How to Deal with Those Who Lack Assurance

It is not enough that a man be saved: to be of the most use to God he must know that he is saved, and no small part of our work as personal workers will be to lead into assurance of salvation, men and women who do not as yet know that they are saved. There are two classes of those who lack assurance,

I. Those who lack assurance because of ignorance.

1. There are many who lack assurance for the simple reason that they do not know that it is any one’s privilege to know that they have eternal life. Oftentimes if you ask people if they know that they are saved, or if they know that - their sins are forgiven, they reply, ‘‘Why no, no one knows that.’’ You can say, ‘‘Yes, the Bible says that all who believe may know it,’ and then show them 1 Jno, 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.”

It is well to begin with this passage, and not to leave it until it becomes very clear that it is every believer’s privilege to know that he has everlasting life. Follow this up with Jno. ts 12:

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”’

This verse shows that Christ gives to as many as receive Him,

power to become the sons of God. A good way to use this

verse is to ask the inquirer questions regarding it. ‘*What

does every one who receives Him receive power to become?”

**A son of God.’’ ‘‘Are you sure that every one who receives

Jesus obtains power to become a son of God?’’ ‘ Yes.’ ‘‘What makes you sure.’’ ‘‘God says so here.’”’ ‘‘Have you received Jesus?’ ‘‘Yes.** ‘“‘What then have you received power to become?’’ Just hold the inquirer to the point that it is not what he feels he has power to become, but what God here in His Word says he has power to become. It will usually be necessary to go through it again and again and again.

Jno. 3: 36 can be used in a similar way. ‘‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’’ Ask the inquirer, ‘*Who does this verse say has everlasting life?’’ ‘‘He that believeth on the Son.’’ ‘‘How many that believe on the Son have everlasting life?’’ ‘‘Why, every one.’’ ‘‘Are you sure of that?’ ‘‘Yes.’’ ‘‘Why?’’ ‘‘Because God says so here.”’ ‘*‘What is it God says?’’ ‘‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.’’ ‘‘Does God merely say that he that believeth on the Son ‘shall have’ everlasting life?’ ‘‘No, He says he ‘hath’ it.’? ‘*‘Do you believe on the Son?’” “I do.”’ ‘*What then does God say you have?’ Ina little while he will see it and say, ‘‘Everlasting life.’’ Then have him say it over and over again, ‘‘I have everlasting life, I have everlasting life.’ Have him stand by it because God says so, and then have him kneel down and thank God for giving him everlasting life. Do not let the inquirer go while he continues to say, “‘I hope I have everlasting life.’’ Insist upon his resting absolutely upon what God says. One night I found a young man upon his knees in great distress at the close of an evening service. I showed him from the Bible how Jesus Christ had borne his sins, and asked him if he would accept Christ as his Saviour. He said he would, and seemed to do it; but he seemed to get no light, and went out of the meeting in deep distress still. The next night he was there again, professing to accept Christ, but with no assurance that his sins were forgiven. I tried to show him from John 3: 36 what God said of those who believed on the Son, but the light did not come. Finally he rose to leave the room. As he turned to leave me he said, ‘‘ Will you pray for me?’’ I said, ‘‘Yes.”’ He walked a few steps down the aisle and I called after him, *“Do you believe I will pray for you?’ He turned toward me with a look of astonishment, and said, ‘‘Yes, of course.”’ I said, ‘‘Why do you think I will pray for you?’’ ‘*Because you said so.’’ I said, ‘‘Is not God’s Word as good as mine?” He saw it at once, that while he was willing to believe my word, he was not willing to believe God’s Word. He received assurance on the spot and knew that he had everlasting life.

Another verse which can be used to advantage with this class is Jno. 5: 24:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed:from death unto life.’’

This verse has been used of God to bring many into assurance of salvation. 1 Jno. 5:12 is also very plain:

‘‘He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God

hath not life.’

Acts 13: 39 has been greatly used of God in dealing with this class. ‘*By him all that believe are justified from all things, etc.,’’ Ask the inquirer, ‘‘What does this verse say that all who believe are?’’ ‘‘Justified.’’ ‘‘Justified from what?’ “From all things.’’ ‘‘Do you believe?” ‘‘I do.” ‘*What are you then?’’ It will probably be necessary to go over it several times before the inquirer answers, ‘‘I am justified’; but when he does, tell him to thank God for justifying him, and to confess Christ before the world. See to it that he does it. I was dealing one night with a young woman who was in great distress of soul because she could not see that she had forgiveness of sin. I went carefully over the ground to find if she really had accepted Christ, and it appeared clear that she had. Then I had her read Acts 13: 39, ‘‘By him all that believe are

