Introduction: The Problem of Doubt

Many people lack assurance of salvation, including notable Christians like John Owen and Charles Spurgeon. Doubt often stems from a heightened awareness of personal sin rather than disbelief in the gospel.

Let's open our Bibles to two passages, 2 Corinthians 5 and Hebrews chapter 12. And for time's sake, I'm just going to be reading 2 Corinthians 5 right now. We will certainly pick up on Hebrews chapter 12 shortly. So 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Look, if you would, at verse 17. The title of the message today is actually how to know if you are saved, how to know if you're saved. I can tell you the reason for this message is because some folks have been asking me certain questions. And so I would answer those questions. So look, if you would, at verse 17.

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. I realize that there are many people that think they are saved, but in reality they are not. There are also, I would say, some who think they are unsaved, but in reality they are saved. When I say that, I can explain just shortly. Oftentimes those who are saved and think that they might be unsaved are individuals who have a greater perception of their depravity, of their wickedness, and of their sin. And sometimes when they are doubting their own salvation and see how wicked they are, God is just simply showing them how great is His salvation. There have been eminent Christians down through the ages that have struggled with assurance of salvation.

It was not that they did not believe the Bible, they certainly most did so. It was the fact, once again, that they had experienced a much deeper sense of sin and wickedness, and they just simply could not grasp the fact that these truths would simply apply to them. They saw the truth applied to others, but applying it to themselves is a little more difficult. You know, it's always interesting that you can apply the truth to other people more easily than you can apply the truth to yourself. For instance, I've had people say, would you pray for me for this and that? And I said, most certainly I'll be more than happy to do that. And then I happen to need this or that. And I start praying myself. And, you know, the problem is I know my sins and I know my depravity and I know my wickedness, but I don't know theirs. You know, it's easier to say, Lord, bless them. You understand. So I'm just simply saying oftentimes we see that this is true in our lives. So a crisis of doubt, in reality, can happen to any Christian. And sometimes even the mightiest of preachers have experienced doubt. I'm going to give you a quote from John Owen. John Owen was known, like Spurgeon, as the Prince of Preachers. John Owen was a tremendous Puritan preacher.

In fact, I have his 16 volumes in my library of messages that he has written and preached over the years. But he said this, and I'm quoting, that he had struggled oftentimes with forgiveness. He said, I myself preached Christ some years when I had but very little, if any, experimental acquaintance with access to God through Christ. Although he preached Christ, he sensed very little of Christ in his life.

But after a season, when his soul was oppressed with horror and darkness, Owen then began to see that God graciously relieved his spirit by powerful application of Psalm 130. So if you've never read Psalm 130, I would challenge you to do so. And if you've never read Owen's exposition of Psalm 130, I would challenge you to do that as well. Here's another quote that might surprise you. This is from Drake Osborne, who wrote an article in 2018 on Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Here's what he wrote. Did you know that even Charles Spurgeon at times doubted his salvation? Although he spilled mountains of ink pleading with sinners to trust Christ's work as final and sure, the Prince of Preachers often struggled with an inability to sense the surety of God's love for himself. Spurgeon said, I must confess here with sorrow that I have seasons of despondency and depression of spirit which I trust none of you are called to suffer, and at such times I have doubted my interest in Christ, my calling, my election, my perseverance, my Savior's blood, and my Father's love. Charles knew that it was always the tendency of the sinful human heart to doubt so great a gift of salvation. What is the cure for such a doubt?

What do Christians do when they despair of saving grace? And it seems as if the love of God is for all. The cure for Spurgeon was seeing the face of Christ by hearing the gospel. Then he said this, I've told you before that some years ago I felt a great depression of spirit. I knew whom I had believed, but somehow I could not get the comfort out of the truth. I preached. I even began to wonder whether I was really saved. And having a holiday and being away from home, I went to the Wesleyan Chapel and a local preacher occupied the pulpit that morning while he preached a sermon full of gospel. The tears flowed from my eyes and I was in such a perfect delirium of joy on hearing the gospel, which I do seldom have an opportunity of doing because he's always preaching himself. And then I said, oh, yes, there is spiritual life in me for the gospel can touch my heart and stir my soul.

