A question I often ask people in our church membership classes is, “If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven?” Many people answer something to the effect of, “I hope so.” To be honest, that is what I would have said growing up and for the first few years of following Jesus with all of my heart. In reading the Bible, however, the answer can and should be “I believe so.” This idea comes most prominently from 1 John 5:13, which says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” John wrote his letter because he wants Christians to know that they have eternal life. A similar confidence of our salvation emerges in Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” We are exhorted to have “earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end” (Hebrews 6:11).

The fact that the Bible points us to the ability of having confidence implies that we might lack it at some points in our journey — something highlighted in chapter 18 of the Westminster Confession of Faith (a sister statement to our church’s statement of beliefs): “Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love Him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before Him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace.” The Confession later adds that “a true believer may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties, before he or she be partaker of” assurance and that this assurance may be “shaken” and “diminished,” but yet one can have it.

I know some may respond to the idea that we can know that we have eternal life as being presumptuous. They might even cite the false assurance denounced in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” There are people who certainly have false assurance, who falsely believe that they are “good with God.” The remedy for false assurance, for false confidence, however, is not NO confidence but rather a RIGHT confidence.

This assurance comes first and foremost by looking at the promises of God in Scripture and believing them. God tells us that whoever believes in Christ has crossed from life to death (John 5:24) and that God will complete the good work he starts in us (Philippians 1:6). Have you believed in Christ? Then you can know that you have eternal life. The sacraments of baptism and communion are meant to be signs and seals that offer us this assurance, that our salvation is real and true for us (as true as the physical symbols are), if we believe. The Bible also directs us to look at our life, to see the change that God is doing in our hearts that causes us to love others and follow His Word. It tells us that belief in Christ leads us to obey God’s commands (1 John 2:3-4) and turn from sin (1 John 3:9), loving people who are not like us (1 John 3:14; 4:7) and living lives of righteousness (2:29), not necessarily perfection, as we all still stumble (James 3:2). Now, it is important to note that our works do not provide the basis for our salvation but give us confidence that God has changed us; we do not say, “Lord, let me into heaven for all the things that I have done” but rather “I see your hand at work in my heart through faith by changing my life and leading me to do things that I could otherwise never do.” As Edward Fisher wrote long ago in the Marrow of Modern Divinity, we will love God’s Word, love the children of God, and love our enemies, things that do not happen in our own strength.

At its root, the basis for assurance is our faith in Christ and knowing that we know him. As the old hymn said, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.” If Jesus is yours through faith, you can know that you have eternal life. Rather than causing us to be complacent and proud, may this assurance be, as described in the Canons of Dort, “the true root of humility, of childlike respect, of genuine godliness, of endurance in every conflict, of fervent prayers, of steadfastness in crossbearing and in confessing the truth, and of well-founded joy in God. Reflecting on this benefit provides an incentive to a serious and continual practice of thanksgiving and good works, as is evident from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints.” May that assurance and confidence lead you to follow him more closely day after day, giving you confidence and hope in the midst of a chaotic and crazy world.

Questions about Bible or theology, e-mail them to Pastor Brian atTheology@wearefaith.org. You can also subscribe to the blog and get its weekly updates by clicking here and filling out the info on the right side.