Personal Assurance
A Sermon on John 1:12-13
Scripture
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Sermon Description
Who is a child of God? There is nearly nothing more important than the Christian knowing that they are a child of God. It affects relationships with others, unbelievers, the church, and God. If one has assurance, then they know that they possess the promises of God. Specifically, the knowledge of assured eternal life, that they are His child, that sin was hung upon the cross of the Christ, and that His righteousness is now with the Christian. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on this sermon titled “Personal Assurance,” there is, however, such a thing as false assurance. Even the demons believe in God and shudder. So how does one know? In this sermon on assurance from John 1:12–13, Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives practical tests that shore up true assurance and break down false assurance. He provides poignant examinations of the soul that expose the state of the Christian seeking assurance and reminds the listener that the Lord gives assurance that does not come from deduction but from witness. Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates that the Christian is not merely a spokesperson, but also a witness of Christ. The Christian may know that they are a child of God by the Spirit’s power and revelation when, through the Word, the Spirit reveals Christ in power.
Sermon Breakdown
- There are two main ways to obtain assurance of salvation: deduction and direct assurance.
- Deduction involves examining Scripture and one's life to deduce whether one is saved. This is good but has limitations.
- Direct assurance is given immediately by the Holy Spirit. It is the highest form of assurance.
- Direct assurance was promised by Jesus, fulfilled at Pentecost, and seen throughout church history. It is for all believers, not just early Christians.
- The Holy Spirit gives direct assurance through illuminating Scripture, speaking directly to our spirits, giving a sense of forgiveness and God's love, and knowledge of God and Christ.
- Direct assurance leads to joy, ecstasy, a sense of eternity, love for God, and calling God "Abba, Father."
- We should seek direct assurance by realizing it's possible, obeying God, and praying for Him to manifest Himself and grant us assurance.
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.