So obviously, if men like John Owen and Charles Haddon Spurgeon at times question their salvation, then obviously there are other Christians who do so as well. And these men, and most of these Christians, do not question the truth of Christianity. They believe Christianity. They do not question the person and work of Jesus Christ. They know that He is the only way of salvation. They do not question the inspiration and the authority of the Bible. They certainly don't believe that. Well, then you're going to ask this question, if they believe all of those things, how in the world can they lack assurance? How in the world can they question their salvation? And the answer is, many times, they're not questioning God. They're questioning themselves.

Assurance Based on God's Word

Assurance is grounded in Scripture, not feelings. 1 John 5:11-13 teaches that eternal life is in Christ, and believers can know they have it.

But look in your Bibles, if you would, please, to 1 John 5. When we're talking about assurance, of course, assurance is always based upon the Word of God. And here's a tremendous passage. Look, if you would, 1 John 5 and verse 11. And this is the record that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Now note, this is the record. This is it. God has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. So this is very simple in one sense of the word. If you have Jesus Christ, you have life. If you do not have Jesus Christ, you do not have life. So what many people try to do is this, they try to put their feelings, well I don't feel like I'm saved, I don't feel like I have Jesus Christ. Your feelings have nothing to do with it. Either you have Jesus Christ or you do not have Jesus Christ.

Now watch what he said, verse 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we desire of Him. So John said, these things are written that you may know that you have eternal life. So, someone would say, well, I don't feel like I have eternal life. But eternal life is not a feeling. Eternal life is a fact based upon the personal work of Jesus Christ.

Causes of Lost Assurance

Sin, neglect of spiritual disciplines, and physical/emotional factors can cause doubt. A profession of faith is necessary to even question one's salvation.

So you could ask this question, how can one lose assurance of his faith? How can one doubt his salvation? And there are many answers to those questions. And I would certainly say that primarily sin would be the cause. But then you also must understand that a failure to perform basic Christian duties like prayer, Bible study, attending the preaching of the Word of God, these things also can cast doubt in your mind, and of course they also are sin as well. But I would also add that there are other problems. There could be physical, mental, emotional, and even hormonal imbalances that cause people not to think correctly and biblically. I know one individual, one woman, who is a very godly woman, who came into great doubt concerning her salvation.

She counseled with a pastor friend of mine and over and over he gave her truth after truth and she just could not grasp it. Finally he suggested that she go have a full medical checkup. Come to find out her hormones were so out of balance, it was unbelievable. And after a little bit of medication, after everything was back in balance, there was no doubt any longer. I'm just going to be saying there's a lot of things that's going to affect our mind and our thinking as well. So if we're talking about how do I know whether I'm saved or not? Or is someone doubting their salvation? It's reasonable to conclude that one must have a profession of faith of some sort in order to doubt or to have a lack of assurance. So clearly then, someone who is unsaved, they would not have doubts as to salvation, because they would know they certainly are not saved. Unless, of course, they are deceived by some stretch of the imagination, thinking that somehow, someway, they're going to make it into the kingdom of God. Maybe they're trusting in their church membership. Maybe they're trusting in their baptism. Maybe they're trusting in their good works.

Principle 1: The Changed Life (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A true Christian is a new creation in Christ, experiencing both an initial transformation and a continual process of change, putting off old habits and putting on righteousness.

And the reason they're always working is because we are by faith, the children of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. So what are the two principles? The first one is found in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17. Christians are to always be living a changed life. Let me say that again. Christians are always to be living a changed life. So if you look at verse 17 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5 again, he said, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature.

All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. Now, it's important to note in this verse, the scripture said that any man be in Christ. The phrase, to be in Christ, evidently means to be united to Jesus Christ by faith, to be implanted and engrafted to him as the branch is in the vine, and so that branch is in the vine in such a position that it receives all of its nourishment, all of its sustenance from the vine itself. In other words, it is entirely dependent upon the vine. So a new creation is in Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ alone. That's why I said if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature or creation.

