Physical Characteristics of Hell

What Hell Is Not
People have a myriad of ideas on multitudes of subjects, but only those ideas that are echoed in the Bible, God’s holy Word are accurate. In this age in which we live, it is commonplace to hear people’s ideas concerning hell. The only One who has been to hell and back is Jesus Christ; and He is therefore the only authority on the subject. Muhammad’s ideas on hell are worthless, unless he got them from Jesus Christ. Buddha provides no answers concerning eternity, unless he was sitting at the feet of Jesus Christ when he received them. Since modern science admits to being absolutely certain of so few things in the material world, I am positive that modern science is completely helpless in things pertaining to an eternal burning, hell.

So, again we turn to the only valuable source on the subject of hell, the Bible. Before we discover the Bible’s descriptions of hell, let me first cover some things that hell is not.

HELL IS NOT A STATE OF MIND
Because some cannot stand the thought of a literal, burning hell, they readily minimize it by making hell simply a state of mind. One who is tormented in some degree or other is said to be “in a hell.” That is completely incorrect. Hell is not a state of mind; it is rather a place. When Jesus told about a rich man who went to hell, the rich man begged Father Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers, and warn them, “lest they also come into this place of torment.” Hell is every bit as much a place as any geographical location on this planet.

HELL IS NOT A CIRCUMSTANCE
Some try to diminish the reality of hell of making it a circumstance in their lives. Sometimes, the one returning from a battlefield says, “I’ve been to hell!” But, how untrue! Do not be mistaken! I am very thankful for the freedom I have, even to write this blog. If I lived in one of those “tolerant” Muslim nations, I would be hanged or beheaded for writing what I have written. If I lived in “tolerant” China, there’s no telling where my remains would be, simply for writing my own opinions and God’s facts. So, let me pause here to say “thank you” to all who have sacrificed, either in the armed forces on foreign soil or in the National Guard at home; either in past wars or in present; either in combat duty or non-combat; either in high ranks or low; either in a long duration or a short one; whatever the case may be – if you have served your best to our nation and freedom to its citizens – thank you! I understand that freedom is never free!

However, if you have been to the worst battlefield in the world – hell is far worse. Bad circumstances through which people pass is not hell! Hell is a real place; not a circumstance.

HELL IS NOT A PARTY
Hell is not a party house; it is a madhouse! No one who is in hell enjoys being there. I have heard that, if a person goes to hell, the devil will laugh at him through the endless ages. Not true! The Bible says this is Revelation 20:10 –

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Did you get that? The devil himself will be tormented in the lake of fire for ever and ever. This verse is concerning the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. The lost will also be tormented, according to Revelation 14:9-11 –

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

It is clear that the devil will be tormented for ever in hell; the beast will be tormented in hell; the false prophet will be tormented in hell; and if you go to hell, you will be tormented in hell. Hell is not only a place; it is a place of torment! It is a place of agony and torture! Yes, you’ll have plenty of company in hell, but you will not want it! Most people do not wish others to see them in agony. It is humiliating to most people. Most people do not wish to watch someone suffer who is in agony. If you go to hell, you will not desire that anyone behold your misery, and you will not wish to see anyone else’s. Hell is a place of torment.

HELL IS NOT EMPTY
It goes without saying, but many do not know it – hell is not empty! Rather, it is full and overflowing. Notice Isaiah 5:14 –

“Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.”

Hell enlarges itself to receive those who plunge into it! There are many today who seem to believe that hell is empty. I have talked to people in funeral homes, who stood before the casket of a loved one, and heard them say, “So-and-so is in a better place.” In many instances, it was a known fact that So-and-so was not a Christian. Do you know why so many think that So-and-so went to a better place? Simply because So-and-so died. I am not at all trying to be cruel, mean, or harsh. But facts are facts, and it is a fact that just because someone died does not mean that they’re in a better place! You do not go to heaven just because you die!

Some seem to think that if someone suffers a great deal before he dies, he must be in a better place. This is faulty thinking. Again, I do not wish to be insensitive, but if a person does not know Jesus Christ, they would be better off to suffer on the hospital bed for another century than to die lost! If the suffering one does not know Jesus Christ, their greatest suffering is yet to come, and it will last forever.

Characteristics of Hell
Having looked at several faulty ideas about hell, let us look at some actual characteristics of that dreaded place. Look at the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who told this true story found in Luke 16:19-31 –

Luke 16:19-31
19) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Allow me to point out some Bible truths about hell from this passage.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT CALL THIS STORY A PARABLE
Often in the gospels, you will find the phrase – “And he spake a parable unto them…” But you do not find that phrase here. It is a story that really happened. The story is real. The name of the beggar, Lazarus, is given. In parables, names are never given. Abraham’s name is given here; not so in parables. This is clearly a non-fiction account.

HELL EXISTS ONLY IN THE PRESENT TENSE
Look in verse 22, and you will find three verbs mentioned, all of which are in the past tense. These verbs are “died [mentioned twice in the verse],” “carried,” and “buried.”

