Blessed Assurance

Since I began blogging (almost fifteen years ago!), I’ve received emails and messages from readers. One common message I receive is from readers expressing concerns over the security of their faith. They may be going through a season of doubt and wonder if their faith is genuine. Or they might be crying out to God in prayer and don’t sense his presence in the same way they used to. Or they may be struggling with temptations to sin and wonder if it means that they aren’t truly saved. Whatever the reason, assurance of faith is something all believers wrestle with, asking themselves, “how do I know if I am truly saved?”

In recent months, we’ve read in the blogosphere and on social media of well-known Christians who have walked away from their faith. Whenever this happens, it can prompt believers to ask themselves—can this happen to me? Is my faith secure? These are good and important questions and the Bible provides an answer to them.

There are a number of passages that teach about the assurance we have as believers. One of them is found in the book of John:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30

Writers are often told by editors to limit their use of adverbs. In the case of this passage, the phrase “never perish” in the Greek is written in the strongest denial. We might consider it an overload of adverbs as in “they will most definitely never ever perish.” [1]And why could Jesus say such a thing so emphatically? Because God the Father is greater than all. Whatever he wills always comes to pass. He gave his chosen ones to Christ and because Christ is one with the Father, no one can snatch them out of his hands.

As John Calvin wrote concerning this passage: “It is an inestimable fruit of faith, that Christ bids us be convinced of our security when we are brought by faith into his fold. But we must also observe on what foundation this certainty rests. It is because he will be a faithful guardian of our salvation, for he testifies that our salvation is in his hand. And if this were not enough, he says that they will be safely guarded by the power of his Father. This is a remarkable passage, by which we are taught that the salvation of all the elect is not less certain than the power of God is invincible.”

What good news for those who face doubts and questions about their faith! What good news for those who stumble into sin and wonder if it means that they are lost from God forever! What good news for those who feel weak in their faith! As the Westminster Confession tells us: “They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”

Theologians refer to the assurance and confidence we have as believers as perseverance of the saints. Such perseverance refers to the persevering grace of God at work in the elect. What this means is, if God has called someone to faith—if God has brought a person from death to life through the power of the Spirit—they will surely have eternal life. It is God’s divine grace which saves us; it is his divine grace which perseveres us to the end. As Paul wrote, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Because we live in a fallen world, and because we continue to battle sin in our lives, there are times in our Christian lives when we may wander from God. We may have doubts about our faith. We may give in to temptation to sin, as David did. We may even, like Peter, deny Christ. The Westminster Confession speaks to this as well: “Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts; have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others,hand bring temporal judgments upon themselves.”

Because we are God’s children, he will discipline us (see Hebrews 12). We will experience consequences for our sins. As a result of such sin, we can expect to feel the distance between us and God as David did in Psalm 51. But for those who are truly God’s children, he will restore us and bring us back to himself. For nothing and no one can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Dear believer, if you are in Christ, you have the assurance of faith. You have the blessed assurance that you will remain in Christ to the end. No one can snatch you from the Father’s hand. You rest there safe and secure. Rejoice in this today!

[1] I am thankful to Prof. Anderson at RTS for this insight.

God's Enabling Grace

Do you ever think of God’s commands as too hard? In many ways, they seem impossible. The longer we live in this fallen world, the more we see our sins, failures, and weaknesses. Try as we might, we just can’t resist temptation; we just can’t overcome our sin for good.

Sometimes, in facing a besetting sin—a sin that seems to haunt us, taunt us, and rule us—we may feel discouraged. We may want to give up the battle. We may think we just don’t have what it takes to live a life of godliness.

This is an issue Moses addressed in the book of Deuteronomy and it gives us hope in our battle against sin.

Deuteronomy 30

At the end of Deuteronomy, Moses renewed the covenant with God’s people. He reminded them all God had done to rescue and redeem them. He warned them to be watchful and wary of their hearts, lest they turn from God to worship idols. Moses told them of the consequences for sin and the curses that would come upon them if they abandoned their covenant with God.

In chapter 30, Moses spoke about the future. He told them that when they find themselves scattered among the nations as punishment for abandoning the covenant, they would need to repent and seek God’s forgiveness for sin and the Lord would restore them. God would then transform their hearts so that they could love him with all their heart and soul.

