Traditions of the “Church” prove Nothing
Andrew C. Bain
 October 22, 2005. Sydney, Australia.

In fervent opposition to the title of this article, the Catechism of the Roman church says that –

Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence. (Chapter 2, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 82)

Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God. (Chapter 2, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 97)

The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. … This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome. (Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 85)  The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him. (Chapter 2, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 100) 

“Believing” is an ecclesial act. The Church’s faith precedes, engenders, supports and nourishes our faith. (Chapter 3, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 181)

---

Roman Catholics have a lot in common with the Pharisees of old. Both, for example, believe in justification by works. Catholics believe that baptism saves them and the Pharisees trusted in their circumcision for salvation.

What most people don’t realise, however, is that the CAUSE of the Pharisees’ heresies was that they were interpreting Scripture by TRADITION, and not Scripture by Scripture. And it’s exactly the same with Catholics today. Romanists claim to believe the Scriptures, but interpret it by the opinions of men. Catholics think that the “Chuch’s faith supports and nourishes” their faith (Catechism, Chapter 3, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 181). Therefore, Catholics must say that EVERYTHING they claim to know about God they have learnt from men, because their Catechism says that “the task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.” (Chapter 2, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 100).

What blatant Pharisaism !! This is the very HERESY taught by the Pharisees — that men cannot interpret the Scripture according to Scripture, but they must submit to the traditions of the ”Rabbis”. The Pharisees and Catholics both should have listened to the very Scripture they claimed to believe. ”The secret things belong to Jehovah our God; and the things revealed BELONG TO US and to our sons forever … (Deut 29:29). Bind up the Testimony, seal the Law among My disciples. (Isa 8:16). “Knowing this first, that every prophecy of Scripture did not come into being of its own interpretation; for prophecy was not at any time borne by the will of man, but being borne along by the Holy Spirit, holy men of God spoke.” Is not the Scripture fufilled which says, “No one is able to serve two lords; for either he will hate the one…”. You either serve tradition or serve God’s Word.

Well, why should we be modern day Pharisees, too? LET’S APPEAL TO GOD’s INTERPRETATIONS ALONE without any consideration whatsoever of what men have said in the past.

You see, God says that we can know NOTHING about Him EXCEPT by His Word. “The world by wisdom knew NOT God.” “The fool says in his heart, there is NO GOD.” “The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness to him.” “Christ … [will pour] vengeance … on those who KNOW NOT God and obey not the gospel.” “Howbeit when you KNEW NOT God, you did service to them by nature no-gods.”

We do NOT know anything about God without the Bible. This is why over and over again, God has to say that He exists in the Scripture. “I, even I Jehovah, and God alone; and there is none besides Me,” “Know you, that the Lord He is God”, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “VERILY THERE IS A GOD.” (Psa 58:10).

God gives a believer to understand and know that it is He that speaks in the Scripture. The doctrine of Christ “shines into their hearts” (2 Cor 4:6), “the Father reveals it” to them, and “the Spirit guides them into all truth.” In fact, the believer has the very UNDERSTANDING, knowledge and truth in his OWN MIND. “And they shall no longer each man teach his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah. For they shall all know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest of them, declares Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34). This passage SMASHES TO PIECES all those parts of the Roman Catholic Catechism that say, “the task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him. (Chapter 2, Section 1, Article 2, part II, section 100). The Pope is NOT a teacher, and neither are his bishops. GOD ALONE teaches men about Himself by His Word alone. “They shall no longer each man teach his neighbor” because “He that believes has the witness IN HIMSELF” (1 John 5), the Holy Spirit “spinging up to everlasting life”, who gives the believer the “understanding to know Him that is true”

This is the KEY point. If ALL knowledge of God is derived from Scripture then tradition is useless. All Christian ritings will only ever be summaries of the Bible, which is our one Infallible Standard/Confession. Indeed, the role is the preacher is not to offer Christ, but to MERELY remind men of what is written in the word. “Preach THE WORD in season and out of season,” the Apostle Paul told Timothy.  

