If your early
experience with the gospel of Christ includes modern evangelicalism,
you may be wondering about assurance, or why doubt & uncertainty
should often undermine one’s confidence in God. For many, the
problem began when someone
Why Does Assurance Matter?
Colossians 2:2
“..that their hearts may be consoled, being united in love, and
to all the riches of the
Hebrews 6:11 “..and
we desire each one of you the same diligence to show forth, unto the
Hebrews 10:22 “Let
us draw near with a true heart in
The Hamster Wheel
For a system of
religion to continue, there must be vital cause for adherents to
return to a common point, and with regularity.
Indeed, the Salvation of God in Christ is both tangible and palpable. Yet, as if to skillfully shade this bit, a tier system (clergy-laity) has been perpetuated alongside double-speak teaching,
English Sozo Translation
From the New
Testament now-extinct language, koine Greek, σοζο [sozo,
Strongs #G4982] does not appear in past tense form. This word, σοζο, was sure to have been evoked when about getting someone back into a boat, after finding them in the water. It
is close in use to the English word, rescue. One example from Ephesians 2:8 suggests a closer look: σεσωσμενοι, a
Perfect Participle Passive Nominal form of “sozo”. Neither KJV
nor Modern English can easily convey such a verb form, and
consequently, many English Bible translators had opted to render it
as a Past Participle. Even so, the Concordant Literal translation
reads, “For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is
not out of you; it is God's approach present”. Paul
highlighting how people come to be saved [in grace] – not to
assuring the Ephesians,
Are You Persuaded?
II Timothy 1:12
“For this cause I also suffer these things,
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and
am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him
Like Paul, do you
have this assurance?
It is our confidence
in God (not an affirmed assurance of salvation) which tells our
story, and speaks to our
John Wycliffe had
translated:
Romans 8:24 “But
by hope we be made safe. For hope that is seen, is not hope; for who hopes for that thing,