Infallible Assurance

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: 2 Peter 1:5-11 Infallible Assurance Sermon Notes for March 25, 2007 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri Intro: Enervating Doubt in Life and Death 1. Infallible Assurance and the Protestant Reformation Rome and Lack of Assurance The Three Forms and Assurance The Westminster’s Advances on the Three Forms – See Next Page 2. Infallible assurance and the Continuing Reformation The Federal Vision and Full (Infallible) Assurance 3. Full Assurance and Victory 4. The Obligation of Seeking Full Assurance 5. The Means of Seeking Full Assurance Conclusion: The Benefits of Full Assurance for Life and Death Westminster Confession o0f Faith, CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. 1. Although temporary Believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes, and carnal presumptions, of being in the favour of God, and state of salvation, (a) which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truely believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good Conscience before him, may in this life be c ertainly assured (b) that they are in the state of Grace ; and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them (c) ashamed. a Job 8.13.14. Mat. 7.22 23. ; b 1 Joh. 2.3. ch. 3.14 18,19.21.24. ch. 5.13. ; c Rom. 5.2.5. 2. This certainty is not a bare conjectural, and probable perswasion, grounded upon (d) a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the Blood and Righteousness of Christ (e) revealed in the Gospel ; and also upon the inward (f) evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the (g) Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; and as a fruit thereof keeping the heart both (h) humble and holy. d Heb. 6.11.19; e Heb. 6.17,18. l f 2 Pet. 1.4,5,10.11. ; g Rom. 8.15,16. ; h 1 Joh. 3 1,2,3. 3. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith , but that a true Believer, may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be (i) partaker of it; yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given him of God, he may without extraordinary revelation in the right use of means (k) attain thereunto: and therefore it is the duty of every one, to give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure , that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and chearfulness in the duties of obedience, the proper (l) fruits of this Assurance; so far is it (m) from inclining men to looseness. i Isa. 50.10. Ps. 88. & Psa. 77.1-12. ; k 1 Joh. 4 13. Heb. 6.11 12. ; l Rom. 5.1,2.5. ch. 14,17. Ps. 119.32. ; m Rom. 6.1,2. Tit. 2.11,12.14. 4. True Believers may have the assurance of their Salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted ; as (n) by negligence in preserving of it, by (o) falling into some special Sin , which woundeth the Conscience, and grieveth the Spirit, by some sudden or (p) vehement temptation, by Gods withdrawing the (q) light of his countenance and suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light; yet are they never destitute of the (r) seed of God, and Life (s) of Faith, that Love of Christ , and the brethren , that sincerity of Heart, and Conscience of duty , out of which by the operation of the Spirit, this Assurance may in due time be (t) revived: a nd by the which in the mean time they are (u) preserved from utter despair. n Cant. 5.2,3.6. ; o Ps. 51.8.12.14. ; p Psa. 116.11. Ps. 77.7,8. Ps. 31 22. ; q Ps. 30.7 ; r 1 Joh. 3.9. ; s Luk. 22.32. ; t Ps. 42.5.11. ; u Lam. 3.26.27-31. Children’s Notes for Infallible Assurnace 1. How much water does it take to make heavy fog 100 feet deep over 7 city blocks? ___ ___ ___ ___. 2. A little bit of ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ can make us very weak. 3. The Roman Catholic church taught that you could ___ ___ ___ be sure if you were saved from hell. 4. The Reformers said the Bible said you ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ be, 5. Another word for “infallible” is ___ ___ ___ ___. 6. Romans 8 says that when you’re sure you are saved, you are ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ for Jesus. 7. 2 Peter 1:10 say we are to ___ ___ ___ ___ very hard to really know for sure that we are Christ’s. 8. God ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ us to become more sure we are saved. 8. When we think about our ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___, we are to think about God and His promises, and His faithfulness. 9. When we take the ___ ___ ___ ___ ‘___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ we are to remember God and His promises, and His faithfulness. 10. God always keeps His ___ ___ ___ ___. 11. When we try hard to love other Christians, we ___ ___ ___ ___ in our assurance of being saved. 12. The Spirit uses the ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ to make us sure we are saved. 13. When we ___ ___ ___, it makes us less sure we are saved. 14. When we ___ ___ ___ ___ God’s Law, we get more sure. 15. When we think about ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ instead of ourselves, our hearts (inside of us) get more sure we are saved.