to some extent and assure ourselves of His
presence and enjoyment. Just as the body receives things into itself
through the hands and mouth, the soul receives these things and
truly grasps them through the faculty of the will, making a choice
and embracing them in a manner of present joy and possession, just
as it does through the faculty of the understanding in perceiving and
apprehending them. In the same way, the soul derives comfort from
external things, as a righteous person cannot derive inward comfort
from worldly possessions, spouse, friends, etc., unless they choose
them as good and consider them rightfully theirs. This is the only
rational way in which the soul can actively lay hold of Christ and
truly possess Him and His salvation, as He is freely offered and
promised to us in the gospel through the grace of faith, which God
has designated as our primary instrument for receiving and
embracing Him. If we do not choose Christ as our sole salvation and
source of happiness, or if we remain in a state of uncertainty and
doubt as to whether God will be pleased to give Christ to us or not,
it is clear that our souls are completely detached from Christ and
have no grip or enjoyment of Him. They do not even claim to have
received Him or chosen Him, nor are they fully convinced that it is
lawful for them to do so; rather, they are still unsure whether they
have any valid basis or right to lay hold of Him or not.
Let any rational person judge whether the soul can truly and adequately
act in receiving and enjoying Christ as its Saviour, Head, or Husband while
it is still uncertain whether it is the will of Christ to be joined with it in such
a close relationship. Can a woman honestly accept someone as her husband
without being assured that he is fully willing to be her husband? The same
can be said about the various aspects of Christ's salvation that are to be
received through faith. It is evident that we do not truly receive the benefit
of forgiveness of sins, in order to cleanse our consciences from the guilt that
burdens them, unless we have a firm conviction that God has indeed
forgiven them. We do not actually receive into our hearts the reality of our
reconciliation with God and adoption as His children, along with the rights
to an eternal inheritance, until we can assure ourselves that God graciously
chooses to be our God and Father, accepting us as His children and heirs.
We do not truly receive sufficient strength to encourage our hearts towards
holiness in the face of difficulties until we steadfastly believe that God is
with us and will not abandon us.
Therefore, we can firmly conclude that whoever seeks salvation through
faith but does not seek to have assurance or confidence in their own
salvation is deceiving themselves and deluding their soul with a mere
illusion instead of having true saving faith. In essence, they are seeking to
be saved in their corrupt natural state without actually receiving and
grasping the Lord Jesus Christ and His salvation.
1. Another important and necessary role of saving faith is to purify the
heart and enable us to live and walk in the practice of all holy duties
by the grace of Christ and with Christ Himself living within us, as
explained earlier. However, faith is unable to fulfill this role unless
some assurance of our own connection to Christ and His salvation is
inherent in its nature. If we desire to live for God, not ourselves, but
by Christ living in us, following the example of Paul, we must be
able to assure ourselves as he did, saying, "Christ loved me and gave
Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). We are taught that if we live in the
Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25). It would be
presumptuous if we were to strive to live above our natural strength
and power by the Spirit before we have made sure of our life in the
Spirit. I have demonstrated that we cannot fully experience the
comforting benefits of the saving grace of Christ, which the gospel
promises and encourages us to embrace in our pursuit of holiness,
unless we have some confidence in our own participation in those
saving benefits. If we do not firmly believe that we are dead to sin
and alive to God through Christ, that we have been raised with
Christ, that we are no longer under the law but under grace, and that
we are members of Christ's body, the temple of His Spirit, children
of God, it would be hypocritical to serve God based on such
privileges as if we considered ourselves to be partakers of them.
