Assurance Only in God's Sovereign Choice

Rocky Vest taught an excellent lesson Sunday [5/22/06]. It was an exposition of John 10:22-31. If you missed it last week you missed a great lesson!

Here's a quick list of the "benefits" of knowing about assurance from Rocky's lesson.

(1) There is nothing that we or anyone else can do to remove what God has done in our life. You cannot lose your salvation! (Romans 8:35-39; John 10:29)

(2) There is no boasting about our salvation; all glory for our salvation goes to God. (John 17:9-10; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12)

(3) We will trust in God through trials. (Rom. 8:28-39; Philippians 1:6)

(4) God speaks through our evangelism, which takes the pressure off of us. (John 10:16; Ezekiel 11:19; Joel 2:29; Isaiah 65:1; Jeremiah 31:33)

(5) It guarantees our success. As sanctification is not a work of our own, we can’t undo it. (Hebrews 10:14; Philippians 2:12-13; Ephesians 2:8-10)

Here's another great point from Rocky's lesson...

Assurance of salvation is found in: Hearing and Following Christ (Verse 27-29). The sheep belong to Jesus Christ. Sheep hear his voice - they understand; they comprehend; they internalize what He is saying. Sheep follow – they do the good works which were prepared beforehand that they would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). There is no separation here between just knowing: simply giving mental assent to knowledge of Christ. These sheep actually follow the shepherd. So knowing is following. John also says:

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (ESV)”

So eternal life is knowing God, and those who know God follow God.

Rocky thank you for handling the inerrant Word of God so carefully and faithfully for His chosen flock! We love you brother!

[HT: Rob Young...thanks for taking such awesome notes at everything!]