Security Versus Assurance

By David J. Stewart | November 2017

1st John 1:4, “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

       I heard a wonderful MP3 sermon today by Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold titled, “Security Verses Assurance,” in which he makes the following helpful statements...

“Assurance of your salvation is how you see it, and your perception can be based upon what somebody told you to look at it. Like for example: Some say if you're really saved, it will manifest itself in your life. Well, if everybody looked at their life as the evidence of their salvation, [the] majority of people (I would say most people) would have to come to the conclusion, that they're not saved. If I had to look at my life, as the evidence to prove that I'm saved, I'd come up to the conclusion, I'm not. Because, how many sins would I tolerate? How many sins can I commit? How many questions and doubts? What about my thought life? Every person has enough in their life, that could be used as evidence, that they're not really saved. But you see, that's because you would lose assurance of your salvation; but, if you forget about looking at yourself, because your salvation doesn't depend on you, and it depends upon what Christ said, well [if] what Christ said is still true, and it doesn't lie, then you have eternal security based upon what God said. So God knows those whom He has saved, given eternal life, and are born into His family, and so you are safe and secure. But you may get to the place, where you no longer are full of assurance. When you study the book of 1st John, it talks about (as a child of God) having full joy—'that your joy may be full.' And your joy cannot be full if your assurance is missing.” —Pastor Ralph “Yankee” Arnold, from the MP3 sermon, “Security Verses Assurance.”

The doctrine of eternal security is not a separate doctrine from eternal life. If you have eternal life, you are safe and secure in the arms of the everlasting Father. Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.” Our salvation in Jesus Christ is as secure and guaranteed as God's existence Himself. The only kind of life that God offers is “eternal” (or “everlasting”) life! John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” Oh my friend, if you are saved, you have everlasting life!!! Nothing can jeopardize our security in Christ! Whether I go to Heaven has nothing to do with whether I'm good or bad, but whether God is good or bad. We have a good God, Who has made a way of escape through the sacrifice of His dear only begotten Son on the cross for our sins. What an awesome God and Savior!!!

Dr. Hank Lindstrom, “Nothing in my future can ever affect the salvation that I have... Once you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are eternally secure!” —Pastor Hank Lindstrom (1940-2008), a quote from the classic MP3 sermon titled, “How Permanent Is Your Salvation?”

Dr. Hank Lindstrom, “The Christian life doesn't save you! You're saved by Jesus Christ' death on the cross, and that alone, and it's important to understand the difference. And, it's true that we should not live a life that's opposed to the will of God after we're saved (We'll talk about what God will do, if we do live that kind of way). But, salvation is based upon purely what Jesus Christ has done. And if you've trusted Jesus Christ here, you're saved forever! Nothing in your life, nothing in your death, angels, principalities, nothing—nothing in your future—could ever undo that relationship that has been made when you trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. And there are many people who are confused over this whole thing.” —Pastor Hank Lindstrom (1940-2008), a quote from the classic MP3 sermon titled, “How Permanent Is Your Salvation?”

Dr. Hank Lindstrom, “There are many people who name the name of Jesus Christ, who are not saved, because they're trusting in living the Christian life, or in their works, or in some efforts that they're doing, in order to obtain their salvation.” —Pastor Hank Lindstrom (1940-2008), a quote from the classic MP3 sermon titled, “How Permanent Is Your Salvation?”

The Importance of Making Sure That Church Members Are Born-Again

You'd be surprised how many people faithfully attend church much of their life, but have never been born-again. Most people join a church because someone befriended and invited them, and then they gradually became a part of the church family, but if you were to ask them why they're going to Heaven, you'd find out quickly that they have never been saved at all. That's why I frequently pass out the awesome book by Michael P. Bowen called, “I NEVER KNEW YOU: THE HORROR OF THE COMING GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID IT!” Here is the complete free online .PDF version.