Anyone who thinks they should doubt their salvation is not a suitable
disciple for this kind of teaching. They may respond to the preachers of the
gospel, saying, "If you want to lead me to holiness, you must employ more
effective arguments, for I cannot act upon these principles because I do not
have enough faith to believe that I have any part in them. Arguments based
on God's justice and wrath against sinners, as well as His mercy towards
those who sincerely obey, would have a stronger influence on me." Oh,
what a wretched and inadequate kind of saving faith this is, which cannot
equip a believer to live according to the purest and most powerful principles
of grace, but instead leaves them to operate based on legalistic principles
that can never truly lead them to serve God acceptably out of love! And just
as such a faith completely fails in the proper manner of obeying based on
gospel principles, it also fails in the very essence of certain significant
duties, which inherently involve assurance of God's love in their rightful
performance. These include the great duties of peace with God, rejoicing in
the Lord always, unashamed hope, acknowledging the Lord as our God and
Saviour, praying to Him as our heavenly Father, offering our bodies and
souls as acceptable sacrifices to Him, casting all our cares of body and soul
upon Him, contentment and heartfelt thanksgiving in every circumstance,
boasting in the Lord, rejoicing in His praise, finding joy in tribulation,
putting on Christ in our baptism, receiving Christ's body broken for us and
His blood shed for us in the Lord's Supper, willingly entrusting our souls to
God as our Redeemer whenever He may call for us, loving the second
coming of Christ and eagerly anticipating it as our blessed hope.
When we experience sudden doubts about whether we are already in a
state of grace, especially when we are called to undertake certain immediate
duties like partaking in the Lord's Supper or performing any duty that
requires assurance for its proper execution, we must find relief by
confidently trusting in Christ for the present gift of His salvation.
Otherwise, we will be compelled to neglect the duty or perform it
inadequately or insincerely. If we cannot judge ourselves to be in a state of
grace through the reflex act of faith, unless we find that we sincerely
perform these duties, or if we do not possess a holy faith that enables or
inclines us to fulfil them, then how can we be enabled and inclined by a
faith that lacks true assurance of our salvation? Therefore, I conclude that
we must necessarily have some assurance of our salvation in the direct act
of faith, through which we are justified, sanctified, and saved, before we
can rightfully assure ourselves that we are already in a state of grace
through the reflex act.
Grant me a saving faith that produces such fruits as these. No other faith
will be effective through love and therefore will not lead to salvation in
Christ (Gal. 5:6). The apostle James urges you to demonstrate your faith
through your actions (James 2:18). In this test, the faith of assurance
emerges with praise and honour. When God called His people to work
outward miracles through it, all things became possible for them, and it has
frequently resulted in acts of righteousness that can rightfully be regarded
as great spiritual miracles. From this faith, the people of God have exhibited
heroic fortitude, where their absolute obedience to God has been
demonstrated in their deeds and their endurance, as recorded in the Holy
Scriptures and church history. And if we ever find ourselves facing fiery
trials, as Protestants did in the past, we will discover that the doctrine of
assurance will encourage us to suffer for the sake of Christ.
1. On the contrary, the doctrine that excludes assurance from the nature
of saving faith yields many harmful consequences. It tends to
deprive our souls of all assurance of salvation and genuine comfort,
which are essential for a vibrant religious life, by placing them after
sincere and universal obedience. Yet, if we do not have assurance
first, we can never attain to this obedience or any assurance that
depends on it, as has been demonstrated. Moreover, it subjects us to
continual doubts about our salvation and tormenting fears of God's
wrath, eradicating true love for God and resulting only in servile and
hypocritical service. It serves as one of the main supports for the
various superstitions in Catholicism, such as their monastic orders,
the concept of satisfaction for sin through acts of penance, bodily
mortifications, pilgrimages, indulgences, and reliance on the merits
of saints, among others. Once people have lost the understanding of
the correct way to assure themselves of salvation, they will grasp at
any straw to avoid drowning in the abyss of despair.
There is no way to provide solid comfort to the wounded spirits of those
who see themselves devoid of all holiness, under God's wrath and curse,
dead in sin, and unable to even think a good thought. It only increases their
terror and anguish when you tell them that they must first acquire faith and
obedience, and only then can they believe that God will receive them into
His grace and favour. Alas! They know that they cannot believe or obey
unless God assists them with His grace and favour. What if they are on the
verge of death, struggling with the pains of death, and have no time or
opportunity to acquire good qualifications or examine their worthiness? You
must have a quicker way to comfort such individuals by revealing to them
the free promise of salvation for the worst of sinners through faith in Christ.
