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Assurance of Salvation
00:30:28
Is assurance of salvation a privilege only for a few spiritual elites? Today, Michael Reeves joins Nathan W. Bingham to discuss how all true Christians can be assured that they are reconciled to God and what to do if assurance wanes. For your donation...
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- [00:00]
Michael Reeves
If you are not assured, you will not pray boldly. You will not have joy in God. In difficult times, you will be deeply anxious because you'll feel, maybe God's forgotten me. And so the doctrine of assurance finds its end in creating healthy Christians who enjoy God and can rejoice in Him.
- [00:34]
Nathan W. Bingham
Do you know that you're saved? That if you were to die today, you're certain that you would be with God in heaven? Your answer to that may vary depending on the day, the week, or season of life you're in. You see, even though we're commanded by the Apostle Peter to make our calling and election sure, our assurance can wax and wane. So why can this be a struggle? And how can we grow in biblical assurance? Well, I'm glad you're joining us today for Renewing your Mind, as in today's special episode, you'll hear a seminar with Michael Reeves from Ligonier's 2025 National Conference on the topic of assurance. It's these kinds of optional seminars that are sprinkled throughout a national conference, so be sure to register and join us next year. You can learn more@ligonier.org 2026before we hear from Dr. Reeves. If you respond before midnight tonight with a donation in support of Renewing youg Mind, we'll send you a resource bundle that we've never offered on Renewing youg Mind before. Lifetime digital access to Dr. Reeves series, the Fear of the Lord and the Study Guide. Plus, we'll send you his book Right with God on the Doctrine of Justification and written to help bring comfort to Christians who lack confidence in their sin. So give your gift@renewingyourmind.org While there's still time when I sat down with Dr. Reeves for this seminar, I began by asking him what are some of the most common reasons why Christians can lack assurance? Here's Dr. Reeves answer.
- [02:12]
Michael Reeves
I think it's helpful to first understand how you can have assurance so you can then understand where the problems lie. So the root of all Christian assurance is found in the doctrine of justification that is the basis for true assurance. And I wonder if it's worth me just quickly unpacking that so that you can see exactly how this doctrine gives assurance. So if I'm to go from Romans 3 and 4 at the end of Romans 3, Paul talks about how the righteousness of God is manifested in Jesus Christ, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And then what he does in chapter four is show us how. Now that Christ has made a full atonement for sins, what does that mean? He says, what should we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather? According to the faith, if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Now, to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. And so the doctrine of justification is that God is the one, because Jesus made a full atonement for sin. God is the one who Romans 4:5 justifies the ungodly because of his grace. So Abraham, Genesis 15:6, believes God, and righteousness is credited to him as a gift. It's not that he himself has sorted himself out and made himself inherently internally righteous. God declares that he's righteous. So Paul could say Elsewhere in Philippians 3, I want to know Christ and to be found in him not having a righteousness of my own, but a righteousness that is by faith. And so what Paul's pointing out there is that the righteousness we have in Christ is a righteousness in Christ. So Christians put Christ on as clothing. Therefore we wear his righteousness, meaning that while we ourselves are never righteous in this life, we are righteous before God because we have the righteousness of Christ clothing us. Now, that's the foundation for assurance. If you can know my standing before God does not depend on my behavior or my performance. It depends entirely upon Jesus Christ and his righteousness which surrounds me and clothes me. If that's the case, I can look at myself and say, no, I'm not worthy. I'm a stumbling, failing Christian. But I am in Christ, and in Christ I am clothed with his righteousness. That's the foundation of assurance. So here's the first problem many Christians have with assurance is they don't understand the doctrine of justification. And if you don't understand justification, you can't have that security of assurance. So that's the first key thing is understanding the doctrine of justification. The second piece, there's a next level to it, which is that those who are justified are born again. They're born of the Spirit, and the Spirit pours the love of God into their hearts so that they begin living differently. So there is fruit in their lives. And the Spirit witnesses with our Spirit that we are children of God. So he witnesses with our Spirit, he produces fruit in our lives. And so that produces a secondary level of assurance. The complete work of Christ. Justification by faith alone is the foundation of our assurance. But as I look at how the Spirit witnesses with my Spirit, as I see the Spirit changing me and making me more Christlike, I see, yes, really, the Spirit is working in me. And that provides an extra level of assurance. So here's the second main problem people have with assurance is not only can they be confused on the doctrine of justification. If they're not walking in holy living, if they're living in sin, they're not getting that secondary extra level of assurance. And so they can struggle with their assurance for that secondary reason.