How could somebody attend a local New Testament church for decades and still go to Hell? IT HAPPENS!!! It happens even in independent fundamental Baptist churches. The reason why is because living the Christian life is NOT the way to be saved. You get saved by placing your trust in the Good News of Jesus Christ, Who DIED on the cross for our sins, was BURIED, and bodily RESURRECTED three days later. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Nearly everyone who professes the name of Christ is guilty of this sin, relying upon the religious life they are living to get them into Heaven on day. Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

SO GREAT SALVATION - MP3's (by Pastor Max D. Younce)
( 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

Playlist - Streaming Audio - Continuous play of all 24 Bible studies

SO GREAT SALVATION (YouTube video series)

Please visit: Heritage Baptist Bible Church

Am I Going To Heaven?
(Settle it right now where you are, and you can leave this webpage having the free gift of eternal life)

In a local independent Baptist church on Guam that I attended a few years ago in 2014, a staff member and deacon confided in me that he was struggling with the assurance of his salvation. I kindly expounded to him the wonderful Scriptures, while his wife listened to our conversation, explaining to him how he could KNOW for certain that he is saved. My friend was relieved, thanking me for helping him, and then he said some sad words that I'll never forget, about the pastors of the church. He sincerely said, with a frustrated countenance, “Why don't they teach things like that from the pulpit?” I truthfully replied, “It's because they don't know the pain of not knowing that you're saved.” They really don't. Sadly, most pastors are out of touch with reality.

HOW TO KNOW YOU'RE SAVED! I doubted my salvation for 7 long, lonely and miserable years between the ages of 13 and 20, but then God began to give me peace as I learned what God expected from me. Had I known the clarity and simplicity of the Gospel—as set forth diligently by Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida (and their great Florida Bible College)—I wouldn't have worried and feared for as long as I did. In hindsight, at age 50, I now fully realize the importance and necessity of giving a clear and concise presentation of the Gospel. And of course, if it weren't for my dear friend, Pastor Max Younce of the Heritage Baptist Bible Church in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, I never would have learned about any of these things. I thank God for Pastor's Ray Stanford, Hank Lindstrom and Ralph Yankee Arnold, the successive pastors of the Cavalry Community Church, who are all dear to my soul.

From an early age in a Baptist church, I was wrongly taught to pray to be saved. I prayed in 1st grade, and was told that I was saved, but I was not saved at all. I finally believed on my own from the church pew on a Sunday morning, at age 13, in response to a sermon on the Holy Spirit. But I was too shy to go forward to the alter, and I didn't see the Gospel clearly at that time. I did place my faith in Jesus as my personal Savior that Sunday morning, and I did get saved, but I didn't know how salvation worked. So doubt immediately set into my mind. I was haunted by worries of missing Heaven and fear of going to Hell. What if? What if I'm not really saved? What if I don't go Heaven? I didn't know enough about theology to ask questions. I cried often, for years to come, scared. I was saved by believing, but all the religious tracts that I read required praying, and so I was confused by that.

When I was 17 years old, I finally mustered up the courage to go talk with my pastor. He wronged assumed that if I didn't know I was saved, I must not be saved, and he made the matter worse, by leading me in A PRAYER! Oh boy! I was water baptized afterwards, scared in my soul because I didn't know for certain that I was saved, and I feared God's wrath for being baptized in doubt. But the Lord understood that I just needed to be shown the truth. Over time, through much prayer to God for help settle the matter in my soul, and listening attentively to everything I could find about salvation, my fears slowly dissipated. But it wasn't until I read the helpful book by my friend, Pastor Max D. Younce, titled, “Salvation And The Public Invitation,” that I had 100% peace of mind about my salvation. I have never doubted my salvation since, not for one second!!! I was saved in a church pew, just as Pastor Younce teaches is possible in his book, by simply BELIEVING the Gospel. Walking down an isle is not necessary to be saved.

I learned about Michael P. Bowen's book titled, “I Never Knew You,” from Dr. Younce's website. I bought some hardcopies of the book. One day, while doing my laundry, I read in Michael's book that he was saved while listening to an MP3 sermon he had heard by Pastor Hank Lindstrom called, “HOW PERMANENT IS YOUR SALVATION?” So I searched online for the sermon, found it, and have been privileged to share it since, as much as I can with others. I love a quote I heard from Pastor Yankee Arnold...