Further reading —

Is the Pope Dead?

Salvation From Hell

Arminians Are Polytheists

Is this xanga “full of hate and un-Christlike”?

I’ve received an overwhelming response from people telling me that I am cruel, arrogant and “un-Christlike”. So, before I continue with my series on the heresies of Roman Catholicism, I’d like to post some brief comments on what love and humility REALLY is. It may shock you, but love is NOT tolerance of error and humility is NOT be open-minded to the teaching of unbelievers (Arminians etc.).

1 Corinthians 13: (6) [LOVE] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but REJOICES IN THE TRUTH.

TRUE love DOES NOT rejoice in unrighteousness. TRUE love only rejoices in the TRUTH. And If a doctor knows his patient has a deadly disease and knows the cure, is it hatred for that doctor to tell that person he has a deadly disease and tell him the cure? No. It is love. It would be hatred for the doctor to tell the patient that everything is okay. It would be hatred for me to tell an unregenerate person that everything is okay with his soul. It is loving for me to tell him that he is unregenerate and needs to repent and believe the gospel.

The Mass is a Lie
Andrew C. Bain
 October 21, 2005. Sydney, Australia.

The Catechism of the Roman church says that –

…the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ’s Body and Blood. (Article III, part 3, section 1333).

The Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meat when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, (Article III, part 2, section 1329)

…the Eucharist is also a sacrifice (section 1365) … In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he poured out (section 1365) … the Eucharist is offered through the priests’ hands (section 1369)

At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again (section 1323)

Are we to bow down with the Romanists and worship bread? Does the bread and wine “actually become Christ’s body and blood” (Roman Church Catechism, Section 1333) ?

To answer this question, have a look at Revelation 1:20 to start with…

“the seven stars are angels of the seven assemblies” (Rev 1:20)

Did Christ just say that stars have turned into churches? Of course not. He’s saying that “the seven stars” REPRESENT “angels of the seven assemblies.” You can also see God interpreting His own Word this way in Genesis 9. Here, God caused a rainbow to appear in the sky and told Noah, “I have established My covenant with you” (Genesis 9:11). Clearly, God is NOT saying the rainbow turned into a covenant. Instead, the rainbow was a SIGN, a REMINDER or TOKEN of God’s promise. “This is the sign of the covenant which I am about to make between Me and you …  I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of a covenant.” (Gen 9:12,13). With this in mind, now read Matthew 26.

“Take eat; this is My body.” (v26)

“…taking the cup, [he said], … For this is My blood.”(v27-28)

Remember how we considered other Scripture? The rainbow was a SIGN and the seven stars were a REPRESENTATION. Likewise, the bread and wine are merely a MEMORIAL. The meaning of Christ’s words are, “Take eat; this…” represents “…My body”. Or to use His own original phrase, “…as often as you drink, do this in REMEMBRANCE of Me.” (1 Cor 11:25)

Perhaps you are a Protestant, and you claim to agree with this interpretation of the Lord’s Supper. You say, “amen, it’s only a memorial.” Well, let’s go further into the truth, and be far from error. The Roman Catholic Catechism also teaches (along with Reformed Confessions of Faith!!) that Christ, “blessed … the bread” (Section 1329). But, Christ NEVER blessed or “consecrated” the bread. In Matthew 26:26-27 we read that Christ began “taking the bread and blessing it … and taking the cup, and giving thanks“. Notice that the word “it” in the phrase “blessing it“, is in italics. Some people try to say that Christ “blessed it” (the bread). But the word “it” is not in the Greek (that’s why it’s in italics in the LITV). In fact, the phrase could just as well be translated “[Christ began] taking the bread and giving thanks”. You might see what I mean when you look at the similarity between the two Greek words — eulogeO and eucharisteO. Here they are in their context, ”[Christ began] taking the bread and blessing [eulogeO] … and taking the cup, and giving thanks [eucharisteO]“. Who was Christ giving thanks to? Well, could the Creator of the universe thank or bless the bread he created? Of course not. He was thanking the Father.

