Can I Be Sure I’m Saved If Persevering Is the Proof?

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 938

[BruceJC]

I’ve always been of the belief that brokenness over sin is evidence of the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit! I will boast in my weakness that Christ may be Glorified!

[slaphappy]

Doubt will always arise when we trust in our own works rather than trust alone in Christ's finished work

[AnHebrewChild]

"By this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."
- Apostle John

[jerboago]

Hey guys. The best advice i can give you is to ask as many people as possible to constantly pray for you. I used to pray on my own, not wanting others to bother themselves for me. I was so wrong. I went back to sinning and worse, it was all done deliberately.

The only time i got to end all my sins at one go was the time i asked for constant prayer from everybody (Family, friends and even random strangers). Believe me, ever since i was born, i couldn't go on a day without doing all the major sins (except killing of course). I'm currently going strong for 2 weeks now which is already a miracle for me.

If i can take a guess, this is God's will and design. Imagine the number of people you can remind about God or bring back to the faith if you ask them to pray for you. There is even bigger glory to God when we ask people to pray for us.

If it does work for you, please pass the message. We need to help more people like us. Don't do it alone. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are here to help you. Will pray for you as well. Good luck!!!

P.S. Join Christian forums. A lot of people go online and they also pray for each other.

[blakeclarkson]

Pete, you have to understand that Christ's work on the cross is already done. Have confidence that if the spirit of Christ dwells in you, he will persevere until the end!

[faithdefender]

This video has me in tears. Thank you, pastor. This video has given me so much hope.

[siquod]

Assurance that our faith is genuine grows with the number of trials our faith has survived.

[alifeworthy]

Thank you pastor John for the clear biblical answer. Allow me to add this Scriptures to your response too.
2 Timothy 2:10-13 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

Blessed day to all

[cork]

This video is long old now, but please pray for God to renew my faith & repentance since I have sinned heavily from 2016-2019.

I have kept my faith, & would appreciate prayer. I can pray for anyone too! Just comment.

[reginaldmiller]

Love this!! First time listener!! God bless you for this!!

[Panazoniac]

This wrecked me. Hallelujah!! I rejoice in my brokenness and thank Him for His infinite grace and goodness. Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.

[larrysauriol]

Dear Square Circle, I understand your hearts concern for your desire to love God, but the feeling that you don’t love Him deeply enough. I too, feel that weight of lack. But what helped me was the passage in Luke 7, where it tells of the woman who found Jesus at the Pharisee Simons house. She, who had been forgiven by Jesus for her many sins, whose life was transformed from darkness and death to light and life, now wept in gratitude on His dirty feet, wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume. Imagine her heart change because of His forgiveness, put yourself, as we all should, in her place. We are all forgiven because of God, in human form, died a horrible and beautiful death for that forgiveness. One day, when you stand in heaven forgiven, you will be weeping too, as Jesus stands with you as your Redeemer. If the realization of what He has done to pay the price for yours and my sin doesn’t increase your love for Him, then I don’t know what will. While we were still sinners, our Friend died to save us from eternity in hell.

[cork]

Please pray brothers & sisters for my repentance, I’ve struggled with sin. From 2016-2019, heinous sins. Please pray for genuine repentance that God may not cut me off. I’m terrified, but I’m also trying my best to lay aside every sin & persevere. (Heb 12:1-2)

[nathanielturner]

This is a very valid question and as many of you have stated, there seems to be an understanding of election which may be informed by Calvin's doctrine which circumvents Jesus' own warnings and teachings about salvation.

In Matthew 10: 37-39, Jesus explains what He considers to be a true disciple; namely, one who values Jesus above all other things in this world, even his or her own life. He reiterates this point further in Luke 14: 26-35, where he provides warning about counting the cost before making the decision to give your life to follow Him.

Both of these verses, in conjunction with the epistle messages about perseverance to the end, running the race, and the finishing of God's saving work on the day of salvation, leads me to vigilance each day, guarding my heart as steadfastly as possible to not be so arrogant as to believe that 1) I deserve salvation in the first place, and 2) salvation is so cheap that I could receive it by committing to anything less than giving all of me.

It's a necessarily difficult truth to reconcile, and in the "working out of my salvation, " as Phil. 2: 12-13 says, if Jesus is truly my Supreme treasure and my eternal life depends on him, the least I can do is give my utmost best in arriving at as true a repentance and cry for salvation as I can before my eyes shut for good on this side of eternity.

[LeylaDear]

Oh! How beautiful.. I've been fighting this doubts too!

[PennySmart]

Excellent! The question reflects a common misconception of the doctrine of perseverance, usually by those who do not adhere to Calvinism (though they are clearly stated in the Bible).

[blakeclarkson]

The day you were saved. Your flesh was already put to death. If you were truly saved. The old you died and you were born again of the spirit of Christ. A child of God!

[robraver]

its not all fun and laughter. There will be huge challenges to face up to, serious illness of either yourself or family and friends. You will still have all manner of tragedy..no matter how you go about things.


Its a total lie for anyone to promise its all going to be great, when life will still throw all kinds of things at you. Its still a fallen world. Personally I look forward to passing away. I did before I believed in fact (thought I was having a heart attack when I was in my early 20's) because I could see how hopeless life was. What is so great about becoming old and infirm?

[antoniogroothuis]

What about King Saul?

He was chosen, the Bible says he had the Holy Spirit. Yet he walked away. So was he saved or can false converts have the spirit. Would love to hear your thoughts!

[gregkennedy]

When you truly believe by faith, that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and you repent of your sins. He will give you the Holy Spirit and you will rejoice and give God glory all the time and never get tired of doing that. That is one way that you can tell that you are truly save.😊