Now the word creature is the Greek word ktisis, K-T-I-S-I-S, which refers basically to anything created. Christians are a new creation in the sense that we have been transformed by the grace of God. We're totally different. Now, watch what he said. I'm going to go farther. He said, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away.

Now, the Greek word for old is the word archaios. It is where we get our English word, archaic. And the word archaic, or archaios, just simply refers to that which is old, ancient, and primal. And so, our old man, according to Romans chapter 6, has been crucified in the Lord Jesus Christ. What we were in Adam, what we were in our old man, is now passed away. All things now are become new in Christ.

So look at verse 17 again. He says, Behold, all things are become new. Now, the word new is the Greek word kainos, which means it is new in respect to form, to substance and that which is of a new kind. It is that which is uncommon and unprecedented. So this very phrase then argues for the greatest change imaginable, because only God can work such a change in the soul and in the heart and in the life of man. Moreover, listen carefully. Look at verse 17. What he says, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature.

All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. The phrase that is interpreted here, or translated, I should say, all things become new, it is a second perfect active indicative in the Greek. Now you're going to say that doesn't mean one simple thing to me, but here's what it does mean. It means something has happened once and now it continues to happen. So when he says in verse 17, we are become new, all things have become new, it means there is a newness at one point in time and then that newness continues throughout. In other words, let me say this another way: he is saying that we have changed and we continue to change. We go in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you were to take the time to read Romans chapter 6, which we've gone over before, if you remember the words likeness and even so. So the Bible said if we have been crucified with Christ, or if we've been buried with Him by baptism, like as Christ was buried and raised from the dead, even so we should walk in newness of life. So the word likeness and even as indicates that there is not only an initial change, but there is also a continual change.

So when you look at verse 17, it's not just simply, I repented one time. Or I changed one time? No. There was that initial change, but then there follows a continuous change.

Now, I want to give you a quote from John Gill. Listen to what he says. All things are passed away. The old course of living, the old way of serving God, whether among Jews or Gentiles, the old legal righteousness, old companions and acquaintances are dropped. And all external things as riches, honors, learning, knowledge, former sentiments of religion, are relinquished. Now, when he says old things have passed away, he talks about old friends. Stop and think about your own conversion. When you got converted, everything changed. I mean, your friends changed, your family changed. I liken it to the fact when I married Alice. I had to drop all my old girlfriends. She wouldn't let me see them anymore. Everything changed. You follow that? And you know, she became my new best friend. My old best friend had to fade into the woodwork somewhere. I'm just simply pointing out the fact old things had passed away.

Now let me finish what Gil said. Behold, all things have become new. There's a new course of life, both of faith and holiness, a new way of serving God through Christ by the Spirit and from principles of grace, a new, another, and a better righteousness is received and embraced. New companions are sought after and delighted in, new riches, honors, glory, a new Jerusalem, yea, new heavens and a new earth are expected by new creatures. Or the sense of the whole may be this. If any man has entered into the kingdom of God, into the gospel dispensation, into a gospel church state, which seems to be the sense of the phrase in Christ, he's become a new creature, or has gotten into a new creation, as it were, into a new world. And that is true. Because once you're in Jesus Christ, everything becomes new.

I can remember as a young Christian learning certain things, and I was flabbergasted because they were absolutely contrary to what I'd been taught all my life. And you have to say, well, that has to be done away with. Now, so the old self is to be disposed of, the old habits and the new life in Christ is going to give us a transformation. So it's not that we changed once 20 years ago, or 50 years ago, or even 60 years ago. We changed once, but we continue to change. That's why there's another verse that's very similar. Galatians 6 and verse 15. The Bible says, for in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth anything but a new creature in Christ. So it's not circumcision or uncircumcision that avails anything, but it's being a new creature in Jesus Christ.

Now, I want you to listen carefully. I told you that this verse means that we change initially, but our change continues. So let me show you this. Look in your Bibles for two passages. I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. And then we're going to go to Colossians chapter 3. Galatians, Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 4. And we're going to begin reading there with verse 17. I want you to see how these changes are to be continual. He will give you first the initial change. Look in verse 17.

