The Assurance of Salvation

Today on some at length with JD Greer.once you to know for sure that he is present in your life you not think it is presumptuous. It is something that God promised you and your life will never take off spiritually absolutely short that you are his child, that there is nothing between you and that if you died before your body hit the floor. Your soul would be standing in his presence. That's what you want. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits. One of the most painful things to hear from the left one is I don't trust you, especially when you don't feel like you did anything to bring their trust that many of us treat God that way today. Pastor JD explained that when we doubt our salvation were really doubting God and not only does it cause us to be anxious, actually damages our relationship with him so were learning how we can trust God, and know with certainty were truly saved. So why don't you grab your Bible take some notes and let's learn more about the assurance of salvation, Bible chapter 5. What I want to show you is that there is a theme the way through. John 14 to 17, and that is the theme of assurance that you know that you know that God is your father that you are God's child that you belong to him, knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt that if you die you would go to heaven but that is all through John 14 2780, so you got a second, but it always amazes me when I was amazed whenever I talk. How many people there are struggling with this issue.

I kinda know I'm pretty sure I hope they got going on that over 85 upper 90% percentile, but I'm just not totally sure that I know that but I belong to God, the God of my father would even go support savings Eric you know that for you to say that you know that God is your father that if you died, you go to heaven because were you to preserve about God like that. I say that I'm amazing how the people struggle with this, but I really should be amazed because when the struggles of my life was over.

This between the ages of 13 and 20 in my life I prayed the sinners prayer. I kid you not. No less than 70 508,000 times every time a speaker would get up and explain the gospel. I was always there to be in pray to my secrecy. Jesus just in case never worked before save you camps all across the nation want to search for yet walk forward and when you made a decision about every fifth time that I would prayed to receive Jesus. I thought all will forward on what the pastor discussed shake his hellos walking down the aisle was wrong with you. I got baptized four times the ages of 13 and 24 times to make sure that I got it right tall essays. I understand the struggle. I really do and I realize that there a lot of you struggle with this thing probably more than you realize are in this room at all times response back from this. I know you have read your mail.

I know that every time we walk through this whole trust try some of your right to do this again struggle. Here's what else I know that your life will never really take off spiritually until you are assured of God's love and his presence in your life you're sure that there are things that you never to be able to really do with God. There's command you will be able to obey.

There are risks that you will take right may make sense until you're confident of God's presence and his commitment and his love things that you're not good to be able to follow him.

If there's an illustration that I've used for years to got to give you a picture of this certainly give it to you before but it's the difference between repelling a rockclimbing root repelling a rockclimbing boat and ball rockface and a rope.

But there's a world of difference between the two rubber ball repelling the first time that you went, what an unbelievably scary moment it is when you're staying on top of that rock of a Dell unit delete document. This you lean your weight back and transfer your weight off of your feet on the disrobing. There's nothing below you but imminent death stating that I have ever 16 years old just shaky thinking like this is just crazy. You know, and I guess it was you cuddling back to prayed right again to receive Jesus at that moment that she is going to mark this base covered. I leaned back and you fill your weight leave your feeding please go back and then you that's a whole new experience. My best friend who who would have gone with me to this he was way more scared of heights that I wasn't a member when I was down at the bottom.

I could look up there and see him on top of the of the right to shake you and just east of there for at least 10 minutes and wouldn't move until finally he does grab a hold of the rope and slid his leg down upon the foothold.