But in verse 23, the tense changes. Verse 23 speaks to us concerning the rich man’s arrival to hell after his death. It reads this way, “And in hell he lift [not “lifted”] up his eyes, being [not “was”] in torments, and seeth [not “saw”] Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom…” The next verse goes back to the past tense. The rich man’s death is in the past tense; it happened, and now it’s over. Lazarus’ death is in the past tense as well; it is a thing of the past. But when the rich man arrives in hell in verse 23, we are in the present tense. Know this, dear reader, that the rich man is still lifting up his eyes in hell. He still dwells in agonizing torments. He can look across the great gulf and see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom. Hell always exists in the present. Its torments are never mentioned in the past tense, for their tormenting work is never completed.

HELL BECOMES A REALITY IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH
The rich man died and immediately it is said, “in hell he lift up his eyes.” There is no room for soul-sleep here. Someone may say that it is possible that there was gap between the rich man’s death and his arrival into the flames of hell. Perhaps he actually opened his eyes in hell after the resurrection of the unjust. This is inaccurate thinking, for the rich man’s brothers were still alive. Had the time of the rich man’s arrival in hell been many years after his death, i.e. the time of the resurrection of the unjust, then the rich man’s brothers would have already died also. However, it is clear that the rich man was in hell immediately after he died, and his brothers were still living on the earth. This account of a man actually arriving in hell gives us no room to teach soul-sleep.

HELL’S AGONIZING TORMENTS
I have mentioned that hell is a place of torment, but now, let us look at some of these torments specifically. First, there is physical torment. The first thing the rich man asks Father Abraham is for one drop of water! The first statement the rich man makes is, “I am tormented in this flame.” In hell, there is physical torment beyond measure. It is greater torment than any physical condition ever beheld in this world. Jesus said in Mark 9 and Matthew 5, that if your right eye offends you, pluck it out! He says that if your right hand offends you, cut it off! He says that if your right foot offends you, cut it off! Whatever it is that keeps you in your sin and preventing you from turning to Him – get rid of it! Why does he use such strong words? He gives us the answer – “For it is better for you to enter into life maimed, or having one eye, than to have both hands/ both feet/ both eyes cast into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched!” I would be better off to go through life blind and avoid hell than to go to hell with perfect sight. I would be in better shape to have someone push me in a wheelchair because both my feet are gone, than to go to hell! I would be in a better condition to lose both hands and stay out of hell than to go to hell with two perfectly good hands! Whatever is keeping you from coming to Jesus, cast it down! This is called repentance. Repent of anything that keeps you living in sin and come to Jesus Christ today!

Secondly, there is the torment of seeing heaven. Verse 23 tells us that the rich man is able to see Lazarus the beggar in Abraham’s bosom. I am convinced that those in hell can see clearly into the portals of God’s celestial city. They see the throne of God, but they can never approach it with their requests. They could have come before the throne and prayed to God while on earth; but not in hell. They can see the pure river of water of life flowing from the throne, but they’ll not get one drop of it! The rich man cried out for just one drop of water, but his request was denied. We are told in Revelation of the tree of life in the New Jerusalem. I am sure that those in hell can see the tree of life, but they will never be able to benefit from its healing fruit! They will be able to see the saints in heaven who have rest in abundance; but in hell, there is no rest day or night! What a torment!

Thirdly, there is the torment of the great gulf fixed. In verse 26, Father Abraham tells the rich man, “…between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” This simply means that those in heaven will never be able to cross the great gulf and go to hell; and those in hell will never be able to travel across the great gulf and go to heaven. This gulf is not the Catholic “purgatory.” There is no such a place. Catholics teach that those in “purgatory” can be prayed out of purgatory and go to heaven. But Jesus plainly teaches contrariwise here. He plainly teaches the truth that once in hell always in hell. No prayers can help once you are in hell. No amount of money given to some priest can get anyone out of hell. Once you are in hell, you are there to suffer its torments for ever.

Last, there is the torment of the memory. Abraham told the rich man, “Son, remember.” The greatest torment of all is the memory – remembering what you heard preached; remembering the gospel message that you rejected with stubbornness while living upon the earth. The message of the memory will be this: “I am in hell, but it did not have to be this way!”

Hell is not a party, like Hollywood makes it out to be. Hell is a place of torment. Sever anything in your life that keeps you from placing all of your faith in Jesus Christ to save you!

The Fact of an Eternal, Burning Hell

It’s Reality
As the old saying goes, you are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. One such unalterable fact is the fact of a literal, eternal, burning hell. I am not taking a poll; I am declaring absolute, infallible truth. There is a burning hell. Perhaps the reader says, “I do not believe in a hell.” What does the Bible say to that? Notice Romans 3:3, 4 – “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true and every man a liar.” The scriptures plainly declare that one’s unbelief does not void the truth. Hell is a fact, and I do not strengthen its existence by believing in a place called hell. Neither does the reader diminish its existence by refusing to believe in hell. Refusal to believe in the Bible does not change its truth one iota. Not believing in God won’t pull Him off the throne; not believing in the Day of Judgment won’t keep that day from coming; not believing in the coming of Jesus Christ to this world won’t stop Him from coming; and not believing in hell won’t put out the flames! Hell is no less real because you refuse to believe in it. The flames are no less hot; the screams are no less real; the souls are no less tormented because of your unbelief.

