* What we feel about ourselves ≠ What God feel about us

* Important to have right knowledge of God.

* <Eph 1:17>: … may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

* <Mal 3:6>, “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

* Salvation is the monergistic work of God. He who saves, preserves also.

* Classic example: Peter Vs Judas

* <Luke 22:31-32>
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

* “No true believer ever loses his salvation. To be sure, Christian fall at times seriously, and radically, but never fully and finally. We preserve, not because of our strength but because of God’s grace that preserves us”. ~ RC Sproul

Critical difference between Salvation and Assurance (of salvation).

* On Salvation (monergistic work of God):

– <Eph 2:8>: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

– <Php 1:6>: … that he (God) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

* On Assurance:

– A confidence in our mind, or a sense of security in our heart that we will not be forsaken (by God).

– Basis of a healthy Christian living.

– However, someone could be saved, yet he is uncertain (not confident) of his salvation.

– Doctrine of salvation + Godly pursuit ⇒ Assurance

<2 Peter 1:3-4>
3 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. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

3 critical pointers about <2 Peter 1:3-11>:

1) We are NOT saved by our works (by our effort), but by His divine power.

2) Yet, true salvation enables us to exercise our effort to pursuit those godly attributes (i.e. from faith to love).

– Genuine faith grows.

– Healthy Christian living pursues these in increasing measure.

3) Growing in godly pursuit (effort) gives us firm assurance.

– Effort ⇒ Assurance.

– Beware of false assurance.

– Failings of easy-believism.

Dealing with Christian struggles rightly to have unshaken assurance.

1) Discipline.

– <Heb 12:6>: …the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

– E.g. King David.

– Faced discipline willingly and humbly.

2) Weakness.

– Not a sin to begin with, though could potentially be a sin. 

– It is a depiction of human nature.

– <Lk 22:44>: And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

– <Heb 4:15>: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

– <2 Cor 12:9>: … for my power is made perfect in weakness.

– <Heb 4:16>: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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