He. 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Assurance is a spiritual condition, based on faith. Assurance is the Holy Spirit's testimony to us:
Ro. 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Notice that we quote Scripture to make our explanation, but the author doesn't quote a single Scripture. Not one. It mystifies us how someone would attempt to teach doctrine without a single Bible quote. Astonishing.
Since the author explains nothing, it falls to us to explain what the author should be explaining.
The Canons of Dort (!618-19) are theological statements designed to refute the teaching of Jacob Arminius. Arminius did not accept Calvin's doctrines, and was eventually deemed anathema. After his death, those who adhered to his doctrines were called Remonstrants. Because Calvin was an enforcer who was not reluctant to bring severe discipline down upon his detractors, teaching another doctrine was a risk to life and limb. Thus Calvinism became the predominate theological perspective, continuing to present day.
This means the typical Calvinist tends to view the doctrinal landscape as binary: If you're not a Calvinist then you're an Arminian. But of course there is an entire spectrum of legitimate Christian belief that is neither Calvinist or Arminian. But for Calvinists, the fight is against the heretical Arminians.
Nevertheless, we will indulge the author's tendencies for the sake of argument and accept the binary equation. The Arminian position tends toward emphasizing personal free will, while Calvinists believe that there is no free will when it comes to salvation. This is represented in the acronym TULIP:
- Total depravity
- Unconditional election
- Limited atonement
- Irresistible grace
- Perseverance of the saints
In particular, because The Elect are those who are chosen to be saved (Unconditional election), and salvation is entirely the will of God with no component of choice (Irresistible grace), therefore The Elect cannot lose their salvation (Perseverance of the saints).
This means that those who fall away from the faith are rebranded "false converts." They couldn't have been a part of The Elect because of Perseverance of the saints.
This begs the question: How would a Calvinist know that he is part of The Elect? How would he know he's not a false convert?
In actual fact, the Calvinist has no greater assurance than an Arminian. The Arminian can lose his salvation, thus assurance is a moot point. But neither can the Calvinist know if he is really saved, because he might be a false convert. Therefore, there is no substantial difference regarding assurance between Calvinists and Arminians. Everything the author discusses below can be contextualized in this way.
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Introduction
When Horatius Bonar wrote The Everlasting Righteousness, he devoted a chapter to the doctrine of assurance. He defined the Reformed, Roman Catholic, and Arminian views of assurance. When he then compared Arminian and Calvinist views of assurance, he stated:
To an Arminian, who denies election and the perseverance of the saints, the knowledge of our present reconciliation to God might bring with it no assurance of final salvation; for, according to him, we may be in reconciliation today, and out of it tomorrow; but to a Calvinist there can be no such separation . . . Indeed, apart from God’s electing love, there can be no such thing as assurance. It becomes an impossibility.
Bonar shows how assurance accompanies the doctrines of election and perseverance of the saints.
1. Assurance Starts with Election (I.12)
The Canons of Dort give a helpful definition of election in article 7 of the first head of doctrine. The article explains how “before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of [God’s] will, he chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people.” Election is an immense truth. Scripture calls us to realize that the Lord had chosen His people before the world even began. How then does this overwhelming truth assure us? The Canons of Dort answer in article 12 of the first head of doctrine by stating that “assurance . . . is given to the chosen in due time . . . Such assurance comes not by inquisitive searching into the hidden and deep things of God.” We must realize that our God is completely different from us. Our Maker has chosen those who belong to Him. Therefore, as His creatures, we find assurance not by trying to delve into His hidden things but by reflecting on what He has revealed. We can receive immense assurance in the truth of election that He has revealed clearly throughout Scripture (Rom. 9–11).
Second, we see the fruit of assurance in article 13 of the first head of doctrine. The article states that in “the assurance of this election God’s children daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God . . . and to give fervent love in return to him.” The fruit of assurance answers one of the greatest allegations against the doctrine of election, as the canons go on to say that “this is far from saying that this teaching concerning election . . . make God’s children lax in observing his commandments or carnally self-assured.” As those who have full confidence that we are God’s elect, we also receive assurance in the evidence of our Christian lives.
3. Assurance Applies to Our Lost Infants (I.17)
Article 17 of the first head of doctrine gives great pastoral assurance for children of believers who die at a very young age. We are told, “not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God called out of this life at infancy.” An assurance of God’s covenantal promises is given for a specific sorrowful situation. We are pointed to the assurance of everlasting life even in the face of death’s sadness.
4. Assurance Is More than an Experience (V.9–11)
Sometimes we can be tempted to look entirely to our own experience for assurance. How we feel quickly becomes the measurement of our assurance. However, the fifth head of doctrine provides a helpful description of assurance that involves more than our personal experience in articles 9–11. Article 9 shows how our assurance comes “in accordance with the measure of [our] faith.” Article 10 goes on to show what ground this assurance must come from. We are told that “this assurance does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word, but from faith in the promises of God . . . in his Word.” Furthermore, article 11 goes as far as to state that even our own doubts serve to strengthen our assurance (see 1 Cor. 10:13). So rather than looking for assurance in a personal experience or emotion, we are called to find assurance in the truth of faith in God’s Word.
5. Assurance Is Not Apathetic (V.13)
Finally, the assurance of salvation leaves no room for apathy. The idea of apathy was another allegation brought by the Remonstrants against the doctrines of election and perseverance of the saints. The argument was that if the Lord had sovereign power in election, and if the Holy Spirit was at work in preserving the saints, then wouldn’t we be tempted to be apathetic in the Christian life? Why would we not claim assurance and live in apathy? Article 13 of the fifth head of doctrine answers this allegation by stating that we seek “to observe carefully the ways of the Lord . . . in order that by walking in them [we] may maintain the assurance of [our] perseverance.” In the second point, we considered how assurance has evidence. In this conclusion, we see how assurance desires evidence. Assurance cannot produce “immorality or lack of concern for godliness.” Rather, we find assurance as pilgrims on a journey. While we face doubts, difficulties, stumbles, and failures, we still may continue on a journey with full assurance that our Lord will not forsake us.
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