- [07:57]
Interviewer
How does the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints relate to a believer's assurance?
- [08:03]
Michael Reeves
So the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints really flows out of that second doctrine I talked about, that we are born, born again of the Spirit. And those who are born again in Romans 8, all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Crying abba, Father, that's the key thing, that those who are born again are adopted as children of God, meaning that the one who is born again, now a child of God is not merely declared righteous temporarily and that righteousness could wear off. They are a child of God with the same access to the Father as the firstborn natural Son of God, Jesus Christ. And because that is the case, we have a relationship with our Father. We are his beloved children, as beloved as the Son, because we're in him. And this kind Father does not unchildren his children when they are naughty. He may discipline them, but he will not un children them. And therefore those who are born again and adopted can be sure, in the words of Jesus in John 10, those who come to me will never perish, and no one can snatch them out of my hand. And so that means that those who are born again, who are children of God can have that absolute assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. And that means we can obey all those scriptural injunctions. Paul says, rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again. Rejoice. You can't rejoice if you're not sure if you're saved, if you think God might be against you. But if you can know justification, adoption, the Father will not let anyone snatch his own out of Jesus hand, then we can know that assurance.
- [10:28]
Interviewer
You have spoken on and written extensively on the Trinity. How does the Trinity relate to assurance?
- [10:37]
Michael Reeves
So all three persons are involved in our assurance. So we see this in actually that cry, Abba, that the Spirit unites me to the Son so that in Him I have the status of the Son before the Father. So that I can cry because the Spirit of the Son is on me. I can cry as the Son Himself cries, abba, my Father. And that means as the Spirit brings me to the Father through the Son, so from the Father I know love. Jesus says to his disciples, the Father Himself loves you in the Son and gives you His Spirit. And it's because the Father declares His love for us. We're united with the Son, the Spirit witnesses with our Spirit. Each of the three persons are all working together for our assurance.
- [11:46]
Interviewer
Now, it's possible for someone to have assurance of their salvation or believe that they're truly saved and and actually be deceived. It's also possible for a true, sincere Christian to doubt their salvation while having it. So how can we distinguish between true and false assurance?
- [12:05]
Michael Reeves
Yeah, it is really helpful. It might be worrying some people as we talk about that. Cause some people could be thinking, hang on, might it be that I've got assurance and I shouldn't have assurance? Yes, it is the case that there are some people who are assured who really shouldn't be assured, and there are some who should be assured who aren't. So what's the difference and how can we know? The difference is this false assurance is based on yourself. In other words, if I were to ask you, are you a saved believer? And you say, yes, I'm confident I am a saved believer. Why? Because I'm a good person. Because I go to church, Because I lifted my hand at an evangelistic meeting 20 years ago. All those things you're basing your assurance upon, you. And if that's your case, that is a false assurance. And sooner or later that should give way for you, but you should not rely on that. True assurance, in contrast, is based entirely on Jesus Christ, foundationally on Jesus Christ. Which is why Paul says, I want to be found in Him. It's why Paul says in Galatians 6, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, that His boast is not found in Himself, but in Jesus Christ. So true assurance is found in Jesus Christ and is enjoyed by those who will trust and rest upon Jesus Christ, who is the sufficient Savior.
- [14:05]
Interviewer
Is the doctrine of assurance something that every generation of Christians wrestles with? Or have there been times in church history where the struggle with assurance has been greater and the question behind the question, or the reason for this question is I've begun to wonder whether our social media and Internet age has increased a lack of assurance. Because when I've had friends come to me doubting their salvation and really concerned that perhaps I'm not a believer, it tends to be because they've listened to a preacher online who has preached a really, I guess, harsh or sermon filled with warnings, and they're listening to preachers and teachers that are not their local pastor. It means that Sunday after Sunday, they're not getting a balanced meal of cautions and assurance and gospel promise, but they're picking and choosing sermons. And so they hear something online that they otherwise, in another time in history would never have heard. And now they're thinking, wow, maybe I'm not a believer. And usually my conversation with them begins with, well, unbelievers don't come to me concerned that they're not a Christian. Clearly this is evidence the Holy Spirit is working in you. But is this something that all Christians have always wrestled with, or has it been seasonal throughout church history?
