See also: Assurance of Salvation
Definition · Webster 1828 · Scriptures · Corruption · Roots · Usage · Related
📖 Biblical Definition
The believer's settled confidence that he is in a state of grace and shall be saved — the assured persuasion that he is reconciled to God, his sins forgiven, and his eternal salvation secure. The Westminster Confession (XVIII) provides the substantive Reformed doctrine of assurance. (1) Assurance is attainable: although hypocrites and unregenerate men may deceive themselves with false hopes, true believers may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (XVIII.1). (2) The grounds of assurance are threefold: the divine truth of the promises of salvation (the objective ground — God's promises in the gospel); the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made (the evidence of saving grace in the believer's life — faith, repentance, love, obedience, the fruit of the Spirit); and the testimony of the Spirit of adoption witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God (the witness of the Spirit, Romans 8:16) (XVIII.2). (3) Assurance is not of the essence of saving faith: a true believer may wait long and struggle with many difficulties before attaining assurance, and assurance may be shaken, diminished, and intermitted (through neglect, sin, temptation, or God's withdrawing of the light of His countenance); yet the believer is never utterly destitute of the seed of God and the life of faith (XVIII.3-4). The biblical foundation: 2 Peter 1:10, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; 1 John 5:13, these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life; Romans 8:16, the Spirit witnessing with our spirit; the whole epistle of 1 John, written that believers may know they have eternal life through the tests of faith, love, and obedience. The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the substantive doctrine of assurance against two errors: the Roman Catholic denial (which held that no one can have assurance of salvation apart from special revelation, since salvation depends on uncertain perseverance in cooperating with grace) and the presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor (the unregenerate who presumes upon a false hope). True assurance is attainable, founded on the promises of God, the inward evidences of grace, and the witness of the Spirit; it is to be diligently pursued (2 Peter 1:10), is a great privilege and comfort of the believer, and is the ground of holy joy, peace, and obedience.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
The believer's settled confidence that he is in a state of grace and shall be saved; Westminster XVIII holds it attainable, founded on the divine promises, the inward evidences of grace, and the witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16); not of the essence of faith but to be diligently pursued (2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 5:13).
expand to see more
ASSURANCE OF SALVATION, n. phr. (soteriology) The believer's settled confidence that he is in a state of grace and shall be saved. Westminster XVIII: (1) attainable — true believers may be certainly assured they are in the state of grace; (2) threefold grounds — the divine truth of the promises of salvation (objective), the inward evidence of saving graces (the fruit of grace in the life), and the testimony of the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:16); (3) not of the essence of saving faith — a believer may struggle long before attaining it, and it may be shaken or intermitted, yet he is never utterly destitute of the seed of God. Foundation: 2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 5:13; Romans 8:16. Held against the Roman Catholic denial and the presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor.
📖 Key Scripture
1 John 5:13 — "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
2 Peter 1:10 — "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."
Romans 8:16 — "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
Hebrews 6:11 — "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
True assurance is attainable, founded on the promises, the inward evidences of grace, and the Spirit's witness; the errors are the Roman Catholic denial of assurance and the presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor (presuming upon a false hope without the evidences of grace).
expand to see more
The doctrine of assurance is held against two opposing errors. The Roman Catholic denial held (at the Council of Trent) that no one can have assurance of salvation in this life apart from a special revelation, since salvation depends on the uncertain perseverance of the believer's cooperation with grace and his maintenance of a state of grace through the sacraments; this denial robs the believer of the comfort and confidence that Scripture offers (1 John 5:13, written that believers may KNOW they have eternal life). The presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor is the opposite error: the unregenerate person who presumes upon a false hope of salvation (because he prayed a prayer, was baptized, or makes a profession) without the inward evidences of saving grace; this false assurance the Reformed doctrine exposes (the Westminster Confession notes that hypocrites and unregenerate men may deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions, XVIII.1; 1 John tests the genuineness of profession by faith, love, and obedience). The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the substantive doctrine of true assurance: it is attainable; it is founded on the threefold ground of the divine promises (the objective ground), the inward evidences of saving grace (the fruit of the Spirit, faith, love, and obedience in the believer's life), and the witness of the Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:16); it is not of the essence of saving faith (a true believer may struggle long before attaining it, and it may be shaken, diminished, or intermitted through sin, temptation, or God's withdrawing the light of His countenance, yet the believer is never utterly destitute of the seed of God); and it is to be diligently pursued (2 Peter 1:10, give diligence to make your calling and election sure). True assurance is a great privilege and comfort, the ground of holy joy, peace, love, and thankful obedience — distinguished from the presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor by its foundation in the genuine evidences of grace and the witness of the Spirit.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
The believer's settled confidence of being in a state of grace; Westminster XVIII; threefold grounds (promises, inward evidences, Spirit's witness); not of the essence of faith; diligently pursued (2 Peter 1:10); held against the Roman denial and carnal presumption.
expand to see more
['Greek', 'G4136', 'plerophoria', 'full assurance (Hebrews 6:11; 10:22)']
['Greek', 'G1492', 'oida', 'to know (1 John 5:13, that ye may know)']
['Greek', 'G4828', 'summartureo', 'to bear witness with (Romans 8:16)']
Usage
"Assurance of salvation: the believer's settled confidence of being in a state of grace."
"Threefold grounds: the divine promises, the inward evidences of grace, the witness of the Spirit (Westminster XVIII)."
"Held against the Roman Catholic denial and the presumptuous false assurance of the carnal professor."