Question:
Pastor, I have to disagree with your answer to a caller on your radio show. You said a “believer” can have a confirmation that he is saved by looking within himself, at if his desires is to please God, that he is loving God, that he loves the brethen and is digging into God’s Word, etc., this referring to 1st First John. Isaiah 64:6, says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; …” Pastor, if you have an old dirty rag sitting in [lets say] a corner of a room, no matter how long it sits there and no matter how long you look at it, to God He sees it as a dirty rag, so how can you turn around and claim that dirty rag to be any thing other than what God sees it as. A believer can not look at himself in any way to prove that he is saved. The only proof a believer has that he is saved is that he has believed in the promise of the Savior Jesus that whosoever believes on Him will be given the gift of eternal life, period. Personally, I know many people who look at themselves and are doing, on an outward basis, the right things as studying the Bible, on fire for the Lord, loving God and doing great things in their church, loving the brethen, etc. but believe that you can lose your salvation. They will tell you that they are saved because God has changed their lives and that they are new creatures. Many say that works are not essential for salvation but turn around and say if you do not have “good works, a love of God, a desire to please God by reading his word, etc. then you are not saved.” I know that I am saved because of His promise, not by looking within myself or at my works. I have to agree with Paul, concerning myself, when he called himself an old wrecked man. Before I trusted Jesus as my God and Savior, I looked at myself and had all these desires and activities. Now I look at Jesus because I can not look at myself. Pastor, don’t add works to the plan of salvation. That is what you are doing if you say a person can confirm ones salvation by looking at oneself. By looking at yourself, your works, your desires can be a means to prove that you are in God’s will but not to prove that you are saved. If an unbeliever is faithful to his spouse, this is within God’s will and God laws will bless him for it by not getting a sexual disease. An unbeliever who is studying or reading the Word of God, I would believe is in God’s will. Being in God’s will, having desire to please God, loving the brethen, etc. doesn’t prove a person is saved.
Answer:
Good point!!!!!