No foothold managed to kinda slither his weight on the face of the rock world of difference between what he was doing what I was doing this when you rockclimbing with a rope as a safety net you're really trusting in your arms and your legs to do the movie but when you repelling your lien. Your full weight back on the rope will see in the same way. What about doing this things you can do repelling that you can do rockclimbing right there certain things you just can't do rockclimbing if you can do when you repelling in the same way. There's a lot of stuff you'll never do with God and with Jesus until you are confident that when you linger weight on you all see things you never do. This pressure never pray there risk of never take this commando never obey their sacrifices. You'll never make there's people you'll never stand against it all goes back this package is not competent and she's loving presence in your life. The reason some of you are so weak in your ability to say no to sin is because you were so confident in God's commitment doing presence in your life like this. The reason some of you are weak in your ability to say no to sin is that you are weak in your assurance, Jesus is yes and your life. Instead of focusing on all the time on strengthening your know what you want to do is strengthen your assurance of his yes because the assurance of his yes is what becomes the string for the no make sense that you were getting in the first John five but John 14 to 17 is just full of the statements of assurance that you never explained you jump 14 to 17 is the last thing Jesus said to his disciples before he went to the cross is given on the night Judas betrayed him about an hour before Judas betrays him goes through job working for 70. The Bible is a within the speaking for the first time I jump 14 to 17 and he walks them through this and then in about an hour he's gotta be betrayed in the next morning he's going to be crucified. So this is very very important what you can hear is that he just peppers this with all these unbelievable statements of assurance. If you are for example John 15 nine Jesus as the father has loved me, so have I loved you like a father has loved me, so I have loved you by in my love, just like the father loves the son that is the same kind of love that Jesus gives to do you feel like the sun sits around unsure of the father's commitment to him like a son of God is unsure about the father's commitment.

Of course not. You want your kids to be unsure about your commitment to them you know when I leave on a business trip. I look at my kids and say hey that is come about from a business trip, a few days or maybe he's not. That would be upset like kids doubting my love and commitment for that. I want them to know they got a daddy always love them always thinks about them is always present in the life you really feel like you're a better father's your kids than the heavenly father is to us during the heavenly father wants us doubting that maybe he's not our daddy, our God. Luke chapter 11 verse nine, Jesus said that in comparison to how the father loves his kids how we love our kids is evil is not normally you get called evil and it's a compliment, but in this case it actually is very comforting, Jesus said the strongest emotion that I have is my love for my children. Jesus said even that love compared to how much God loves his children would be like evil.

If you compare the two John 1418, Jesus said to them, I might only use orphans.

I will come to you. I'll come to you. I'm not leave you was like.

Kids will like orphans when I'm gone I want them to rest in the assurance of their daddy. That's what God has for you to be another image John chapter 14 verse one Jesus as he told me to leave he realizes the scares them because the a lot of opposition to them what a danger the face and here's what he says let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me that letter here.

He begins to quote something that you may not realize what is quoting nothing in my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also not you may not pick that up. That is a quote from Mattel moved which was a collection of Jewish customs from the time and what he was quoting is what a fiancé. What a guy said to a girl after he had proposed her as part of the ritual after she would say yes he would say to her I'm going to go away to my father's house to build us a place to live. Those days what happened is the groom would just add a section on the father's house. They would live when he got finished he would come back to grow up. It was a big to do and he would take her off to the house so he would give her this assurance that are not to be gone one day longer than I have to be just to get things ready. Jesus quotes that image.

This is how I want you to think about me being called. Do you remember back when you got engaged you guys did you want your fiancé doubting whether or not you are really committed are what I got engaged to Veronica. She was a student at UVA. I was down here in school, North Carolina is one of the better things to have to leave in the weekend and for me to come back down here. I didn't want her sitting there up there at UVA, thinking that maybe I was messing around on her down here. Maybe I'm not to come back you like another girl.

In fact I bought her the most expensive piece of jewelry I've ever bought. I like to put that on her finger to remind her that I would messing around to see and I both knew that if I messed around, she would keep nothing right so yeah I want her to be sure because I loved her. Jesus says I don't want to sit around wondering what it would not committed. See you. John 1513. He says you are my friends.

The whole point get this point. God wants you to know for sure that he is present in your life do not think it is presumptuous. It is something that God promised you and your life will never take off spiritually and absolutely assured that you are his child, that there is nothing between you and if you died before your body hit the floor. Your soul would be standing in his presence. That's what you even as you listen right now were taking a quick break so that I can tell you about a daily email devotional from Pastor JD all use encouragement first thing in the morning to remind us of God is my friend.

I know the busyness of life can quickly check out any joy that we feel in her walk with God. So why not start each day with an encouraging word from the Lord devotional even follow along with our current teaching here on the program you can stay plugged in.

Regardless of your schedule. Sign up for this free resource. Right now Jamie clear.com/resources JD GR a R.com/resources now. Let's return for the conclusion of today's message. Once again take you to first John now verse John chapter 5 and show you how. John is a little deeper. First John chapter 5 verse 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you may was outward know that you have eternal life.

