Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” He loved me and gave himself for me.  This is both faith and assurance. The Reformers said that assurance is not the possibility of salvation, but the certainty of salvation.

Assurance is divided into two categories, assurance of faith and assurance of perception. Assurance of faith is a direct assurance, while assurance of perception is the reflective and responsive action of the soul. The object of assurance of faith is outside of oneself, in Christ revealed by the promise of the gospel. Assurance of perception is Christ who lives in us through the Holy Spirit. The assurance of faith is Christ outside of us, while the assurance of perception is Christ who lives in our hearts. Assurance of faith is the cause, or source, of assurance of perception.

1 Timothy 1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” This is a trustworthy and fully admirable statement. Of those of whom I am the chief, the word of promise comes to lost sinners. Believe in the Son of God and you will be saved. It also comes to every sinner who hears the gospel. Acts 15:11 “We believe that we have been saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are. “God requires us to receive Christ personally. According to our sinful nature, we are all under the curse. The gospel proclamation is the gospel offered to the greatest sinners. Because the gospel comes to sinners as sinners, we believe that Christ welcomes us. We are not justified as good people or chosen people, but as ungodly sinners. We are not even justified as sinners who feel God’s love for me. Many times we say that we feel the love of Christ, so we believe. When we believe, we see that we have nothing, only death and condemnation. Because of grace, we embrace the promise of the gospel. In the storm of God’s wrath, only Christ, the rock, is our salvation. Our only hope is to hold on to him tightly, otherwise we will perish. Faith may be weak at first, but what is important is not whether the faith is strong or weak, but whether it is a saving faith, whether it is real faith. As long as the faith is redemptive, it doesn’t matter whether it is strong or weak, believe in Jesus Christ in the promise. If this is not our reality, both strong and weak faith are false.

The only guarantee of faith is the promise of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ in the promise, faith embraces Christ and all His benefits. Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, righteousness and sanctification in Christ, these are the benefits of Christ. It is through the Holy Spirit that we can believe, and the Holy Spirit works faith. Where there is the action of trusting in Christ, there is the essence of faith. I am sure that Christ is my salvation, true faith is a firm trust, Jesus bears all our sins. Abraham believed God’s promise, even though he did not have Isaac, but it was as if he held Isaac in his arms, as if the promise was fulfilled. Redemptive faith, full trust in Christ as our only sufficient Savior, righteousness, sanctification, and salvation. Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The essence of assurance is to believe that God will come to fulfill what the physical eyes cannot see. This chapter sees many people being given the grace of faith. Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Faith does not come from feeling, but faith comes from hearing. Faith is hearing the words of the Holy Spirit. It is not feeling the Holy Spirit speaking in my heart. Faith has feelings, but they are not its foundation. If we base our faith on feelings, we fall into self-deception. Because our faith is not focused on Christ. People who stay in the general conviction of sin, their trust is not in Christ, and they will be happy because of the feeling of promise. If you want to have the assurance of perception, you must first have the assurance of faith. If you base your assurance on feelings instead of faith, you are deceiving yourself. And you can firmly say that Christ is my only hope. From the bottom of my heart, I want to be saved in God’s way. I embrace the threefold office of Christ. I have all evil in me, but I long to walk in the right way. I have no hope now, but I hope to be accepted by the Father through Christ. I have only unbelief and self-righteousness in me, but I believe that there is perfect holiness in Christ, which is suitable and sufficient for me, and I apply Christ to myself. Finally, this person says that I am in a state of grace.