More On Assurance

My desire as a youth pastor is not to undermine assurance. I know that I have often questioned authenticity because it is easy in our overchurched culture to believe we are saved and to actually end up in a predicament on the day of judgement. But, I do not enjoy seeing people squirm as they try to understand why they are not saved and feel like there is no way to become saved... That is simply cruel... I have done this before. But I am working to be a better lover of souls.

If you were my kids what would I want you to know? I would want you to know that Christ is sufficient. That he is for you!

It is the great Enemy of our soul's desire to destroy your faith. That is his one aim. He wants you to spend an eternity of torment in regret with him. I do not want to team up with him in his aims by causing you to doubt your faith to the point where you throw up your hands and accept defeat. I want you to know that you are saved! That Christ is for you! Paul does a brilliant job of arguing that Christ is for us in Romans 8. I encourage you to read it in its entirety but let me point out part of the brilliant argument: "Who is he that condemns?" (vs. 34) Paul is asking a question to remind us that Jesus is the judge. The One who will take account on the last day is the One who died in your place. "Who is he that condemns?" The answer: "Christ Jesus, who died- more than that, who was raised to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (vs. 34). The One who you have to give account for is the very One who was willing to lay down His perfect life for you. Furthermore, He is at the right hand of God right now interceding on your behalf. Not only did He give His life 2000 years ago, but he is also still engaged in your salvation as He intercedes for you. Let Paul make your heart leap for joy as the Words of God encourage you:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35-39).