- [15:25]
Michael Reeves
It has varied and it largely varies to do with the church's and individual Christians. Clarity on the Gospel of justification by faith so before the Reformation, in the theology of Roman Catholicism, assurance is described as the sin of presumption. And within Roman Catholic theology, that makes complete sense. Because if my works are in any way meriting heaven, if I'm to say, oh, I'm absolutely sure I'll go to heaven, the basis on which I'm doing that must be because I am personally worthy of heaven, which is Roman Catholic theology recognizes extraordinarily presumptuous and vain. One of the charges against Joan of Arc in the Middle Ages, before the Reformation, was that she was assured of her salvation. And so they condemned her. The judges condemned her at her trial for the sin of presumption. But at the Reformation, things changed. When the reformers clearly taught justification by faith alone, then believers started hearing the basis on which they could legitimately have assurance. And yet it wasn't an easy thing, simply teaching the doctrine of assurance. It's so interesting reading Martin Luther's letters of spiritual counsel to friends of his, and you get to see many different temperaments and types that he was talking to, and you get to see some who tend to be more bullish and confident and not really quite questioning their assurance. And maybe there's some false assurance there. And then you have some other nervy, timid sorts. And there was one of his friends, particularly Philip Melanchthon, who was very much like that. And Luther himself actually constantly struggled with the question of assurance. And what Luther had to do there is he realized I need to constantly be preaching justification by faith alone to myself. And he would do it to his friends. Because it did. It doesn't do. And I know this personally, I know the doctrine of justification by faith alone well. But instinctively, I don't necessarily believe it. When I wake up in the morning, there can be an instinctive sense that I need to appease God by my own behavior. And so I need to preach to myself biblical truth that doesn't naturally arise from me. And in this day and age, we need to do that very clearly, because I think one of the other features of social media is that people's identity is bound up in their performance and their approval ratings. And therefore it just goes deeper into the psyche that that's how it must be. If it's how it is with all people, that's how it must be with God as well. That. Let me use the words of Martin Luther. People think they are loved because they're attractive. And Martin Luther at the beginning of the Reformation famously said, sinners are not loved because they are attractive. They are attractive because they are loved.
- [18:55]
Interviewer
So what do we do with the warning passages in Scripture? We're talking in a very positive way, reminding people these gospel truths, justification to help bring assurance. But there are passages in scripture that are warning passages. How do we relate to those, especially as we think about our assurance?
- [19:14]
Michael Reeves
Yeah, a couple of the most famous warning passages would be in Hebrews 6 and Hebrews 10. And in those passages, what you're seeing is the book of Hebrews is written to a church or a collection of churches, which actually means you've got a mixed congregation. And clearly in the letter to Hebrews, there are some who have put their trust in Christ and there are some who are struggling to understand. So do we still keep the law to be saved, or does trusting Christ save us completely? And they're a bit confused. So there are some who aren't yet believers or mature believers. And so what the writer of Hebrews does is he needs to speak to this complete congregation and say, if any of you were to turn back from this is the language of Hebrews 6, turn back from the Son of God, it would be crucifying him all over again. And he talks about, if we can go to Hebrews 6 to see this. The language he uses is of Israel in the wilderness. He talks about how certain God's promise is. But he says Hebrews 6, 4. Those who've been enlightened, who've tasted the heavenly gift shared in the Holy Spirit, tasted the goodness of the Word of God, and then have fallen away. They're crucifying once again the Son of God. Now, that is very Exodus language. They have seen the light of the pillar of cloud and fire. They have tasted the heavenly gift of manna. They've shared in the Holy Spirit who was with the congregation. They've tasted the goodness of the Word of God. They've heard good preaching to come, so they've experienced these things. But just as in Israel, all those who were baptized and went into the wilderness were not all faithful and just, so there are those who are baptized who've not themselves come to a living faith. And therefore it is right to warn them that if you do not trust in Christ, you will not be saved. There need to be warnings. But those warnings, we mustn't take that to mean that there is not true perseverance for the children of God. That would be a category confusion, because those who God has adopted, he will not un children. And we can hold to that promise. No one will snatch them out of my hand. But to a mixed congregation, we need to be able to say it is only those who have faith in Jesus Christ who are born again, who will endure to the end. And so if you're not one of those, be warned.
- [22:09]
Interviewer
What counsel do you give someone who might find themselves in a low season of assurance right now?