“There is power in this Gospel message. Most people just don't know how to present it... The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for them to believe.” —Pastor Yankee Arnold, a quote from the excellent MP3 sermon titled, “WHY GRACE CAN SAVE THE WORST MAN!”

And here is a great quote from Dr. Younce...

“He [God] did everything, so that you would have to do nothing, except receive it as a free gift! And God says, 'I love you so much that I gave My Son to pay for your sins. Will you believe it? And if you will (believe/trust, used interchangeably in the Bible), will you simply believe that Jesus Christ died for you? And God says, 'If you'll do that, I'll promise you on the authority of My Word, that you'll never perish, but you'll have everlasting life!'” —Pastor Max D. Younce, a quote from the Bible study titled, “SO GREAT SALVATION,” Part 7 | MP3's

The great need of our time is for truthful preachers, who uphold the simplicity and clarity of God's plan of salvation for man, which is the Gospel. I loathe reading the tracts found in most Baptist churches these days. You'll read garbage about “surrendering your life to live for Christ” to be saved. You'll read garbage about “turning away from sins” to be saved. You'll read garbage about “confessing Christ before men to be saved.” You'll read garbage that tells you how to go to Heaven, without any mention of the cross upon which Christ died for our sins, or no mention of Jesus' bodily resurrection! These are mere religious brochures, and not “Gospel” tracts! How can people get saved if they don't hear the Good News of Christ crucified, buried and risen for our sins?

And saddest of all, I've mentioned these things to numerous pastors, who couldn't have cared less! The average church congregation nowadays is in incompetent hands, having leaders who are serving mammon (a salary) and not God. If they were serving God, truth would be their top priority! If they were serving God, they'd expose the counterfeit Alexandrian Bible versions. Kindly, the average pastor is a big coward, a yellowbelly, milquetoast, a pulpit wimp, who can't preach his way out of a paperbag, afraid to speak the truth lest he offend somebody. It's easy to preach to the choir! It's easy to take potshots at people from the pulpit, but a true man of God preaches truth, and doesn't make it personal. Preachers aren't men in this generation, their pansies! God holds pastors double accountable. Judgment will begin at the house of God. Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) was right, who said, “There's only two problems in America: the preacher and the papa!”

I honestly don't blame 155,000 people a week in the United States for leaving their dead churches!!! Many pastors have the sorry attitude that people are just supposed to come to church, period, no matter how boring, dead and unproductive the ministry is. Folks, it simply doesn't work that way. If you're miserable in the church you're in, you should look for a better church, where people love and want to be there, because it is a growing church, with a man who walks with God for a pastor, and people are made to feel loved and wanted when they do come to church.
 

Great Revivals Are Still Possible in Modern Times!

I listen to lots of preaching. THANK GOD FOR THE INTERNET! I rely on the internet for real preaching. Everything in life is a double-edged sword. The internet is making it possible for people in even the most remote areas of the world to receive and hear the truth of the Gospel. Ninety-nine percent of Baptist churches today are DEAD. I think Pastor Jeff Owens said it best...

“It's a sad thing to me. Lot of churches out there, they're DEAD, people come to church—they're board, they don't like it, they're not doing anything, they're not accomplishing anything! We're helping people. We're making a difference. I think that's what what God wanted. I think God wanted us to help and reach people. Thank God that He chose to use people. I'm so glad He uses people.” —Pastor Jeff Owens, a quote from the 2017 MP3 sermon titled, Thank God For Our Old Time Revival

The average Baptist church has 50 members, and ten years later still has 50 members! About the most activity at such churches is choir practice. If they do go soulwinning, it's for an hour a week and half the time is spent lollygagging, talking and doing nothing meaningful. People are dying for something real. I loathe going to most churches. They're dead. Why go to church if they're doing nothing for God? And then the pastor asks the congregation to pray for families when they leave the church, failing to realize that HE'S THE REASON they left, because the church is boring, dry and dead!!! The average Baptist church has false repentance in their tracks, teaching to “turn from sin” to be saved. Folks, anyone who tells you to “turn from sins” to be saved is a liar! In the preceding sermon, Pastor Jeff Owen's announced that 110 people were saved, and 13 people joined the church, during their 2017 revival. Amen! The Twin Rivers Baptist Church just broke a new all-time attendance record in September of 2017. One man can make a difference for God!!! I love Brother Owens and thank God for his hard work, love and faithfulness in the Lord!!!

