The Foundation of Our Assurance

Text: 1 John 2:3-6

Note: Pagkatapos banggitin ni John na ang mga mananampalataya ay may araw-araw na taga-pagtanggol, si Hesu-Cristo na matuwid, ipinakita naman niya sa ating mga talatang pag-aaralan ngayong umaga na tayo ay mayroong katiyakan ng kaligtasan or assurance of faith

• Ang sabi niya sa 1Jn 2:3: “At sa ganito'y nalalaman natin na siya'y kilala natin”
• John assumes that it is normal for Christians to be assured of their salvation
• Dahil malaman mo man o hindi ang katiyakan ng kaligtasan, may nauna ng nangyari, at ito ang natapos na gawa ni Cristo, ang kapatawaran ng kasalanan
• Subalit ang katotohanang ito ay hindi nangangahulugan na hindi dapat nating alamin ang katiyakan ng kaligtasan
• Dahil binigyan tayo ng paraan ng Diyos para maging tiyak tayo sa ating kaligtasan

The Essence of Assurance

Note: Kapag ginagamit ang salitang “nalalaman” o “kilala” or “knowing”, ito ay nagpapakita ng personal and intimate knowledge

• Ipinapakita dito ang napakahalagang katotohanan na tayo ay nakay Cristo , we are personally united with Jesus Christ
• As believers, our claim to abide in Christ is proven by walking as Christ walked
• Ang pangako ni Jesus ay Siya ay mananatili sa atin at tayo ay mananatili sa Kanya

Point: The essence of Christian assurance is having a relationship with Christ—that we are united with Him and abide in Him.

(Mark Jones, Knowing Christ) – “Knowing him is apprehending his person and works as revealed in the Scriptures. This involves not only an understanding of who he is, but also a fuller knowledge of his mind and will. Our faith and obedience fix themselves on the person of Christ as we come more and more to think his thoughts after him and perform his will in subjection to him.”

[Sin to Mortify] – Kaya maraming totoong mananampalataya ang walang katiyakan ng kaligtasan, ay dahil napakaliit ng pagkakilala nila kay Cristo

[Gospel Cure] – The more we know of Christ, the more we become assured of our Salvation.

[Martin Luther] – “Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before the “justice of God” had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven….”

The Evidence of Assurance

Note: Hindi lang ipinakita ni Juan ang essence ng katiyakan ng kaligtasan, ipinakita niya ang manifestation nito, o ang ebidensya ng katiyakan ng kaligtasan.

a. Ang Pag-sunod sa kautusan ng Diyos

[Joel Beeke] – “The practical evidence of authentic God-given faith is a new lifestyle that reflects a different orientation spiritually and emotionally. A believer is no longer shape by the thinking, opinions, and values of this world but by the commandments of God. When Christ comes into a sinner´s life, he grants the loving desire to embrace the commandments of God.”

b. Pag-sunod sa Salita ng Diyos

c. Paglakad kagay ng paglakad ni Cristo

Point: Ang ebidensiya na ay ikaw ay mayroong katiyakan ay lumalakad ka kagaya ng paglakad ni Cristo

[Anthony Burgess] – “It is true the most tender and exact godly ones, as Job and David are sometimes in desertions, and cry out God hath forsaken them, but ordinarily the more formal and careless we are in our approaches to God, the more are our doubts and fears.”

• Subalit kung may kinakausap ako dito na nag-aangking mananampalataya subalit may iniibig kang kasalanan, subalit wala kang nararamdamang matinding kalungkutan, maaaring hindi ka pa mananampalataya, dahil pwede mong maramdaman ang katiyakan ng kaligtasan ng wala ka naman talagang tinanggap na kaligtasan

[1689 LBCF 18.1] – “Maaaring dayain ng mga may pansamantalang pananampalataya at mga ibang di-ipinanganak na muli ang kanilang sarili ng maling pag-asa. Maaari rin silang magkaroon ng maka-lamang pag-aakala na sila ay nasa kagandahang-loob ng Diyos at kalagayan ng kaligtasan. Ang ganyang pag-asa nila ay mawawala.”