The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Assurance of Salvation

I believe that the "witnessing of the Spirit to our Spirit" is a combination of 1) emotive impressions and 2) the fruit of the Spirit working in that individual's life.

To suggest that "(c) arises from agape love", only begs the question, doesn't it? How is one to discern whether that "love" perceived is 1) genuine and/or 2) "agape" in nature? I think this simply throws us back to the original question, re: assurance.

IF you mean by "infallible" a perfect knowledge, then I would have to say, "No!". IF, on the other hand, you mean unwavering certainty; confidence that what is known is true, then my answer would be, "Yes!". Only God possesses infallible knowledge since all that God "knows" flows from His immutable and eternal will; He knows because He has ordained it. But as for us, our certainty of knowledge, much like this matter of assurance is dependent upon several factors. Take for example how the Apostle John links both assurance and knowledge together here:

1 John 2:3-5 (ASV) "And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him:"

1 John 3:14 (ASV) "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death."

And he also declares that assurance is based upon the propositional truths of God as He has revealed them in His Word:

1 John 3:19-21 (ASV) "Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;"

1 John 5:18-19 (ASV) "We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one."

And finally, he says that our assurance and knowledge is found not only in propositional truth, but also through the ministry of the Holy Spirit within:

1 John 5:20 (ASV) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

Upon those 3 elements, both assurance and the certainty that the knowledge we have is true rests.

In His Grace,