11/7/2020 - Assurance Of Salvation

CNG radio for today's culture and timeless truths come together is reasoned, relevant content, apologetics, worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know need to know from Alex McFarlane ministries. This is true for a new generation radio and now the man who preached in 50 states and 50 days speaker, writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarlane. No no no stand absolutely certain of your relationship with God hi Alex McFarlane.

Welcome to the program on the dates you were going to talk about the assurance of salvation.

And if you've ever wondered, am I really saved if I died, would I go to heaven. But if you ever worried and you thought you know what if I die what if I leave this world and open my eyes in eternity.

And I'm in hell I'm not with God. If you warned about that. You need to listen to the show because we going to talk about how to have assurance of your salvation and you know that you can overcome doubts about where you stand with God. You can overcome those doubts and many people and how are very interested in what it means to be right with God that music you heard of the beginning of the program. It's the end of the world as we know it is a famous band years ago that had this song about the end of the world, and I feel fine just glibly watching the world fall down and not really caring know in a in another sense, let me say at this what it may be the end of the world as we know it, but because of Jesus we can feel fine and have comfort and assurance even courage. At this time.

I want to tell you a story about many many years ago I was in a Christian bookstore and there was a person in the store going around trying to tell people about Jehovah's Witnesses and in fact proselytizing for the watch Tower Bible and tract Society in a Christian bookstore and I was talking to this Jehovah's Witness representative and the person asked me do you know that you will go to heaven when you die and I said I do know that and they said nobody can know that I said well I know it and the person looked at me as if I was being very presumptuous and honest listen and believe me I don't know that I'm going to heaven because of any worth or merit I've got in and of myself and and I'm not trying to be arrogant, but I believe God's promises and I believe what the word of God says about salvation while the Jehovah's Witness person said to me, nobody can know that the go to heaven or not. They're only going to be hundred and 44,000. They said that's one of their teachings.

It's not true and it's a complete misunderstanding of the hundred and 44,000 in the book of Revelation, but they said nobody knows they're going to heaven or not until after they die. I said yeah but then it's kinda too late to do anything about it but friend you can know one of the verses that we share a lot is first John 57. Now remember, the Bible is a book shown to be inspired by compelling lines of evidence, we believe the Bible is the divine word of God and Jesus said that Jesus is the only person who rose from the grave in multiple instances affirmed the authenticity of Scripture and in fact Christ's resurrection from the dead is one of the most documentable facts of ancient history.

So Christ rose from the dead. And remember, regardless of the critic or the skeptic or even yourself on the days that you may have doubts.

The only person ever to have risen physically from the grave. Jesus Christ affirmed the authenticity of Scripture and in the Scripture we read over and over the verses that promise. If you've been born again, you will not see condemnation. The book of Romans text that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. One of the verses that we've shared before thousands and thousands of people is first John 513, and the word of God. First John, not the gospel of John, but at the end of the New Testament that the small the first, second and third John. I love those books but first John 513 says of Scripture and of your life in light of Scripture. Listen. These things were written to you who believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life K NOW no knowledge.

Certainty is not something so these things were written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know you have eternal life. Now you can overcome doubts about where you stand with God based on what God's word says not on what you feel or what you assume you can know that you have eternal life. In fact, it says he who has the son has life in first John 512 so. First John 512 and 13 are a great starting point. Do you have the sun the SON Jesus was there a time when you said, Lord, I am sorry for my sins and I had believe Jesus died for me.

Yes, Jesus died for the whole wide world, but he died for. For me, and he died for you. Well, first John 512 if you have the son you have life now.

Jesus said, he who hears my word and believes on him that sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life. And remember you are not saved by good works, and you're not kept in a state of salvation through good works, your merit before God is based on Jesus, his perfection, his holiness, his righteousness are credited to each person who believes in him by what I faith Jesus said in John 637 the one who comes to me I will not reject. Now this coronavirus situation has got so many people around the world. Frightened, apprehensive, but we need to tell the world that listen where you stand with God is based on Jesus Christ and should we die. Or should the world come to an end or if Christ were to return even right now and maybe the rapture will be before this radio broadcast ends and we want you to know that you're ready and you can know but are standing before God is not based on emotions that changed.

It's not based on good works that we strive and try to accomplish. It's based on Christ work on the cross and the promises of his word, but also the promises of God's character is going to continue talking about assurance of salvation and we want you before this radio broadcast is over we want you to have the the the experience of salvation, but we want you to have the assurance of salvation and can stick to a going to talk more about assurance of salvation that timeless cruise soundbite culture for a new generation radio will connect the program, Alex McFarland, you were talking about having assurance of your salvation and you know, let me just say that as as the coronavirus situation continues 2020 is going to go down in history as being something almost like World War II rationing and stores asking people not to buy so much and hold so much and you know what it's bringing out the good in people. To that and I want to say this very clearly because more than ever listen to this. Folks we've been averaging 91 people a day emailing us as high as 200 emails in a day as low as maybe 75 in the day people of been reaching out to us here. It Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries truth for a new generation they been saying how do I know that I'm safe or I've been away from God.

