August 17, 2006
-
Reformed Baptists Teach Assurance by Works
Joshua from SC writes, ===”I’m certainly a reformed baptist that will NOT teach that you must look at your works. I dunno where you’re reading from, but last I read in Scripture it’s by GRACE. I’m sure if you talk to a true Reformed Baptist they’ll hold to the 5 Solas as well. Isn’t one of them Sola Gratia? SOLELY GRACE.”===
My reponse: Joshua, the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith teaches assurance by works. And so do all the American revisions.
Chapter 18 section 4 says that by “love of Christ and the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which, by the operation of the Spirit … assurance may in due time be revived, and by the which, in the meantime, they are preserved from utter despair. “
The 1689 Confession says assurance is to be based on good works!! The good works are to be loving Christ and the brethren.
Jonathan from SC wrote me, ===”faith without works is dead faith. works without faith are dead works. we are saved by faith alone. but faith is not alone.”===
My reponse: Yes, faith is NOT alone. Belief in the gospel ALWAYS gives a believer FULL ASSURANCE of salvation. And anyone who KNOWS without doubt that they are justified by Christ’s work WILL love God. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a man to know that He is Elect and hate God. To know that God choose ME and reprobated billions of others makes me VERY GRATEFUL INDEED! Thus, thinking God has done me a eternal favor I HATE sin (transgressing God’s commands).
Jonathan, the issue is NOT whether or not Christians love God by striving to keep His commandments.
In reality, you disagree with me because I think that ALL believers have full assurance of salvation BEFORE they do their first good work. Allow me to summarise:
BIBLICAL UNBIBLICAL
1) Justification 1) Justification
2) Assurance 2) Good works
3) Good works 3) Assurance
Proving that Assurance PRECEDES good works is very easy. Turn to any page of the New Testament and you will find God telling believers to obey Him because He redeemed them. Now this must mean that the basis for all a man’s good works is the knowledge that Christ has redeemed him.
“KNOWING THAT not with incorruptible things … WERE YOU REDEEMED … pass the time of your sojourning in fear.” 1 Pet 1:18
Peter doesn’t tell believers to be sanctified in order to find out they are redeemed. To Christians, Peter states: YOU KNOW THAT YOU WERE REDEEMED.
Peter says believers KNOW they are redeemed. And because they are fully persuaded of their justification they pass the time fearing (in awe of) God.
“AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST Jesus the Lord, WALK in Him,” Col 2:6
Which comes first — assurance or santification? Paul says assurance.
Writing to the NT Christians he ASSUMES they know they are saved. In this passage, Paul assumes the Colossians know they had received the doctrine of Christ. They had received Christ by receiving the TRUTH. Paul says that they were also to walk in the TRUTH. You believe the truth — You’ve received Christ/The Truth — NOW, walk in the Truth/Christ.
” For your SIN SHALL NOT LORD IT over you, for YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, but under grace.” Rom 6:14
All who assent to the truth are not under the curse of the Law. Christ has been punished for their disobedience to it. He also obeyed it perfectly and the Father imputes that obedience to the assenter’s account.
Paul assumes the Romans knew they were not under the curse of the Law. Sin shall not torment you, for you are not under the curse of the Law! Christ has redeemed you from the Law!
“do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom YOU WERE SEALED to the day of redemption.”
Believers do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit because they know they are sealed by Him.
Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists teach that Christians should look at their works in order to know whether or not they are saved. They assume that someone can do good works prior to having the knowledge of their salvation. Their order is 1) do good works and 2) find out you are saved.
But how can someone even begin to love God if they don’t know He loves them? Can someone even pray “Our Father” and cry “Abba, Father” unless they know He is their father? Or can you walk “worthy as a child of God” if you don’t know you are a child of God?
Read the book of Acts. Converts were IMMEDIATELY assured of their salvation. They based their evidence of salvation on their belief in the truth, not on their works. Then they loved God AFTER they believed, and knew they were saved. “We love Him because He first loved us.” Believers love God BECAUSE they know they are justified from all things.
Comments (6)
Do you really think that reformed Baptists would deny that the basis of our assurance is simply the fact that we repented and received the gospel?
It was good talking on AIM… why do you always leave so suddenly? Anyway, I hope school goes well and if you want to do an apologetics chat we’ll work something out.
ok… please you correct biblical terminology cincerning texts…coming from the mouth of John in his first epistle….
2:3 “now by THIS we KNOW that we KNOW HIM, if we KEEP HIS COMMANDS”
the entire book of 1 john is about knowing who is and is not of God. it causes the believer to examine his own heart and life and compare it to what God says our lives and hearts should look like if we know Him.
the epistle does not address doubting or assurance issues. it simply says to repent and confess your sins or else you’re a liar and the truth is not in you.
straight up, if you walk in darkness and say you are in the light, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. moreso we make God out to be a liar as well. why? because God’s word says that His people, those who love Him will keep His commandments.
seriously, read through the book of first john. there are also many people who are assured that they will go to heaven. however, if they keep not His commands their assurance is debased and empty. regardless of how true their knowledge of Christ may be. lots of people know alot about Jesus, and have been given assurance by some preacher who didn’t know any better, or by some emotion packed church service.
all i’m saying is that God has given a litmus test called His word. if we do not line up with it in our hearts and actions, we should consider our status with God. plain and simple. if the person truly desires Christ above all else, it will push them further into His arms. if not, it will be used to make it clear who is not of Him. because His commands are not burdensome, the believer will gladly keep them.
I agree with you completely!! did one of the quotes say otherwise? maybe i did not read them all carefully! but yes i agree with you, thanks for your information!
But one of my friends says she is a Christian, and I see the fruit in her life and believe her, and other times she doubts if she really is one because of how her sin still clings to her at times and how its VERY hard for her to get away from. So, that’s different, right? She’s focusing too much on herself, and if in fact she really is saved she has to understand that she is forever secure in her salvation and God’s love, and that God’s love will never change, never be more or less then what it already is. But she DOES have to know that although her status is unchanging, her ability CAN change, and she can become more like Christ through praying and reading His Word, and trusting in Him. any way you could help me out? im not sure if help is what i need but you are smart and maybe you could say something further?
you can email me instead of commenting if you want…? seekaftergod@hotmail.com
sorry for commenting AGAIN, but i’ll add ur SN