Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 2:9-14
2. The Bible Is the Only Book That Gives Assurance of Salvation – Continued
Martin Luther once penned:
Feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving.
My warrant is the Word of God;
Naught else is worth believing.
Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart,
Whose Word cannot be broken.
I’ll trust in God’s unchanging
Word Till soul and body sever;
For though all things shall pass away,
His Word abides forever.
God said that if you trust Jesus Christ, you have everlasting life. It’s that simple. I don’t look up to Heaven and say, “Your Word says that I’ll have everlasting life; I sure hope You told the truth, because I’m not sure that I’m going to Heaven.” God’s Word doesn’t lie, and there are no implications of a lie in it. You don’t walk into a darkened room and hope that when you flip the light switch, there will be light by saying, “I sure hope the electricity is on. I sure hope the bulb is okay. I hope the switch is working.” From what you know and believe, by teaching that was passed on to you from a child, you know that when you flip the switch, the room will be flooded by light. Of course not every analogy in the natural is perfect for the spiritual, but you can see the point.
There is nothing better for the assurance of salvation than what the Bible says and what it has consistently taught and proven for centuries. It is the only Book that is able to make us “wise for salvation.”
3. The Bible Is the Only Book That Can Keep You Clean
Once you are saved and sure of your salvation, the Bible is the only Book that can also keep you clean (sanctified) as a Christian.
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).
“That he might sanctify her [the church], having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26).
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9).
You cannot consistently read the Bible as a Christian and live a life of immorality and sin. The power, the Spirit, behind the words is what changes a person. If you don’t read the Bible, it’s probably because it brings conviction, in other words, convincing and the Holy Spirit applies those words to your heart. You can’t read, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13-15), and go on living and doing those very things. The Word is light and sin is darkness and the two just do not mix. The light always chases away the darkness, always!
The Bible is the Word of God. It’s like water that cleanses a Christian. The great evangelist, D. L. Moody once said, “A clean Bible represents a lean soul.” A Bible is clean without dust covering it when it is read. That is what produces a sanctified soul.
Why should you read the Bible consistently? Because you can’t read it day after day and not live right! Why do I preach and teach the Bible? Because you can’t continually hear or read Bible preaching and teaching and live like the devil the rest of the week.
The Word of God keeps a Christian clean; he reads the Bible and it brings conviction, convincing of it’s truth. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
To Be Continued
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 