Why do Christians Doubt Salvation?

1 John 5:13 says: We can know that we have eternal life. Without this confidence, Christains live with deep spiritual anxiety. Jesus said that the Devil is a robber, a thief and a murderer. His intent is to steal what rightfully belongs to a believer in Jesus. Doubt can be spiritually crippling.

A Few Reasons Christians Doubt Their Salvation:

• Guilt over sin. Fear you’ve committed an unforgiveable sin, or done something to permanently count you out from the people of God.
• Self-doubt. Feelings of unworthiness.
• Fear I was saved but lost it. That backsliding and sinful behavior after salvation put my eternal life in jeopardy.
• Saved young. Wonder if I knew what I was doing back then.
• Don’t feel saved.

Some Pastoral Assurances: You cannot out-sin God’s love, power, the blood of Jesus or God’s salvation. (See Colossians 2:15)

For those saved young, we can hold to the truth that God accepts the faith of a child. He said we must become like children, not children like adults. However, to prove authentic, a child’s faith must mature just as an adults would.

Romans 8:37-39 clarifies so much. Notice that Paul says we are conquerors not because of sinless behavior, but because of Christ who loved us. Paul is insistent that “nothing” can separate us from God. Notice nothing “present” or “future.” What’s difficult for people saved as a child is that all their big sins were yet future.

I AM’s: (Fears settled = Who we are/What he did) (Transfer)

1. I am (Ephesians 2:8-9) Your salvation was not gained by works; it is not maintained by works. God doesn’t change the rules.

2. I am (John 10:28) Jesus gives the gift of “eternal” life with the promise that those who are His will “never perish.” Eternal life that can be lost isn’t eternal. If you could lose eternal life, it would only be temporary life. If it could be stolen, it would be insecure life. If you could lose it base don behavior, it would be conditional life. But Jesus offers eternal life.

Notice the line, “I give them…” It’s not so much the perseverance of the saints, but perseverance of the Savior. So long as He endures, we shall endure.

3. I am

John 1:12-13 emphasizes that our relationship with God is that of parent/child. He is our Father, we are his children. This is accomplished by the New Birth. While you can be born again, there is no process or way to be unborn. Jesus said of Judas he might wish he’d never existed; yet nothing Judas could do would make it so he was never born. This truth applies spiritually also. Once born again, there is no way to reverse the process.

John 8:35, Jesus said that a belongs to the family, “Forever.” Your children will always be your children. Even if they make you mad. You have a similar relationship to God.

4. I am in

John 10:29, Jesus tells us that we are kept by the hand of the father. Jude 24 also notes that it is God who keeps us from falling.

5. I am

Ephesians 4:30 commands us not to grieve the Holy Spirit with whom we were “sealed.” Like an envelope, for the contents of the envelope to spill out, the seal must be broken. For us to lose our salvation would require our sins to be stronger than the sealing power of the Holy Spirit.

What does God do when I stumble?

–Convicts my heart.

–Speaks truth.

–Discipline me.

–Advocating for Me.

–Watching for me to return.

–He’s GRIEVING. Our sin produces pain in the heart of God.

When covering a doctrine like this, it is important to note verses such as Jude 4; God’s grace is not to be treated as a “license” for sinful behavior. That’s when we have the attitude we can do what we want because God’s forgiveness is always available. Such behavior brings shame to the cross of Jesus.

A most unnerving verse: Hebrews 6:4-6

Some important notes: Is this verse saying we can lose our salvation? If that’s what it says, then it also says that if you could lose it, there would be no way to get it back. It would be, once fallen always fallen.

However, this verse is not about losing salvation, but a warning against false converts. Those who come close (taste and see and experience) but do not fully embrace the cause of Christ. If they reject, having seen and tasted and experienced God, but refuse to repent fully and come to Christ, there is nothing other than Jesus to offer them.

Hebrews 6:4, they were once enlightened. Their eyes were opened to the Gospel.

Hebrews 6:4, they “tasted: the heavenly gift, but did not take it in deeply. Jesus said some will do nothing more than profess him with their mouth.

Hebrews 6:4, they “shared” in the Holy Spirit. The word there means to associate with, but not possess. They were simply around when he was around.

Hebrews 6:6, They tasted the Word of God. They read the Bible, heard good preaching, even put verses on their fridge. Even king Herod liked to hear John preach the Word; but he did not take it in. (Mark 6:20)

The situation is: If they do all that, then walk away, there is nothing more to offer them because Jesus is all we have.

Mohler: “We have all known people who made public professions of faith in Christ, got involved in a church, showed signs of Christian growth and maturity, and yet ultimately fell away. They are not ignorant. They know who Christ is and what he offers, and they still reject him. In their departure, they were “recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.” To fall away from Christ is to pour contempt on him, which is equivalent to crucifying him all over again.

MacArthur: Summarized, the warning is: “You had better come to Christ now, for if you fall away, it will be impossible for you to come again to the point of repentance.” They were at the best point for repentance—full knowledge. To fall back from that would be fatal.