How can I obtain assurance of salvation?

#AskLigonier

[dpcsfecmcc]

I received eternal salvation because of what my Saviour done for me not what I work to do. Jesus paid it all he is the Saviour. We are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. Rightly divide the word. Salvation is by Christ alone and once saved we never lose it. Decipleship is after we are saved

[marylamb]

We're assured because God cannot lie. "He is the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus'" shed blood. "To him who does not work, but trusts in God who justified the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness. "

[SavedInANanosecond.]

This video, in less than 2 mins, a perfect illustration of what Calvinists believe/teach about assurance of salvation/eternal security i.e., that a person can know they have truly been selected/chosen by God to be saved based on their outward fruit, works, desires (which Calvinists can never specifically & explicitly define, qualify or quantify) as MacArthur and all his Calvinist friends such as R.C. Sproul, James White, Francis Chan, Todd Friel believe/teach.

Instead of having the assurance of their salvation be the fact they believed the Gospel and got saved instantaneously and permanently at one singular punctiliar moment in their lives (which all the Calvinists frequently mock BTW), they instead point to THEMSELVES (their works, their fruit, their feelings, their desires etc as MacArtur does in the video below...) as "proof" they genuinely believed.

So they can never honestly say they are 100% certain of their eternal salvation based SOLELY on the basis of BELIEVING The Gospel (i.e., trusting in the finished redemptive work on The Cross ALONE of Jesus Christ ALONE). Instead, if they are honest, they will tell you that their assurance comes from their own perception of how THEY are living their lives. So essentially, their faith is ultimately in THEMSELVES and not in the finished redemptive work on The Cross ALONE of Jesus Christ ALONE. And since the Calvinist is always wondering "are my works, fruit, performance, behavior, etc... characteristic of a 'true saving faith?'" they can NEVER have complete assurance of their salvation when the Bible says we can have 100% complete assurance/eternal security not based on our works but solely on the basis of our trusting in CHRIST'S finished redemptive WORK on The Cross!

"I write these things unto to you
Who have BELIEVED on the Name of The Son of God that you may KNOW you HAVE eternal life." (1st John 5:13)

The Bible teaches that God's testimony concerning His Son is that He gives ETERNAL LIFE to all who trust in The Son (Jesus Christ) as Savior and that those who don't believe God's testimony concerning His Son are LIARS...

This would include men such as John MacArthur who, by their own words, deny that salvation (eternal life) is received IMMEDIATELY and PERMANENTLY solely on the basis of trusting in the finished redemptive work on The Cross ALONE of Jesus Christ ALONE...And by the denial of this FUNDAMENTAL axiomatic BIBLICAL truth, they call God a liar...

[beautyforashes]

I used to admire MacArthur and thought he was a great teacher, now I can barely stand to listen to him. It was a time so filled with fear and self-condemnation, and self-obsession to look for "proof" of my salvation, it was horrible. Now I know I'm saved because of what the Lord did, because of what He promised in His word, and I have freedom. Freedom to rest in Christ and on that assurance, the freedom to take my eyes OFF myself, and freedom from the impossible burden of Calvinism. Blessed be the Rock of my salvation; it's all Christ and none of me. That's all the assurance or "evidence" I need - Him, who can't lie and certainly can't fail. Why on earth would I put any trust in a sinner (myself), or subjective emotions/experiences? Or a "pastor" who tells me to do so instead of trusting Christ alone? No. My faith is in Christ's finished work, His promise and Him alone, period!

[rashadbrownmitchell]

God bless for this small video while small it helped me go against attacks of the enemy and stopped me from going down an endless spiral of doubt and guilt

[thecoolkidzlife]

I struggled with assurance for a long time. Everything that he just said is true

[festushaggen]

I've found that sin in my life causes me to doubt my salvation more than anything. Broken fellowship with God and guilt for having sinned against Him always brings me to that place of doubt. It's also a foothold for the devil to attack our salvation.
The benefit is that it's a great motivator to resist temptation the next time. God is good though. He is merciful and patient with His people. Salvation is sure as it's God's gift and work in our life. He won't lose one of His children and His true children will always come home to Him if they've wandered away.

[goodnewsfromgod]

What do you love?
What do you have strong affection for?

If you are new..