Yet, week after week Catholic ”priests” lift the bread high and worship it. They think the bread they are using is holy, and it’s well known their bread (or wafers) are specially produced for Mass. But, this is exactly the OPPOSITE to the actions of Christ. “[T]he Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread…” (1 Cor 11:23) Christ just “took bread”. No mention about any special preparation. There’s no reason given for preparing ”holy” bread ! Unless, of course, you follow the traditions of men, and not Christ.

So, where does the gospel fit into all this? Well, Catholics have PERVERTED justification by Christ by 1) making “priests” into mediators, and 2) denying that Christ’s sacrifice was only to happen ONCE (i.e. it was FINISHED on the cross). This completely destroys the truth of one-time justification by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness into an elect sinner’s account. And that’s why Catholics need to have a viaticum. The viaticum is a last-minute private Mass on your death bed, to give you a “passport” to heaven (or perhaps purgatory?). This is where the Catholic doctrine of justification by works can be CLEARLY seen. Till their very last breath, they are trusting in their priests, bread and church to save them, not the IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ATONING BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST ALONE.

Further reading —

Christ is Not Revealed in the Bread and Wine

Pelagianism, Roman Catholicism and Arminianism Considered

Why Most Protestants are Not Saved

Why I am Not a Catholic

God wills, over the next few days — Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday – I’m going to be posting on the heresies of Roman Catholicism. I will be SOLELY appealing to the SCRIPTURE and NOT to any human confessions of faith, or “church fathers” or “reformers”. God ALONE is Lord of the Conscience — and this is my first article. Also, here is a plan for the next few days…

Friday — “The Mass is a Lie”

Saturday — “No Catholic can have assurance of salvation”

Sunday — “Catholic priests are Not ministers of Christ”

Monday — “Justification by Works Refuted”

I’m particularly interested in correponding with the Anglican/Romanist Dave Hodges, whom I consider a …

DO BELIEVERS KNOW THEY ARE JUSTIFIED?

Ryan Eberst — “a man being justified is exactly what i was talking about. believers doubting is a sin, but all the believers sin has already been paid for and the person is therefore justified. its somewhat contradictory still in my mind.”

G’day Ryan,

I agree that Justification is a FORENSIC TRANSACTION. It’s a LEGAL declaration by God that an elect sinner is NOT GUILTY with Christ’s righteousness in his account.

But does God declare the “not guilty” verdict ONLY in heaven, to the angels? Doesn’t He also tell the ungodly sinner that he is NO LONGER under the CURSE of the Law?

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, The one who hears My Word, and BELIEVES the One who has sent Me, HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

In this verse, you can see God JOINING together BELIEF and JUSTIFICATION. Everyone who believes the facts of the gospel, “does not come into judgment.”  Now, according to the Apostle John, this declaration — that believers are justified — is THE WITNESS.

“And this is the witness: that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son.” (1 John 5:11)

Notice that John uses the word, “us”. He gave “us” — believers — everlasting life. In other words, if someone does NOT know they are a believer, they cannot say, “God have given me / us everlasting life.” They are not confessing full assurance of salvation, like the Apostle John did. They do not have the faith of the Apostles. And anyone without the FAITH OF THE APOSTLES is damned. Peter ONLY wrote to those, who had “obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1, KJV)

If your assurance does not match that of the Apostles, you are lost. You are calling God a liar. God says that ALL believers will be saved, and you are saying, “I’m a believer, but I do not know that I’m saved.” Well, God says EVERYONE who believes that Christ was risen from the dead IS SAVED (Romans 10). Clearly, you are IGNORANT of this promise.

“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).

In fact, you are an Atheist. I’m now going to address some comments that Ryan made.

UNBELIEVER = ATHEIST

Ryan Eberst — “… you called me an athiest. and, just for clarification, athiests deny the existance of God entirely. caleb nor i neither one did that. it was an issue of docterine about God’s people that we are disagreement with, not the existance of God Himself.”