He then reminded them that they can obey God and they have the means to do so:

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

Enabling Grace

The reason God’s commands are not too hard is because he supplies the grace to keep them. The same One who gives the commands also enables us to obey them. For the Israelites, that grace was “the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”

On this side of the cross, we know that it is the Holy Spirit who brings us from death to life, who removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. It is the Spirit who also gives us the word and enables us to understand it. He is the one who uses it with precision in our hearts, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Paul tells us in Titus that the same grace which justifies us is the same grace that sanctifies us “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12). Peter tells us that we have been given all we need to live a godly life: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Why is it not too hard to obey God’s commands? Because he enables us to do so through the power of the Spirit at work in us and the through knowledge of who Christ is and what he has done. The gospel tells us that Christ obeyed the law perfectly for us. His obedience is credited to us. God looks at us and sees Christ’s righteousness.

This is good news! God’s commands are impossible apart from Christ, but are made possible through the gospel and the Spirit of Christ at work in us. This is good news for when we face temptations to sin. This is good news when we are weary and weighed down by our failures. This is good news for the weak and worn and discouraged.

We have the very Spirit of Christ living within us. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in us. Day by day, he is transforming us into the likeness of our Savior. While the battle is indeed hard, we are not left on our own. Christ is with us, strengthening and sustaining us to resist sin and walk in obedience. When we stumble and fall, his grace covers us. Because we are united to him by faith, he is for us what we can’t be; he is righteous in our place. And he promises that the work he began in us will be completed. In eternity, we’ll shed our sin once for all and will spend forever worshiping God for his grace toward us in Christ.

Dear friend, if you find yourself facing besetting sin and thinking “It’s too hard!” turn to Christ. Repent of your sin and receive forgiveness through the gospel of grace. Rest and rely upon God’s grace for you in Christ and the work of the Spirit in you. Utilize the means of grace to resist and fight against your sin. And know that one day you will reach the finish line. The work God is doing in you will one day be complete. What a joy to look forward to!

All because of God’s enabling grace.

Favorite Books on Christian Doctrine

I still remember my first encounter with theology.

I was twelve. At that time, my family attended a church with few kids my age. Most Sunday mornings, I found myself the only student in my Sunday school class. My teacher was the pastor’s wife and she poured into me. She discipled me through God’s word, teaching me basics of the Christian faith. It was there that I first learned the Doctrines of Grace. I quickly developed a hunger to learn more. My Sunday school class then turned into a question and answer time as I came each Sunday with questions about the Bible and my teacher helped me search God’s word for the answers.

Since then, I’ve loved to study theology—be it systematic, biblical, or expository. Over the years I’ve accumulated a number of books that help me understand different theological terms and concepts. While the Bible itself is the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and while Scripture is sufficient to teach me all I need to know about salvation and what God requires of me, there are many helpful and useful secondary sources written by godly faithful people. These resources have enriched my faith and broadened my understanding of the gospel.

Some books I open to find a quick definition to a theological term. Others I might consult to get an overall summary of a particular teaching. There are others I go to on a regular basis to help me grow in my understanding of a particular doctrine of the faith. And while there are some books I might go to that focus on one subject, such as ecclesiology or Christology, there are a number of books I use that contain good summaries of Christian doctrines.

For those who are looking for resources for their own studies, here are some of my favorites:

Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs: This book by J.I. Packer covers nearly a hundred different theological truths. Each chapter is just a few pages long and succinctly summarizes theology in an easy to understand way. Examples include: the Trinity, Original Sin, Justification, the sacraments, and more.

The Westminster Confession of Faith: For Study Classes: I am a member of a confessional church and what that means is that our church holds to historical confessions and creeds of the church. The main confession our pastors and elders have to subscribe to is the Westminster Confession. It is a summary of the main teachings of the Bible. It summarizes what the Bible teaches about God, the work of Christ, the church, and more. I often refer to the confession and the accompanying catechism both when studying Scripture and in writing about Scripture.

Institutes of the Christian Religion: John Calvin's Institutes is a favorite resource of mine. Sometimes, I just read it devotionally. It's an excellent tool for going deeper in understanding theology. It's also helpful for understanding Reformed Protestantism and how it differs from Catholicism.

Essential Truths of the Christian Faith: This is a classic I have used for years. I first read it in college and found Sproul's writing easy to understand. I've even read it to my children in our morning devotions. In 2-3 pages, Sproul explains theological terms and teachings. Every Christian should own this book.

Foundations of the Christian Faith: A Comprehensive & Readable Theology: This is another great book that explains the foundations of Christian teaching. I had to read it for a college class many years ago and have consulted it many times since.