1. Love
Love for the Lord
Strong impulses toward Christ

You will love the Scriptures
Love the Church
Love the Lost

2. Marked by humility
Not self-exalting
Not brash
Sweet brokenness

3. Desire what is right according to God
Long for those things

Not perfection, but direction

[bonjourbay]

Thank you for good sharing!
One of the good examples is this; The Puritans believed that really regenerated person have some kind of signs in their souls. Going toward the grace, they realized their spiritual state by this convictions. Then, while justification brings forth the sanctification, sanctification is the witness of justification.
Thanks!

[joe]

In McArthurs gospel, the whole Corinthian church is unsaved and only the Galatians can be sure they are saved, yet Paul calls the sinning Corinthians BELOVED and the law keeping Galations, BEWITCHED.

[jcpg]

All of those things are true, but none of them are the basis for my assurance of salvation. If I look inward, I will only sin the black pit of sin that is my heart. My assurance is found SOLEY in the objective work of Jesus Christ: his perfect life, death, and resurrection.

[medicchrist]

John McArthur - "You can know you are saved because you are humble, loving, good, kind, don't boast, your quiet, meek, long suffering, very rarely sin, do good works, read your Bible, go to church. Well that's just some of the ways you can know. What's the matter? You don't possess all of those things? Don't you know your salvation is eternal?? What's wrong with you? Don't you know Christ died for your sins (as long as you have all of those traits)? And if you don't, you need to believe harder! Maybe if you try really hard to have those qualities, you might just have assurance one day. Good luck!"

No John, the reason so many members of your church are writing to you that they don't have assurance is because they attend your church and have to listen to you speak. You continuously bring their attention to THEM for assurance, rather than the sufficiency of Christ. Anyone who has even the smallest ounce of the HUMILITY you mentioned, is well aware of their faults and failures, and when asked to self reflect on all those lists of qualities you mentioned, will have nothing but DOUBT when they realize THEY AREN'T PERFECT. It always kills me to watch a man who is a millionaire, like John McArthur, lecture others about worldliness.

[zerotolerance]

It's simply demonic, don't listen to this guy. The Holy Blood of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ is enough for your salvation. He paid it all. It is finished. You believe LORD Jesus Christ Son of a Living God died for your sins was buried and resurrected at the 3rd day according to the Scriptures = you're saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit, you have an eternal life and you're going to Heaven, not hell. God bless

[theTavis]

My freewill to choose is my assurance of salvation. I grew up atheist, and didn't repent until I was in my late 30's. At that moment, I looked back and realized that God had been reaching out to me the entire time. It was my own rejection of God that kept me away, and nothing else. I was militantly anti-Christian and said horrible things about God and Jesus, and yet that offer was always there for me. As soon as I was ready to accept the offer, I could, with no other barrier to entry.

[TheLampVideos]

This video is helpful. Thank you.

Somebody asked me recently, "How do you get saved and stay saved?" I had to think about it and then answered this way: Choose to accept Christ as your SAVIOR to "get saved" (justification), follow Him daily as your LORD to "stay saved" (sanctification). This is because of the three parts of salvation.

1. JUSTIFICATION
We have been saved (past tense) from death and hell by Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

2. SANCTIFICATION
We are being saved (present tense) from our sins as we daily allow Christ to live in us and mold our characters.

3. GLORIFICATION
We will be saved (future tense) from these corruptible bodies, corruptible minds and hearts, and the corrupting influences is sin and Satan when Christ returns.

In this sense, salvation in an established fact, an ongoing process, and a future hope.

How would you explain salvation?

John 15:5
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

[fashionistaglow]

Direction of Love, Humility and Righteousness

[restin-n-christ]

Wow. Was Christ even mentioned once?!?

[EchoGuzman]

John Macarthur one of the best preachers of our time.

[denonjoka]

Thanks Pat. John MCcArthur 4 This Powerful, Blessed Encouragement on The Assurance of Salvation Especially My Assurance of Salvation *4 We're Crucified With Christ 4 I Do Not Yet Live But Christ Lives In Me 4 We're The New Creation 4 The Old Things are Gone & All Things Have Become New 4 Whosoever Shall Call Upon The Name of The Lord Will Be Saved Written In Galatians **2:20**, 2nd Corinthians **5:17** & Romans **10:13** 4 We Must Mostly Be Humble* & May Our Great Lord Jesus Christ Bless Yu Pst. John MCcArthur So Very Much.🙏🙏🙏🙌🙌🙌🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊

[peetos-chan]

This is so sad. Follow Greg Jackson or David Benjamin for real gospel joy.