I need to come back to God. Could God still love me and and I just want to say this. If this situation the physical and and medical implications of this. The financial implications if it takes this to bring us to our knees and to humble ourselves before God. If it takes this coronavirus to liberate us from pro sports and the busyness and all the things that have been a wedge between America and God, and if if it brings us to our knees, such that we humble ourselves bow before God.

Repent of our sins national and personal and get a moral and spiritual revival.

And finally we stopped our lives long enough for the Holy Spirit of God to get our attention.

If coronavirus is done all that will then so be it. So be it. And I just want to say. If you're one of the people in your thinking about eternity and the number of the questions we've gotten in recent weeks. People say Alex you think this is the end of the world doesn't the book of Revelation talk about plagues and sicknesses and is Jesus coming back friend Jesus is coming back soon.

He really is. Listen, this somebody died that you may have heard of Jack Van Impe, Jack Van Impe was a prophecy preacher and for for decades. He preached about the return of Christ. And there's going to be violence in the Middle East and then there's going to be a peace deal and there's going to be signs and and rumors of wars and, ultimately, Christ is going to come back while Jack Van Impe if only Jack Van Impe had lived a couple months longer he would be having a time right now in this coronavirus situation. Now the New York Times evolved places ran a safe, relatively complementary obituary and they basically said this, they said will give him credit, he was consistent message he preached Christ was going to return and the war the world was going to end one day and get right with God through Jesus and a number of the obituaries around the the world and on the web like the New York Times piece they said you know 40 years ago people might've thought Jack Van Impe was just kind of a an evangelical wingnut 20 years ago.

Maybe they thought that 10 years ago, but right now with the rise of Islam, crypto currency, the wiring of the planet talks about abolishing money abolishing government creating martial law for the whole wide world.

Let's unify under the UN, the rise of Islam.

So many of the things nowadays the way the world is escalating to where it is a worldwide pandemic viruses disease people said will you know maybe maybe Dr. Jack Van Impe wasn't far off the mark after friend, if ever, if ever you thought about getting your house in order and getting right before God. This is the time and my point being, yes Christ is going to return it. History is going somewhere and that that somewhere is not so much history going somewhere, but Christ coming back into this world because he is now you can be sure of where you stand with God. So, whether by your own mortality or by Christ return.

You can be ready. Let's talk for a moment about rededication. Maybe you were a believer and you need to rededicate your life to Christ the news reporter once asked me what is meant by the term quote rededication he had heard me use this term as I spoken rededication is for a believer who desires that their walk with Christ be renewed and deepened that a Christian can wander from God into stand, or simply lose their closeness to the Lord through the busyness of life, but a born-again believer is forever God's child. Your salvation is a matter of birth, your daily Christian growth is a matter of fellowship that your spiritual birth into God's family is an event that occurs through repentance and faith.

You admit your sand. You put your trust in Jesus, you turn to Christ, and you're born again that's John chapter 3, not first John.

But John three.

Read the story of Jesus and Nicodemus and Jesus said that you must be born again and the ward is Ananth and born from above. Now, just like a child is born into human family growing up as a child you may have disappointed your parents or our disobeyed somehow and something you did may have grieved your father but you are still his child because you were born into that family. That, in the same way a Christian's relationship to Jesus is still intact, even if you commit a sin that may hinder your daily fellowship with God. Salvation is a one-time instantaneous event, but Christian growth is a lifelong adventure personal fellowship with God is a daily pursuit and it's a lifelong process so consistent daily prayer, Bible study, obedience to the Holy Spirit nurture in the local church fellowship in the church family are all keys to growth in Christian maturity and let me say also to feel close to God. Now I want to tell you truth is truth and truth is black and white. True or false on the nowadays our world doesn't really think in terms of of true false right wrong, black, white, you know, nowadays our world is become so subjective. People like to think that it's really based on how I feel but in a way, it's not that how we feel precedes what is true in reality what is true is the foundation very often how we feel our emotions have to catch up to what reality is that Satan will going to continue talking about having assurance about your state before God searches for new generation will be back after this the way in the midst of a culture obsessed with relativism. Alex McFarland is a voice you can trust to speak the timeless truths of Christianity in a timely way. You're listening to the truth for a new generation radio program were talking about assurance of your salvation know where you stand with God, and you can know the word of God promises whoever has the son has life and will not pass into condemnation it. I love John six verse 40 and I want to get there just a moment, but right now I do want to say a big big thank you to everybody who's been buying my brand-new book, the assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late and the book is doing very well. I would encourage you to read it. There's a lot of the book that really is evergreen about her history and morally how imperative it is that we return to belief in morals and how talking about morality does not violate the First Amendment. I really do talk about what's at stake in terms of our Constitution, our civil liberties, our freedoms, religious freedom, maybe you've been following in the news had John MacArthur on California's being persecuted and threatened with jail time for preaching the gospel and having church services Christians in California are told they they can't sing hymns in church.

