There are very few things people can be confident in completely. Some trust the promises of their spouse, only to possibly discover unfaithfulness. Some trust the promises of those things under warrantee, only to discover the problem is not covered. While people, things, and companies can be unreliable, we can fully trust in God, because God keeps His promises 100% of the time.
Example after example of kept promises give us confidence in God. God kept the promise He made to Abram to give him a son (Genesis 17:15-17; 21:1-7). God kept the promise He made to bring Israel to the Promise Land (Genesis 12:1-7; 15:18-21; Joshua 3:5-12). There are many other promises that God made and kept in the Scriptures, but the most important promise God kept is that of salvation through Jesus Christ because of His resurrection (Matt.16:21; 17:23; Luke 9:22, et al; Luke 24:6-7). 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us, “20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
In Christ we can have complete confidence of our salvation. Jesus makes the promise in Mark 16:16 that, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Because we can be assured that God will keep His promises, this Scripture is both a comfort for those who believe and are baptized, and a serious warning for those who choose not to believe.
In 1 John we find many reassuring assurances of our salvation. 1 John 1:7-10 makes the promise, “7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” The promise made is that if we are faithful to Christ, then we will be continually cleansed from our sins.
1 John 2:3-5, bolsters our confidence in our promised salvation when John writes, “3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” The promise is that if we keep God’s commandments, we are a part of God’s eternal family.
The promise is made that if we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we have assurance of our salvation. John says it this way in 1 John 2:9-11, “9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
We can be assured of our salvation, John writes in 1 John 3:4-10, when we do not willfully sin. Verse 9 reminds us that, “9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”
1 John 5:10-13 gives us the assurance that if we believe in Jesus, we can confidently know that we have salvation. Verse 13 tells us plainly, “13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
If there is ever a time that you feel uncertain about your salvation, turn to 1 John and be encouraged. Be assured.