This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, that is, the unsaved, in the vanity of their minds. You don't walk like the unsaved. Look in verse 18. Here's how they walk. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. They're blind. They're ignorant. Their understanding is darkened. And because of that, verse 19, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, who work all uncleanness with greediness.

Now, so that's what we're not to be, obviously, and we're not that. We may have used to have been that, but we're no longer that. Now, look at verse 20. But you have not so learned Christ. Isn't that an interesting verse? Did you realize that you must learn Jesus Christ? Yeah. What do you learn when you learn Jesus Christ? Watch verse 21. If so be that you have heard him, that he's spoken to you initially, originally, and have been taught by him, he's opened your eyes to his truth, as the truth is in Jesus, that you, watch it, put off concerning the former conversation or conduct or habits, the old man, that's what you were in Adam, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. So he says, now, once you have been saved, once you've been converted by the grace of God, you put off the old habits, the old conduct, and you put on the new man, which is after God, created in righteousness and true holiness. Now, look at it. He tells you here how to put off and to put on.

He says, wherefore, putting away lying, that's to put off, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Watch verse 26. Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. So there is a righteous anger. There is a sinful anger. So he says, if we are angry with our brother or sister, don't let the sun go down upon your wrath. In other words, you get it settled before you go to bed, because if you don't, you're giving place to the devil. So you put all that off. Now watch verse 28.

Let him that stole steal no more. You can't do things the way you used to. You say, well, when I was tight, I could always deceive, defraud, and steal. No, not if you're in Christ now. He says, let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. So an honest man is not someone who just does not steal, but an honest man is someone who's willing to share and to be generous. And then he says in verse 29, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.

Now watch verse 30, "...and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed in the day of your redemption." Well, how do you grieve the Holy Spirit? In the context, it's by not changing, by not putting off all the old conduct and all the old habits and putting on those things that are holy and righteous. Now, if you look at verse 31, verse 31 is an entirely put-off verse. Verse 32 is an entirely put-on verse. So verse 31, here's what you put off. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Well, how do you replace it? And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Now, let me just point something out that every one of us should understand. Each of us have habits. Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're bad. I've seen men, I've talked to men who quit smoking. And while I'm talking to them, they take their hand and reach in the shirt pocket. There's nothing there. It's just habit. You know, it's just habit. And all those old habits have to be broken. So here's the thing. If you have a bad habit or if you have got a habit that you know that needs to be gone, it's not going to do you any good to just quit. It's not. Because if you just quit a bad habit, sooner or later you're going to go back to it. What you have to do is not just only quit the bad habit, but replace it with a holy, righteous, good, godly, and biblical habit. You can't replace something with nothing. You have to replace something with something.

And so, this is what he is telling you in Ephesians chapter 4. Now, I want you to turn to Colossians chapter 3. I want you to see the same truth is given here. This is all about changing. Our life is to be a life of continual change. God demands change. So, let me say it to you like this. I've heard people say and ask, would you pray that this situation will change? How about praying these circumstances will change? God never demands changes in circumstances and situations. He demands changes in people. When people change, situations change. Circumstances change. But it's the people who must change. So watch it. Colossians 3, beginning there, if you would, please.

At verse 5, look at it. Mortify, that is make dead, therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For the which thing's sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Now we're not children of disobedience, we're children of obedience.

Now he says in verse 7, in which you also walked some time when you lived in them. That was before our conversion. But now, now that you've been saved, now that you're converted, watch. But now, you also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all in all. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity or love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule your hearts, to which also you are called in one body, and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, given thanks to God and the Father by Him. So I hope you see that this chapter is all about change as well. Here are the principles of change. We are to be continually changing, putting off the habits and the conduct, the attitudes, the actions of the old man, and putting on that which is new and righteous in our thoughts, in our attitudes, in our actions, in everything. There should never be a time in the life of a Christian when he ceases to change. Our lives are to be a continual change. Because God is opening our eyes, God is showing us new truth.

The Necessity of Continual Change

Using Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3, Weaver shows that believers must actively replace sinful behaviors with godly ones. Growth in grace requires ongoing change.