Ryan,

The problem is that when someone denies essential doctrine, they are actually denying the existence of God Himself. Have a look at Exodus 32. In this passage, Aaron claimed to be having “a feast to Jehovah” (v5). He thought the people believed in the True God, and were going to offer sacrifices to Him through the calf. And the people were also claiming to believe in the works of God, “And they said, These are your gods, O Israel, who made you go up from the land of Egypt.” The Israelites were claiming to believe that a “God” or “gods” had redeemed them from Egypt. It’s like today, when someone says that they believe “the world had a beginning”, or “a Supreme Being designed the universe.” Muslims, Arminians, and Presbyterians all claim to believe in a “God” who is powerful. So, the Israelites believed that a “Power” or “Powers” had brought them out of Egypt. But as I said before, the problem is that when someone denies essential Biblical doctrines, God calls them an Atheist !!

“And Jehovah spoke to Moses, Come, go down, for your people whom you caused to go up from Egypt are corrupted; … they have made for themselves a casted calf and have bowed to IT, and have sacrificed to IT.”

Jehovah said that the people were NOT acknowledging His existence. ”Deep down”, they did NOT know He existed. “Deep down” they were IGNORANT of Him. They bowed to and sacrificed ONLY to the CALF ( v8 — “bowed to IT and have sacrificed to IT”).

The Israelites CLAIMED to believe in the work of redemption, like the idolaters of the nations claimed to believe in a god. But God calls the idolaters of the nations Atheists, too.

“Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, escaped ones of the nations; the ones who set up the wood of their carved image, and the ones who pray to a god who cannot save; THEY KNOW NOTHING.” (Isa 45: 20)

Just because someone claims to believe in “God” or “gods” or a “Supreme Being” doesn’t mean they know anything about the True God. They have HEARD things about the True God, but since they do not have the Holy Spirit, they do not have the WITNESS or KNOWLEDGE of God. They have only opinions and speculations about something they call “God”. They say things like, “I wonder if there is a God?”, or “Perhaps, I am saved?”. They speculate about this and that, but they do NOT have THE KNOWLEDGE of God.

If, on the other hand, God the Holy Spirit renews their mind, and manifests the AUTHORITY of God in them, THEN they will have knowledge of God. “The one believing in the Son of God has the WITNESS IN HIMSELF.” (1 Jn 5:10). The conviction of the Holy Spirit to the gospel causes an INFALLIBLE ASSURANCE of the truth. “If you have faith as a grain of mustard, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there! And it will move. And nothing shall be impossible to you.” (Matthew 17:20). Nothing of God’s promise will seem impossible, but the believer will be FULLY PERSUADED. Abraham “did not stagger by unbelief at the promise of God, but was empowered by faith, giving glory to God, and being FULLY PERSUADED that what He has promised, He is also able to do.” (Rom 4:20).

The believer has NO doubt whatsever that the gospel is true. Think about how certain you are that you exist. Well, the believer is equally certain that Christ is raised from the dead. And how does the believer know that Christ is resurrected? By the Word. Well, God says in the very same sentence. “Because 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.” And is God to be trusted with first half of that sentence, and not the second half?

Atheists!

Caleb Cleaver writes – ”your saying, that once saved, it is IMPOSSIBLE for man to doubt. That is, to commit a CERTAIN sin. Man always has the ability to sin. Salvation does not take that away. Salvation saves us from our sin, it doesn’t keep us from doing it.”

Ryan Eberst says – ”so it is because of one mistake, one fall that we can discredit their salvation experience altogehter? i mean, just because one doubts at one point in his life diregaurds all the previous workings he though the Spirit was doing in him?”

My response: You two make it sound like the things of God are impossible with God ! Atheists ! Can’t God convince believers that “all who believe in this one are justified” ? After all, “We receive the testimony of men, but the testimony of God IS GREATER.” (1 John 5). What is all this talk about “believers” doubting God, and calling God a liar ? Are you people BELIEVERS or UNBELIEVERS? Are you full of faith, or full of doubting? “By faith Abel … By faith Enoch … By faith Abraham … By faith Joseph” (Heb11). Not “by doubting”.

