Faith and Assurance
The Scriptures record many of God’s people who suffer from a lack of assurance. The psalmist regularly questions God. Psalm 88 captures heart-aching cries to God: “For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.… But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?” (Ps 88:3, 13–14). Habakkuk was perplexed and even angry at God because he allowed the Chaldeans to take Israel into exile: “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise” (Hab 1:2–3). John had the privilege of being “Elijah who is to come” (Matt 11:14), the forerunner of the Messiah, the one who baptized the God-man, but doubts poured in like a flood when Jesus seemingly failed to inaugurate his kingdom, to judge the “brood of vipers” (Matt 3:7), and John was incarcerated by Herod. John sent his disciples to Christ with a message: “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:3). These different examples show that God gives the gift of faith to believe in Jesus, but the reception of that gift does not mean there are never struggles with doubt. By faith, we rest on the rock of Christ, but the storm waters may and often rise and lash us. How, then, in the face of the rising waters of doubt can we find assurance of our salvation?
John Fesko, The Giver of Life: The Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Salvation (p. 254). Lexham Press. Kindle Edition.