Encourage them to apply these promises and confidently trust in Christ for
the forgiveness of sins, holiness, and glory. Assure them that God will help
them believe sincerely in Christ if they desire it with all their hearts, and
that it is their duty to believe because God commands it.
The same doctrine leads to various other problems. People are unwilling
to acknowledge the worst in themselves and tend to think their
qualifications are better than they truly are, in order to avoid despair. Others
are content without any assurance of their relationship with Christ because
they believe it is not necessary for salvation and that only a few achieve it.
In this, they demonstrate little love for Christ or their own souls. Some
cultivate doubts about their salvation as a sign of humility, though they
hypocritically complain about them. Many spend their time examining their
own hearts in search of evidence of their relationship with Christ when they
should instead focus on receiving Christ and walking confidently in Him
through faith.
Some are troubled by doubts about whether they should address God as
"Father" and how they should perceive Him in prayer. They take offense at
ministers who, in their public prayers, use expressions that the people
cannot join in, such as acknowledging God as their God and Father, or
Christ as their Saviour. For the same reason, they are also offended by the
public singing of many of David's psalms. They even avoid participating in
the Lord's Supper because they are unsure about their relationship with
Christ.
Although true believers have some assurance of salvation in saving faith
itself, this assurance is greatly weakened in many individuals due to the
contrary doctrine they are exposed to, resulting in numerous doubts. As a
consequence, other good qualities are inevitably diminished and become so
obscure that discerning them becomes exceedingly difficult. Therefore, it
becomes a challenging task for true believers to gain the certain knowledge
of their own sincerity, which some claim to be the sole assurance of faith.
Certain individuals prescribe specific signs and indications to differentiate
between sincerity and hypocrisy, making it nearly impossible for believers
to sufficiently evaluate themselves unless they possess above-average
knowledge and experience.
Consequently, many believers walk through life burdened by the
bitterness of their souls, constantly grappling with fears and doubts. This is
why they lack courage and fervour in their spiritual journey, often
preoccupied with earthly matters and living in fear of suffering and death.
Even if they obtain some assurance through the reflex act of faith, they
frequently lose it due to sins and temptations. The solution to avoid these
hardships is to obtain assurance and consistently uphold it, renewing it
whenever necessary through the direct act of faith by confidently trusting in
the name of the Lord and relying on God, especially when walking in
darkness and encountering a lack of personal qualifications (Isa. 50:10). I
have no doubt that the experiences of devoted Christians can testify to the
truth of this.
Chapter Eleven
Endeavour diligently to perform the great work of believing
ake a diligent effort to believe in Christ in the right manner without
delay, and then continue and grow in your most holy faith. By
doing so, your experience of Christ, your union and fellowship with Him,
and your pursuit of holiness through Him, will be initiated, sustained, and
enhanced within you.
After explaining the powerful and effective means for holy living, my
remaining task is to guide you in putting them into practice and improving
upon them for the immediate achievement of the desired outcome. It should
be evident from the preceding instructions that faith in Christ is the starting
point for a holy life, and it lays the foundation for all other righteous duties
within the soul.
It has already been sufficiently demonstrated that by faith, Christ
Himself, along with all the necessary qualities to enable us to live a holy
life, is actually received into our hearts. This is the unifying grace through
which the Spirit of God establishes a mystical marriage between Christ and
us, making us branches of the noble vine, members of the body joined to
the glorious head, living stones of the spiritual temple built upon the
precious living cornerstone and sure foundation, and partakers of the bread
and drink that descended from heaven and give life to the world. This grace
enables us to transition from our corrupted natural state to a new state of
holiness in Christ, moving from death in sin to a life of righteousness. It
also provides us with comfort, stability, and strength in every good word
and deed.