The law dictating that souls who die lost end up in hell is as sure and steadfast as the law declaring the reality of gravity. Many today run through this life, heading swiftly into hell. They think that their own stubborn unbelief will shield them from the flames. A man may jump off the John Hancock Building, defying the law of gravity. However, we are all persuaded that he is certain to meet gravity at the ground, regardless of his unbelief in it. And the man who lives a Christless life is certain to find hell at the end of it, regardless of his unbelief in its reality. Billy Sunday said it correctly when he stated positively, “You will not be in hell five minutes until you believe that there is one.”

Why I Believe in Hell
I do not believe in hell because the thought of it is pleasant. I do not enjoy thinking about hell. I receive no pleasure in declaring to the unsaved reader that he is on his way to hell. As a matter of fact, there is a part of me that wishes there were no hell. There is another part of me, however, that understands that God is much wiser than I am; and if God thinks there needs to be a hell, there needs to be a hell.

I believe in hell because the Bible declares its existence. The Bible is the only source that we have on this subject. I know there are religious scholars to deny the existence of hell. Religious scholars they may be; but they are not Bible scholars. As for the man who believes that the Bible denies the existence of hell, one or more of the following is true about him:

1) He is either partially or completely illiterate.
2) He has a serious problem with reading comprehension. Perhaps a first grade reading course will help.
3) He has determined to disregard hell regardless of what the Bible teaches.

The Bible is as clear on few subjects as it is the subject of hell. I believe in hell because the Bible teaches hell.

The Preaching of Hell
There are those within the church who believe in hell, but seldom preach it. One minister told me, “I don’t think we ought to get people saved by preaching hell.” He went on to say, “Many Baptists try to get people saved by asking the question, ‘Are you sure you will go to heaven when you die?’ I try to show people that salvation results in living a Christian life NOW.”

That man is correct in many ways. Salvation is often presented as “fire insurance.” Many people have the idea that as long as they say a prayer of some sort before they die, their eternal destination is sealed. That’s all salvation is to them – a home in heaven someday. Salvation is much more than that. Salvation is the beginning of a relationship. Salvation begins a believer’s walk with God. I agree that too many look at salvation as an escape from hell ONLY.

In spite of these truths, the subject of hell is not off-limits to the preacher. While I agree that there is much more to salvation than simply being saved from hell, salvation from the flames of hell is part of it, and it is a major part of it. Even though there are some preachers who, in their preaching of salvation, emphasize eternity only, I still say that the subject of hell is not off-limits to Bible preachers. As a matter of fact, if a man is determined to be a preacher of the Word of God, he cannot preach the whole counsel of God and neglect to preach the literal, fiery hell.

Jesus Preached Hell
If I had no other reason for preaching hell, I would preach it because Jesus Christ did so, and He did so more than He preached heaven. I heard one preacher tell of how he preached on the subject of hell. After the conclusion of the service, a lady came to him, and said, “Your message was awful.”

“Yes, ma’am. Hell is an awful place,” the minister replied.

She went on to say, “Yes, but just the thought of your preaching of such a place. Jesus preached beatitudes. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’”

The minister then asked, “Ma’am, have you read the entire sermon from which you are quoting?”

“Oh, yes,” she confidently stated. “I have read all the beatitudes.”

“That’s not what I asked,” the minister said. “I said, ‘Did you read the entire Sermon on the Mount?’ Jesus, in that same sermon, said, ‘Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.’ Jesus went on to say, ‘If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.’ That was His first recorded sermon. In His last recorded sermon, Jesus asked this question, ‘How can ye escape the damnation of hell?’ Jesus preached hell.”

Paul the Apostle Preached Hell
Some time ago, while with a pastor, we stopped at a flea market. We stopped at the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ booth. They were giving away some of their literature, so we picked up some of it and took it with us. I grabbed a few books so someone else wouldn’t get them. Jehovah’s Witnesses’ literature is not recommended reading.

In one of the books, there was a chapter on the subject of hell. Of course, the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in a place called hell. They say that if the hell that Jesus preached was a literal, fiery hell, then why didn’t the apostles preach it? Oh, but the apostles most certainly preached hell! The apostle Paul never used the word, “hell,” but he preached everlasting punishment. Consider:

Philippians 3:18, 19 – “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is DESTRUCTION.”

I Thessalonians 5:3 – “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden DESTRUCTION cometh upon them.”

II Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, IN FLAMING FIRE taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also deny that there will be a Day of Judgment as the Bible teaches it. They deny the plain, Bible teaching that, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” They teach, rather, that the Day of Judgment is a one-thousand year period of “hope and restoration.”

Paul the Apostle, however, preached to Felix. Notice:

Acts 24:25 – “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and JUDGMENT to come, FELIX TREMBLED, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Let us understand this. Paul the Apostle preached “judgment to come.” As a direct result, Felix trembled. What do you think made him tremble? Was it “hope” or “restoration” that made him tremble? Jehovah’s Witnesses are dead wrong! There is a day appointed, according to Acts 17:31, when God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ!

Paul further declares in Romans 14:12 – “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Paul believed in the judgment of Almighty God. Paul preached this judgment as being “eternal judgment.” Notice:

Hebrews 6:1, 2 – “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of ETERNAL JUDGMENT.”

John the Revelator Preached Hell
Perhaps the most vivid picture of the final judgment is given by John the beloved Apostle.

