January 6 – LD 1, Day 6: Our Own Assurance of Belonging to Jesus

Read: Romans 8:15-17

The HC always approaches all the doctrines contained in it from a very personal point of view. Our teachers who put the questions of the HC to us want not simply theological answers, but personal answers, answers that demonstrate that the truths of Scripture are very really our faith; and that we know these truths to be for ourselves.

The HC does not only talk about an only comfort, but it talks about my only comfort; your only comfort.

If we are to make the HC our own personal confession, it follows that we have to have the assurance in our own hearts that all these truths are true for me. How can we be sure of this?

This is an important question, because many people in the church world claim never to be sure of their salvation. They live, go to church, and die without knowing whether they are a child of God for whom the truth of Scripture is really theirs. This doubt is a very sad thing.

It is not only sad, however; it is a sin. Every one of us has his moments of doubt – of course. Especially when we come to understand the riches of our salvation, we ask ourselves whether it is really true that we are the heirs to such blessings. And, when our sins rise up against us and we see our unworthiness, we cannot possibly imagine that we are the objects of such great love because we are such dreadful sinners.

But these doubts are sins; they are sins that must be confessed at the foot of the cross of Calvary. They are sins that need to be forgiven. We may not doubt. We are commanded to believe in Jesus Christ. To doubt is disobedience to Christ’s command. We do not even ask ourselves the question: Am I really and truly a child of God? We do not ask ourselves that question any more than we ask ourselves: Am I really a child of this man and this woman who claim to be my parents? Our parents would be rightfully angry if we would doubt their parenthood.

But Christ also gives us, by His Spirit, the assurance of our salvation. This is the teaching of Romans 8:15-17. Assurance too is not something we attain by our works, but is a gracious gift of God through Christ for us. Let us joyfully confess this truth.