If we ask the question, "What must we do to do the works of God?"
Christ provides the answer: "Believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:28,
29). He emphasizes the importance of the work of believing, which is the
foremost work of God, the work from which all other good works proceed.
The first aspect of this instruction is to prompt you to actively engage in
the great work of believing in Christ and to guide you in doing so. You must
consider four distinct elements within it.
1. The first is that you must diligently strive to perform the great work
of believing in Christ. Many people pay little attention to this duty.
It is not known through natural understanding like many moral
duties; rather, it is only revealed supernaturally through the gospel,
and it is considered foolishness by those who rely solely on their
natural senses. These individuals may be alarmed by other sins and
examine themselves concerning them, even making lists to aid their
memory and devotion. However, the great sin of not believing in
Christ is rarely contemplated during their self-examinations or
included in their extensive lists of sins. Even those who
acknowledge that believing in Christ is a necessary duty for
salvation often neglect to make diligent efforts to fulfil it. This may
be because they believe it to be a mere emotional response that can
be easily performed at any time without exerting effort or diligent
endeavour. Alternatively, they may view it as equally difficult as all
the works of the law and deem it utterly impossible to accomplish
through their most diligent efforts unless the Spirit of God works it
within them by His mighty power. Consequently, they believe it is
futile to strive until they experience this inward working of the
Spirit in their hearts. Lastly, some consider it a duty so exclusive to
the elect that it would be presumptuous for them to attempt it unless
they know themselves to be chosen for eternal life through Christ.
Despite these obstacles, I urge you to diligently engage in this duty
by considering the following: its worthiness, as evidenced by its
preciousness, excellence, and necessity that have already been
revealed.
If the natural understanding were not clouded in matters of salvation, it
would reveal to us that we cannot discover the way of salvation on our own.
It would condemn those who disregard the revelation of the way of
salvation given to us by God in the gospel, as declared in the Holy
Scriptures. The primary purpose of preaching the gospel is for the
obedience of faith (Rom. 1:5), so that we may be brought to Christ and all
other forms of obedience. Indeed, the ultimate goal of all revealed doctrines
in the entire Scriptures is to make us wise for salvation through faith in
Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15). The law given by Moses was intended for
righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4), and Christ was the
fulfilment of that righteousness. The moral law itself was revealed to lead
us to salvation through faith in Christ, for without it, the knowledge of the
law would be of no benefit to fallen mankind, who are unable to fulfil it.
Therefore, those who disregard the duty of believing and consider it
foolishness are essentially disregarding, despising, and demeaning the
entire counsel of God revealed in the Scriptures. The law, the gospel, and
even Christ Himself become ineffective for the salvation of such
individuals. The only result they can attain through the saving doctrines of
the Scriptures is hypocritical moral duties and slavish performances, which
will be like filthy rags in the sight of God on the Day of Judgment.
Although many do not consider the sin of unbelief during self-examination
and do not include it in their lists, they should know that it is the most
destructive sin of all. All the sins listed would not be condemning, nor
would they dominate their conduct, if it were not for unbelief. This one
prevailing sin makes it impossible for them to please God in any duty
whatsoever (Heb. 11:6). If they do not pay attention to this primary sin now,
God will ultimately call it to their attention with great severity, for "he who
does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on
him" (John 3:36). "The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven in flaming
fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:7, 8).
1. Believing in Christ is a task that requires diligent effort and labour
to accomplish. We must labour to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall
through unbelief (Heb. 4:11). We must strive for the full assurance
of hope until the end, so that we may be followers of those who,
through faith and patience, inherit the promises (Heb. 6:11, 12). It is
a work that necessitates the exertion of might and power, thus we
need to be strengthened with power through the Spirit in our inner
being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith (Eph.
3:16, 17). I acknowledge that it is easy, pleasant, and delightful in its
essence, as it is an inward motion of the heart without burdensome
physical labour. It involves accepting Christ and His salvation as our
own, which is immensely comforting and enjoyable. The soul is
propelled by love for Christ and its own happiness, an affection that
makes even difficult tasks easy and pleasurable. However, it
becomes challenging for us due to the opposition we face from our
own inner corruptions and Satan's temptations.
