The Assurance of Grace and Salvation 

Greg Dietrich·March 25, 2025·0 comments

Although false professors and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and fleshly presumptions of being in the favor of God and state of salvation, their hope will perish.1 Yet those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace.2 They can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, and this hope will never make them ashamed.3

This certainty is not mere conjecture or probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith4 founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel.5 It is also based on the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit to which the promises are made,6 and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God.7 It is a fruit of the Spirit, keeping the heart both humble and holy.8

This infallible assurance is not an essential aspect of faith, but a true believer may wait long and battle with many difficulties before he is partaker of it.9 Yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given to him by God, he may, without extraordinary revelation, in the right use of means, attain this assurance.10 Therefore it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure, and as a result, his heart may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience, which are the proper fruits of this assurance.11 So this assurance is far from inclining men to licentiousness.12

True believers may have the assurance of their salvation shaken, diminished, and interrupted in various ways. This can happen by negligence in preserving it,13 by falling into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit,14 by some sudden or vehement temptation,15 or by God’s withdrawing the light of his countenance allowing even those who fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light.16 Yet they are never destitute of the seed of God17 and life of faith,18 or the love of Christ and the brethren, or the sincerity of heart and conscience of their duty. By the operation of the Spirit, this assurance may in due time be revived.19 In the meantime, by the Spirit, they are preserved from utter despair.20

    1. Job 8:13–14 Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish. His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider’s web.  Matthew 7:22–23 “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”  ↩︎
    2. 1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.  1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.  1 John 3:18–19 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.  1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.  1 John 3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.  1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. ↩︎
    3. Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:5 Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ↩︎
    4. Hebrews 6:11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end.  Hebrews 6:19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.   ↩︎
    5. Hebrews 6:17–18 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. ↩︎
    6. 2 Peter 1:4–5 He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge.  2 Peter 1:10–11 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ↩︎
    7. Romans 8:15–16 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.  ↩︎
    8. 1 John 3:1–3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ↩︎
    9. Isaiah 50:10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.  Psalm 88:16 Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me.  Psalm 77:1–12 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, the years long ago. I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. ↩︎
    10. 1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  Hebrews 6:11–12 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  ↩︎
    11. Romans 5:1–2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:5 Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  Romans 14:1 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  Psalm 119:32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!  ↩︎
    12. Romans 6:1–2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?  Titus 2:11–14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. ↩︎
    13. Revelation 2:4–5 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ↩︎
    14. Psalm 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.  ↩︎
    15. Psalm 116:11 I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”  Psalm 77:7–8 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?  Psalm 31:22 I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. ↩︎
    16. Psalm 30:7 By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. ↩︎
    17. 1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ↩︎
    18. Luke 22:32 “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ↩︎
    19. Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.  Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. ↩︎
    20. Lamentations 3:26–31 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. For the Lord will not cast off forever. ↩︎

    Greg Dietrich

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