Presuming Thou art Saved

Charles Spurgeon:

Beware; I pray thee, of presuming that thou art saved. If thy heart be renewed, if thou shalt hate the things that thou didst once love, and love the things that thou didst once hate; if thou hast really repented; if there be a thorough change of mind in thee; if thou be born again, then hast thou reason to rejoice: but if there be no vital change, no inward godliness; if there be no love to God, no prayer, no work of the Holy Spirit, then thy saying “I am saved” is but thine own assertion, and it may delude, but it will not deliver thee.

The Brain and the Bible

Many people today seem to expect God to flash the answers to their problems before their eyes without having to engage the brain. What is wrong with this expectation? What role does the Bible play in this?

A Comforting Thought

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV)

Life is often a struggle, which inclines us to turn inward and become depressed. However, we do not have a God who encourages pity parties. Our God wants us to turn to Him with our struggles for He is the “God of all comfort”.

God says, “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass …” (Isaiah 51:12 ESV) God really does care for us in the circumstances of our troubles.

If we are to understand how to receive comfort from God, we must seek God and value His Truth by participating in worship at church; by studying His Word; and by prayer. The Bible is a wonderful source of comfort. I often turn to the Psalms when I am worried. I also often pray over my concerns using the Psalms as my guide.

Isaiah reminds us that God is sufficient in all our troubles: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; … to comfort all who mourn …” (Isaiah 61:1-2 ESV) Not only does God help us in our times of trouble, but He also brings to us people who have suffered as we are suffering. They are able to identify with us and comfort us because they have been comforted in their distress by God. In turn, we will one day comfort others in the grace which God has given us.