Quote
flunky1 said: [img]http://www.the-highway.com/Smileys/kitty.gif" align="middle[/img]
In closing, I am not opposed to objective impressions (e.g. being assured that God will accept me for Christ's sake when I boldly cry Abba Father), but I'm deeply suspicious of subjective ones built around an intuitive feeling / hunch that God is with me.
Again, although I have failed to get this across to speratus for whatever reason, I shall say it again. Assurance of salvation is apprehended by several elements:
  1. The fiduciary embracing of the propositional truths concerning the promises of God concerning salvation and the Lord Christ's finished work on the cross.
  2. The witness of the Holy Spirit to our spirit that we are children of God. (Rom 8:16)
  3. The manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, aka: good works, which infallibly follow justification and to which "God afore prepared that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10; cf. Eph 1:4; Rom 8:29)

Thus, assurance is apprehended by "3" sources and not just any of the one. And let me add this too..... any or all of the above can be counterfeited by either one's self and/or by the Devil and his minions. Thus, I personally, along with many others hold that one may come to a "full assurance" in this life, but it is veritably impossible that one can come to an "infallible assurance". Further, assurance varies throughout one's life because of sin or due to God withdrawing Himself for a time. King David wrote of his own lamentations in this regard in several places. Yet in all of his darker moments he maintained an attitude of "I believe; help mine unbelief", i.e., it was the object truth of God's hesed covenant faithfulness, His promises that sustained him.

In His Grace,


[Linked Image]

simul iustus et peccator

[Linked Image]