Occasionally I meet women who tell me they are not certain of their spiritual condition. They think they are regenerated but have nagging doubts. I believe that when a heart is not sure of whether it lives or is dead it is in some ways worse than knowing you are unregenerate.
The heart that lacks assurance is within a person who is either unsaved or within a person who professes to be a Christian, but is acting carnally. A person who is unsure of his or her eternal destiny or salvation is unsettled inside. There may be an uneasiness or fear of almost everything.
People who have not experienced the salvation of God have no idea who they really are. They often spend their entire lives “searching for themselves.” The Bible is clear about the condition of people who are unsaved; meaning they do not profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They are dead in their transgressions and sins, there is no light within them, they are not accepted in the beloved.
It is possible you may be living your life right now as an unbeliever, living for self, living for the pleasures of life rather than the glory of God. You lack assurance because you literally have none!
If you are a believer you may lack assurance because of a specific sin you have committed in the past. I have counseled many women who carry the guilt of abortion, for example, who are not sure whether God has forgiven them.
Anyone who struggles daily with a life-dominating sin expresses doubt about God’s love for them. This is understandable, until you understand the ceaseless, matchless, boundless love God has for His children. While He never, ever condones or accepts our sin, His love for us is greater than the stain of our sin. His love for us is why Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby.
If you have been a Christian for any time at all, you have heard the gospel, and this may be completely familiar to you. I would like to take the next few minutes and address those who do not at this time share a relationship with our heavenly Father.
Dear Reader, the first thing you must accept and understand is that the Bible is the only source of help we have to help us understand who we really are. From the Creator of man, we have the facts about man, which are far superior to any psychological theory about man. The Bible gives us specific facts about what is normal, what is abnormal, and how to change.
If you do not believe the Bible is the actual Word of God, I would urge you to reconsider your opinion! I cannot commit much space in this writing to addressing the accuracy of the Scriptures, but I would urge you to get a copy of the Bible for yourself and begin to read it. Many books are available
to assist you in understanding what the Bible says about itself:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
The superior answers of the Bible lead us to understand that we can have victory over difficult events of the past and present. It describes issues and problems of life that are far deeper than feelings. The Bible has the answers to help people and has the answer to the deepest issue of your life—your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship is foundational to victory over any other problem in life. Look at what the apostle John wrote in his first letter about Jesus and how He affects our lives:
The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. This one who is life from God was shown to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and announce to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was shown to us. We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.