Now that you may hope not, that you may be reasonably sure of or even beyond reasonable doubt. I write these things to you that you may know that you have eternal life. These things that here is referring to the back of her stand out 20%. Whoever believes in the son of God has the testimony in himself.

Whoever does not believe God is made of a liar because he's not believe in the testimony of God is born concerning his son, and this is the testimony that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He who has the son has life. Whoever does not have the son of God does not have life.

There are two components that he gives you. In those forces that he wants you to use to give you the assurance of eternal life to both of the middle talk about them one at a time when one there is a testimony to be believed in the number two there is a manifestation of that testimony in your life. Number one, there is a testimony to be believed in the number two there is a manifestation of that testimony in your life.

Talk about number one there is a testimony to be believed. What is the testimony to be believed. Or, you know him there. Verse 11. This is the testimony that God did to us eternal life in this life is in his son, that eternal life is a gift that God gave us and that it was not something that we had in ourselves. Now he tells you more about this testimony earlier in his book, building up the first John five you got your Bible open foot back for chapters. The first John one where he basically build the case for this watch this first John one. If we say we have no sin, then we deceive ourselves and the truth for the testimony is words are interchangeable, but truth is not in us. If we say we have not sent we make him a liar and his word or testimony is not the first part of the testimony is that we are sinful and utterly empty of eternal life. God's testimony to us, tells us that we are utterly unworthy of eternal life, which is really difficult for us to acknowledge because that is both humiliating and it makes us feel helpless, which are two things we spent our whole life trying to avoid being humiliated in a place, refill helpless, we might admit that were sent for me this is kind of passé Western culture to admit you're a sinner now to receive human will admit that were sinners but you notice that whatever we met were sinners were always trying to show our sin is not really that bad that our sin is really got excuses for really got enough good stuff whatever side to make up for the bad things that we've done. That's all part of not acknowledging the testimony that God gave which is that we were hopeless and said we were helpless and said eternal life was nothing we could work up in ourselves. It was something that God had to give us as a gift as we navigate us at all that it is entirely the result of God's grace and not our goodness right so he goes on as if you acknowledge that the first part of the testimony, and if you confess your civic knowledge are simple to these faithful and just to forgive us our sense and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You acknowledge that your utterly unworthy before God. You will be accepted if you maintain that your work before God. You will be rejected people and by the way, it will break between chapter 1 chapter 2 that's a terrible place to put a chapter break.

John of course didn't have that when he originally wrote it. You just keep reading because it's all part of the same point. He says if you admit that your center advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world right so if you acknowledge the testimony that you are completely simple and helpless decision.

You haven't advocate with the father that would advocate is much like our word advocate like a lawyer if somebody who stands in a court of law and argues on your behalf. So what is our advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. What are you in on our behalf. Is he arguing our innocence. Of course not, because report he maintained were guilty if he tried to explain ourselves not that bad. No, he's holding up before God nails in his hands and his feet and saying yes there sin is great, but my sacrifice was greater that's in that little word propitiation that is a really difficult word members use the word propitiation in the Senate in the last 24 hours propitiation means a penalty that's been paid or wrap it is been absorbed. For example, if you wreck into my car with your car and your insurance company pays me a certain amount of money so that I can get my car repaired and thus I am propitiated toward you no longer angry. I no longer have a claim to hold against you write.