justfied from all things.’’ ‘‘Now,’’ I said, ‘‘Who does God say /

in this verse are justified from all things?’ ‘‘All that, believe.’’ ‘‘Believe on whom?’ ‘‘Believe on Christ.’’ ‘‘Do you believe on Christ?’”’ ‘‘Ido.’’ ‘‘Have you really accepted Him as your Saviour and Lord and Master?’’ ‘“‘Yes.’’ ‘*The: you are sure you believe on Him?’ ‘‘Yes.”’ ‘And what does this verse say that all who believe are?’’ ‘‘Justified.’’ *‘What then are you?’’ She would not say, ‘I am justified,’? but wept over the thought that her sins were no¢ forgiven. I went over it again and again and again. At last the simple meaning of the words seemed to dawn upon her darkened mind. I asked her as before, ‘‘Who does God say are justified?’ ‘‘All that believe.’’ ‘‘From what are they justified?” ‘‘From all things.’’ ‘Who is justified from all things?’”’ ‘‘All that believe.’’ ‘‘Who says so?’’ ‘*God says so.” ‘*Doyou believe?’ ‘‘Ido.’’ ‘‘Whatareyouthen?”” A joyous light spread over her countenance, and she said, ‘‘ Why I am justified from all things,’’ and immediately she turned toward her friend standing near and said to me, ‘‘ Now won’t you speak to my friend about Christ?’’

2. Many inquirers of this class stumble over the fact that they have not the witness of the Holy Spirit. Show them that the witness of the Word to their acceptance is sufficient, from 1 Jno. 5: 10:

“‘He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not Ged hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”

This verse tells us that if we believe not the witness of God, in His Word, we make Him a liar. I was once dealing with a very intelligent young man along this line. He professed that he had accepted Jesus Christ, but that he did not know that he had eternal life. I showed him God’s testimony that “the that hath the Son hath life.’ (1 Jno. 5:12.) **Now,’’ I said, “You have the Son.”’ ‘‘Yes.’’ ‘‘And God says that he that hath the Son hath what?” ‘‘Life.’? Then I read the tenth verse, ‘‘He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.’’ “‘Now,’’ I said, ‘‘God’s record concerning His Son is that eternal life is in Him,’’ (verse 11), and that ‘‘He that hath the Son hath life,’’ (verse 12). Now this is God’s record. If you do not believe it, no matter what your feelings are, what are you doing?’’ In a little while the man replied, I am making God a liar, but I never saw it before.’’ Then and there he trusted the naked Word of God, and went out with the knowledge that his sins were forgiven, and that God had given him eternal life.

Also show those who are waiting for the witness of the Holy Spirit, that it is after we believe the testimony of the

Word that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, using Eph. 1: 13 for this purpose:

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”

The natural order in assurance is this: First, assurance of our justification, resting upon the naked Word of God, (such passages as Acts 13: 39); second, public confession of Christ with the mouth, (Rom. 10: ro); and third, the witness of the Holy Spirit, (Eph. 1:13, Rom. 8:16). The trouble with many is, that they wish to invert this order, and have the witness of the Holy Spirit before they confess Christ with the mouth.

It is very important in using these texts, to make clear what saving faith is, because many say that they believe, when they do not in the sense of these texts, and so get a false assurance, and entertain false hopes, and never get deliverance. There is a good deal of careless dealing with those who lack assurance. Workers are so anxious to have inquirers come out clearly, that they urge them on to assurance when they have no right to assurance because they have not really accepted Christ. It is better for a man not to have assurance that he is saved, than for a man to have assurance that he is saved when in reality he is not. Jno. 1:12, 2 Tim. 1: 12 and Rom. 10:10 make very clear what the character of saving faith is.

II. Those who lack assurance because of sin.

Oftentimes the trouble with those who lack assurance is, that there is some sin or questionable practice in their lives which they ought to confess and give up. When this is the case, it will not do to deal with the inquirer along the lines mentioned above. Take him rather to such passages as John Bek