Now for  the issue of sin and assurance. Certainly Paul asks the question, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).And without a pause or hestitation, he answers, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25). Paul was convicted of his sin by God’s Word. But at the very same time, the Word also told him of Jesus Christ, who takes away the sins of all believers.

Now don’t get me wrong, believers DO have wicked thoughts and do wicked things. And God tells believers that they will sin. But He doesn’t stop there, does He? He also says that all believers are are JUSTIFIED from all sin, so believers never doubt that God saves sinful people, including themselves. Therefore, God can and does convince justified people that they are actually justified, and there are no believers walking around ignorant of their justification. People who doubt they are justified are not justified. Believers have the infallible testimony of the Holy Spirit witnessing to the infallible Word, and this is always 100% sufficient to convince them that God will save ALL His people based on the atoning blood and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone.

After all, how do we know there is a Law? Sin? Death by sin? We hear of these things by the Word. But the Word also says, “Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness for everyone that believes.” (Romans 10). So the Word is sufficient to convict my conscience of sin and death. And at the same time, the Word is sufficient to acquit (remove all concern) of condemnation.

But, alas Caleb and Ryan, after reading your comments, it seems you do not understand the gospel. It looks like I’ll have to start all over again, and explain why ALL BELIEVERS HAVE FULL ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

First of all, unbelievers are TOTALLY IN THE DARK about the existence of God. They have NO IDEA that there “are three who bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.” The Bible says, that when Christ returns, He will have pour vengeance upon those who “know not God, and obey not the gospel.” (2 Thessalonians). Similarly, Paul reminds the Ephesians that they before their belief in the gospel, they were “in darkness”, and the Apostle tells the Galatians, “not knowing God, you served as slaves [to] the ones by nature not being gods.” (Gal 4:8). Unbelievers are not just lacking a knowledge of the gospel, they have absolutely no understanding of spiritual things whatsoever. In fact, elsewhere, Paul actually says that unbelievers worship Satan! “But the things the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God.”(1 Corinthians 10:20).

Now, if someone is totally ignorant of the existence of God – and has no understanding of God –  what will happen when God gives the person  the knowledge of Himself? Two things occur. #1) “And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given to us an understanding that we may know the true One….” #2, “…and we are in the true One, in His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 5:20) The Apostle John states that believers, #1) know the gospel, and #2) know they are saved. The two FACTS are INSEPARABLE. God has joined belief and salvation, and who are we to separate what is eternally united?

How can a believer doubt? For YOU ARE ALL SONS OF GOD through faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:26) WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, and the whole world lies in the evil. (1 Jn 5:19). So that you no more are a slave, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ. And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba! Father! (Gal 4:7,6).

Leave the doubting for unbelievers. Full assurance is the privilege of every true Christian.

Caleb Cleaver says — “doubting is a sin. that is true. but it’s not damnable. after youve been saved, nothing can take you out of Gods hands… so are you saying that the person was never saved, or that they lose their salvation. Because the latter is impossible.”

My response: Hi there Caleb.

OF COURSE believers CANNOT lose their salvation. That is my whole point. God has SWORN that 1) All unbelievers are NOT resting (believing) in the imputed righteousness of Christ and are lost, and 2) All believers are SAVED FROM THE WRATH TO COME.

Anyone who doubts they are saved is DENYING God’s promise to save ALL believers. I’d like you to read some of these passages of Scripture– and think — if someone doubts these passages, they are saying “God lied here … and here … God is a liar.” They are not saved.

Beloved, now we are the children of God … See what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called children of God. (1 Jn 3:2,1). God says that all believers are children of God. Did God lie here?

Pass the time of your sojourning in fear, knowing that not with corruptible things, silver or gold, were you redeemed from your worthless way of life handed down from your fathers (1 Pet 1:17-18). Here Jehovah says that believers are redeemed. Did he lie here, too?

The one believing in the Son of God has the witness in himself. (1 Jn 5:10). Can someone have the infallible witness of God in their conscience, and not know they are a temple of God. Know you not that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disapproved? (2 Cor)

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus (Rom 14:14). Paul knew and was persuaded of the truth. Peter says that all believers have the equally precious faith of the Apostles (1 Pet 1:1). In other words, if your assurance of salvation does NOT equal the Apostle Paul, you are not saved.

