Jack Graham - Saved, Certain and Secure
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It’s essential that you live with confidence and certainty in your Christian life. The blessed assurance of knowing that your sins are forgiven, that you’re on your way to heaven, that you have eternal life and that you can never lose it. That we are saved and secure. And because of what Christ has done for us, we live with this utter confidence, this deep assurance, that we know that we know that we know that we know that Jesus is Lord, and because Christ is Lord of our lives, that we are with Him now and forever. So «Saved, Certain & Secure». Can you be sure?
Now, someone might think, «Well, it’s presumptuous, and maybe even prideful to be so confident». Well, our confidence is not in ourselves; our confidence is not in what we have done, but in what Christ has done for us. How can we be sure? That’s what this message is about. So 1 John 5:13: puts it this way: «These things are written to those of you who have eternal life, that you may have confidence, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God».
Then down in verse 19 of 1 John, chapter 5, 1 John 5, verse 19, it says: «We know that we are of God». The whole world is in the hands of Satan, but, «we know that we are the children of God. These things are written» to those of you who believe on the name of the Son of God, «that you may know that you have eternal life». So how do we know? Here’s how we know; here’s what we know. Take your Bible and just hold it up right now. Just hold it up high over your head. Just as a sign that you’re under the authority of the Word of God. This is God’s inerrant, infallible Word. It’s the only perfect thing on this earth is the perfect Word of God. Written by imperfect men but inspired by the perfect Holy Spirit which gives us this perfect Word of God.
So «These things are written that you may know that you have eternal life». Our confidence, our assurance is not in what we feel; our confidence is in the One whom we believe, the One that we trust. Here’s what we know; we know the Word of God and the Word of God tells us who Jesus is and what He’s done in our life. So I’m going to give you five things that we know and ways, therefore, that we can be sure. You can be as certain for heaven as if you were already there. Number one, God wants us to know that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. To know it!
Paul expressed this in 2 Timothy chapter 1, verse 12. He said, «I know whom I believe and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I’ve committed unto Him against that day». Against what day? The day that Christ comes again. He said, «I know whom I have believed». He said, «I know Jesus»! He’s not someone I know about; He is real to me! And my testimony to you today, and the testimony of thousands like me is to say that Jesus is Lord and that because Christ is Savior and Lord, He is Master and Friend; that Jesus is alive in me. He’s not someone I just know about; He’s someone I know and love!
Jesus said, «I stand at the door and knock», Revelation 3:20, «If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in». Has there been a decisive moment in your life when you have welcomed Christ into your life? Do you know that Jesus is living in you? Do you know Him as your Lord and personal Savior of your life? Our confidence is in this: That Jesus is our personal Savior and Lord. Number two, God wants us to know that all of our sins are forgiven. God wants you to know this! Look at 1 John chapter 2 and look with me at verses 1 and 2 of 1 John, 1 and 2. «My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins», and do we sin? Yes, indeed, we do! But, «we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous, and He Himself is the propitiation», that is, the redemptor for our sins, «for our sins, and not only for our only, but also for the whole world».
God wants you to know that all your sins are forgiven. We have a sin problem. And as a result of our sin problem, all of us, we live in guilt. And because of sin there is shame and the regrets of our lives. And we live under this condemnation. And so many people live with the uncertainty of knowing if God has forgiven them. Even people who have been in the church or around the church or maybe even you’re a baptized believer but you don’t have assurance in your life because you’re wondering, «How could God forgive me? God could never overlook my sin».
Well, the fact is that God doesn’t overlook our sin. He sees our sin but He sent Jesus to die on the cross and to pay the sin debt so that we can be forgiven. And His blood, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from every sin! And therefore, because we have been fully and forever forgiven, we can live life without regrets and we can live life with confidence, looking at our future, knowing that Jesus has said, as He said to the lame man in Mark’s Gospel, «Your sins are forgiven. Rise up and walk»! He said to the woman taken in adultery, «Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more». You are forgiven in Christ! This means your past is blotted out; it is deleted. It means that your present, the sins of your present can be covered, is covered by and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
So, many people think, «Well, what happens when I sin? What happens when I commit sins as a Christian? Do I have to go back to 'Go' like one of those board games and you have to go back to start, and get saved all over again»? No. Because every sin that you committed was in the future when Christ died for you. Right? All your sins were in the future. So whether your sins were past or present or future, the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin. And all of our sins are, therefore, cleansed.
Look at Isaiah chapter 53, verses 5 and 6, key verse, verses in the Bible. «For He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all». First Peter 2:24: «who Himself», that is Jesus, «bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you are healed». Psalm 103:12: «As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us». Psalms 32:1: «Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered». God is saying, «I’ve got you covered completely and totally».
