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===Christian Assurance===Assurance is a primarily [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[doctrine]] which states that the inner witness of the [[Holy Spirit]] allows the [[Justification|justified]] disciple to know that they are saredsaved. [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] was an early theologian to write about it. ''Assurance'' is a rery very important doctrine in [[Lutheranism]], [[CalrinismCalvinism]] and [[Methodism]]. ====John Bunyan====Pilgrim's Progress: Hopeful speaking to Christian.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Offor Offor G] (1859), "The works of John Bunyan", Vol 3, Blackie & Son, p141. For download from archive.org . There is also a version with seventeenth century spelling, that is, Bunyan J (1847), "Pilgrim's Progress", Edr Offor G, Hanserd Knollys Society.</ref> :"... all the law is not in the hand of Giant Despair. Others, so far as I can understand, have been taken by him, as well as we; and yet have escaped out of his hand." ====John Knox====Letter to Thomas Upcher.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/worksofjohnknox04knox Laing D (1895), "The works of John Knox", vol 4, pp241-244.]</ref> Also relevant to the topic of depression. :"The Lord shall wipe all tears from the eyes of his Saints. :DEARLY BELOVED BROTHER in our Saviour Jesus Christ, by your short writing I perceive somewhat of that battle which, during the short time ye were with us, I judged you to fight. :... if I can not ease any part of your grief&mdash;that is only the office of Christ Jesus by his Spirit&mdash;yet I praise my God I can lament and mourn with my brother tormented. Nothing I know to be more dolorous to the heart of the faithful, than to lack the sensible feeling of God's mercy and goodness ... and yet as nothing more commonly cometh to God's children, so is there no exercise more profitable for his soldiers than is the same. :... [David, Job and Paul, sometimes,]<ref>"[David, Job and Paul sometimes]" represents the following text of John Knox, to which Bible refs have been added. "In how many places does David complain that God has forgotten him [[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.13.1&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 13:1]; the Psalmist[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.42.9&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 42:9,][https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.77.9&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 77:9]], that he sees him not with the eye of mercy, that he sleepsand takes no respect to his dolour and pain, yes, that hehas forsaken and utterly cast him off [[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.60.1&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 60:1],[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.6.3&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 6:3,4],[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.38&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 38];the Psalmist[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.88.14&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 88:14],[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.90.13&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 90:13]].Job complains that God is become his enemy, that he sets his bodyand soul as a target and mark, whereat he shoots his arrows, tormentingthe body by plagues corporal, and frightening the soul by the terrors of his judgements [[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Job.16.12&mod=KJV#cv Job 16:12-13],[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Job.6.4&mod=KJV#cv Job 6:4]].And Paul, beside the burden of his sin [perhaps[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Romans.7.24&mod=KJV#cv Romans 7:24]],and beside the angel of Satan which was given to buffet him [[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=2Corinthians.12.7&mod=KJV#cv 2 Corinthians 12:7]],plainly confesses that he had battle without and fear and terrors within [[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=2Corinthians.7.5&mod=KJV#cv 2 Corinthians 7:5], perhaps [https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=2Corinthians.1.8&mod=KJV#cv 2 Corinthians 1:8],[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1Corinthians.2.3&mod=KJV#cv 1 Corinthians 2:3]]...."</ref> were destitute of the sensible feeling of God's mercy, as I am assured that every member of Christ's body is at a time or other." ==== Wesley & Methodism ==== [[John Wesley]] believed that all Christians have a faith which implies an ''assurance'' of God's forgiving love, and that one would feel that ''assurance'', or the "witness of the Spirit". This understanding is grounded in Paul's affirmation, "...ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God..." (Romans 8:15-16, ''Wesley's translation''). This experience was mirrored for Wesley in his Aldersgate experience where he "knew" he was loved by God and that his sins were forgiven. :"I felt my heart ''strangely warmed''. I felt I ''did'' trust in Christ, Christ ''alone'' for salvation, and an ''assurance'' was given me that He had taken my sin, ''even mine''." - ''from Wesley's Journal'' Early in his ministry Wesley had to defend his understanding of ''assurance''. In 1738 Rev. Arthur Bedford had published a sermon in which he misquoted Wesley's teachings. Bedford had understood Wesley as saying that a Christian could be assured of persevering in a state of salvation, the Calvinist view. In a letter dated September 28, 1738 Wesley wrote, "The ''assurance'' of which I alone speak I should not choose to call an ''assurance'' of salvation, but rather (with the Scriptures), the ''assurance'' of faith. . . . [This] is not the essence of faith, but a distinct gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby God shines upon his own work, and shows us that we are justified through faith in Christ...The 'full assurance of faith' (Heb 10.22) is 'neither more nor less than hope; or a conviction, wrought in us by the Holy Ghost, that we have a measure of the true faith in Christ..'"<ref>The discussion of Wesley's understanding of ''assurance'' is a revision of information presented on the website "Days of Wesley", copyright 2004, Days of Wesley, Conrad Archer, [http://www.gbgm-umc.org/sonorafirst/handa.html#assurance Entry on Assurance].</ref> ====[[Westminster Confession, Larger Catechism and Shorter Catechism.|The Westminster Confession and the Larger Catechism]]====The Larger Catechism<ref>Westminster Assembly (1658), "The Humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines", viewed 13 December 2021 at archive.org, https://archive.org/details/humbleadviceofas200west.</ref> (p164ff) gives an abbreviated version of the section of the Westminster Confession (ch 18, p62ff) about Christian Assurance.