Now, I want you to listen carefully. I told you that this verse means that we change initially, but our change continues. So let me show you this. Look in your Bibles for two passages. I want you to turn to Ephesians chapter 4. And then we're going to go to Colossians chapter 3. Galatians, Ephesians, Ephesians chapter 4. And we're going to begin reading there with verse 17. I want you to see how these changes are to be continual. He will give you first the initial change. Look in verse 17.

This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, that is, the unsaved, in the vanity of their minds. You don't walk like the unsaved. Look in verse 18. Here's how they walk. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. They're blind. They're ignorant. Their understanding is darkened. And because of that, verse 19, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, who work all uncleanness with greediness.

Now, so that's what we're not to be, obviously, and we're not that. We may have used to have been that, but we're no longer that. Now, look at verse 20. But you have not so learned Christ. Isn't that an interesting verse? Did you realize that you must learn Jesus Christ? Yeah. What do you learn when you learn Jesus Christ? Watch verse 21. If so be that you have heard him, that he's spoken to you initially, originally, and have been taught by him, he's opened your eyes to his truth, as the truth is in Jesus, that you, watch it, put off concerning the former conversation or conduct or habits, the old man, that's what you were in Adam, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. So he says, now, once you have been saved, once you've been converted by the grace of God, you put off the old habits, the old conduct, and you put on the new man, which is after God, created in righteousness and true holiness. Now, look at it. He tells you here how to put off and to put on.

He says, wherefore, putting away lying, that's to put off, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Watch verse 26. Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. So there is a righteous anger. There is a sinful anger. So he says, if we are angry with our brother or sister, don't let the sun go down upon your wrath. In other words, you get it settled before you go to bed, because if you don't, you're giving place to the devil. So you put all that off. Now watch verse 28.

Let him that stole steal no more. You can't do things the way you used to. You say, well, when I was tight, I could always deceive, defraud, and steal. No, not if you're in Christ now. He says, let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. So an honest man is not someone who just does not steal, but an honest man is someone who's willing to share and to be generous. And then he says in verse 29, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.

Now watch verse 30, "...and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed in the day of your redemption." Well, how do you grieve the Holy Spirit? In the context, it's by not changing, by not putting off all the old conduct and all the old habits and putting on those things that are holy and righteous. Now, if you look at verse 31, verse 31 is an entirely put-off verse. Verse 32 is an entirely put-on verse. So verse 31, here's what you put off. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Well, how do you replace it? And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Now, let me just point something out that every one of us should understand. Each of us have habits. Sometimes they're good, sometimes they're bad. I've seen men, I've talked to men who quit smoking. And while I'm talking to them, they take their hand and reach in the shirt pocket. There's nothing there. It's just habit. You know, it's just habit. And all those old habits have to be broken. So here's the thing. If you have a bad habit or if you have got a habit that you know that needs to be gone, it's not going to do you any good to just quit. It's not. Because if you just quit a bad habit, sooner or later you're going to go back to it. What you have to do is not just only quit the bad habit, but replace it with a holy, righteous, good, godly, and biblical habit. You can't replace something with nothing. You have to replace something with something.

And so, this is what he is telling you in Ephesians chapter 4. Now, I want you to turn to Colossians chapter 3. I want you to see the same truth is given here. This is all about changing. Our life is to be a life of continual change. God demands change. So, let me say it to you like this. I've heard people say and ask, would you pray that this situation will change? How about praying these circumstances will change? God never demands changes in circumstances and situations. He demands changes in people. When people change, situations change. Circumstances change. But it's the people who must change. So watch it. Colossians 3, beginning there, if you would, please.

At verse 5, look at it. Mortify, that is make dead, therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For the which thing's sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Now we're not children of disobedience, we're children of obedience.

Now he says in verse 7, in which you also walked some time when you lived in them. That was before our conversion. But now, now that you've been saved, now that you're converted, watch. But now, you also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all in all. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity or love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule your hearts, to which also you are called in one body, and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, given thanks to God and the Father by Him. So I hope you see that this chapter is all about change as well. Here are the principles of change. We are to be continually changing, putting off the habits and the conduct, the attitudes, the actions of the old man, and putting on that which is new and righteous in our thoughts, in our attitudes, in our actions, in everything. There should never be a time in the life of a Christian when he ceases to change. Our lives are to be a continual change. Because God is opening our eyes, God is showing us new truth.

