Assurance

Written by cycleguy on April 20th, 2017

Have you heard the story of a man who made an appointment with a psychologist? When the doctor asked him what had prompted the visit, the man said, “I’m suffering from an inferiority complex.” The psychologist took a couple of weeks and put the man through an intensive series of tests. The man waited while the tests were tabulated and the appropriate correlations made. Finally, the office called and the man went in to discover the results. The doctor walked in and said to him, “I have some interesting results. You do not have an inferiority complex. You really are inferior!”

Inferiority is not limited to those outside of Christ. It is not relegated to those who are “head” cases. It is not relegated to those who were beaten down as they grew up and think very little of themselves as a result. Inferiority blurs every line; covers every age group; crosses economic status, job, sex, and race. No one group can claim to be exempt.

Many followers of Christ are haunted by doubt. Assurance in their relationship with God and their daily walk is lacking. The passage I will be preaching on this week, I John 3: 19-24, really hits this issue hard.  We often need the reassurance that all is well in our relationship with God and it is not dependent on, nor does it hinge on our goodness. Doubts will come, some more and stronger than others. But that is no reason to doubt our salvation.

Do you have assurance of your salvation? Or do you live in constant doubt or fear?

 

9 Comments so far ↓

  1. Pam says:

    Bill, I wish I could be there to hear this sermon. I am dealing with a friend who had a horrific father. His childhood was a series of nightmares. It has directly affected his ability to believe that God loves him and that he can be assured of God’s saving grace for him.

    • cycleguy says:

      not trying to toot my horn Pam but it will be on podcast immediately following the second service. Thanks for that comment. As for the other, it is amazing how our “father” relationship is often tied to our “God” relationship and how we see Him.

  2. Jeff says:

    I have no fear and no doubt about salvation.

  3. I must admit, Bill, I used to live with lots of fear and doubt, but God has been so patient with me as I’ve walked this journey with Him. Feeling as confident as I ever have that my salvation is assured.
    Blessings, and I’ll be praying for your sermon on Sunday!

    • cycleguy says:

      Don’t you just love thinking about the patience and love of God toward us? Blows me away all the time. Thanks for your prayers Martha.

  4. floyd says:

    I have assurance. Not because of anything I’ve done, but what I know and what I’ve witnessed in my life by the Divine hand of God.

    That means I’m heavy hearted not just for the lost, but for my inferior nature. Makes grace that much sweeter.

    Praying for you, brother.

  5. Mike says:

    I have no doubt that God loves me and is working with me, by the shear number of trials I’ve been going through. 🙂 So the fact that I’m still upright, gives me the confidence that God is walking with me.

  6. Jason says:

    Hey, we head cases like being inferior. Gives us status. 😉