Revelation 20:11-15 – “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

John clearly declares that whoever was not found written in the Lamb’s book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The reader may say, “It doesn’t say that the lake of fire is eternal.” Actually, John didn’t say it here because he already said it in Revelation 14:10 and 11, which states, “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

Paul the Apostle, as well as John the beloved, both preached the eternal judgment of hell.

Others Preached Hell
Jude referred to getting people saved as “pulling them out of the fire!” Jude also makes reference to those who will be "suffering the vengeance of ETERNAL FIRE!" Peter spoke of angels that had sinned, who were reserved in hell until the Day of Judgment. James associated hell with fire when he said, “it [the tongue] is set on fire of hell.” In the Old Testament, Moses associated the word, “hell” with fire when he wrote of God’s anger burning to the lowest hell in Deuteronomy 32:22. David spoke of hell when he said, “The wicked shall be turned into hell” in Psalm 9:17. Isaiah spoke of hell in Isaiah 33:14, which states, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?”

So, it is clearly established that the man who does not preach hell is a man who does not preach the Bible.

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine - Part 3

Why So Many Have No Assurance
The reader may deem my analysis of assurance irrelevant. However, when I speak to so many church-goers who know little or nothing of the subject, I am convinced thoroughly of its relevance. You may say, “But the subject of assurance is so basic.” I say, “You are right.” Still, so many in the church lack it, in spite of the fact that it is basic.

It is appalling that in the church we have faith for almost every circumstance. If you were to ask someone in the church whether they believe Jesus can heal a child with cancer, the reply is likely to be an instant, resounding “Absolutely!” If I were inquire of you whether you believed Jesus can perform miracles, supply great financial needs, control the winds and waves, and keep a hand of protection upon someone who is many miles away, the answer would be a clear “Yea, and Amen!” But when I ask someone whether they believe that Jesus Christ has saved them to the uttermost, and that they are saved this very moment, and that He which hath begun a good work in them WILL perform it until the day of Jesus Christ – their tone changes. Their level of confidence drops dramatically. Their faith dwindles. Suddenly, the ability of Jesus Christ to save depends on their abilities. The bottom line is this – so many have little or no assurance of their salvation. It is sad, but ever so true. I don’t know how people trust the Lord to heal them, meet their financial needs, and take care of their loved ones, but cannot fully and completely trust Him to save and keep their eternal souls.

In my two previous posts, I have spoken of my own salvation with absolute certainty, complete confidence, and positively full assurance. My salvation is not followed by a question mark; it is followed rather with a series of exclamation points! When you read my two previous posts, you may have thought that I was too confident of my salvation. But how can one be too sure of their salvation, when its author and finisher is Jesus Christ? My salvation hinges on the ability of my Saviour to save. And I am reminded in scripture that He is mighty to save! How about your saviour? Is he as mighty to save as my Saviour? Some have read the bold statements I made concerning my salvation, and as they read it, they said to themselves, “I wish I were that sure!” But I say to each one who desires to have solid assurance, that you can have it! If you lack assurance, then this post is for you. I am going to look at just a few reasons why some have little or no assurance.

Some Have No Assurance Because They Are Not Saved
This may seem obvious, but I am not in the business of supplying anyone with a false assurance. I do not wish to make anyone believe they are saved if they are not. Many churches today are fearful of giving people a false assurance, so they offer no assurance at all. Having no assurance is bad; but having a false assurance is far worse. The man who has no hope of any assurance may seek some hope and assurance and find it. The man who has a false assurance will believe that he is all right, and will die in his sins. As I showed in detail in my previous post, the Bible offers truckloads of assurance to the one who believes on Jesus Christ. You can go back and read the long list of verses I provided. You will find that “he that believeth hath everlasting life;” “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” and many other words of assurance. If you trust Jesus Christ and Him alone to save you, you are saved, and you have full assurance of this salvation in the Word of God. But if you are trusting in anything other than Jesus Christ, it is no wonder you have no assurance of salvation; you have no salvation of which to be assured. If a person admits to having no assurance that they are saved, the first step is make sure that they are indeed trusting Jesus Christ to save them.

Some Have No Assurance Because They Do Not “Feel Saved”
Many preachers today are the blame for so many doubting their salvation due to feeling. Preachers sometimes get people to come to an altar, and weep, pray, beat the altar, sniff snot, and everything else. Then, after an hour or so, these preachers will ask the one praying to be saved, “Do you feel like the Lord saved you?” That’s the wrong question to ask. It is completely irrelevant whether a person seeking salvation FEELS saved or not. Many preachers today do not even know how to tell someone how to be saved. If you were to ask some preachers what you must do to be saved, their reply would be, “Oh, just kneel down here and pray until you feel like God saved you.” What’s the problem with that? If someone prays until they “feel like the Lord saved them,” what are they going to do in a few days when they wake up and…don’t feel saved? I’ll tell you what they’re going to do – they’re going to doubt their salvation. Instead of instructing a seeker to pray until “they feel” like the Lord saved them, we preachers need to instruct them to believe (trust in, place faith in, depend on, rely on) the Lord Jesus Christ to save them. Then, we can show them a vast number of scriptures that plainly state that if we believe on Jesus Christ, we are saved. This will give them a rock-solid assurance for times when they do not “feel saved.” “Feeling” has nothing to do with actual salvation. One preacher said it this way – “I do not know I’m saved because I feel good; I feel good because I know I’m saved!”

