Blessed Assurance

John wrote to believers so that they might know they have eternal life. He did not tell them to build their assurance on a perfect week, a strong emotion, or the absence of questions. He directed them to the Son of God and to the testimony God has given concerning Him. Assurance is rooted in the One we trust. Our feelings may rise and fall, but the saving work of Christ is not rewritten every morning.

This confidence never makes sin harmless. Earlier John wrote that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). He also wrote that Jesus Christ the righteous is our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). When we fail, we need honest repentance, not denial; and we need to return to Christ, not flee from Him in shame. His grace produces a life that increasingly loves God and His people.

If uncertainty has been troubling your heart, ask what voice you have been using as the final authority. Bring your questions to Scripture. Look to Jesus, who died and rose again, and place your trust in Him. Confess what needs to change and receive the forgiveness He promises. Then thank the Father that eternal life is His gift in His Son. You can walk humbly and confidently today because your hope rests in a faithful Savior.