- [22:18]
Michael Reeves
Think of the two steps in finding assurance, if that's you. The first step is the doctrine of justification, of salvation by grace alone. So if you are struggling with your assurance, almost certainly at its base, not necessarily, but almost certainly at its base will be the fact that you are tying your status before God to your own feelings about yourself, to your own behavior, to what you think God might think of you based on how you're doing? That is not how Christians stand before God. The only way in which a saint can be a saint and stand before God is because we are clothed in Jesus Christ. And so if you try to come before God, before God in fig leaves like Adam and Eve did, then you will feel as nervous before God as they did. Remember what the Lord did. He clothed them properly with skins. And those are the people who know they are clothed in Jesus Christ who could be confident. So if you have low assurance right now, you need to press into the doctrine of justification. In fact, there's a little book I've written, it's called Right with God. You could read that and dig into that, a very small little work that would get you into the doctrine of justification. But the second thing is that the foundation of assurance is found in justification. But remember, those who are born again will behave differently. And therefore, since it is the Spirit who produces the fruit of holiness, it is the Spirit who witnesses with our Spirit that we're children of God. If you are living in a life of willful sin, if you are grieving the Spirit, you will not be enjoying that secondary level of assurance. Now that doesn't mean if you're struggling with assurance, just sort your behavior out, because that won't do it. Don't make your behaviour the basis of your assurance. It's Christ's atonement that is the foundation. But your being changed in Christlikeness is a secondary comfort for believers. And so if that's you, that you've been walking in sin and grieving the Spirit, the solution is not simply modify your behaviour. The solution is look again to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Because Titus 2 says the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, teaching us to renounce ungodliness. And so it is by enjoying the grace of God that you will begin to find yourself actually loving him, and therefore not just trying to modify your behavior, but finding yourself longing to live to please Him. And therefore your behavior will change, but your behaviour will be flowing from a truly changed heart of love for God because you're enjoying him in his grace.
- [26:02]
Interviewer
You've touched on this in the answer to that question, but what is the ultimate end of having assurance? Because if I've heard what you've said, and I say I believe in justification by faith alone. So now I know I'm going to heaven and that's the end of that change, whether in my mind or my life. Clearly that's not what should be the end of true assurance. So what is the fruit of true assurance in the life of a believer?
- [26:28]
Michael Reeves
If you are not assured you will not pray boldly, you will not have joy in God. And that's the really important one to focus on. You will not obey Paul's command. Rejoice always, because you're wondering if God's against you in difficult times, you will be deeply anxious because you'll feel, maybe God's forgotten me. And of course, of course he would forget me. He would cast me aside, maybe he doesn't care about me anymore. And so the doctrine of assurance finds its end in creating healthy Christians who enjoy God and can rejoice in Him. Because without assurance. You can't have those things. Assurance is the necessary pathway, not just to you being able to say I'm going to go to heaven, but right now to say, the Lord of Hosts is my Father. He cares for me right now. I can approach him right now with boldness in Jesus name, and therefore I can live a happy, healthy Christian life and I want to walk closely with Him. I have a faith that wants to work itself out. Good works.
- [28:09]
Nathan W. Bingham
That was Michael Reeves on the practical and theological topic of assurance. Hi, I'm Nathan W. Bingham, and thanks for joining us today for Renewing youg Mind. Today's message was from a seminar at Ligonier's 2025 national conference. These bonus sessions are just another reason why I encourage Christians to join us annually for three days of teaching and fellowship. If you'd like to join us in Orlando next April, you can learn more, explore the topics and speakers, and watch the trailer@ligonier.org 2026today Michael Reeves mentioned his book Right with God and until midnight tonight will send you a copy of that book plus unlock lifetime digital access to his popular series the Fear of the Lord. When you give a donation in support of Renewing your mind@renewingyourmind.org or when you call us at 800.435.4343, your support fuels the proclamation of the Gospel, bringing clarity to the doctrine of justification and how a believer can have assurance of their salvation. To thank you for your generosity, we'll unlock his series the Fear of the Lord and its study guide in the Ligonier app, plus send you a copy of his book Right with God. This is a one day only offer, so respond now while there's still time. Are we here today as a result of chance? Billions of years plus lots of chance equals Is nothing becoming everything? It sounds absurd when you say it like that because it's not rational. And RC Sproul will explain why as next week we'll feature his series Creation or Chaos. So join us beginning Monday here on Renewing youg Mind.
- [30:10]
Interviewer
Sam.