Lesson Introduction
In our previous lesson, we learned that God wants believers to know that they have eternal life through Jesus Christ. We also learned that our assurance should be based on God’s Word rather than changing feelings.
However, there is an important distinction we must understand: biblical assurance is not the same as presumption.
Biblical assurance means trusting what God has revealed about Jesus Christ and the salvation He provides. Presumption means claiming something without a proper foundation in God’s Word or refusing to consider what Scripture actually teaches.
Some people live in constant fear, even when Scripture gives them reasons to trust Christ. Others assume that their actions, beliefs, or religious activities make them right with God without examining what the Bible says about faith and salvation.
In this lesson, we will learn how to rest in God’s promises without ignoring His Word, and how to grow in confidence without becoming careless in our Christian walk.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which teaches me the truth about Jesus Christ and eternal life. Help me understand the difference between trusting Your promises and making assumptions that are not supported by Scripture.
Teach me to receive Your grace with gratitude, to trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and to remain willing to learn and receive correction from Your Word. Deliver me from unnecessary fear, but also help me avoid carelessness and pride. May my confidence in You produce love, faithfulness, and a desire to grow in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1. Biblical Assurance Is Based on God’s Testimony
Scripture — 1 John 5:11–12 (KJV)
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
Biblical assurance begins with what God has testified concerning His Son. Eternal life is found in Jesus Christ, and God has revealed this truth through His Word.
We do not establish our salvation through personal opinions, religious traditions, or the approval of other people. We must examine what God has actually said.
This means our confidence should rest on Christ rather than on our ability to prove ourselves worthy of God’s gift.
Practical Example: A believer who wonders whether God can be trusted can return to Scripture and consider God’s testimony about eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Remember: Biblical assurance rests on God’s testimony concerning His Son.
2. Presumption Makes Claims Without a Proper Foundation
Scripture — Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
This verse warns us that something can seem right to a person without actually being right.
Presumption occurs when someone assumes that a belief or action must be correct simply because it feels right or is personally convenient.
For example, a person might assume that attending church, knowing Bible verses, or belonging to a religious family automatically guarantees salvation. Yet Scripture directs us to Jesus Christ, not merely to outward religious associations.
We should neither presume that religious activity saves us nor presume that God’s grace makes His Word irrelevant.
Practical Example: Someone says, “My parents are Christians, so I must automatically have eternal life.” That person needs to understand the Bible’s teaching about personally believing on Jesus Christ.
Remember: We must not replace God’s revealed truth with personal assumptions.
3. Faith Trusts What God Has Revealed
Scripture — Romans 10:17 (KJV)
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Faith is not merely positive thinking or wishing that something is true. Biblical faith responds to what God has revealed.
As we learn the Scriptures, we discover what God has said about Jesus Christ, salvation, grace, and the life He gives.
Faith does not require us to understand every mystery in the Bible before trusting Christ. It does, however, call us to take God’s Word seriously and continue learning.
Practical Example: When someone asks how a believer can know that eternal life is found in Jesus, the believer can point to the testimony of Scripture rather than relying only on personal feelings.
Remember: Biblical faith responds to God’s Word.
4. Grace Does Not Mean That Our Actions Are Unimportant
Scripture — Ephesians 2:8–10 (KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
These verses show both the foundation and the purpose of our salvation.
We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. Yet verse 10 teaches that we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
Good works do not purchase eternal life. Rather, Christian living is a response to God’s grace.
We should therefore reject two errors: trying to earn salvation through performance and using grace as an excuse to disregard God’s instructions.
Practical Example: A believer serves others because of gratitude for God’s grace, not because the believer believes that every act of service earns another portion of eternal life.
Remember: Good works are not the price of salvation; they are part of the life we are called to live in Christ.
5. Our Confidence Must Remain Connected to Jesus Christ
Scripture — John 15:4–5 (KJV)
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
Jesus used the picture of a vine and its branches to teach His disciples about dependence on Him.
The Christian life is not about declaring independence from Christ after receiving His gift. It is about continuing to depend on Him.
The passage calls us to a life of relationship, dependence, and fruitfulness. We should understand it in its context rather than using it to create fear every time we experience weakness.
Practical Example: When a believer struggles with a difficult decision, the believer can seek wisdom from Scripture and prayer instead of relying only on personal ability.
Remember: Confidence in Christ should lead us to continue depending on Him.