It is not an easy task to receive Christ as our happiness and free salvation
with genuine confidence and fervent affection, especially when the weight
of sin burdens the conscience and the wrath of God is revealed through the
Word and terrifying judgments. This difficulty is compounded when we
have long been accustomed to seeking salvation through our own works and
view the way of salvation by free grace as foolish and harmful.
Additionally, our desires strongly incline us towards worldly and carnal
pursuits, and Satan does his utmost to hinder us from sincerely fulfilling
this duty through his own suggestions, false teachers, worldly allurements,
and terrors.
Many works that are easy in themselves prove to be difficult for us to
perform in our specific circumstances. Forgiving our enemies and loving
them as ourselves may seem like a simple mental act, but many who are
aware of their duty find it challenging to bring their hearts to actually do it.
Similarly, casting our cares on God for worldly matters may seem easy for
the rich, but it becomes difficult for the poor who have large families to
provide for. Even the seemingly easy and comforting duty that Moses
exhorted the Israelites to perform when they were trapped at the Red Sea by
Pharaoh and his chariots - "Fear not; stand still, and see the salvation of the
Lord, which He will show you today" (Exod. 14:13) - was not easily carried
out.
Ironically, the very easiness of certain duties makes them difficult to
perform. For example, Naaman the Syrian struggled to accept the simple
and easy remedy of washing himself to be cleansed of leprosy because he
thought it was too trivial (2 Kings 5:12, 13). Similarly, in the case of
believing in Christ, some people are offended by the duty, considering it too
slight and easy a remedy to cure the soul's leprosy. They believe that a more
challenging task should be assigned to achieve such a great end as eternal
salvation. Even though the work of believing may appear easy to many,
common experience has shown that people are more readily inclined to
engage in the most burdensome, unreasonable, and inhumane practices. For
instance, the Jews and Christian Galatians were more easily swayed to take
on the yoke of Moses' law, which no one could bear (Acts 15:10). The
heathens were more easily convinced to burn their sons and daughters in the
fire as sacrifices to their gods (Deut. 12:31). The Papists are more easily led
to make vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, adhering to rigorous rules
of monastic discipline, subjecting their bodies to fasting, scourging, and
pilgrimage, and enduring the excessive tyranny of the papal hierarchy
through a multitude of burdensome superstitious and absurd devotions.
Those who underestimate the work of faith due to its easiness reveal that
they have not yet grasped the multitude of their sins, the terrible curse of the
law, and the wrath of God under which they were condemned. They have
not recognized the darkness and futility of their minds, the corruption and
hardness of their hearts, and their bondage to the power of sin and Satan.
They have not truly been humbled, and without such humility, they cannot
believe in the right manner. Many sincere believers have experienced that it
is a difficult task to bring their hearts to the duty of believing. It has
required vigorous struggles and fierce battles against their own corruptions
and Satan's temptations. It is such a challenging work that we cannot
accomplish it without the mighty working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Only He can make it absolutely easy for us and determines whether it
remains difficult based on the varying degrees of grace He chooses to
impart to our souls.
1. Although we cannot perform this great work in the right manner
until the Spirit of God works faith in our hearts through His mighty
power, it is necessary for us to endeavour it. We cannot perform any
holy duty acceptably unless the Spirit of God works it in us.
However, this does not excuse us from our own efforts; rather, it
stirs us up to greater diligence. As the Scripture says, "Work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12-
13). The Spirit works faith in the elect by urging them to endeavour
to believe. This is in line with the means that the Spirit employs,
namely the exhortations, commands, and invitations of the gospel.
These would have no effect if we were not to obey them until faith
had already been worked in us.
