Ian Hamilton: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Sproul: Now the problem is complicated, because
we have four kinds of people. The people who aren’t saved and know that
they aren’t saved, people who aren’t saved and don’t know that they aren’t saved,
people who are saved and know that they are saved, and people who are unsaved who know
that they are saved. That’s where the problem comes in, because
you have all kinds of people who have an assurance of salvation illegitimately. Because they don’t understand what salvation
requires. Maybe somebody taught them, “If you raise
your hand in an evangelistic meeting, or if you walk down the aisle, or if you speak the
sinner’s prayer or if you do this method or that method, that guarantees that you’re
saved.” But the New Testament and Jesus specifically
warns us about a false assurance. That there are many who will come on the last
day and say, “Lord, Lord! Didn’t we do this and didn’t we do that
and so on,” and He will say those horrible words, “Depart from Me. I never knew you, you workers of iniquity.” So, there is such a thing as a false assurance. That’s why we need to know what salvation
really is and what it really requires. And then the question is, “In my own subjective
evaluation, do I meet the requirements,” that as we’ve just heard, “Believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and I will be saved”? And then you can say, “Well, do I really
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?” How can I sin the way I sin when I know that’s
not consistent with true faith in Christ? Good news to know that we don’t have to
be perfect in order to be saved, but we do have to understand who it is that saves us
and how it is that we are saved. Very practical ways, I’ve talked to people
who struggle with this question. I ask them, “Do you love Jesus, the biblical
Jesus? Do you love the biblical Jesus perfectly?” I’ve only heard two people in my life who
have answered that question in the affirmative to me, who would say yes, they love Him perfectly. That’s for the perfectionist problem, and
it’s another story. But the vast majority of professing Christians
will answer that question, “no.” They know I don’t love Jesus perfectly. I know I don’t love Jesus perfectly. And then I’ll say, “Well” — I will
say to them, “Well, do you love Him as much as you ought to love Him?” Well if they answer the first question “No,”
they’ve got to answer the second question “No,” because I ought to love Him perfectly. And so if I say, “I don’t love Him perfectly,”
then I know I don’t love Him as much as I ought to love Him. So now, the spiral seems to tend to be more
and more pessimistic. Then I ask this question, “Do you love Him
at all?” Do you know in your heart whether you have
any any genuine affection for the biblical Jesus? And there is where your theology comes home
to roost. If I can say, “Yes, I know that I don’t
love Him the way I should love Him, that I don’t love Him perfectly, but I know in
whom I have believed. I know that I have some real affection for
Christ in my heart and in my soul.” Then if my theology is sound, then I ask the
question, “How could that possibly be?” Because I know an unregenerate person has
no affection for Jesus and can’t possibly have any affection for Jesus. So, if I have any affection for Jesus that
tells me I’m regenerate. And if I’m regenerate, I have true faith. And if I have true faith, I’m numbered among
the elect and can have full assurance. That’s why, you know, Peter talks about
that we should make our election and calling sure. That it’s a very practical issue, because
if we don’t have the assurance of salvation that we should have and can have, we’re
tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. We’re unstable or inconsistent. We’re duck soup for the temptations of the
enemy who comes our way. That’s why, you know, I look at the difference
between Judas and Peter. Jesus says in the Upper Room to Judas, “What
you have to do, do quickly.” Go do it. And then when He talks about Peter, He says,
“You’re going to deny me.” Oh no, no, not a chance. “Simon, Simon, Satan would have you and
sift you like wheat." You’re simple, duck soup for Satan," but
I have prayed for you, so that when you turn,” not if you turn, but when you turn, “strengthen
the brethren.” Oh! The personal gratification that that gives
to my soul is immeasurable, and that’s why we have to understand the work of Jesus, that
He not only is King, but He is our great High Priest who intercedes for us every hour of
every day. And when the Lord Jesus Christ prays for His
weak disciples, there’s no question of whether or not they’re going to turn. We’re capable of serious and radical falls
from grace, but never total and final fall, because we are being preserved by our Savior. And that’s where my assurance comes in.
Beautifully explained.
Very encouraging!
Aaaaaaaand I’m in tears
Sproul is amazing, his explanations are really clear and they've helped me out a lot with some challenging questions related to the faith.
With all due respect, how does he not contradict himself? He says that knowing HOW one is saved is critical, and that many will get it wrong....yet then goes on to say, if one has any affection for Christ, he can be assured of salvation?
Needed to hear that, thank you.
So good. I have never truly enjoyed the richness of salvation until I started understanding God's sovereign election.
[removed]