6. God Corrects Us Because His Word Matters
Scripture — 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV)
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
God’s Word teaches, corrects, and trains us. Receiving grace does not mean that we no longer need correction.
When Scripture exposes a misunderstanding or wrong action, we should not automatically interpret that correction as proof that God has abandoned us. We should allow the Word to teach us.
At the same time, we must not dismiss biblical correction simply because it challenges our preferences.
Practical Example: A believer discovers through Scripture that they have been treating another person unfairly. Rather than becoming defensive, the believer acknowledges the wrong and seeks to change.
Remember: God’s Word corrects us so that we may grow in understanding and righteous living.
7. We Should Not Build Our Assurance on Human Perfection
Scripture — 1 John 1:8–9 (KJV)
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John warns against pretending that we have never sinned. He also directs believers to God’s faithfulness in forgiveness and cleansing.
Biblical assurance does not require us to pretend that we are incapable of making mistakes. It teaches us to be honest about sin while looking to God’s provision.
We should distinguish between acknowledging wrongdoing and living under continual condemnation. Acknowledging sin allows us to respond truthfully; condemnation tells us that there is no hope or help for us.
Practical Example: After speaking harshly to someone, a believer acknowledges the wrong, seeks forgiveness where appropriate, and makes an effort to respond with love in the future.
Remember: We can be honest about our failures without making human perfection the foundation of salvation.
8. We Must Read Biblical Warnings in Their Context
Scripture — 2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian believers in a specific situation. He was challenging them to examine themselves in relation to the faith and the evidence of Christ’s work among them.
This verse should not be used carelessly to frighten every believer who has a question or experiences a difficult season.
Neither should we ignore its call to honest examination. We should read the passage in its context and consider what Paul was addressing.
Whenever we encounter a difficult warning in Scripture, we should study its audience, purpose, surrounding verses, and relationship to the wider teaching of the Bible.
Practical Example: A believer encounters a warning passage and feels afraid. Instead of immediately concluding that salvation has been lost, the believer studies the passage carefully and seeks to understand its original context.
Remember: Biblical warnings deserve careful study, not careless interpretation or fearful assumptions.
9. Assurance Should Produce Love and Gratitude
Scripture — 1 John 4:19 (KJV)
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
John points to God’s initiative in loving us. Our response to His love should be love, not an attempt to purchase what He has freely given.
When believers understand grace, they have a reason to respond to God with gratitude and to show love to others.
This response does not mean every believer will mature at the same speed or display perfect character immediately. Growth is a process in which we continue learning and responding to God’s Word.
Practical Example: A believer who understands God’s grace chooses to show patience and kindness to a family member rather than treating others with contempt.
Remember: Assurance in God’s love should encourage gratitude, love, and spiritual growth.
10. Rest in Christ While Continuing to Grow
Scripture — Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Paul expressed confidence in God’s continuing work. This encouraged the Philippian believers to recognise God’s faithfulness as they continued in the Christian life.
We can rest in what God has revealed through Jesus Christ while continuing to learn, receive correction, and grow.
Resting in Christ does not mean that we understand every detail of every biblical passage. It means we do not need to live under constant fear while we seek to understand God’s Word faithfully.
Practical Example: A new believer who has many questions can continue studying Scripture without assuming that every unanswered question means that their faith is false.
Remember: Trust God’s faithfulness, remain rooted in Christ, and continue growing in His Word.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we learned that:
-
Biblical assurance rests on God’s testimony concerning Jesus Christ.
-
Presumption replaces God’s revealed truth with unsupported assumptions.
-
Faith responds to God’s Word.
-
Grace does not make good works unimportant.
-
We are called to continue depending on Christ.
-
God’s Word teaches and corrects us.
-
We can acknowledge our failures without making perfection the foundation of salvation.
-
Biblical warnings must be understood in context.
-
Assurance should encourage love and gratitude.
-
We can trust God’s faithfulness while continuing to grow.
Final Takeaway
I will trust God’s testimony concerning Jesus Christ, receive His grace with gratitude, and remain willing to learn from His Word. I will not build my assurance on human perfection, nor will I use grace as an excuse to ignore God’s truth.
Reflection Question
What is the difference between trusting God’s promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ and simply assuming that everything is right without examining what the Bible teaches?
Write your answer in your own words, using Scripture to support your understanding.
Next Lesson
Lesson 3: When Feelings and Faith Seem to Disagree
We will explore how believers can respond when their emotions tell them one thing while God’s Word teaches another.