It is clear from 1 Thess. 5:8 that Paul is talking about the “hope” of salvation here, not salvation itself. There is a sense in which “we are saved by hope” (Rom. 8:24). The Ephesian believers to whom Paul was writing were already justified, or they would not have been in the fight at all.
Having a strong assured hope of our final deliverance from both the power and presence of sin is critical to our present security and victory. It is highly unlikely that one who has lingering doubts about his salvation will be very fruitful or effective in serving the Lord.
We cannot be more “saved” tomorrow than we are today, but we can grow in our assurance by using spiritual means that God has provided.
Satan’s favorite weapons against the believer are discouragement and doubt. He cannot touch our souls so he levels his attacks against our minds. We must never take off the helmet of salvation, because an assured hope of our final deliverance from the very presence of sin is vital to our present victory and service.
If we would grow in assurance we must exercise the hope we have. Repeated acts strengthen habits. God will reveal Himself progressively and increasingly if we will trust Him and put Him to the test.
Let us have pity and compassion on those who are “without Christ…, having no hope, and without God…” (Eph. 2:12). Many are entertaining a false hope. We need to be ready to “give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope" that we have (1 Pet. 3:15).
Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands including all mobile platforms + newsletter.
Text-Featuring a sermon is a less expensive way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands on the right bar with optional newsletter inclusion. As low as $30/day.
Bob Vradenburgh is the senior pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has spent 40 years in full-time Christian service: the first 20 years as a missionary and the past 20 years in the pastorate. Bob’s passion is the expository preaching of God’s Word,...