I don't have route toward you because that has been satisfied. You say that what our advocate is doing. If we acknowledge the testimony that we are simple and unworthy, but God's grace is Jesus becomes our advocate not who maintains our innocence but maintains that his sacrifice overcomes our sinfulness and is given in our place book of Zechariah gives you a great example of this in the Old Testament. It's a little thing that's buried in chapter 3 of Zechariah Zechariah has this vision of high priest that he names Joshua the high priest Joshua who is standing getting ready to go in and offer sacrifice on Yom Kippur war, the day of. Okay, now to shoot the temple Jewish temple was a big huge structure that four major parts to it. Part number one was called the court the Gentiles anybody could go into that right part number to call the court and that was the only religious Jews could come in part number three was called the holy place, only the priests could go in the holy place and that's where all the really cool furniture was like that. The seven prong candlestick ANOVA. It alters my concept was in the holy place and then there was a big curtain was about a foot thick and the other side in accordance with the holy of holies for the ark of the covenant was and it's where God's Shekinah glory welts and on one day a year. One priest, the high priest would go into the holy of holies, and he would take a sacrifice and offering on behalf of the people. It was a very important day. It was very significant. God gave very explicit instructions to make sure they didn't write because if that high priest stepped into the holy of holies on that date with any defilement on him at all would be struck dead to the Mishnah tells us that they used to put a little bail on the bottom of his robe and then they would tie a rope around his foot summit of God strike him dead because Dragon out otherwise how would you get in there to get right so that one scholar I was reading describes as a people like this quote week beforehand before the Yom Kippur war, the high priest was put into seclusion. He was taken away from his home and into a place where he was completely alone. Why so that he wouldn't accidentally touch or eat anything unclean. You have a salad with bacon sprinkled on or something accidentally just just to make sure to clean food was brought to him and he washed his body and prepare his heart than the night before the day of atonement. He wouldn't go to bed he would stay up all night praying and reading God's word to purify his soul.

Then on Yom Kippur war baby head to toe address impure or unstained white linen and he would go into the holy of holies, and you would offer an animal sacrifice to atone for to pay the penalty for his own sense. After that he would come out and bathe completely head to toe again and new white linen was put on him and he would go in a second time, this time sacrificing for the sands of all the priests but that's not all he would come out 1/3 time and he would bathe again from head to toe and they would dress him in brand-new pure linen. And he went into the holy of holies in atone for the sins of all the people. This was all done in public, but temple was crowded. It was almost like a sporting event and those in attendance.

Watch closely with a little fan screen and eBay behind that screen, but the people were all present they saw and Dave. They saw in progress they so I'm go when they saw him come back out he was there representative before God and they were cheering him on. They were very concerned to make sure that everything was done properly and with purity because he represented them before God.

One man, the high priest one day of the year Yom Kippur war incomplete purity to offer one sacrifice for the sins of the people.

This is Zechariah's vision is about to happen, but is Dr. I looked in chapter 3 verse three to his horror he sees that his Joshua the high priest is about to go with the holy voice. He is covered in excrement, human excrement from at the foot so that his linens are hopelessly soil and is Zechariah begins to despair that his representative is covered in excrement. The Lord says to Joshua the high priest, take off your filthy clothes.

See, I have taken away your sin and I will put new rich garments on you. I will send my servant, and he will remove the sand of this land on a single day scholar. I was reading says this quote centuries later another Joshua would show up in fulfillment of this promise another Yeshua.

Jesus, yes you want Joshua it's all the same name in Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. Another Joshua showed up and he staged his own day of atonement. One week beforehand Jesus began to prepare and on the night before. He didn't go to sleep. But what happened to Jesus was exactly the reverse of what happened to Joshua the high priest because instead of everybody cheering him on. Nearly everyone he loved betrayed him, abandon him or denied him and when he stood before God.

Instead of receiving words of encouragement. The father forsook him, instead of being clothed in rich garments. He was stripped of the only garment he did have. He was beaten and he was killed naked. He was baby yes but he was bade in humans, but because he was pure was treated as if he had on the garments filled. I went clothed in building is to be given the garments of purity in his ways. I deserve condemnation can receive commendation in his life that is propitiation and new all Scripture it's not about our effort all about Christ that truth transforms every aspect of life and it is the centerpiece of everything we do here at Summit life. This month we are featuring a special new resource from Pastor JD that we believe will help you grow in your understanding of the gospel message and transform your way of thinking. It's a video-based curriculum.

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The gospel Bible study kit includes two DVDs and five study guide, you can complete the study with four of your best friends also comes with a copy of Pastor JD's book titled gospel. The objective of this Bible study simply the entire curriculum can. It's yours and you generously give to support this ministry today, 866-335-5220 866-335-5224. Get online and request clear.com don't wait another day let ever before and truly embrace right now I'm only minutes tomorrow. We're coming to the end of this series called gospel assurance of salvation.

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