October 12, 2005

• Doubting your salvation?

  
  

  There’s a Calvinist named Dave. Yesterday, Dave had a tough day struggling with lusting, and was continually rude and arrogant towards his parents. Thus, when reflecting on his “bad day” late last night, Dave thought, “I don’t feel like a spiritual man,” and wondered, “Am I really a Christian?” Needless to say, Dave drifted off to sleep, doubting whether or not he was united with Christ, or just a hypocrite dead in his sins. …. Yet today, Dave found it in himself to control his thoughts of adultery, and to also be polite to his parents. In fact, it’s soon time for church, and before long all yesterday’s problems are forgotten as Dave feels “full of grace” singing hymns. Just after the service, Dave fellowships with his Arminian friend Nick, and enjoys debating the pros-and-cons of limited atonement. By 10pm, in his room alone, Dave’s no longer disturbed with yesterday’s questions about his assurance of salvation. He drifts off to sleep comfortable with the idea that he’s saved, and not under condemnation. In his sleep, Dave dies. To his shock and horror he hears for the first time the terrible weeping, wailing and nashing of teeth. Dave went to hell. Why?

  
  

   

  
  

  Dave in the parable is no different from any other Doubting Calvinist. A Doubting Calvinist is someone how claims to believe that Christ finished the requirements for the Elect’s salvation on the cross. However, they say they sometimes doubt whether or not Christ fulfilled the Law for them in particular. But if they believed that Jesus is the Christ, wouldn’t they know that “Everyone that believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (1 John 5:1)? Anyways, how do they know there is a Christ? Or a Law? Or Salvation? By the Bible. But doesn’t the Bible also say, that “if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”(Romans 10:9)? And can someone believe in the Resurection of Christ and not know they believe it?

  
  

   

  
  

  There is no more evidence that Jesus is the Christ, than everyone believing in Him will be saved. The only evidence we can have of either is God’s bare testimony confirmed by the Holy Spirit in the mind. Without the Scripture I could never know that Jesus is the Christ, nor could I know that all those who believe that fact are saved. But God says both in the gospel. To doubt that all who believe will be saved, is to call Him a liar. “The one not believing God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness which God has witnessed concerning His Son.” (1 John 5:10). And anyone who calls God a liar in His gospel “does not have life” (v12).

  
  

   

  
  

  Inherent in the gospel message is a promise by God to save all believers. Think of Acts 13:39, where God says that believers are justified from all things. God has declared by His infallible Word that all believers will be saved. And this promise of God is so essential to the gospel message, that anyone who doubts that any believer will be saved (including themselves), is calling God a liar in His promises. “Whoa!”, you say, “but what about sin in the believers life? Can’t we doubt because of that?” In fact, if you are a Presbyterian or someone who subscribes to the Three Forms of Unity, then your confessions actually use this exact reasoning (read Chapter 18 of the WCF, and the 5th Head, Article 11 of the Canons of Dordt). They say that believers can be uncertain as to whether or not Christ’s blood and righteousness are sufficient to save them from their sins. These affirm that the Bible is not sufficient to convict all believers that they are saved. Believers, instead, must look for “marks of grace”, not in the face of Jesus Christ, but in themselves! These people see the Word of God as only one out of many sources of truth. They think that they can derive the truth of salvation for themselves by doing good works. Acts 13:39 and Romans 10:9 are not enough for such people. God’s promise does not assure them of salvation for all believers.

  
  

  
  True believers maintain that the Word of God is 100% sufficient to convince an elect sinner of salvation by Christ’s blood and righteousness alone. These people are of the seed of Abraham, for like him, they are “fully persuaded” of God’s promises. They have the apostolic faith, for they can say with the Apostle Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, the One loving me and giving Himself over on my behalf.”(Gal2:20) Of course, saving faith is not believing that Christ died for me. Saving faith is the passive conviction of the gospel record – that Jesus Christ laid down His life for the sheep, and is the end of the Law for righteousness for them. When a person, however, for the first time believes the gospel, they straight away know that they are a believer, and are saved.

  
  

   

  
  

  Do you see the distinction between believers and Doubting Calvinists? Of course the latter will doubt their salvation, whenever they sin grievously! After all, they are basing their assurance, not on the declarations of Scripture that all believers will be saved, but on their own “marks of grace”. Now, what will happen when such a person sins grievously? Well, if they are consistent, they must maintain that they have less marks of grace, and thus, less evidence of salvation and therefore … less certainty of salvation by Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness.

  
  

   

  
  

  Assurance is founded on the alone, immediate, direct evidence of God’s testimony. His witnessed and manifested own infallible truth is communicated by the Holy Spirit to the Christian’s own understanding and conscience. Every believer has the witness and the undeniable evidence in themselves personally. This is not in consequence of lengthy reasoning but immediate, and directly delivered and communicated — received from God Himself — the sole Lord and Instructor of his conscience, who speaks truth and teaches knowledge and understanding, showing the mercy to whom He will.

  
  

   

  
  

  Acts 13: 39 And everyone believing in this One is justified from all things which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.

  
  

   

  
  

  Romans 10:9 If you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

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