Likewise, we cannot find that the Spirit of God effectively works faith or
gives strength to believe until we act upon it. Just as all internal virtues, like
other internal habits, are discerned through their actions, we cannot
perceive love for God or others in our hearts until we act upon it. Children
do not know their ability to stand on their feet until they make the effort to
do so. Similarly, we do not know our spiritual strength until we gain
experience and understanding through its use and exercise.
We cannot know or absolutely assure ourselves that the Spirit of God will
give us the strength to believe before we act in faith. Such knowledge and
assurance, if genuine, already involve having faith to some extent. Whoever
confidently trusts in Christ for the strength to believe through His Spirit
essentially trusts in Christ for their own salvation, as it is inseparably linked
with the grace of saving faith. Although the Spirit works other duties in us
through faith, He directly works faith in us through hearing, knowing, and
understanding the Word. As it is written, "Faith comes from hearing, and
hearing through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17).
In the Word, the Spirit does not make an absolute promise or declaration
that He will work faith in a specific unbelieving heart or give strength to
believe to any particular individual, or initiate the work of believing in
Christ. For faith itself is the first grace through which we have a personal
interest in any saving promise. It remains hidden in God's secret counsel
and purpose concerning us whether He will grant us His Spirit and saving
faith, until our election is revealed by our actual belief.
Therefore, as soon as we understand the duty of believing, we must
immediately apply ourselves to its vigorous performance. In doing so, we
will find that the Spirit of Christ has strengthened us to believe, even
though we do not know for certain beforehand. The Spirit comes upon the
elect invisibly, working faith within them, like the wind that blows where it
pleases and no one knows its origin or destination, yet we hear its sound
and thereby recognize it when it has passed by (John 3:8). We must
therefore commence the work before we know that the Spirit is or will be
working in us for salvation. And if we belong to Christ, we will be willing
to engage in the work, for "Your people will offer themselves freely on the
day of your power" (Psalm 110:3). It is sufficient that God reveals to us in
the gospel what faith is and the foundation we have to believe in Christ for
our own salvation. He requires this duty of us and will assist us in its
performance if we wholeheartedly devote ourselves to it. "Be strong and
courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD
your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:6). "Arise and work, and
the LORD will be with you" (1 Chronicles 22:16). Therefore, whoever
receives this gospel revelation as the Word of God in genuine love is taught
by the Spirit and will certainly come to Christ through faith (John 6:45).
Anyone who rejects it despises God, calls Him a liar, and justly deserves to
perish due to their unbelief.
1. Although the Spirit works saving faith exclusively in the elect, and
others do not believe because they are not among Christ's sheep
(John 10:26), and it is referred to as the faith of God's chosen ones
(Titus 1:1), everyone who hears the gospel is obligated to the duty
of believing, just as they are obligated to all the duties of the moral
law. This obligation exists prior to their knowledge of their own
individual election, and they are subject to condemnation for
unbelief, as well as for any other sin. "Whoever does not believe is
condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only Son of God" (John 3:18). The apostle Paul shows that the elect
Israelites obtained salvation, while the rest who were not chosen
were blinded. Yet even these were cut off from the good olive tree
because of their unbelief (Rom. 11:7, 20).
We cannot have certain knowledge of our election to eternal life until we
believe. It remains a hidden matter in God's unfathomable counsel until it is
revealed through our effectual calling and belief in Christ. The apostle
recognized the election of the Thessalonians by observing the evidence of
their faith, that the gospel came to them "not only in word, but also in
power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" and that they had
"received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit" (1
Thess. 1:4-6). If we desire to ascertain our calling, we must first examine
our faith (1 Cor. 1:26-27). Therefore, we must believe in Christ before
knowing our election, otherwise we will never come to know it and will
never have faith.