So when people say something like, «Well, you can be saved but then you could sin to the degree that you could lose your salvation». You know, there are people who teach that you can somehow lose your salvation, that you could forfeit your eternal life, that you could turn away and be lost again. The Bible teaches us that once you are saved, you are always saved. You know, «I know, that’s that old Baptist thing». No, it’s the Bible thing. And here’s why it’s the Bible thing. Because every sin that we have committed is covered by the blood of Christ as we have trusted Him. Listen to me, I always want to ask people, «Okay, if you can sin away your salvation, how much sin does it take to sin away your salvation? And how bad does it have to be»?
If there was one cent of a scintilla of sin held to my account or your account, we would be on a slide to hell. A waterslide to hell. Because if there is any sin that we have committed that is not covered… You see, you got to understand the holiness of God! «God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity». If there’s any sin against me then I’m lost forever. But Christ took my sin. When Jesus went to the cross, He carried your sin and my sin with Him! And therefore, we are saved and secure because of what Christ has done! You know, the way you stay saved is the way you were saved. If you think that you are saved in anyway by doing good works or doing good deeds or being religiously involved in some way, then you’ll always wonder, «Have I done enough? Have I done enough? Have I done enough? Am I being good enough? Am I righteous enough»?
If you think it’s by good deeds in anyway that you’re saved, you will never live in the confidence and assurance because you’ll never know. But what we do is we live in the confidence of what Jesus has done for us and, therefore, it is grace. So the same grace that saves us and forgives us, takes away our sin and we live in this grace every day. And that’s why we know and can say, «I know that we are saved». Because we’re trusting in Christ alone. We have His pardon and His promise that He would take our sins and «remember them no more». This is what you can know! And what the Bible says is that it is in Christ, and Christ alone that we are saved, and, therefore, we trust in Him, and Him alone. That’s why we can say: It is well with my soul. «My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear them no more. Praise the Lord, it is well, it is well with my soul».
This is what we know. So what we know is that Jesus is our Lord and Savior because we have trusted in Him, and Him only. What we know is that all of our sins are forgiven and, therefore, what we know is that we have passed from death unto life. That’s the third thing I want you to see. He wants you to know that you have passed from death unto life. That’s 1 John 5:11 and 12, 1 John 5:11 and 12. In fact, all of 1 John is an incredible manual for Christians of all stripes, whether you’re a new Christian or a longtime follower of Jesus. But we often say to new Christians for assurance to read 1 John because 27 times he mentions the word «know» or a derivative of the word know is to know, to know, to know, to know, to know.
Here’s how you know that you’re saved. That’s the book of 1 John. So 1 John 5 and 11 and 12 says this: «And this is the testimony: that He has given us eternal life, and that life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life». And that’s when he says, «These things are written to you that believe in the name of the Son of God». So we know that we have passed from death to life, from temporal life to eternal life.
Now heads up on this one: Eternal life and heaven are not the same. They’re not synonymous. Heaven is the byproduct of eternal life. Heaven is the byproduct, the future that we have because we have been given eternal life. Eternal life is in Christ. We have the Son Jesus! We were born dead in our trespasses. We were the walking dead! But because Christ said, «I’ve come that you might have life and have it more abundantly,» we now, having received Christ, have received His life in us. Christ is alive in us, and we have eternal life.
Listen to John chapter 10, verse 27 and 29. This is why you need your Bibles when you come. But here it is: John 10: 27-29: «My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall», what? «Never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand». The devil can’t snatch you out of the Father’s hand. Don’t you know that if he could, he would? Jesus said, «I give you eternal life».
I’ve said it many times here. You know, how long is eternal life? Well, it’s eternal; it’s forever. But it’s more than just living a long time; it’s the life of God in you. It’s the life of Christ. You see, we were devoid of life. We were empty of God. That’s what it means to be life… lost. But when Christ comes to live in us, we have passed from death to life. I am alive, alive, alive in Christ! I’ve passed from the old life and I’m living a brand-new life because of Jesus Himself. And so eternal life is what He gives us right now.
In John 17 and verse 3, this is what Jesus says: «And this is eternal life». Okay, you want to know what eternal life is based on what Jesus said? «That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent». All right? Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ! You receive eternal life the moment the miracle takes place when you pass from death to life. Eternal life means here and now. You say, «Well, I want to wait for heaven to find out if I have eternal life». That’s too late! Too late. Here and now is when you put your faith and trust in Christ and are given this eternal life in Christ.
