The Deep End

Safe and Secure: The Intersection of Security and Assurance

September 29, 2022 at 3:44 pm | Posted in II Timothy, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Tags: 1 John 5, 2 Timothy 2, assurance of salvation, Biblical assurance, Ephesians 4, eternal security, eternal security of the believer, John 3, once saved always saved, Romans 3

When considering the doctrine of eternal security, and the separate but related concept of the assurance of salvation, I would like to discuss four possible categories of people:

1. People who are saved and know it
2. People who are saved but don’t know it
3. People who are lost and know it
4. People who think they are saved but are really lost

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

I John 5:11

Many babies around the world are born without a birth certificate, but, in nations where there is a strong hospital system and government oversight, there is almost always a record of physical birth. When it comes to having a record of spiritual birth, though, we can do away with the “almost,” because there is in fact ALWAYS a record of spiritual birth. Spiritual birth is the receipt of eternal life, and this eternal life is in the Son. Receipt of eternal life in the Son should be a basis for certainty, not doubt, because the Son, like the life He gives and maintains, is eternal Himself.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

I John 5:12

I listed four categories above, but, in a more basic sense, we can confirm two categories here: (1) those who have the Son; and (2) those who have not the Son. We call the ones who have the Son “saved” because they are secure with Him. The ones who do not have the Son can not be considered “saved,” but we call them lost, rather than “damned,” in the hope that they will be found.

The doctrine of eternal security is underpinned by, and, in a way, based upon, regeneration. This will help us to think correctly as we analyze the connection between security and assurance and look at the four categories one at a time.

1. Those who are saved and know it

Is it possible for a person to know he is saved? The Bible indicates that it is.

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.

I John 5:13

John’s epistles back up the purpose of his Gospel (“that ye might believe”) by adding that ye might believe and KNOW. The pastor of the church where I serve likes to say that the only thing better than being saved is being saved and knowing it, and there is certainly an element of truth to this. Perhaps you have heard other preachers ask, “Do you know that you know that you know… etc… that you are saved?” When the doctrine of security is known and understood, and it is combined with a Biblical assurance of salvation, we can see that this category – category one, being saved and knowing it – is clearly the best category.

2. Those who are saved but don’t know (or realize) it

I would argue that this is not a “good” category to be in, but certainly not the worst. Is it possible to be saved and not realize you are saved? Setting aside cases of amnesia or mental illness or disability, this category would mainly consist of people who struggle with doubt, or people who have been genuinely saved but haven’t fully understood it, or people who have sinned and become consumed by guilt leading to doubt over God’s love. I heard one preacher talk about a young lady who struggled with feeling forgiven, although the Bible clearly states that the sins of believers have been fully forgiven in the Cross. It turned out that her deeper issue was not a struggle with guilt, but a lack of repentance concerning her pride and disbelief.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Confession of sins is integral to growth as a Christian, but just as important, or even more so, is a recognition that our FATHER has already arranged a prospective GUARANTEED forgiveness for true Christians. Category Two is a “better” category than Category Three or Four, but it is ultimately a sad category, and one from which we should seek to deliver our brothers and sisters who struggle with doubt and disbelief in the power and promises and grace of God.

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 3:36 (emphasis added)

Note the present tense (what I like to call the present tense eternal) “hath” in John 3:36. Security is in the POSSESSION of eternal life, not the PROFESSION of eternal life, but when the profession can be added to the possession, then the Christian can grow in faith and overcome crippling doubt and fear.

3. Those who are lost and know it

Category 3 is not a good category, obviously, but it is is not as bad as it at first sounds. A person who knows he is lost (and will admit it) is a prime candidate to hear and receive the Gospel. Much of the Bible, and therefore much evangelism, is geared toward getting lost people to admit they are lost. A lost person may totally misconstrue the message that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life; that message is largely meaningless without the conviction of sin and the fear of judgment. That’s why the Bible’s most explicit explanations of the Gospel and the plan of salvation drive home the point that sinners are the ones who need a savior, and we all come into this world as sinners.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Romans 3:23-26

This is extremely good news for those who believe in Jesus and the truth about His death, burial, and Resurrection, but ONLY for those who believe. There is no eternal security for a lost person, so the last thing we want to do is given them a false assurance. A false assurance would land them them in category four, which, for my money, is the most dangerous and worst category a person could be in.

4. Those who think they are saved but are really lost

These people are sometimes described as inoculated to the Gospel, and, while I don’t really care for that description, we must acknowledge that a person who truly believes that he has already been saved is the kind of person who is least likely to be susceptible to the conviction that comes with the preaching of the Gospel. One of the reasons that so many people don’t like the expression “once saved always saved” is that it can be seriously misused, even though it is a valid expression. We have to remember that the expression is NOT “once claimed to be saved, always saved” or “once thought to be saved, always saved.” Too many professing Christians wear the label “saved” when they haven’t really understood or believed the Gospel, and haven’t really received the Savior. It reminds me of a story in which the famous preacher D.L. Moody was once approached by a drunk man. “Don’t you remember me?” slurred the man as he staggered about, “You saved me two years ago.” Moody is said to have responded, “I must be the one who saved you, because it sure doesn’t look like God did it.”

There are some Biblical examples of people who belonged to category four, and some we can’t be sure of, but two are mentioned by name:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

II Timothy 2:15-18

It appears that Hymenaeus and Philetus were in error – albeit grievous error – meaning they actually believed their own false teachings. Note, however, that their false assurance, and their fall into apostasy, did not affect the objective truth of eternal security.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

II Timothy 2:19

We are hesitant to disfellowship or kick someone out of a local church body, and we should not do so if there is reason to believe their profession of salvation is credible, but ongoing acts of open unrepentant sin is one authorized reason for doing it, and false teaching, despite attempted correction, is another.