All mankind are already lost, because of disobedience that brought the curse (death) upon us, but in Christ Jesus we have assurance of salvation.
And this assurance happens According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)
Thus we all need to gather the understanding that; God’s assurance of salvation is His eternal purpose that can only be found in Christ Jesus; who is the only proof of his image and likeness.
This happens because all the power and authority has been given to Jesus by the Father; to mold all men into his image and likeness.
“As you have given him authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
John 17:2
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him.
Hebrews 5:9.
How Nicodemus had the assurance of salvation from Jesus.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, once faced with this issue of salvation; approached the savior himself and inquired on what a man has to do in order to be saved.
And Jesus showed him the plan of God’s salvation for mankind.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ”That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:5-6.
Consequently, being born of water is baptism, which means the washing away of the sinful nature of the first man.
And being born of the spirit means receiving the Holy Ghost; as peter also told those who were eager for this salvation.
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
Born of the flesh vs born of the Spirit.
That which is born of the flesh must carry out the works of the flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like;
Galatians 5:19-21
And that which is born of the spirit must bear the fruits of the spirit.
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23
Therefore one must bear this fruits of the spirit and destroy the works of the flesh, as the flesh is destined for destruction upon the physical death.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
John 6:63b.
Jesus died for the assurance of our salvation.
Now, since man inherited death through sin and all children of men are born sinners. God had to assure mankind of their salvation by sending his only righteous son, Jesus to pass through death.
For he made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Making him to be sin for us is using him as an example to show our sinful nature.
And for us to therefore become the righteousness of God in him; we must then live by his example and become like Him, not by our own righteousness but that which is through faith in Christ from God.
And this in the end will help us to know God and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of Christ sufferings, as we are conformed to his death by our abstaining from every appearance of sin. Philippians 3:9-10.
How to align with God’s assurance of salvation.
Our starting point to getting the assurance of God’s salvation is to crucify our body of sin with him on the cross, because.
Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:24
And so, they carry about in their body the dying of the Lord Jesus, being delivered to death always so that the life of Jesus might manifest in their mortal bodies. 2 Corinthians 3:10-11.
This means that, we no longer live in sin.
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 6:6
And since your sins have been crucified with Christ; people will now see the life of Christ manifest in your character and behaviors.
And you can now say:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh i live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Meaning:
(I have let go of my sins because of Christ, I no longer live that sinful life I used to because the life of Christ is what I now imitate; keeping the faith that I will be molded into the image and likeness of God one day through his son Jesus Christ who loved me so much and decided to come down to earth to set an example for me.)
Conclusion.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.
1 Peter 3: 18
As a matter of fact, assurance of salvation is given by Jesus to only those who will obey him and do what he entirely commands.
Therefore as it is written, you must:
Abstain from every form of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Romans 6:12-13.
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. And have pit on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him.
Colossians 3:4, 5.8-10.
Please share this sermon with a fellow brethren to help them keep their assurance of salvation.