Next, what does God want us to know? Here’s what we know: God wants us to know His perfect plan for our lives. God wants us to know His perfect plan for our lives. God does have a plan and God has a purpose for us. Romans 8:28 says that «We know that all things are working together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified». It is a done deal! Accomplished! Tetelestai! Finished!
What Christ has done for us means that He has a plan and His plan is working progressively, perfectly in our lives; that He’s constructing us and we’re just getting started when we come to Christ, and He’s building us up and making us more and more like Christ. And therefore, what we know is that everything that’s happening in our lives, both good and bad, God is good and God does good, and God is working all things together for the good to those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose. Listen to me! God has a perfect plan, a plan and a purpose for your life! You’re not an accident. You’re not here by chance or circumstance. God formed you in your mother’s womb and with that plan comes God’s progressive work, His will in your life.
And so the only thing we need to do is to make sure we’re getting ourselves aligned in God’s will. And when you’re aligned in this way, life works, because God works in response to our obedience to Him and God works even when we are disobedient to Him, He turns things around and enables us to get back on track. So I’m saying all this to tell you that the world is going nowhere! When Simon Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and he said, «Save yourself from this crooked and untoward generation». The word «untoward» means a generation that’s going nowhere.
If you don’t know Christ, you don’t have a clue about where your life is going. I mean, you’re just left to good luck, and good luck with good luck! If you don’t know Christ in your life, you don’t really have a purpose. You may have your plans and ideas, but what happens when life falls apart? And it ineligibly does. Then what? When your plans fail or luck turns the wrong way? No, we don’t live by luck. The Lord directs our steps. The Lord has a plan; the Lord has a purpose for our lives. And so we live in confidence in this.
Now you see what a difference this makes in the way that you live? If you get up every single day knowing «I am saved; I know that my sins are forgiven; I have passed from death unto life and I am fulfilling God’s plan and God’s purpose for my life every single day». When you see what incredible confidence and certainty that brings to your life, that you are saved, certain and secure. I just want to urge you by all means to remember Philippians 1:6: «Being confident of this very thing, that He who began the good work in you will perfect it, perform it, complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ».
God began the work in you and what God starts, He finishes! He’s not finished with you; He’s finishing you! And what He starts, He finishes in your life! And one more thing! We know that because Jesus is Lord, that everything that is happening in our world is under His control! And so we don’t live in fear and uncertainty about the future. We don’t live with angst and anxiety about what’s going to happen next. Our eyes are on the Lord! The one who has come and who’s coming again in great power and great glory and in great victory! Here’s what we know: It’s what Jude, the little brother of Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, big brother was Jesus.
That’s a tough act to follow. But Jude became a follower of Jesus and he gave us a little letter. It’s one of the most powerful and really for the church, the church that is so woke and so weak in this generation needs the book of Jude now more than ever perhaps. But after all the contending for the faith that is in and the confrontation of wokeness and evil and all the rest in the book of Jude, Jude 24 and 25, it’s a doxology that closes. Therefore, I’m going to close the message with it: «Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty and dominion and power, both now and forever». «Now to Him who is able».
I’m not able to save myself, but He is able to save to the uttermost, and «to keep me from stumbling». Do we misstep? Do we stumble at times? But when we stumble, He keeps us from falling. Psalm 37:23 and 24 says: «The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord… and though he stumble, he will not fall; for the Lord upholds him with His strong right hand». You see, salvation is not a matter of me holding on to God, trying to hold to Him. He’s holding on to me; He’s holding on to you, and He’s never going to let go. You’re in the Father’s hand. Peter said, «We are kept by the power of God».
We are in God’s grip from time to eternity. «Now to Him to present you», watch this, «faultless, blameless», as the hymnwriter put it, «Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne». We stand in the righteousness, pure and perfect, and He is able to keep us, bring us into His presence of glory with what? Exceeding joy! Joy, joy, joy and more joy! Can you imagine the joy of being with Jesus? Of seeing Jesus! Let me tell you something! I’m more excited today about Jesus than anything in my life! I mean more than politics, more than the next election, more than sports, more than entertainment, more than power, more than fame, more than anything in this world!
I am excited about seeing Christ, and Christ is coming and He’s coming soon! And we’re going to be with Him in exceeding joy! To God our Savior, that’s Jesus, who alone is wise! There’s no one like Him! There’s no one above Him! There’s no one along side of Him! There’s no one next to Him! «There is no other name given among men, whereby we must be saved, than the name of Jesus». «To Him be glory and majesty and power and victory and authority»! You don’t think there is confidence in living like this? There is confidence and hope in Christ, now and forever. Amen and Amen!