I had a pastor friend who's now dead, and years ago he wrote me a letter. And he stated in that letter that he had not changed any of his positions in 20 or 30 years. Now, what he intended to convey, like I said, I'm staunch. But what he really conveyed is this. God hadn't taught me anything in 20 or 30 years. And that's a fact. If we are studying our scriptures, if God is opening our eyes, if God is enlightening us, we must change. We must embrace the truth that God has showed to us. It's impossible to grow in grace without changing. It's impossible to live a holy life without change. You remember that passage in 2 Peter 3, verse 18, I've told you this before, where Peter says, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I told you that the little word and, but grow in grace and in the knowledge, is the little Greek word kai, K-A-I. And that word is also translated in our Bibles as even. So you could read 2 Peter 3 in verse 18, but grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So you're not growing in grace unless you're growing in knowledge.

If you're growing in knowledge, that means you must be changing because you're understanding things that you've never understood before. So the Christian life is a life of change. Now, so, he speaks of initial change, and then he speaks of a constant and continual change. So, the question is this. What happens to a Christian who doesn't want to change? What happens to a Christian who says, well, I'm comfortable the way I am. I'm happy just to do my own thing. I laugh because everybody knows that we have dogs. In fact, we have lots of animals. But I will take our five dogs. We have five.

Principle 2: The Chastised Life (Hebrews 12:5-11)

God disciplines every true child out of love. Chastening is corrective, not condemnatory. If a person never experiences God's discipline, they are not His child.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12. And let's read verses 5 and 6. I'm going to take you through this very quickly. Look in Hebrews 12, verse 5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as of the children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Now, first of all, verses 5 and 6 are basically a quote from Proverbs 3, verses 11 and 12. So let me tell you what that says. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. For whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as the Father, the Son, in whom he delighted. So Hebrews 12, 5 and 6 is actually a quote from Proverbs 3, 11 and 12. What does this passage teach us? Listen carefully. First of all, it should be noted that chastening is an act of love and it is a relationship of a father to the son. Look at verse 5. My son despised not thou the chastening of the Lord. Look at verse 6. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. You know, our Lord said basically the same thing in Revelation 3 and verse 19 when he said to the church, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

Be zealous therefore and repent. So God does not chasten us because He hates us. He does not chasten us because He's angry with us. He chastens us because He loves us and desires that we live a holy life.

Now, it's amazing to me. I, even children, understand this principle. I've preached for 58 years. And I have taught from the fourth grade all the way through college. And one fourth grade student that I remember quite well was a young man by the name of Ronnie. He was a big boy for the fourth grade. In fact, he was so big he could have bullied all the other boys. He didn't, but he could have. I mean, that's how big he was. And this boy was obnoxious.

He would just do something every day that I'd have to chastise him. In our Christian school, you had to sign and give us permission to chastise the children physically. And usually when I had to whip someone, I would call the daddy and say, look, your son has done such and such, and I'm going to discipline him. If you would like to be here while this is being done, you need to come now. Most of the time they say, Preacher, just go ahead and take care of it. Fine. And that's what I would do. Well, Ronnie would do something every day that I'd have to chasten him. And when I would get him in the office and get any student in the office, the first thing I would do is I would ask them, what have they done? I wanted them to confess. I wanted them to know what they had done to deserve a whipping, a spanking. And once I got that confession out of them, I would ask this. Do I hate you? No, sir.

Am I angry with you? No, sir. But I'm going to chastise you. Yes, sir. Why am I going to chastise you? And I would expect this answer: because you love me. And I would say that is correct. Now, bend over. I'm going to give you three licks. And I give them three licks. And after I whip the child, I would put my arm around him and I would say, son, I just want to tell you that I love you and let's have prayer. Let's ask the Lord to bless this chastisement and make it effectual and change your life.

