The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Assurance of Salvation

Well, as it typical of most of your responses on the Board, you offer nothing by way of biblical evidence to support your view. Apparently, you think that simply saying, "No!" is a valid defense of what you believe. Further, you seem to ignore what I and others write in response, because all too often, as in this particular case, I have never said, nor has anyone else said that you are to "trust in the fruit of faith"! Contrary to what Luther initially declared, much to his embarrassment, the inspired letter of James is not "a right straw epistle".

James 2:17-24 (ASV) "Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith. Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith."

A man is justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone. Assurance is rightly obtained by believing in the objective finished work of the Lord Christ, Whose Holy Spirit dwelling within the soul produces evidences of that living faith (fruit/good works). Thus assurance comes when one believes and sees evidence of that faith which Christ through the Spirit manifests in their life. Let me remind you that we are speaking of assurance of faith and not justification by faith!! The question is, How can I know if my faith is genuine and that I am truly reconciled to God and in union with Christ?

In His Grace,