Some Have No Assurance Because Their Experience Does Not Match Someone Else’s
If you are saved, you and I have one thing in common. We both have trusted Jesus Christ to save us. Other than this similarity, our salvation experience may be vastly different. It is often the fault of someone who is saved to try to impose their exact experience on everyone else. Sometimes, people think that if they cried when they got saved, everyone needs to cry when they get saved. But that is not the case. In the Bible, the jailhouse shook when the jailer got saved; but nothing shook when Saul of Tarsus got saved. Saul of Tarsus had a vision when he got saved; but the publican in the temple had no vision when he got saved. The publican in the temple smote his breast when he got saved; but Zacchaeus didn’t smite his breast when he got saved. Are you getting the picture? Just because your experience isn’t like someone else’s is no reason to doubt your salvation, as long as you are trusting Jesus Christ.

I thank God daily for my salvation experience. I was sitting on the front pew in a Baptist church. The gospel was made plain. I had determined to go to the altar and receive salvation as soon as the invitation was given. The invitation was given, and I went. I was not going to the altar to “see if God would save me;” I was going to the altar “to get saved.” I was not experimenting; I knew for a fact that God was absolutely going to save me when I called upon Him, because He said He would! This is faith. This is what it means to believe. When I knelt at the altar, I was there for a very short time. I know I was there for less than ten minutes, possibly less than five. I don’t believe I shed any tears, but I really do not remember. But I know for a fact that I trusted Jesus Christ to save me completely, and that is exactly what He did! At that moment, salvation was mine!

I know others who, contrary to my salvation experience, wept for a long time when they got saved. I know some who beat the altar, and begged and pleaded with God for hours to save them. I know of others who claim to have sought God for days, weeks, and months before they obtained salvation. If this is your experience, I am not knocking it. I will tell you this. If it took you four hours, four days, four weeks, or four months to get saved, it didn’t take God that long to save you. He saved you the very split second you trusted Him to do so with all your heart. The moment you believed is the moment you were saved. I’ll tell you something else. You may have prayed a lot longer to be saved than I did, but when you finally got saved, you were not a bit more saved than I was when I got saved! My point is that everyone is not going to have the same experience when we get saved. Some will kneel; others will stand. Some will pray softly; others will pray loudly. Some will be emotional; some will be still. It is trusting Christ that saves, regardless of anything else about your experience.

Some Have No Assurance Because They Are Not Sure of What it Takes to Be Saved
This is a big one. It is somewhat obvious, but it is very true. This is especially true of those who are saved by grace, but kept by works. Once you put works in the plan of salvation, there is usually no assurance that one has performed enough works to satisfy the Father. In short, the one who believes in justification by works never knows how many works it takes to be saved; and, as a result, they are never assured that they have performed enough works to be saved. I heard a preacher on a CD some time ago. In his message, he made this statement – “I have been ‘resaved’ six times…and I think I’m going to have to be ‘resaved’ a seventh.” I’ll say first that the word, “resaved” is not in the Bible. What this preacher is saying is simple: He does not know if he is saved or not. You may ask, “Why isn’t he sure of his salvation?” He reveals that information at the end of his message, when he makes this statement – “Folks, I don’t know what it takes to go heaven. Being saved has something to do with it, but if I read the Bible right, it’s going to take a lot more than that.” Well, although he is obviously confused, it is crystal clear to me – this man doesn’t know what exactly it takes to go to heaven; so he naturally cannot know if he’s doing it all!

If you’re not sure how to be saved, you can’t be sure that you are saved! The Bible is plain on what it takes to be saved. I listed a multitude of verses in the previous post. They tell explicitly how to be saved. It is believing on the Son of God that saves. When you do this, the scriptures repeatedly proclaim that you saved. This is the place from where assurance comes!

Some Have No Assurance Because They Have an Overall Mindset That Salvation is Difficult
“It’s a close walk,” “I’m striving to make heaven my home,” and other phrases such as these prevail in churches where “assurance” is a byword. Perhaps the reader has not heard these phrases. Allow me to explain their meaning. When someone gets up and says, “It’s a close walk,” what they mean is this – salvation is so fickle, so hard to attain, and ever so difficult to maintain that they are going to go to hell if they hold their mouth the wrong way. They believe that their final salvation and eternal heavenly home depends on how close they keep the laws of God, and has nothing to do with Jesus’ work on the cross. Oh, they may mention the cross once in a while, but they don’t believe in it. They don’t cling to it. They don’t believe that Christ’s work upon it is sufficient to save them completely. To them, the cross is a decent start, but we’re going to have finish our salvation by doing right things and abstaining from wrong things. The Galatians thought the same thing when they were so heavily rebuked by Paul. In Galatians 3:3 – “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul demanded an answer. “You began your walk with God trusting in Christ’s work to save you, and you’re going to finish your walk with God by your own works?” This may sound shocking, but the crowd who thinks salvation is difficult desires no assurance. They hate the thought of someone having assurance. They do not know if they are fully saved, and they do not want you to know either. If I were to make some of the statements I’ve made concerning assurance in my most recent posts to some pastors, they would have quickly quoted I Corinthians 10:12 to me – “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed, lest he fall.” It says, “Let him that thinketh he standeth…” What they are missing about this verse is the fact that I do not believe that I’m standing. My salvation has to do with whether the Saviour is yet standing. It is HIS saving power, keeping power, and standing power that gives me assurance; not mine! The one who thinks salvation is difficult – they’re the ones who think that they are standing. They are standing on their own abilities and works. I’ve got enough sense to know that if the Father is pleased with the Son and His work on Calvary (and He absolutely is), I need to trust the atoning work of Christ!