“Revival without God is not possible!”
—Pastor Jeff Owens, a quote from the 2017 MP3 sermon titled, Thank God For Our Old Time Revival

As Satan continues to infiltrate the churches with hundreds of corrupt Bible versions, and apostasy increasingly takes hold on the remaining churches, they are changing for the worse. I'm so sick and tired of “chip on the shoulder” pastors, sinfully proud, lacking humility, who don't know what they're doing, wasting God's time and money, merely playing church. I'm just not impressed with the pastors I meet anymore. I can tell how close a man truly walks with God by his attitude toward THE TRUTH. When I hand a pastor sermons and books, by red-hot and doctrinally-sound fundamental preachers, and he's unresponsive, I know something is very wrong in his soul. Most pastors THINK SMALL; therefore, their ministries stay small. Sad to say, most preachers don't want to be handed preaching!!! What a sad commentary on preachers. Well, I love the truth!!! All I see today in the churches are “salary suckers”!

A church cannot rise above the spirituality of the pastor. And it's not the place for a church member or visitor to tell the pastor how to run his church. In my humble opinion, pastors are one of the least responsive groups in America. They are stinking proud, hot-tempered and you cannot speak in the ears of a stubborn fool. There is not a more arrogant group of men in the world than American pastors! And for that matter, there's not a more humble group of men, than those pastors who truly walk with God (which are few and far between)!!! A humble godly man seeks, appreciates, loves and preaches THE TRUTH!!!

It is the man, and not the position, that makes the pastor. I get sick and tired of pastors touting their position of “authority” in the church. My friend, the ONLY “authority” in the church is the inspired Word of God (i.e., the King James Bible)!!! I am a nobody!!! I am nothing! I'm just a guy with a website. But you'll never find anyone more sincere and real than me. I just want to help others for Christ, and be a blessing to as many people as I can, while I can, where I can, in any way that I can. I feel sorry for any pastor, who is so wimpy and little as a man, that he has to continually assert his “authority” as the pastor. What such a milquetoast pastor needs to do is get right with God, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, learn how to preach, start going soul-winning 6 days a week, sincerely love everyone with God's unconditional love, and stop making excuses. Is it any wonder why most churches never grow? Most pastors are simply not leaders, and a man that cannot lead is simply in the way of God's work! Either lead me, follow me, or get out of my way!!!
 

Christian Leaders Have a Responsibility to Teach Doctrine

It is not enough just to win somebody to the Lord and then expect them to figure it out on their own. Strong churches are built upon a doctrinally sound congregation. The average church lacks doctrinal soundness. You'd be shocked if you knew how many churches don't FEED their people. Ask the average church member if Jesus' blood is on the heavenly Mercy Seat and they won't know. Jesus' physical blood is sprinkled on the heavenly Mercy Seat (Hebrews 9:12; 12:24)! Ask the average church member how many books are in the Bible and they won't know. There are 66 books in the inspired King James Bible! Ask the average church member questions about Bible prophecy, and they'll look at you dumbfounded. A pastor must teach doctrine to his people! A STRONG CHURCH IS A WELL-FED CHURCH!!! That's one thing I love about Pastor Steven Anderson (even though I disagree with him on some doctrinal points), he really feeds his people doctrinally! I cannot think of a pastor who touches upon more subjects, and yet still stays close to the cross, than Pastor Anderson. I love the guy! Brother Anderson is real, and he's teaching other converts to become soul-winners, epitomizing what God intended in The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). I am 100% for all soul-winning preachers!!!