They can't have pew Bibles or hymnals and really persecution is is present in our nation and I talk about all of these things in my book the assault on America. It was published by Harrison house it's available everywhere.

I don't make any money off of this book and that's that's really bad design. I don't want any money.

I literally wrote this book for God and country, and messages urgent that we must have a spiritual awakening, and I give the steps to this.

What does an authentic move of God look like and why do we need one and how can we, by God's grace, experience, one in our nation so I'm I'm urging people to read the book and for those that may be on the fence you know maybe you think, well, you know, doesn't really matter. This world is passing away in a Y get too invested in the state of America. I think this book will persuade you really do. So pray.

Please consider reading the book the assault on America and please consider a donation to our ministry. You can give online@alexmcfarland.com or you cannot mail in a donation and I will give you that contact info later on in the show but I thank you for reading the book, I encourage you that the audiobook is out there on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble can get the book or@afastore.net but also I want to remind you we got a very wonderful DVD on Thanksgiving, my dear friend and colleague Jerry Newcomb helped produce this wonderful DVD on the pilgrims and Thanksgiving and I'd like to send you a copy of this for your donation in any amount. Your contribution in any amount. If you would write to us at PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 and you can just if you write a check, you can write it to TNG as interest for new generation or you cannot donate securely online@alexmcfarland.com and Wilson drew out the DVD on Thanksgiving. Very informative. Just as our way of saying that we appreciate you, but John 640, the gospel of John chapter 6 verse 40 Jesus said this, whoever sees the sun SON to see the sun and believe in him will have everlasting life. Not maybe, but will Jesus said whoever sees the son and believes in him will have everlasting life, and I will raise you up at the last day so I want to ask you, have you believed in him. Have you understood.

Do you understand that Jesus is the son of God, not just a good man but the God man God incarnate. That's why he was qualified to pay for our sins on the cross so he was able and he was willing and when he went to the cross when the wrath of God that the whole world deserved was put onto Jesus he was doing that for you and we think about people in in terms of how we perceive gradations of goodness or morality with it. Will Billy Graham was good person. Mother Teresa was a good person and God could love them. But let me tell you in the eyes of God were all bad, people were sinners.

We've known the writing we've done the wrong Augustine said, even our best deeds are merely splendid sentence and so God loves sinners that God love this sinner, Alex McFarland and I was saved many years ago, God loves you right now and you need to know that in you need to believe that and that's what were talking about assurance that God listen. Please believe this God lovingly receives all who turn to him and all who return to him. He'll cleanse us from our sins will restore our fellowship with him. King David was called quote a man after God's own heart.

But his sinful deeds required that he humbly recommitted himself to the Lord and in some 51.

David said cast me not away from your presence and restore unto me the joy of my salvation. Some 5111 and 12 doesn't say restore unto me, my salvation, but the joy of my salvation and Christian publications often use of first John 19 in terms of evangelism, but it was really written in terms of Christian fellowship and says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and really that speaking to Christians to confess your sin and maybe you need to do that right now and turned back to Christ.

Hebrews 12 one and two, says that we are to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us or entangles us, and turn to Jesus Christ for assurance of your salvation. Maybe you need to pray a prayer like this and say Lord Jesus. I acknowledge my sin and sort of wandered from you.

I confessed my sin and I turn from it. I recommit myself to you as Lord, thank you for forgiving me. I trust you to give me the strength to live for you each day forward. Thank you for being my Savior and my Lord and my friend here at truth for new generation. Alex met for evangelistic ministries. We we care about your personal walk with Christ and you can have that assurance that confidence that rock solid unshakable confidence that you're ready to meet Jesus whenever that comes Jesus said the one who comes to me I will not reject us. John 637 if you haven't come to him do that today and if we can help you in your law, your growth, your church, if we can help you to know, to accept growth to defend the faith. Reach out to us through our website. Alex McFarland.com and may God bless you as you journey on with Jesus. TNG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland ministry, PO Box 10231 is Burrell, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 call us at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one or give online@alexmcfarland.com while you're there, listen the program archives. Read Alex's blog invite Alex to speak at your event, contact Alex with a question or comment, Alex McFarland.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time.

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