Systematic Theology: This is a classic work on systematic theology. It is not an easy read, but it is still an important and useful work. When I want to understand a theological term in more depth, I consult Berkhof.

As Christians, we need to know what we believe and why. There are many helpful resources that unpack the Bible’s teachings. What are some of your favorites?

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A Prayer for a New School Year

It’s a new school year again. That means getting back into the routine of busy mornings rushing off to school, busy afternoons filled with homework, and busy evenings driving to sports and other activities. It means a return to worries about how our children are doing academically and socially. It means uncertainty about new classmates, new teachers, and new expectations.

A new school year also means opportunities for growth and maturity. Our children will learn new things. Their eyes will be opened to a greater understanding of the world and their place in it. They will have opportunities to practice what they learn and apply it to their life. They’ll have circumstances in which they can live out their faith and shine a light of truth. They’ll learn to glorify God in how they interact with teachers, friends, and those who are unkind. And as parents, we get the joy of watching that growth unfold throughout the year.

The best way to start off a new school year is with prayer. I recently participated in a prayer walk around my child’s school, praying for him, his teachers, his fellow students, and all they will learn this year. I brought my worries and concerns before the Lord, entrusting them into his sovereign care. I prayed for opportunities for my son’s growth and that he would mature academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

As you consider the new school year for your children, turn to the Lord in prayer…to read the prayer I wrote for a new school year, visit For the Family, my writing home today.

For the Mom Who Feels Pulled at the Start of a New School Year

This time of year stresses me out.

All the back to school stuff. The mandatory parent meetings. The long list of places that need parent volunteers. The steady stream of emails, documents to sign, handbooks to read. Doctor visits. Shopping…

I’m weary just from typing it all down.

The back to school season gets to that part of me that wants to be the mom who can do it all. And do it all well. I want to be that mom who juggles it all. I want to be the mom who shows up to everything, who coordinates all that needs coordinating, who has a job and title at each school, sport, and activity. I want to be the mom who perfectly meets everyone’s expectations (including mine!).

In years past, I’ve said yes to all the requests. I’ve attended every meeting. I checked every box. I quickly got overwhelmed and burdened. I started forgetting where I was supposed to be and when. Then I became the mom who signed up for cupcakes and forgot to bring them.

Yeah, that mom.

I wrote Sufficient Hope to remind moms, and myself, that the gospel is sufficient to give us hope in all of life. The truths of who Jesus is and what he came to do doesn’t just transform our lives in eternity, but it also transforms our life in the here and now. We can have real hope today because of Jesus Christ.

Since this is true, it must mean that the gospel has something to say to this crazy time of year. It must have something to say to moms who feel pulled in every direction, who struggle to juggle all the requests and meet all the expectations, who are weary and overwhelmed.

As I preach the gospel to my own heart at the start of a new school year, I am reminded that my identity is not wrapped up in how many volunteer roles I have. My worth and value is not found in the tasks I manage to accomplish each day. The measure of how I’m doing as a mom is not based on how well I juggle everyone’s schedule. My identity and worth is found in who Christ is for me. Jesus Christ lived the life I could not live, died the death I deserved, and rose in triumph from the grave. Through faith in him, I am united with him. God looks at me and sees all that Jesus has done for me.

The wonderful news about the gospel is that Jesus is for me all that I cannot be.

This means I don’t have to do certain things to find acceptance and affirmation from those around me. I don’t need the accolades of others. I don’t need to beef up my mom resume by committing to everything I’m asked to participate in. In fact, I can say “no” to things and rest secure. That’s because I am completely loved and accepted by my Maker. He sees me wrapped in the righteousness of Christ. I am his beloved.

The gospel also reminds me that Christ is wisdom incarnate. He is the source of all wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). When I am overwhelmed by all that the world demands of me, I can turn to him and seek his wisdom found in God’s Word. I can pray for wisdom and discernment to use my time in ways that glorify him. I can ask him to help me number my days so I can remember how fleeting life is (Psalm 90:12). Our life here is brief. Time is a non-renewal resource; we need to use it with wisdom.

Lastly, the gospel reminds me to find my rest in Christ. When I am overwhelmed after a crazy day, when the expectations are too great for me to meet, when my human limitations are maxed out, I find my spiritual rest in Christ. As I abide in him, through his word, prayer, and other means of grace, I am renewed and strengthened and enabled to spend my days and life for his glory.