It is not presumptuous for us to place confident trust in Christ for eternal
life before we have any solid evidence of our election. This is because God,
who cannot lie, has made a general promise "that everyone who believes in
him will not be put to shame," without making any distinction among those
who fulfill this duty (Rom. 10:11-12). This promise is as firm and certain to
be fulfilled as any of God's decrees and purposes, making it a valid and
sufficient basis for our confidence. It is certain that all whom the Father has
given to Christ through the eternal decree of election will come to Him, and
it is equally certain that Christ will never cast out anyone who comes to
Him, regardless of who they are (John 6:37). We need not fear that we will
violate God's decree of election by confidently believing in Christ for our
salvation before knowing what God has specifically ordained for us. For if
we believe, we will eventually be counted among the elect, and if we refuse
to believe, we will willingly place ourselves among the reprobate, those
who stumble at the word and are disobedient, as they were destined to be (1
Peter 2:8).
I would like to emphasize that even though we have no proof of our
specific election before we believe, we should confidently trust in Christ to
make it evident to us by granting us the salvation that is exclusively for the
elect. All the spiritual and saving blessings that God bestows upon His
people in Christ are specifically reserved for those whom He chose in
Christ before the world was created (Eph. 1:3-4). However, we must trust in
Christ for those saving blessings; otherwise, we will have none at all. We
should pray in unwavering faith, believing that God will remember us with
the favour He shows to His people, so that we may experience the goodness
of His chosen ones and share in His inheritance (Ps. 106:4-5). Therefore,
we should have full confidence in God, trusting that He will treat us as His
chosen people.
This clearly shows that it is not presumption but rather our solemn
obligation to engage in the significant task of believing in Christ for
salvation without questioning beforehand whether we are elected or not.
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are
revealed belong to us and to our children, that we may do all the words of
this law" (Deut. 29:29).
The second aspect I want to address is the necessity of striving for a
proper manner of fulfilling this duty. This is crucial because the absence of
it will render your faith ineffective for sanctification and salvation. The
great duty of love, which is the fulfillment of the law and the primary fruit
of sanctification, must flow from sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:5). There exists a
counterfeit faith that does not truly welcome Christ into the heart and does
not produce genuine love or obedience, as exemplified by Simon Magus
(Acts 8:13, 23), who, despite his faith, remained in the "gall of bitterness
and in the bond of iniquity." Similarly, there were Jews to whom Christ
would not entrust Himself because they did not openly confess Him, fearing
they would be expelled from the synagogue (John 2:24; 12:42). The apostle
James also speaks of this kind of faith: "What good is it, my brothers, if
someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save
him? Even the demons believe—and shudder!" (James 2:14, 19). Therefore,
be cautious not to deceive yourselves with a counterfeit faith, but rather
possess the genuine faith in God's chosen ones.
The key to distinguishing between true and false faith lies in
understanding the correct manner of believing that leads to salvation.
Hypocrites may perform the same actions as genuine believers, but they
lack the proper manner of performance, which is the essence of excellence
in this work. One of the main reasons why "many strive to enter through the
narrow door and are not able" is because they are ignorant and deficient in
the right way of exercising the faith that enables them to enter (Luke
13:24). I acknowledge that only God is capable of effectively guiding us in
the right way of believing. When we recognize our own foolishness and
propensity to go astray, and when we genuinely desire and strive to believe
in Christ correctly, we can confidently trust that Christ will guide us. God
has promised that even simple and foolish travellers will not go astray on
the path of holiness and that He will teach sinners along the way. He guides
the humble in judgement and teaches them His ways (Psalm 25:8-9). He
also commands those lacking wisdom to ask for it from Him in faith,
without doubting (James 1:5-6). However, we must understand that God
guides us according to the principles laid out in His Word, and we must
make an effort to learn the right way of believing from the Word itself.
Otherwise, we will not be able to trust God correctly for guidance and
direction in this significant work.
To assist you in this matter, I have previously provided a description of
saving faith in this treatise, explaining that it consists of two acts: believing
the truth of the gospel and believing in Christ as revealed and freely offered
to us in the gospel for our salvation. Your primary endeavour should be to
perform both of these acts in the right manner, as I will now explain in
detail for each of them.