We say to God’s face (so to speak) “you’re a liar”, or we believe the testimony of the Scripture. Of course, only the Holy Spirit can convict someone of the truth of the promises. “For flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven.” (Matt 16:17). And when God does show someone the truth, can’t He remove all doubt from the mind of the person, that it is He that speaks? “Is He a man that he should lie? Or a son of man that he should repent?” And can someone have the AUTHORITY of God in their conscience, and not know they are a child of God? Can someone believe, and not know they are a believer? ”His anointing teaches you concerning all things.” (1 Jn 2:27)

WHO IS FOR THE TRUE GOD?

Who is for Jehovah? Come to me! (Exo 32:26). Come [with] the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17) And pass to and fro from gate to gate in the camp, (Exo 32:27). Be sanctified in Truth. (John 17:19). Let each one has been against his son and against his brother, (Exo 32:29). YEA, EVERY MAN UPON HIMSELF, AND CUT OFF WITHOUT MERCY EVERY CAUSE OF OFFENCE IN THE MATTER OF A STRANGE GOD. LET NOT YOUR EYE SPARE, BUT REMEMBER THE WORD OF THE LORD. And if your right hand causes you to offend, cut it off and throw it from you, for it is profitable to you that one of your members should perish and all your body not be thrown into Hell. (Matt 5:30).

To the good soldiers to Jesus Christ–He is the Captain of you salvation–and His Spirit reigns with you. Why, O why, tell your God, if your hearts will allow you, why any Achan, or Agag should remain unslain in the camp? Why should any strange god possess a corner with the Lord in all your heart? Strange gods, be assured, wherever they are harbouring, will draw down vengeance and fire from the Lord out of heaven upon themselves and their harbourers. For our God is a jealous God, and a consuming fire.

Away, away therefore with strange gods! And so away with all the fear of wrath! If you have the authority and power of the Holy Spirit in our consciences, you are in danger neither of—wrath nor fear – for you have been delivered from strange gods. “I did not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because every lie is not of the truth.” (1 Jn 2:21).

Assurance of Salvation

Ryan Eberst says: “i don’t know if its as much people doubting that Christ finished the work, but more people doubting that Christ has actually chosen them for salvation. i mean if we focus on us, we see no reason for God to choose us to salvation, its a complete act of grace, and sometimes its hard accepting grace. so i don’t think its doubting God as much as doubting us.”

My response:

G’day Ryan,

It seems like you are saying that someone can believe the gospel, but not know whether or not they are a believer. Wow!! I have a question for you. Can someone see the light of the sun, and not know they are in the light?

Think about 2 Corinthians 4:6. “Because it is God who said, “Out of darkness Light shall shine,” who shone in our hearts to give the brightness of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

The Apostle says that ALL believers have the knowledge of Christ in their hearts. And it’s not a coming and going sort of knowledge. It’s PERMANENT certainty of the GOSPEL.

“Jesus answered and said to her, Everyone drinking of this water will thirst again; but whoever may drink of the water which I will give him will not thirst, never! But the water which I will give to him will become a fountain of water in him, springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14).

According to Christ, in this passage, believers NEVER thirst because the Holy Spirit ALWAYS assures them of their salvation.

Ryan, you are trying to make doubting sound like a humble, meek state of mind. You are trying to JOIN TOGETHER what God has ETERNALLY SEPARATED — doubt and salvation. But the sin of unbelief damns (Mk 16:16) !! In a doubter there is no witness of the Holy Spirit in the person — they are unregenerate. Believers, who have the infallible witness of the Spirit to the Word of God, NEVER doubt the gospel, and NEVER doubt their salvation. They do NOT call God a liar in His promises to save ALL believers.

In fact, God has MANIFESTED Himself in the believer’s conscience. They have his AUTHORITY and WITNESS impressed onto their minds.