Every day I had to do that to this boy. Every day. He was from a broken home. His father had remarried and he was living with his father and his father's new wife. One day it dawned on me what was happening. And I walked into the classroom that morning and I said, Ronnie, I need you to come with me. Yes, sir. We walked into the office. I put my arm around him.

I said, son, I just want to tell you today that I love you. And let's have prayer and ask the Lord to give you a good day and bless today. And so we won't need any more whippings. He said, yes, sir. And I prayed with him and I would do that every day when I walked in. I never had to chastise that child again. Never. And what he was doing, he was provoking just so I could end up putting my arm around him and telling him that I loved him. He was so hungry for love, and he understood that discipline was love. And so this is what he's telling you in verses 5 and 6 and Proverbs 3 and verses 11 and 12, that it's a father-son relationship. It's an act of love. The Father delights in us, and He's going to correct us. Now watch this. The second truth is found in verses 6 and 7. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? Now, what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? None of us are perfect. Each one of us are sinners, and each one of us will need chastisement sooner or later. It's just that simple. Every son is going to end up getting the rod, because every son is a sinner. That's what he said. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. Note, if you would, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?

The third truth is found in verse 8. Look at it. But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Now, this may surprise you, but God only whips his own children. He doesn't whip the unsaved. He judges them. Chastisement is for correction. The judgment is for condemnation. I've been fighting this. Thank you. So God only whips his children. So here is the principle. If you never get chastised, then you don't belong to God. You're not His child. He said, if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons.

The Purpose and Nature of Chastening

Chastening aims at submission and produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness. It is not enjoyable but always effective for God's children.

Now, let me ask you a question. If your child disobeyed, if your child sinned, if your child did something very, very wicked and very, very wrong, are you going to wait six months to whip him for it? And the answer would be no. Why would you wait six months to whip him? Because in six months, he's forgotten it. Probably you've forgotten it. And during that time, he's done it over and over and he's become more rebellious and more disobedient. I'm not going to say that God is going to strike you and chasten you instantly, but it's not going to be long. All I'm saying is, ask yourself this question.

Do you think that you love your children more than our Father loves His children? And the answer is no. In other words, He will not allow us to get away with our sin. So mark it down. If you can continue in sin and disobedience and never get chastened, you're not a Christian.

Now, look what he said again in verse 8. But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Now the word bastard is a good word. It's not an ugly word. It's from the Greek word nothos, and it literally means an illegitimate, a bastard, one born of a concubine or a slave. So it indicates that here is an individual that has no standing in the family. In other words, he has a father that doesn't care for him, but it's not our heavenly Father.

So once again, God says He only chastens His own. He does not chasten those who are unsaved. He judges those. Chastisement is for correction. Judgment is for condemnation. So here, watch this, the fourth, fifth and sixth truth are found in verses 9 through 11. So let's read them. Watch verse 9. Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now, no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yields to the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Now, here is the fourth truth. The fourth truth is that the goal of chastisement is submission. We submitted to our earthly fathers when they chastised us, and they did it after their own pleasure.

Now the word pleasure does not mean that they took joy in it. The word pleasure means determination. He said, for they did it after their own determination. They determined we needed a chastisement and they gave it to us. But watch if you would. He said, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence. We submitted. We did what they asked. We did what they desired.

We did what they wanted. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? Our Heavenly Father wants from us what earthly fathers want from their children, and that is submission. We want to say to our earthly fathers, yes, dad, you're right. We want to say to our heavenly Father, yes, Father, you are right. Note, if you would, the fifth truth, and that is this, that no chastening is enjoyable. He says in verse 11, now, no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. I'll be absolutely honest. After my father chastised me as a child, I never raised my fist and said, yeah, that's exactly what I wanted. That was good. I really enjoyed that.

I can't wait till the next one. No, I never said that, I can assure you. My father had a good, good attitude. His attitude was this. If you do it right, you don't have to do it often. And he did it right. I never wanted it.