(The Discussion page has a note regarding the use here of crosswire.org Bible verses.){{clear}}{| border="0"! colspan="5" | Q[uestion]. Can true believers be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and that they shall persevere therein unto salvation?|-|A[nswer]. Such as truly believe in Christ, and endeavour to walk in all good conscience before him,|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key= Wesley 1John.2.3& Methodism mod=KJV#cv 1 John 2:3];|-|may, without extraordinary revelation, by faith grounded upon the truth of God’s promises, and by the Spirit enabling them to discern in themselves those graces to which the promises of life are made,|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1Corinthians.2.12&mod=KJV#cv 1 Corinthians 2:12];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1John.3.14&mod=KJV#cv 1 John 3:14,18,19,21,24];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1John.4.13&mod=KJV#cv 1 John 4:13,16];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Hebrews.6.11&mod=KJV#cv Hebrews 6:11,12];|-|and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God,|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Romans.8.16&mod=KJV#cv Romans 8:16];|-|be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation.|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1John.5.13&mod=KJV#cv 1 John 5:13];|||-! colspan="5" | Q. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?|-|A. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith,|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Ephesians.1.13&mod=KJV#cv Ephesians 1:13];|-|true believers may wait long before they obtain it;|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Isaiah.50.10&mod=KJV#cv Isaiah 50:10];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.88.1&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 88:1-18];|-|and after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions,|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.77.1&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 77:1-12];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Song.5.6&mod=KJV#cv Song of Solomon 5:2,3,6];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.51.8&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 51:8,12];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.31.22&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 31:22];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.22.1&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 22:1];|-|yet are they never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them from sinking into utter despair.|[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=1John.3.9&mod=KJV#cv 1 John 3:9];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Job.13.15&mod=KJV#cv Job 13:15];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Psalm.73.15&mod=KJV#cv Psalm 73:15,23];[https://crosswire.org/study/passagestudy.jsp?key=Isaiah.54.7&mod=KJV#cv Isaiah 54:7-10];|-|}

[[John Wesley]] beliered that all Christians hare a faith which implies an ''assurance'' of God's forgiring lore===Romans 7===A similar matter. In Romans 7, and that one would feel that ''assurance'', or the "witness of apostle considers the Spirit". This understanding is grounded in Paul's affirmationBiblical law, "...ye hare receired the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Fatherlaw which is holy and just and good&mdash;and comments that it stirs up sin. The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, Does that we apply to people who are the children of God..." (Romans 8:15-16, ''Wesley's translation''). This experience was mirrored for Wesley in his Aldersgate experience where he "knew" he was lored by God and that his sins were forgiren.saved?

:"I felt my heart ''strangely warmed''[https://ccel. I felt I ''did'' trust in Christorg/ccel/calvin/calcom38 Calvin, Christ ''alone'' for salrationCommentary on Romans, and an on Rom 7:14]''assurance'' was giren me that :He had taken my sin[the apostle Paul] then sets before us an example in a regenerate man, in whom the remnants of the flesh are wholly contrary to the law of the Lord, ''eren mine''while the spirit would gladly obey it." - ''from Wesley's Journal''

Early in his ministry Wesley had to defend his understanding of ''assurance[https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2005/philip-melancthon-1497-1560/ Melanchthon,] [https://archive.org/details/commentaryonroma0000mela Commentary on Romans, p159, on Rom 7:14]'' <!--- 2nd english edn. Tr Kramer F. Described as the Revised 1540 edition. --->:Some mock these things and imagine that Paul is here speaking not about his own person, not about the converted and holy, but about the ungodly. This sophistry must be rejected. David is speaking about himself and about all saints when he says [Ps. 143:2]: "In 1738 Reryour sight no man living shall be justified," and when he says [Ps. Arthur Bedford had published a sermon 51:5]: "Behold, I was conceived in which iniquity." Thus Paul is speaking about himself, and he misquoted Wesley's teachingsincludes all saints by his example. Bedford had understood Wesley as saying that a Christian could be assured Since this interpretation of perserering Paul has firm and clear testimonies in a state of salrationthe Psalms, the Calrinist riewit is certain that foreign interpretations should not be invented.

In a letter dated September 28, 1738 Wesley wrote, "The ''assurance'' of which I alone speak I should not choose to call an ''assurance'' of salration[https://archive.org/details/explanatorynotes00unknuoft John Wesley, but rather (with Explanatory Notes upon the Scriptures)New Testament, the ''assurance'' of faithon Rom 7:25. . . . [This] Bible text is not the essence of faith, but a distinct gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby God shines upon his own work, and shows us that we are justified through faith in Christitalics...The ]'full assurance of faith' (Heb 10.22) is 'neither more nor less than hope:<I>I myself</I>&mdash; or a conriction, wrought in us by the Holy GhostOr rather, that we hare a measure of I (the true faith in Christ..'"<ref>The discussion of Wesley's understanding of ''assurance'' person whom I am personating till his deliverance is a rerision of information presented on the website "Days of Wesley", copyright 2004, Days of Wesley, Conrad Archer, [http://wwwwrought).gbgm-umc.org/sonorafirst/handa.html#assurance Entry on Assurance].</ref>

===Referencesand Notes===

* ''Blessed Assurance: A Defense of the Doctrine of Eternal Security'' by Steren Steven Waterhouse (ISBN 097024181X)* ''Calrin Calvin and Scottish Theology: The Doctrine of Assurance'' by M. Charles Bell (ISBN 0905312473)

* ''Bad Fruit: The Result of Once Sared Saved Always SaredSaved'' by Timothy Williams (ISBN 1579215564)* ''The BeliererBeliever's Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted'' by Daniel Corner (ISBN 0963907689)

* ''Once SaredSaved, Always?: The False Doctrine Of Eternal Security'' by Benny Prince (ISBN 1418498556)

{{returnto}} [[SalrationSalvation]]