Salvation is free to us, but it is not cheap. It cost the Saviour dearly. He paid a great price, but He purchased a great plan! What the Father demanded for our salvation IS difficult; but Jesus Christ supplied the hard part at the cross. If you think salvation is hard (for us), you need to get on your knees, open your Bible to Isaiah 53, Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19, and read those passages on your knees. These are the passages of the crucifixion of Christ. If you believe that salvation is hard, you need to take a long, hard look at Calvary. You missed something. Jesus did not die the cruel death he suffered to make it hard for us to be saved. He concluded His sufferings on the cross with the words, “It is finished.” If it is finished, why do so many add so much to it?

Conclusion
What’s the big deal about assurance? What difference does it make how sure I am of my salvation? Lack of assurance is, first, an assault on the Word of God. When the Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” and you claim that you believe on Him, and you still do not know if that is enough to save you or not, you are proclaiming that you are not sure if you believe the Bible. It is God’s Word you are assaulting. If you are certain that you believe on Christ, but somehow you don’t know if God meant what He said when He said, “Thou shalt be saved,” you need to repent. You need to ask God to forgive you for doubting His word! Lack of assurance is, secondly, an assault on the work of God. Jesus performed the saving work upon the cross. To say that you have believed on Christ and are not sure of your salvation is to say that you are not sure if His work upon the cross is enough. What an assault to the cross! It is enough! It needs nothing added to it! Baptism won’t complete it; it is already complete. Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost won’t finish it; Jesus already said, “It is finished!” Good works won’t complete it; Galatians 2:21 says that the trusting in good works frustrates, or voids it. The work of Christ upon the cross is complete, and it is sufficient to save anyone who will trust Jesus Christ today.

Let me give a final word for preachers before I close. The job of the preacher is to make the ways of God plain. If there is a preacher reading this who has no assurance of salvation, and does not preach assurance of salvation, you need to get out of the ministry and make an honest living. Stop robbing God’s people. If you cannot tell someone who is lost exactly what to do to be saved, and show them by the scriptures that they most certainly are saved, then you are robbing God’s people. You may say, “I don’t get a salary.” Then get out of the ministry and quit robbing God’s people of their time. You may think that your calling is to teach people how to live. But if you can’t even show someone how to get saved and know it, you have nothing to teach me about how to live. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but if a person doesn’t know addition and subtraction, he has no business trying to teach me algebra. And if you don’t know the basics of salvation and assurance, the ministry is not for you. You’re either not called or not true to your calling. God didn’t call you to preach how hard it is to be saved. God didn’t call you to preach salvation by works. God didn’t call you to preach baptismal regeneration. God didn’t call you to preach salvation in speaking in tongues. If God called you to preach, He called you to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you’re preaching these other doctrines I’ve mentioned, I know you’re not preaching the gospel; you don’t even understand the gospel! We, as preachers, need to proclaim the gospel to this lost and dying world, give them the gospel so they may be saved and absolutely, positively know it!

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine - Part 2

Having established that assurance of salvation is first, necessary; and second, the will of God, I wish to establish now the sources of my assurance. From where does my assurance come? When I make bold statements regarding my salvation, on what grounds do I make those statements? Do I have a right to make such statements? Perhaps the reader may believe that I am presumptuous in making a statement of absolute, positive assurance of my salvation. However, any statement of mine that reveals my assurance of salvation is not presumptuous; it rather has valid sources. I will look now at those sources.

The Spirit of God Says I’m Saved!
John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” If you are a child of God, you became His child by believing on Him. One does not become a child of God by obeying laws and commandments; one does not become a child of God by keeping sacraments or ordinances; one does not become a child of God by dressing a certain way. It is by believing. I have stated a few times in this blog that “believing” is not merely believing in God’s existence (the devils do that, but they are not saved, James 2:19). “Believing” is not mentally affirming that Jesus died upon the cross. Biblical “believing” is associated with faith. Hebrews 11:6 bears this out – “But without FAITH it is impossible to him: for he that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Believing is “placing faith in.” It is casting off every feeble, sorry, lousy effort to save yourself, and completely trusting Jesus Christ to save you. This is what makes you a child of God, according to the Bible.

When you become a child of God by believing on Jesus Christ, the Father places His Spirit within your heart. Galatians 4:6 states this plainly – “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Why does God send the Spirit of his Son into our hearts? Not because we “live right;” not because we are baptized; not because we “dress right;” not because we keep laws and commandments; not because we are faithful to church; not because we tarried for eight and a half years; but BECAUSE WE ARE SONS, or CHILDREN OF GOD. God’s Spirit, the Holy Ghost, lives within a person when they become a son or daughter of God. Notice Romans 8:9 – “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you: now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Some interpret this to mean that, if a person is not FILLED with the Holy Ghost and speak in tongues, they are not saved. This is error. I have already shown, that in John 1:12, you belong to God, becoming His son or daughter, by believing on His name. If you belong to God, you are His son or daughter, and you have His Spirit living within you.

