Blessed Assurance
Purpose: Encourage Christians by helping them to understand that they can know that they are saved.
B. Because of the cross of Christ.
C. Because we are made righteous in Christ.
D. Because the Father promises he will remember our sins no more.
A. The Old Law was a law of condemnation. There was no salvation to be found in it. (Colossians 2:14)
1. The law told people that they were sinners but gave no way to be justified, only sins were rolled forward.
2. It served only to remind them of their sins.
B. The law was meant only to bring us to the Gospel and the church.
1. The church was God's eternal purpose. (Matthew 16:18)
2. From the moment sin entered into the world, God set out to bring about our salvation through Christ. (Genesis 3:15)
C. We should be so grateful that we do not live under that system.
A. Sin was (and still is) the ultimate crime against the almighty God and therefore required the ultimate sacrifice.
1. Hebrews 2:9 – “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
2. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
3. Christ's death on the cross, made possible the forgiveness of our sins.
A. One gets into Christ by obeying the Gospel.
1. Hearing - Romans 10:17
2. Believing – John 8:24 – “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”
3. Repenting – Luke 13:3 – “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
4. Confessing – Matthew 10:32 – “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”
5. Being baptized – Acts 2:38 – “Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
B. At the point of baptism one is put into Christ –Galatians 3:27 – “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
A. Hebrews 8:12 – “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
B. 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
C. The only sin God will not forgive is the one that is not confessed.
B. As long as you're living, it is not too late to obey him.
C. Give plan of salvation.