Firstly, it is crucial that you strive for a genuine belief in the truth of the
gospel of Christ. This will equip, dispose, and encourage you to believe in
Christ as He is revealed and promised in the gospel. By doing so, you will
overcome any unsettling thoughts and objections raised by Satan or your
own conscience, as well as conquer any corrupt inclinations that hinder a
joyful acceptance of Christ and His salvation. Through experience, it has
been observed that when individuals falter in the second act of faith, the
root cause can usually be traced back to a deficiency in this first act. There
is often some false notion or misconception within them that contradicts the
belief in the truth of the gospel. This false belief acts as a stronghold of sin
and Satan that must be dismantled before they can truly receive Christ into
their hearts through faith. If they truly understood the nature of Christ as
revealed in the gospel and rightly discerned the truth and excellence of it,
they would not hesitate to place their trust in Him. We are in great danger of
entertaining such false notions due to our ignorance, self-conceit, guilty
consciences, corrupt affections, and numerous errors that cloud our
judgement in matters of salvation. Moreover, Satan labours to deceive us, as
he did with Eve, using his cunning to corrupt our minds and divert us from
the simplicity of the gospel found in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). Therefore,
I will provide you with specific instructions of utmost importance to
prevent the defects to which we are most susceptible in the first act of our
faith.
1. You must fully believe and be convinced that by nature, like
everyone else, you are a child of wrath, separated from God due to
the sin of the first Adam. You are spiritually dead in your
transgressions and sins, subject to the curse of God's law and the
power of Satan, and destined for eternal misery. It is impossible for
you to reconcile with God or gain spiritual life and strength to do
good works by attempting to obtain salvation through the terms of
the legal covenant. You cannot escape from this sinful and miserable
condition through your own reasoning and understanding; it requires
supernatural revelation and the infinite power that raises the dead.
We should not fear, as some do, to acknowledge our own
wretchedness and sinfulness, nor should we be willing to think
better of ourselves than we truly are. Instead, we should sincerely
desire and be glad to know the worst about our own condition. Even
when we have discovered the worst about ourselves, we should be
willing to believe that our hearts are deceitful and desperately
wicked, beyond what we can comprehend (Jeremiah 17:9). This is
necessary to produce true humility, self-despair, and self-loathing
within us, so that we may highly value and earnestly seek the
salvation of Christ as the one essential thing. It causes us to detest
sin and become aware of our need for the great Physician, being
willing to follow any of His prescriptions, regardless of the suffering
involved, rather than relying on our own wisdom (Matthew 9:12).
The lack of this humility is what hindered the scribes and Pharisees
from entering the kingdom of heaven as readily as the tax collectors
and prostitutes (Matthew 21:31).
2. You must firmly believe that there is no way to be saved without
receiving all the saving benefits of Christ: His Spirit as well as His
merits, sanctification as well as the forgiveness of sins, through
faith.
Many souls are ruined because they trust in Christ for the forgiveness of
sins without considering holiness. However, these two benefits are
inseparably connected in Christ, so that only those who are enabled to walk
in holiness, that is, "not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"
(Romans 8:1), are freed from condemnation by Christ. It is also detrimental
to seek only the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ while pursuing
holiness through our own efforts according to the terms of the law. We can
never live for God in holiness unless we are dead to the law and live solely
through Christ dwelling in us by faith. Faith that does not embrace holiness
along with the forgiveness of sins from Christ will never sanctify us, and as
a result, it will never lead us to heavenly glory (Hebrews 12:14).
1. You must firmly believe in the all-sufficiency of Christ for your own
salvation, as well as for all who believe in Him. His blood is capable
of cleansing from all sin (1 John 1:7). No matter how great and
terrible our sins may be, no matter how long they have persisted, He
is able to deliver us from the power of sin and mortify our strong
corruptions.
In Scripture, we find that even abominably wicked individuals have been
saved by Him: idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, covetous, drunkards,
extortioners, and so on (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Those who have sinned
against the light of nature, like the heathens, or against the light of