When you are saved, and God’s Spirit moves into your heart, he lets you know that you are saved.

Romans 8:14-16 – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

I John 3:23, 24 – “And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandment dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

I John 4:13 – “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”

These verses tell us that we know we are saved, because the Holy Ghost lives in us! This does not mean that you will always “feel like praising God and shouting.” This does not mean that you will always “feel saved.” Now, listen to me closely. Even when I struggle with doing what the Lord wants me to do, this gives me assurance of my salvation. Shocking? It shouldn’t be. When I was lost, I didn’t care about what pleased God. I did my own thing, and it never dawned on me what God wanted me to do. Before the Lord saved me, I cursed all the time. It never bothered me. After I got saved, I immediately quit cursing! I had no desire for it. The reason I did not want to curse any more, is because the Spirit of God lived in my heart! The flesh was accustomed to it; but the Spirit fought against it! If I would’ve cursed after I received salvation, it would’ve bothered me greatly. Why is this? It never bothered me before. It bothers me now because I have an inward man inside who has been regenerated. He lives by the Spirit of God who lives within. When a part of you wants to please God, but the other part desires the things of the world, it is because there is a struggle in you between the Holy Ghost and your flesh. THIS STRUGGLE WOULD NOT BE PRESENT IF THE SPIRIT OF GOD DID NOT LIVE IN YOU! The very fact that there is a struggle where there was no struggle before is evidence that God’s Spirit dwells in you, and you are a child of God!

The Word of God Says I’m Saved
An even greater witness to my salvation is the Word of God. God’s Word, the Bible, testifies that I am saved. In my previous post, I discussed some verses that state plainly that we can know that we have eternal life. However, the scriptures give more assurance than just those verses.

I am going to give a list of scriptures that tell us explicitly how to obtain everlasting, or eternal life. The scriptures are very clear about this. When the Bible tells you clearly what to do to be saved, and you do it, this gives you solid assurance that you are saved. If the Bible would have said, “Place your hand on top of your head, and thou shalt be saved,” and I respond by placing my hand on top of my head, what does that make me? SAVED! If salvation were attained by me placing my hand on top of my head, that would be a simple salvation. But did you know that not everyone can place their hand on top of their head? They would be left out of salvation’s plan. But God’s plan of salvation is easier than that! Even people who cannot place their hand on top of their head can be saved. I am going to give a list of verses that explicitly and clearly show that salvation is obtained simply by believing on Jesus Christ, and by nothing else.

Many of these verses in this list will be from the book of John. In John’s gospel, Jesus makes it extremely clear that everlasting life is gained by believing on Him. As a matter of fact, according to John 20:31, the gospel of John was written solely for the purpose of showing us that everlasting life is attained by believing on Jesus Christ! When God puts an entire book of the Bible in place to show you that everlasting life is attained by believing in Christ, you might want to think about believing that everlasting life is attained by believing in Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how people who have supposedly been ministers of the gospel for many years, and yet do not understand the gospel of John. In John’s gospel, when everlasting life is mentioned, you will notice that everlasting life is always accompanied with a verb in the present tense – “He that believeth on the Son HATH (or, has) everlasting life.” When you believe on Christ, you have, right now, everlasting life! I am not waiting to see if I’m going to have everlasting life; I have it at this very moment! This is nothing short of blessed assurance! Look at these verses closely:

John 1:12 – “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

John 3:14-18 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:36 – “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

John 5:24 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

John 6:28, 29 – “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

John 6:35 – “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

John 6:40 – “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:47 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

John 8:24 – “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

John 11:25, 26 – “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

John 12:46 – “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

John 20:31 – “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Acts 8:36, 37 – “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Acts 10:43 – “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Acts 13:39 – “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Acts 16:30 – “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Romans 3:21, 22 – “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”

Romans 3:26 – “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Romans 10:9-13 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I Corinthians 1:21 – “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

Galatians 3:22 – “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

I Timothy 4:10 – “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.”

Hebrews 4:3 – “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

Hebrews 10:39 – “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

These are not all the scriptures that declare that salvation is attained by believing. Others make it clear that is not by works, but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Galatians 2:16; Galatians 2:19: Galatians 2:21; Romans 3:25; and others).

So, there are many things of which I am not sure. But one thing of which I am absolutely, positively sure. I am sure that I am trusting Jesus Christ and Him alone for full salvation, and the scriptures say that, in this case, I presently possess everlasting life. There is only one possible way that I, who am presently trusting Jesus Christ solely for my salvation, could be lost. The Bible would have to be wrong. Therefore, I will lose no sleep tonight worrying about whether or not I’m saved. I am not presumptuous to have assurance of salvation; I have the greatest sources in the world to testify that I am saved – The Spirit within me and the Word before me!

So, upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word, I say it again – “If I’m not saved, nobody’s saved!”

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!