Many pastors avoid controversies, which I think is a big mistake. People are curious and have questions. If you don't take sides in a controversy, then you're leaving your people to decide for themselves, or remain ignorant of important matters. Truthfully, there is NO controversy if you believe the Bible! Sadly, many pastors aren't informed on the various controversies (e.g., the timing of the Rapture, Zionism, the Federal Reserve scam, the 9/11 attacks, the age of the earth, storehouse tithing, repentance, et cetera). I think it's just a big copout when preachers avoid these subjects. Some pastors just want the easy life, to get paid, and stay at ease on Zion. Such pastors never do great works for God. Dead pastors criticize achievers! The greatest achiever in the pulpit and out, since the New Testament church in Acts, was Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001). My website wouldn't be here if it weren't for Dr. Hyles. A million people would be on their way to the Lake of Fire if it weren't for Brother Hyles, including myself. Most pastors aren't worthy to shine Dr. Hyles' shoes, who unjustly criticize him, as jealous as they can be of his great accomplishments in the Lord Jesus Christ!!!

No one fed God's flock like Pastor Jack Hyles. No one! I greatly encourage you to listen to Brother Hyles preaching on a regular basis, which I know will be a blessing to you, as much as it has been to me. Preaching helps us to think straight! One of the biggest problems that I see in today's churches is that pastors are not feeding their people. Pastors often preach on topics that appeal to them, failing to consider the spiritual needs of the people. Dr. Jack Hyles used to say that he had about 20 major topics that he regularly preached on.

One of the reasons why people drop out of church is because they feel unneeded. A church ought to have many ministries. Church members should be encouraged to start their own ministries; such as, a truck stop ministry, prison ministry, nursing home ministry, homeless ministry, men's ministry, ladies ministry, missionaries, a military outreach ministry, a youth ministry, a singles ministry, and most importantly, a bus ministry! There are hundreds of possibilities! People want to get involved in a growing church! I know churches that are always working on improving the church building, while the local community goes to Hell. You're not going to build a church going soul-winning two hours a week! Anything that provides an opportunity to interact with the local community, where the Gospel can be shared, can become a ministry. MOST CHURCHES HAVE NO REAL MINISTRIES!!! Church outings, banquets and clean-up days are opportunities for church members to get involved, and they are good, but the key is soul-winning. I believe churches should look for ways, and provides regular opportunities, for their people to serve and get involved; but soul-winning ought to be the top priority. Everybody needs something to do in the local New Testament church.
 

Assurance of Salvation is Necessary to Have Peace and Joy in the Lord

You can KNOW beyond any shadow of a doubt that you are saved. Assurance is absolutely necessary for you to obtain peace and joy in your Christian life. Miserable is the believer who doesn't have the full assurance that their name is written in Heaven. The reason why many believers fear is simply because they fear that which they don't fully understand. You need to get it settled in your mind and heart, that we are saved solely by GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, through faith alone in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” You need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!!! I already have it, since I was 13 years old, when I trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, believing (placing my confidence in the Gospel) that He died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and bodily raised up the third day. That's my only hope for Heaven and eternal life. Since I know that salvation has nothing to do with me, except that I am trusting Christ, I KNOW I am saved. If you believe, then you are saved too! It's that simple and easy to be saved!

“Now the blood is what makes you right! Only the blood balances the scales. The blood as far as your standing with God is concerned, balances the scales when you put your faith in Christ. As far as your relationship with God is concerning, the blood balances the scales when you confess your sins.” —Dr. Jack Hyles (a precious quote from the awesome 1991 mp3 sermon, “How To Be Right With God”

END OF ARTICLE

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” ―Elie Wiesel

I am appalled at the indifference amongst professed Christians today concerning the corrupting of God's Word. They just don't care which Bible is God's Word. I'm talking about thousands of shameful apostate religious colleges today, that are INDIFFERENT toward the hundreds of perverted English Bibles, all of which are the Devil's way of depriving people of the true and pure Word of God. Consequently, there are many false plans of salvations being taught in the churches today, mainly the heresy of manmade repentance, aka, Lordship Salvation. Here is a truthful quote from Pastor Jack Hyles...

“God has a special rebuke, again and again and again in the Bible,  toward those people who keep their neutrality in the work of God!”—SOURCE: Dr. Jack Hyles, a quote from the great MP3 sermon, “Where Were You In The Battle?”

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