How can I be certain?

 
The only people who have ever asked me how I know I am a Christian were those without faith. Even Christians who have slipped away from their walk (we call them prodigals or backsliders) have this knowledge. It is not based on anything but faith and that is a gift from God. Since we are saved by faith and not by our performance, that makes sense.

However, today’s reading suggests otherwise. It points to the test Christ gave by which the reality of His oneness with the Father was to be known — He did the works of the Father. However, the author says there is no other test for us. This puts our assurance dangerously close to being saved by works rather than faith. 

In the NT, one passage suggests the Apostles refused to point to themselves as the reason for their changed life. Just after healing a man, they said:

If we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:9–12)

They did not say they were saved because they could heal this man. Only Jesus made the claim that He was who He claimed to be because of the works He did.

Another passage about assurance rather than self-examination says this:

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (1 John 5:10–14)

The assurance here is not about works but about faith in Jesus Christ, a faith that is verified by knowing Christ, not by my works. I know that James says faith without works is dead. Dead means separation from God so the safe conclusion is that faith produces a changed life, yet the ‘goodness’ seen in a person’s life is not proof that they are believers. The outward appearance of being a good person can have other motivations than the power of the Holy Spirit. 

There is only one passage that tells us to examine ourselves. It links self-examination to faith in the death of Christ for our sins, not to our performance. (See 1 Corinthians 11:26–32)

Again, faith and eternal life is about knowing Jesus. Faith produces a changed life, but the root issue is faith because the results will not always be perfect obedience. Even so, obeying God’s will as Jesus obeys can lead to self-righteousness and basing assurance on my works rather than what Jesus says. I cannot put the cart before the horse. My union with Christ is based on what He has done rather than on my performance.

PRAY: Jesus, You give me assurance that I belong to You, even when my life gets messy. I cannot  base it on a list of actions or perfections in myself. If they could give me assurance of salvation, I would not need You. I’m not denying the importance of obedience, but saying my union with Christ is grounded in what You have done, not on what I do or do not do.  

Sin quits, faith keeps on . . .

Genesis 4; Matthew 4; Ezra 4; Acts 4

Imagine a painting refusing certain colors, or an automobile insisting it will run itself without the correct working parts. Imagine a house refusing framing or insisting on its own decisions regarding design and function. These are silly suggestions yet right from the beginning, humanity was created in the image of God yet rebels against our creator.

In Genesis, the first offspring of Adam and Eve murdered his brother right after he realize his own offering to God was not accepted as his brothers had been. God told him, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6–7) Cain was warned but he sinned anyway. Instead of confessing his shortfall and asking forgiveness, he retaliated.

If I do anything that falls short, I cannot please God by anything other than humbly admitting my error.

In Ezra’s story, God gave his people freedom from their exile to go home and rebuilt their temple. Opposition arose and instead of listening to God, they were afraid of the people in that land and the current king and stopped their work.

Giving in to those who oppose what I do in obedience to God is lack of faith and disobedience.

Matthew tells of the temptation of Jesus. His enemy (and ours) made three offers to Him and He turned down all three.

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” (Matthew 4:3–10)

Jesus had work to do. Satan tried to stop Him by offering shortcuts that would benefit Him but do nothing toward fulfilling the salvation plan of God. instead of giving in to the temptations, Jesus began to teach and preach, calling others to work with Him as He proclaimed the gospel and healed diseases and afflictions. He simply did as His Father wanted.

Because the devil went after the Son of God, I can fully expect to be attacked as well. My efforts to further the kingdom of God are not at the same level of effectiveness as were those of Jesus, but anytime I give in to the lies and shortcuts the devil offers, I am rebelling against the plan of God.

Chapter 4 of Acts gives a wonderful example of what to say and do concerning opposition. Peter and John, in the name of Jesus, healed a man. Five thousand put their faith in Jesus. The religious leaders in that day were upset and confronted them. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said this:

“If we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:9–12)

The opposers told them to stop speaking in Jesus’ name, but Peter and John answered, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19–20) Their example prompted others to pray for boldness and “when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

What former people of faith could not do, Jesus did. Then He gave His Spirit to His followers and they also were able to resist the temptation to quit when facing opposition. I want to have the courage to always resist temptation and the strength to remain obedient so I am also numbered among God’s faithful servants.