The greatest gift I have ever received is salvation. The second greatest gift I have ever received is assurance of salvation. Webster defines “assurance” this way – “Firm persuasion; full confidence or trust; freedom from doubt; certain expectation; the utmost certainty.” Assurance of salvation is simply “knowing beyond any shadow of doubt that one is saved.” This assurance of salvation is one of the greatest blessings ever afforded to mankind. Perhaps one of the most tormenting places for a man to be is a place where he possesses no absolute, positive assurance that he is saved. But thanks be to God, assurance of salvation is possible! It is not only possible for a saved individual to have such assurance; it is God’s will for a saved individual to have such assurance. In so many churches with which I fellowship, salvation is fickle. Salvation is presented by many as a leaning tower, ready to topple at any moment. This, my friend, is not the salvation of the Bible. Jesus Christ is the salvation of the Bible. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it, and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). The salvation which I received is eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9), authored by the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). I am saved with a great salvation (Hebrews 2:3)! The Lord saved me in 1994, and He has kept me from then until now. He is my Saviour and my Keeper. I am not saving myself by keeping commandments and laws; Christ is keeping me by His power (I Peter 1:5). While I have striven to be faithful, I understand clearly what every believer needs to understand; and that is, that the keeping of my salvation has much more to do with His grip on my hand than it does with my grip on His. When my hand had well nigh slipped, I found that His strong arm upheld me. This blessing of assurance is the key to victory in the Christian walk. I have found that if a person is not sure of their own salvation, they will not win others to salvation, for they do not have anything to which to win them. I have witnessed that if one does not know positively that they are saved, they speak little of their faith. This is rightly so, for they have little that is worth saying. Assurance is the first step to a life of victory.

How Sure Am I?
I was speaking recently to a man about salvation, and this subject of assurance came up. To illustrate how positively sure I am that I am saved, I made a statement that many will deem a bold statement. I said, “If I’m not saved, nobody’s saved!” I have made this statement in churches where I have preached. You should see the looks of faces from the pulpit! When most people hear that statement, they are startled. For most, the first thought upon hearing a statement such as this is, “This man has an awful lot of confidence in himself.” But the individual who thinks that thought is dead wrong. I do not have the least bit of confidence in myself. When I make a confident statement as that one, it is not my saving power I am commending; it is His saving power I am commending. I am not the Saviour; He is the Saviour! When He saves, He does not “barely save;” He rather “saves to the uttermost!” People like the confidence that they hear in such a statement, and even wish that they had that kind of confidence. However, assurance this strong goes against the mindset of so many in our churches. Many in our churches are “striving to make heaven their home.” Many are “working to hear Him say, ‘Well done.’” Many are “hoping to be saved.” But very few are positively, absolutely sure that they are, at this moment, saved. Listen to me carefully. I am not striving to be saved; I AM saved! I am not hoping to be saved; I AM saved! I am not working for salvation; I am a recipient of it! I got into a discussion several years ago with a man concerning salvation. He was a saved man. He said, “I do not like to use the term ‘saved.’ I prefer to use the term ‘born again.’” I replied that I did not have any problem using the term “saved.” He informed me that the Bible teaches that the man who endures to the end shall be saved. So, he believed that he was not yet saved; he was only “born again.” I gave him I Corinthians 1:18, which states, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which ARE SAVED it is the power of God.” Yes, there is a final salvation in the future where we will be saved from the very presence of sin; but there is a present salvation where we ARE SAVED at this very moment. This group of people that ARE SAVED is the group in which I am numbered! I am not waiting to be saved; I am saved, and I am sure of it!

Allow me to use this illustration to show how sure I am of my salvation. Let us say that I am in my home. I am praying. Suddenly, the angel Gabriel appears. He is wearing a white, shining garment. Somehow, I know that it is Gabriel, the same angel that appeared to Mary. Gabriel says, “Bob, I came to tell you something. I just checked the Lamb’s book of life in heaven, and I came by to tell you that your name is in there – you are saved.” I would look at Gabriel and say, “Gabe, thank you; but I already knew that.” Listen carefully. If an angel came from heaven and told me that he was positively sure that my name is in heaven, it would not give me any more assurance of my salvation than I have right now!

Allow me to go a little further. Say I am at home, and the angel Gabriel appears to me. He says, “Bob, I don’t know how to tell you this. But I just came from heaven. I looked for your name in the Lamb’s book of life, and it is not there. You are not saved.” I could reply with confidence, “Gabe, I don’t know how to tell you this. But you don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about.” You say, “You would talk to an angel that way?” I say, “Absolutely. I am commanded to talk to an angel that way!” The scripture says in Galatians 1:8, “Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that which ye have heard, let him be accursed!” I am believing, trusting, resting, relying, depending on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and Acts 16:31 states, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!” Well, I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and according to the word of God, I am saved. For an angel to come with a different message would mean that he is preaching a different gospel, and should be accursed. Praise God for blessed assurance!

Is it really possible to know positively of one’s salvation? Let us see what the scriptures declare:

Romans 8:16 – “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

I Thessalonians 1:5 – “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.”

II Timothy 1:12 – “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.”

I John 3:23, 24 – “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

I John 4:13 – “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”

I John 4:15 – “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”

I John 5:10-13 – “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!*

*Fanny J. Crosby