Now, what I'm trying to tell you is this. If you did not enjoy the chastisement from your earthly father, you're probably not going to enjoy the chastisement from your heavenly Father. Do you know why you have to whip your child so many times? The answer is because you don't exactly know what it's going to take to make that child submissive and obedient. You don't know how far to go. God is not like that. He knows exactly what we need. He knows exactly what it will take, and He knows exactly what it will make and bring us into submission. He knows. So He says, mark it down, chastening is not enjoyable. Here's the sixth one, and that is this. Think about this. God's chastening always works. Look at it. He says, now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous but grievous.

Nevertheless, afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto those that are exercised thereby. So, hang on. The implication here is very plain. If you are a child of God and you cease living a changed life, and you begin sinning and disobeying, you're going to enter into a chastised life. When God chastises you, you will repent. When you repent, it's going to produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto those who are exercised thereby. So, listen to me. The implication, once again, is this. If you're a child of God, you cannot sin against God and escape His chastisement. He will chastise you. He will bring you to the point where you are willing to turn from that sin and live obediently, live righteously, live that changed life.

Application: Two Realms for the Christian

A believer is always either living a changed life or a chastised life. If you can sin without discipline, you are not saved. Assurance comes from recognizing these principles at work.

Now, here's what I want you to see. These two principles are forever at work in a true child of God. You're either living a changed life or you're living a chastised life. If you're not living a changed life, you're not a Christian. If you can sin and get by with it, you're not a Christian. Because God chastens every son whom he receiveth. So, let me put it to you like this, by way of application. The two principles are forever working in a Christian's life. These principles cannot be something in which you and I can escape. You're either going to be living that changed life or the chastised life. You're either going to be obedient or you're going to be chastened back into obedience. Okay?

I do not know the author of this statement, but I added to it. I thought it was wonderful. It says this. In the divine decree that never changes. In the divine heart that never alters. In the divine memory that never fails. In the divine thought that never forgets. All the names of the godly are written. That is true. And I added to that. And he wrote my name in his decree, in his heart, in his memory, and in his thoughts.

Since I am his child, he will discipline me. The word discipline is connected to the word disciple. Disciples are those that are disciplined by their teacher. Discipline or chastisement may be by the word or by the rod.

Now I want to give you a verse. If you don't know this verse, you need to write it down. You need to memorize it. It's Micah 6 and verse 9. Now listen to

him who hath appointed it. Did you get that? The Lord's voice cried in the city. You may learn by hearing his voice, by hearing his word and changing your life, and that is what Christianity is all about. But if you refuse to hear, if you rebel, then he said, hear ye the rod and him who have appointed it. So, when God appoints a rod for our chastisement, we should be thankful.

Because when we're chastened for our sins, it means that we are genuinely saved. God is not going to allow us to sin and get by with it. He will correct us. Now, here's another question. How does God chasten us? And the answer is, the method and the means of chastening are totally up to God. When you stop and think about that, and I said earlier, God knows exactly what it's going to take to bring us back on track.

That chastisement can be from different rods. He said, Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. It may be physical. It may be financial. It may be familial. It could be a loss of a family member. It could be disturbance in the family. It might be whichever way he decides. God knows exactly how to get our attention. And he knows exactly what it's going to take to bring us back. And I think that rod is going to be

at the point in which we deserve to be whipped. So these two principles are forever going back and forth in the Christian's life. Salvation is not a feeling. Salvation is a fact. Salvation is an accomplished fact. It is something that is done by and in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you are losing a sense of assurance, you just remember this. You're either living a changed life or a chastised life. If you're living a changed life, that is bringing your life into conformity to the Word of God. God has done a work in your heart. God has done a work in your life.

You look at the unsaved. You look at the lost. You look at the ungodly. And just remember, that's exactly where you would be if God had not done something in your heart. You are different. I am different. Every Christian is different. God just wants us to be continually different so that we'll be more holy, more obedient, more godly. And when we are losing that change in our lives, that's when we enter the chastised life.

Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. So for a Christian, you're either changing or you're chastised. There is no other realm, no other area. You must obey or you will experience chastisement. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We pray, Lord, that you would indeed teach us. Help us, Lord, to live a changed life that we may avoid chastisement. And Father, if and when we are chastised, may we repent and turn from our sins and eagerly and readily run back to Thee. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.