Assurance of Salvation (1)
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.—Rom. 8:16
Knowing you are a true believer:
(1) Those that belong to God, the Spirit of God witnesses to them that they are sons. There will be some intimations, and insinuations, and hints, though the Spirit of adoption witnesses not fully and gloriously to the soul always, because we are not fitted for it. There is something in us renewed by the Spirit; there is something of the new creature. When a Christian cannot hear God say to his soul, 'I am thy salvation,’ yet a man may see a work of grace. There is a love to God, to the ordinances, to the people of God; a mourning because he cannot mourn; a sighing, because he has not a heart pliable. There is a work of the Spirit that helps him in his worst condition. Besides, there is a spirit of supplication in some measure. Though he cannot make set discourses to God, yet he can in a manner lay open his sorrow and grief to God. They be broken words, perhaps, but God can pluck sense out of them. Again, a Christian in the worst condition, God not only shines on him through the cloud, but there is a spirit in him that sighs to go through all thick clouds to God. It is promised. 'The Spirit will help our infirmities when we know not how to pray’ (Rom. 8:26). Communion with God is never broken off where there is the Spirit of adoption. If they could embrace Christ, they would not leave him. If they could not embrace Christ, they would touch the hem of his garment. They will not yield to the stream altogether but strive against it. And though they be carried away with the strength of the stream, and see no goodness in themselves, yet they that be with them shall see a spirit striving to another condition than they are in. Something of Christ’s, something of God's Spirit there will be in them. And take them at the worst, they will appear better than the natural man, that thinks himself a glorious man, though he has nothing but for show and fashion.
(1) Those that belong to God, the Spirit of God witnesses to them that they are sons. There will be some intimations, and insinuations, and hints, though the Spirit of adoption witnesses not fully and gloriously to the soul always, because we are not fitted for it. There is something in us renewed by the Spirit; there is something of the new creature. When a Christian cannot hear God say to his soul, 'I am thy salvation,’ yet a man may see a work of grace. There is a love to God, to the ordinances, to the people of God; a mourning because he cannot mourn; a sighing, because he has not a heart pliable. There is a work of the Spirit that helps him in his worst condition. Besides, there is a spirit of supplication in some measure. Though he cannot make set discourses to God, yet he can in a manner lay open his sorrow and grief to God. They be broken words, perhaps, but God can pluck sense out of them. Again, a Christian in the worst condition, God not only shines on him through the cloud, but there is a spirit in him that sighs to go through all thick clouds to God. It is promised. 'The Spirit will help our infirmities when we know not how to pray’ (Rom. 8:26). Communion with God is never broken off where there is the Spirit of adoption. If they could embrace Christ, they would not leave him. If they could not embrace Christ, they would touch the hem of his garment. They will not yield to the stream altogether but strive against it. And though they be carried away with the strength of the stream, and see no goodness in themselves, yet they that be with them shall see a spirit striving to another condition than they are in. Something of Christ’s, something of God's Spirit there will be in them. And take them at the worst, they will appear better than the natural man, that thinks himself a glorious man, though he has nothing but for show and fashion.
Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Heavenly Conference, pp. 101-03
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
A Heavenly Conference, pp. 101-03
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.
Categories
Recent
2025
January
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 31
February
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — February 28
March
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 10'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 11'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 12'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 13'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 14'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 15'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 16'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 17'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 18'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 19'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 20'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 21'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 22'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 23'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 24'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 25'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 26'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 27'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 28'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 29'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 30'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — March 31
April
'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 1'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 2'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 3'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 4'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 5'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 6'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 7'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 8'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 9'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — April 10
No Comments