March 6, 2006
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You have a friend who does not know whether or not he is believer in the Republic Party. He says that he’s not sure if he’s a Republican or not.
Now, is your friend a Republican?
Of course not!! He’s AGNOSTIC about the Republic Party. Perhaps he doesn’t really know what the Republic Party stands for. Maybe he hasn’t thought about politics much. He might even be skeptical or simply confused. Whatever the reason, your friend is NOT a Republican.
Likewise, someone unsure about whether or not they believe the gospel is AGNOSTIC about Christianity. They are NOT a Christian !! Perhaps they don’t know what the The Gospel is. Maybe they haven’t thought about the gospel much. They may be skeptical or simply confused. Whatever the reason, this person is NOT a Christian. They’re AGNOSTIC.
Now, there are people out there — including Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, etc. — who say that someone can believe the gospel, but not know they are a believer.
This is like saying someone can believe in the Republican Party, and not know they are a Republican.
The Scripture clearly says that all believers know that
1) God promises salvation through Christ’s righteousness and blood to all who believe/assent, and
2) they believe God’s promise and therefore are saved.
ALL the OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS had FULL ASSURANCE of salvation:
“These all died by way of faith, not having received the promises, but seeing them from afar, and being PERSUADED, and having embraced and CONFESSED that THEY ARE STRANGERS and tenants on the earth.”
This passage says that not only were OT saints persuaded of the gospel. Noah, Enoch and Abraham ALSO knew and confessed that they were destined to heaven (and strangers on earth). They confessed that they were destined for heaven, not hell. “The fathers” knew they were saved.
And God says that New Testaments saints have a GREATER understanding than the OT saints!! If the fathers knew they were saved, how in the world could a NT saint — with more light — doubt ???
“And having obtained witness through the faith, these all did not obtain the promise, God having foreseen SOMETHING BETTER CONCERNING US, that they should not be perfected apart from us.”
Moses veil is now removed and NT saints see God manifest in the flesh. They see Him obeying the Law to the death for His sheep.
The OT saints did not have the full understanding of believers today, but they were SO CONFIDENT in God’s promises that they…
“received trial of mockings and of floggings; yea, more, of bonds and of prison: they were stoned; they were tried; they were sawn in two; they died by murder of sword; they went about in sheepskins and in goatskins, being in need, being afflicted, being ill-treated;”
How could they have undergone these trials if they doubted God was their Justifier and Savior?
“By faith “Enoch” was translated so as not to see death, … For before his translation, he had OBTAINED WITNESS to have been pleasing to God.”
Enoch knew that God was well pleased with him because of God’s promise of salvation to all that believe in His Seed. Do you have the faith of Enoch?
“Abraham … LOOKED FORWARD TO A CITY having the foundations of which the builder and maker is God.”
“Moses … counted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he was LOOKING TO THE REWARD.”
Abraham and Moses knew the city and reward was theirs. These men are patterns for all believers. So, if you do not know whether or not you have the reward — Christ’s righteousness and blood — you are not a believer.
“… others were beaten to death, not accepting deliverance, THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN a better resurrection.”
“These all died by way of faith, … being PERSUADED, … For those saying such things make clear that THEY SEEK A FATHERLAND. And truly if they remembered that from which they came out, they had time to return. But now they stretch forth to a better, that is, a heavenly land. Therefore, God is not ashamed of them, for Him to be called their God; for He prepared a city for them.”
God has promised that 1) Christ’s righteousness is upon all those that believe, and that 2) Christ mediates for their sins through His Atonement. The OT saints knew this and today believers have way more light than the OT saints.
Yet, there are Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists out there who say that they are not sure whether or not they are in the light.
To return to the original illustration — This is like saying someone can believe in the Republican Party, and not know they are a Republican.
Comments (2)
Yes I believe believers should have assurance, and not look to their works, with this I agree. Your emphasis on assent has me wondering, so I want to ask you plainly: Is obedience to Christ optional for the Christian?
You said,
“Now, there are people out there — including Presbyterians, Reformed Baptists, etc. — who say that someone can believe the gospel, but not know they are a believer.
This is like saying someone can believe in the Republican Party, and not know they are a Republican. “
I do not know that this logic holds up. I went for a long time holding political views that were almost directly in line with the Constitution Party and didn’t know that is what I was. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t “Constitutional” (or whatever you call a person in the Constitution Party), it just means I didn’t have the knowledge of the words to express what I was inadvertently attesting to.