Moms, this time of year can be crazy. It can be overwhelming at times. We may feel pulled in many directions. But we have hope. We have a Savior. We can rest in him.

When Fear Motivates Us

When I was a child, my grandmother would often go to our local mall before it opened and walk laps around both floors. If ever I went there to shop in the morning hours, I was sure to see her at some point on her rounds. One day, while walking at the mall, she fell and broke her shoulder. After months of healing, she never went back. I often thought it strange that she let a fall keep her from returning to an activity she so faithfully enjoyed.

Since then, I've experienced various things in my life that have given me pause. Whether it was breaking my arm roller skating and not wanting to put on skates again or being hurt by a friend and finding it difficult to trust others, I now understand what kept my grandmother from returning to her walks around the mall. It's hard not to look at present experiences through the lens of the past. It's hard not to react to difficult circumstances by building protective walls and barriers to keep out future hardship. It's hard not to react to the pains of life with avoidance, control, or fear.

Reactions to Life

There are many things that happen to us in our life that we react to. It could be something as simple as a fall or as complex and heartbreaking as losing someone we love. When painful circumstances cut into our lives, we remember that pain and work to keep it from happening again. Makes sense, right? Who wouldn't want a repeat of some hardship?

Yet in our efforts to protect ourselves from future harm, we may avoid things, places, and circumstances. In the face of the unknown and uncertain, we might be over-protective, cautious, and fearful. Our decisions, goals, and plans center around what we worry could happen. We may even attempt to control all the details of our lives in the hopes that we can keep ourselves and the ones we love safe from harm.

Many of us also develop life habits and patterns out of reaction to the circumstances in our lives. These patterns can take many forms and be unique to each of us. From the things we choose to eat or not eat, to the places we live or don't live; from the relationships we keep or don't keep, to the way we spend or don't spend our money; from the way we keep our homes to the way we raise our children; from the way we express ourselves to the way we use our time—all of these things can develop as reactions to the circumstances of our lives.

I've seen this time and again in my own life. Whether it's being extra cautious with my children's health after having gone through two surgeries with them or being slow to trust people because of being hurt in the past, I too live a reactionary life. I expect the worst, avoid failure at all costs, and am always on the lookout for the next disaster to roll in and crash into my life.

God's Response

Though we are often reactionary to the circumstances of life, thankfully, God doesn't react to us. He doesn't say "Oh, she's being too rebellious, I better tighten those reigns and take away all the good things in her life." He doesn't look at our weak faith, our doubts, our worries, and give up on us, give us the silent treatment, or a guilt trip. He doesn't react to our ongoing battles with sin in vengeance or wrath.

For those who are in Christ, God doesn't react to us. He responds.

He responded by sending his Son.

Jesus came as the answer to sin. He came to do what we could not do, perfectly obey God in every thought, word, and deed. He came to face our greatest fears and bear our deepest sorrows. He came in response to our reactionary lives where we try to do life on our own, attempt to be our own gods and goddesses, and try to control everything that happens to us. He came to set us free. 

Because of Jesus, we don't have to live reactionary lives. We don't have to always be on edge, worrying about our safety and security. We don't have to be motivated by fear of reliving past experiences. We don't have to always put other people to the test, to see if they really are trustworthy. We don't have to always expect the worst.

The reality is, living a reactionary life is not really living at all. Always being on alert and filled with fears and worry about the future steals our joy from the present. Being over-protective, controlling, and on edge doesn't actually do anything to change our circumstances. When we build our lives around what could happen, we fail to trust the One who made us, who loves us, and who suffered and died for us. 

Instead of reacting to life, we too can respond. We can respond to what Christ has done for us in love, worship, and trust. We can rest and cease our striving to make our lives work. We can give Christ all our burdens, sorrows, and fears. We can believe that his intentions toward us are good and are for our good. And if it comes, we can accept a trial because we know that God is sovereign and that he knows just what we need. We can endure rejection from others because we know Christ was rejected for our sake. We can face the heartaches and sorrows of this world, knowing that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.

If you've lived a reactionary life for far too long, look to Christ. Stand at the foot of the cross and see his response to your sin, sorrow, suffering, and shame. Repent of how you have reacted to life and pray for grace to respond in trust. Receive God's response of grace to you with joy and gladness. Relish with wonder the peace he gives that passes all understanding. And give thanks to the One who will never react toward you but always responds with love and grace.