AmI For Real?

Every Christian knows the difference between heaven and hell.Surely, then, every Christian ought to desire to be assured that he or she isindeed heading for heaven. Consequently, we may expect that in the church therewill be people who are troubled by doubt and the possibility that they are notsaved. Strangely, however, this is seldom the case today. John R. DeWitt (whowrote the little booklet "What is the Reformed Faith?") concurs:"I am far more concerned about some other matters than I am aboutassurance, or an absence of it. There have been times in the past when a wantof assurance among serious, spiritually-minded men and women was pervasive andwide-spread. Generally speaking, that is not the case now." Why is thatso? Is the faith of Christians today greater than that of our forebears? I amafraid not. I cannot but agree with Dewitt’s confession: as he continues:"The truth is that if I were to begin to encounter people genuinelytroubled by doubts about their salvation, I should regard it as a healthysign."

It is a poignant fact that a large part of the church today ishumanistic on the one hand and complacent on the other hand. Pelagianevangelism popularised by Charles Finney has made such deep inroads in so manyof today’s churches that hardly any realise that there is such a thing as falseprofessors, for after all, it is generally believed that a person who has"accepted Christ" or has "prayed to receive Christ" is aChristian. Few are concerned that in the Scriptures, conversion is not just amatter of profession, or of the sinner’s prayer, but of wholehearted renovationwhich is sovereignly wrought rather than accomplished by the free will of man.To make matters worse, a perversion of the 5^th point of Calvinism, popularised as"eternal security" has been blissfully accepted by many includingthose who are otherwise Arminian in their theology. Such is the case that manyare being taught: "Once you have prayed to receive Christ, you will neverlose your salvation." This is, of course, patently false. Praying toreceive Christ does not make anyone a Christian. Calvin taught that genuine orregenerated believers, will persevere in the faith because conversion is whollythe work of God, and God’s grace cannot be frustrated. He did not teach"preservation of the sinners" or a carnal secur-ity based on anuttered prayer. But all these tendencies in the church today have caused thedoctrine of assurance of faith to be largely ignored. "Why do I need toknow the doctrine? Why need I doubt? Once saved always saved! I prayed toreceive Christ years ago." So deep-ly etched is this notion in the heartof many a Christian today that we often remain compla-cent about our spiritualstate, long after we become convinced of the Calvinism as taught by Calvin, theSynod of Dort or the Puritans.

I speak from experience. At one time, I would totally shut off myears when the doctrine of assurance was being discussed. What about you? TheLord warns that in the world and in the church visible there will be wheat andtares; good and badgrounds; good fish and bad fish; good trees and corrupt trees; wise buildersand foolish builders; and sheepand goats. So He cautions: "Not every onethat saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but hethat doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven" (Matt 7:21). Have youconsidered if the Lord may be referring to you? Have you contemplated whetheryou are indeed for real—a real Christian?

The apostles understood the gravity of this question. Paul writingto the Corinthians urged them: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in thefaith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that JesusChrist is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor 13:5). Peter exhortshis reader along the same line: "Wherefore the rather, brethren, givediligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, yeshall never fall" (2 Pet 1:10). John wrote a whole epistle to instruct hisreaders on how they may know for sure that they have eternal life (1 Jn 5:13).James warns his readers that there is such a thing as dead, intellectual faith:"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, andhave not works? …Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: thedevils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faithwithout works is dead? " (Jas 2:14, 19-20). Jude wrote an urgent epistleto caution against false brethren and false teachers: "I will thereforeput you in remembrance … how that the Lord, having saved the people out of theland of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. …" (Jude 5) Theauthor of Hebrews would have us know that there will be those who have theappearance and even experience of being Christians, who are not genuinelyconverted: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, andhave tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, Ifthey shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance…" (Heb 6:4-6a).

Dear friend, I wrote this article because I am concerned aboutyour spiritual well-being. I do not know how many who lay hand on this articlewill spend time read it. It is my prayer that all will read, but more oftenthan not, those who ought to be startled or awakened are not interested to readessays of spiritual value like this. Were this a review of some glamoroustelevision programme, I might have a greater readership. But what is the worthof a television review to souls which are perishing? There are no televisionsin hell!

It is the least of my intention, my dear readers, to cause anychild of God to doubt his or her salvation. I know that nothing can ultimatelyhurt the elect of God. And I know that if you have been carefully reading up tothis point, and are genuinely concerned that you be not a hypocrite that youreally need not doubt that you are a genuine child of God. It may be that youare going through a time of backsliding, and you have a nagging doubt as to thegenuineness of your salvation; but if you can say, "Yes, I do believe andlove the Lord Jesus Christ, and I do desire to obey Him," or if you cansay with tears or emotion, "Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief"(Mk 9:24), then I will simply advise you to doubt no longer. Go, rather toChrist, repenting of your doubt and your sins that have fuelled your doubts.Plead with the Lord for forgiveness,—believing His word that "him thatcometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (Jn 6:37). Ask Him to strengthenyour faith, and to grant you the resolve and help to live the Christianlife—believing that He will honour His words: "Ask, and it shall be givenyou; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him thatknocketh it shall be opened" (Matt 7:7-8).

On the other hand, if you have little concerned about spiritualmatters, and you are not even bothered by your failures to live according tothe requirements of God’s Words; or if you are not concerned about what Godrequires of us; or if biblical sermons that requires you to change your currentway of life is distasteful to you; or if the attractions and entertainment ofthe world give you more pleasure than the things of God, then you have greatreason to doubt your salvation. You may be reading this article out ofcuriosity, out of custom because you always read the church bulletin, orbecause someone compelled you to read it. If I am describing you, you willprobably be reading this article unfeelingly. If so, may I urge you to considerthe fact that you may just be deluding yourself, or playing games when you callyourself a Christian. You may be the "almost Christian" described byMatthew Mead. If you are such a person, whatever may be your reason for readingup to this point, realise that you are the more inexcusable for the hardness ofyour heart, now that you are reminded that there is such a thing as a falseprofessor of faith. There is only one thing for you to do: Repent or perish!May the Lord be pleased to awaken you out of your spiritual slumber or deadnessas you cry out to Him.

But, if you are a committed Christian, knowing Christ and seekingto obey Him, I trust that this and the next article will be used of the Lord tostrengthen your faith and grant you a full assurance of salvation andperseverance in the faith which is not merely based on subjective feelings, butrather firmly founded on teaching of the Word of God. This assurance is bestexpressed in the WestminsterConfession of Faith, chap. 18, sect. 2. It comprises three parts: (1) anobjective ground, namely, "the divine truth of the promises ofsalvation" (Heb 6:17-18); (2) a subjective ground, namely: "theinward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made" (2Pet1:4-5; 1Jn 2:3; 3:14; 2Cor 1:12); and (3) "the testimony of the Spirit ofadoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God" (Rom8:15-16). We shall explain these three grounds in detail, next Lord’s Day, Godwilling.

In the mean time, remember the Lord’s charge: "Strive toenter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in,and shall not be able" (Lk 13:24). Pray, ask the Lord to help you to do soby working out your salvation with fear and trembling, for "it is Godwhich worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil2:12-13). No genuine Christian can be complacent or unconcerned about hisspiritual well-being.