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the

world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’”” When the man has read the passage you can tell him that Jesus’ promise was that if we follow Him we shall have the light of life. Say to him, ‘‘You have not the light of life, so the probability is that you are not following Him. Are you following Him?’’ Push the inquirer along this line to find if there is not some point in which he is untrue to Christ, or to the leading of the Holy Spirit. One night in an after-meeting, I was passing around here and there asking different ones about their Christian experience. A gentleman and his wife, friends from another church, had come down to the meeting. I noticed the gentleman looked at his wife as much as to say, ‘‘Speak to her.’’ Ina little while I came around to her, and asked her how she was getting on in her Christian life. She replied that she was all in the dark. I simply quoted Jno. 8:12 and passed on, but the arrow went home. She and her husband stayed after every one else had gone, and I had a private conversation with her. I asked her if she was rebelling against the will of God at any place. She confessed that she was, that her husband had received a great anointing of the Holy Spirit and she had not, and what was more, she was afraid her husband would go into Christian work and she did not want him to, and so she had gotten utterly in the dark. After some conversation and prayer, she surrendered wholly to the will of God, and the next morning received a wonderful baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Is. 55:7 is a good passage to use with those who lack assurance because of sin. Prov. 28:13 and Ps. 32:1-5 are good passages to use with those who have some unconfessed sin that is keeping them out of the enjoyment of fellowship with God. These passages show that when sin is forsaken and confessed we receive pardon and light and assurance.

Oftentimes it is well when one lacks assurance, first, to put the question clearly to him, ‘‘Do you know of any sin which you are cherishing, or anything in your life which your conscience troubles you about?’’

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CHAPTER X

HOW TO DEAL WITH BACKSLIDERS

One of the largest classes found in the inquiry room, and in all personal work in our day, are those who are, or call themselves backsliders. They are not all alike by any means, and they ought not all to have the same treatment. There are two classes of backsliders:

I. Careless backsliders, those who have no great desire to

come back to the Saviour.

1. There is perhaps no better passage to use with such

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‘‘Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?’’

Drive God’s question contained in the text right home to their hearts, ‘‘What iniquity have you found in the Lord?’’ Dwell upon God’s wonderful love to them, and show them the base ingratitude and folly of forsaking such a Saviour and friend. Very likely they have wandered away because of the unkind treatment of some professed Christian, or of some minister, but hold them right to the point of how the Lord treated them, and how they are now treating Him. Use also Jer. 2:13:

“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’’

Have the inquirer read the verse, and ask, “‘Is not that verse true; what does the Lord say that you forsook when you forsook Him?’”’ ‘‘The fountain of living waters.’’ ‘‘And to what does He say you turned?”’ ‘‘Broken cisterns that can hold no water.’’ ‘‘Is not that true in your experience; did you not forsake the fountain of living waters, and have you not found the world broken cisterns that can hold no water?’’ I have yet to find the first backslider of whom this is not true, and I have used it with many. Then illustrate the text by showing how foolish it would be to turn from a fountain of living water to broken cisterns or muddy pools. If this verse does not accomplish the desired result, use Jer. 2: 19:

“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.”’

When they have read it, ask them if they have not found it an ‘evil thing and bitter’’ that they have forsaken the Lord their God. It is well sometimes to go over the misfortunes and troubles that have come since they forsook the Lord, for it is a fact as every experienced worker knows, that when a man who has had a real knowledge of Christ backslides, misfortune after misfortune is likely to overtake him. Prov. 14:14, the first half of the verse, is also a good passage to use:

“The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.”’ 1 Kings 11: 9 can also be used:

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.”’

One of the best passages to show the folly and evil

results of backsliding is Luke 15; 13-17. Go into detail in bringing out the point of the picture here given of the miseries that came to the backslider in the far country.

2. It is well sometimes to use Amos 4:11, 12:

“I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were asa firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.”’

Before the passage is read you can say, ‘‘There is a passage in the Old Testament that contains a message from God to backsliding Israel, and I believe it is a message for you also. Then have him read the passage carefully and after he has read it, ask him what the message of God to backsliding Israel was. “Prepare to meet thy God.’’ Then say to him, “‘It is God’s message to you too, as a backslider to-night, ‘prepare to meet thy God.’’’ Go over this again and again until the thought rings in the heart of the man.

II. Backsliders who are sick of their wandering and sin, and desire to come back to the Lord.

These are a very different class from those just mentioned, though of course they are related. They are perhaps as easy a class to deal with as we ever find. There are many who once had a knowledge of the Lord who have wandered into sin, and who are now sick and tired of sin, and are longing to come back, but think that there is no acceptance for them. Point them to Jer. 3:12, 13, 22:

“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine ange to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

“Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.”’

This will show them how ready the Lordis to receive them back, and that all He asks of them is that they acknowledge their sin and return to Him.

Hos. 14: 1-4, is full of tender invitation to penitent backsliders, and also shows the way back to God.

“O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with your words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, °

Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. Asshur shali not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.’’ I use this passage more frequently than almost any other with the class of whom we are speaking, especially the first and fourth verses. I show them first of all that God is inviting the backslider to Himself, and second that He promises to heal their basksliding and love them freely, and third, that all that He asks is that they take words of confession and return to Him (verse 2). The following verses all set forth God’s unfailing love for the backslider, and His willingness to

receive him back.