Why Christians Can Have Assurance of Their Salvation

Galatians 5:5-6

5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

It is common in the life of a Christian to be unsure about the state of your salvation. Thankfully, the Bible has said a good deal about the assurance of our salvation. As we pursue wholehearted devotion to God, it is paramount that we maintain confidence in what Jesus has done for us. Unpacking the two Bible verses above can give us some clarity on both how and why Christians can have confidence in their salvation.

How?

How can we have confidence in our salvation? We can have it because of what is mentioned in verse 5.

5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

Through the Spirit: What is about to take place (in the context of the verse) originates from the Holy Spirit. It is not of human origin, but from God. Our relationship with the Holy Spirit is the starting point.

We eagerly await by faith: We are excited about our future. This excitement is funneled through faith. Faith (the conviction of the truth of a thing) is the mechanism through which we will obtain what we are so eager about. Remember, what we are so eager about comes from the Holy Spirit.

The righteousness for which we hope: Righteousness is what we are so eager about. Righteousness is our right standing with God. It is our gift of innocence. This righteousness is a gracious gift of God that can only be received by faith.

This righteousness is also in contrast to our former state which was guilty and in bad standing with God. We were unrighteous. But now, our future righteousness IS our salvation. Keep in mind that the moment the Holy Spirit came into our lives, He became the constant reminder of this future hope. Our salvation is both now, and it is to come.

Summary: For through the Holy Spirit we eagerly await, by our conviction of the truth of Jesus, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is our salvation.

"5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope."

Why?

Why can we be assured salvation? Because the word of God tells us in verse 6 that "neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." A more contemporary way to view "circumcision doesn't have any value" (in light of the original context) would be to say that our ability to "earn" our salvation by the work we do on earth does not have any value in terms of our salvation. What matters is what we believe about Jesus, and that belief being expressed in how we live.

We can have confidence in our salvation because it's not about what we do, it's about who we believe in. The Holy Spirit has revealed to us that when we believe in Jesus, we can have great hope about our future righteousness. It is that simple.

But what about when I mess up?

Simply put, your good deeds did not put you into Christ so your mess ups can't take you out of Christ. You received the righteousness of Jesus the moment you made him your lord and savior. If you relinquish your faith then you no longer have the righteousness of Jesus. As long as you keep your faith in Jesus as your savior and lord, nothing can take you out of his righteousness. Or to put it another way, you can't be condemed as long as you are IN Christ Jesus.

It is by grace through faith that you are saved. Our lives will be filled with many victories and defeats. Never allow either of them the opportunity to define your salvation.

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Question for reflection:

How is your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

If you are unsure about it, simply pray and ask God to help you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Ask God to give you an understanding of what it means to be in Jesus Christ. As the Holy Spirit is revealed to you, submit to him and he will produce an assurance of your salvation.

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