Read. Pray. Fellowship.: How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? (Don Whitney)

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Source: Andy Naselli's Thoughts on Theology

Extended outline of a book by Don Whitney: How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian?

Chapter 1. Assurance of Salvation–Is It Possible?

It is possible, indeed normal, for the Christian to experience assurance of salvation.
It is possible, indeed normal, for a non-Christian to have a false assurance of salvation.

It is possible, indeed normal, for Christians to have occasional doubts about their salvation.

Doubting assurance is not unbelief.
The causes of doubt are many.
- Spiritual immaturity may contribute to doubts about assurance.
- Sensitivity to sin may cause confusion about assurance.
- Comparison with other Christians may cloud assurance.
- Childhood conversion affects the assurance of some.

The assurance of salvation rests primarily on the character of God, the works of Jesus Christ, and the truth of God’s promises.

Assurance may be experienced partly through the inner confirmation of the Holy Spirit.
How does the Holy Spirit give Christians this assurance?
- He opens our minds to understand the Bible in ways that give us assurance.
- He guides our thinking about the biblical marks of salvation in our lives.
- He brings Scripture and its truths to our minds in various ways that assure us.
- He causes an inner sense of assurance without words.

Assurance may be experienced partly through the presence of the attitudes and actions the Bible says will accompany salvation [1 John].

Only those who are spiritually minded are Christians.
You are spiritually minded when you think about the things of God spontaneously and without external causes.
You are spiritually minded when you think about the things of God more than anything else.
You are spiritually minded when you think about the things of God with more delight and enjoyment than anything else.
You are not spiritually minded if “God is not in all [your] thoughts.”

A true Christian may lose a sense of assurance of salvation because . . .

he or she refuses to deal with known sin.
of spiritual laziness.
of satanic attacks.
of trials or harsh circumstances.
of illness or temperament. [Cf. Jon Bloom, "When You’re in a Spiritual Storm, Trust Your Instruments."]
God seems to withdraw a sense of his presence and blessing.

Those converted as children may experience special difficulties with assurance.
- Those who remember little else besides following Christ sometimes have doubts that those with adult or dramatic conversions do not.
- Concrete childhood thinking differs from more abstract adult thinking.
- An awareness of the Lordship of Christ must expand to cover all the ever-expanding circle of life that comes with maturity.
Stay-at-home mothers of young children may experience special difficulties with assurance.
True assurance won’t lead to spiritual carelessness.
Those worried about the unforgivable sin have not committed it.

Don’t take for granted that you understand the gospel.
Think deeply about the gospel.
Repent of all known sin.
Submit everything to the Lordship of Christ.
Meditate much on 1 John.
Don’t doubt the promises of God.
Believe as best you can and pray for greater faith.
Practice the spiritual disciplines.
If you really love God, take assurance because non-Christians don’t love God passionately.
If you hate your sin, take assurance because non-Christians don’t hate sin deeply.
If you’ve never been baptized, present yourself as a candidate in obedience to Christ.
Don’t neglect the Lord’s Supper.
Don’t compare earthly fathers to your Heavenly Father.
Seek godly counsel if the doubts persist.
Pray for assurance.
Wait patiently upon God to give you a fuller experience of assurance.

___________________

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you —

unless, of course, you fail the test?

2 Corinthians 13:5