Faith and Assurance

"Faith is the root....assurance is the flower" - J.C RYLE

"All Christians have Faith but not all have assurance..." - J.C RYLE

If a man has faith, Saving Faith; the minutest form of it, it will justify him before God. God treasures even the smallest fragment of Faith (true faith). Faith in the substitionary work of Christ will take a man to Heaven. But if it doesn't evolve into Assurance, he will arrive there "weather-beaten and tempest-tossed" never realizing the comfort that his divine being offers here on earth. A man might have grace yet never know it in experience here on earth. He might his take his earthly walk torn and distracted by internal conflicts, never arriving at the whistling confidence of hope.

It is not the difference between the Streets and the High School, I mean the difference between Faith and Assurance. It is rather the difference within the School; that of the first grade and the Last grade. It is not the difference between Peace and "No Peace". It is the difference between Little Peace and Great Peace. Life can be weak and feeble, Or life can be strong and full. It's Life all the same, but Life at different ends.

The Apostles arrived at that point in their earthly lives where they could say "We know" not "We hope". "Certainly" instead of "Hopefully". They got to a point where hope was exchanged for confidence and uncertainty for knowledge.

Paul says "..WE KNOW that all things work together for the good of them that love God...." Romans 8:28

Paul says"...I AM PERSUADED....." Romans 8:38

John says " AND WE KNOW that we are of God...." 1 John 5:19

They were decided Christians and could take a stand in this world because of conviction. They spoke with certainty about things that others would rather not be definite about. They had rested in Christ so much with a childlike Faith that they began to take Him at His word, literally!  To speak of Eternity with certainty. To contact death in the eye, until death casts its eyes down.

A man might never know the value of Assurance until he is ready to pass through the cold waters of death. He might never treasure it until he is in crisis, or bereavement, or in disappointment. Through those lonely paths, Assurance might be your only friend. Saving Faith can take a man to Heaven, but in the face of death, there is no better company than assurance and a good conscience.

And let us not hastily associate Assurance with pride. Most men of assurance are men of Humility. Dependence is Humility. There are not many better expressions of Humility than a full dependence on the saviour; To look away from yourself and to look fully to Him.

Assurance - the destination of Faith, the destination of Dependence. What a place to be! We teach rest unto this end - that every believer, having put all of their Faith in Christ's Finished work, will arrive at the point of Assurance.

"Let us show diligence to the FULL ASSURANCE of hope unto the end..." Heb. 6:11

"The work of righteousness will be peace, and THE EFFECT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, quietness and ASSURANCE forever."
Isaiah 32:17

© Pastor Faith Oluwagbesan
Lead Pastor FGC CWB