False, true assurance
False security
Last of three parts
Because of life’s uncertainties, mankind has sought security in religion. There was an intuitive awareness of a Higher Power behind the observed world. Contact with the divine was problematic.
First: people tried to make the invisible visible by carving images representing a god. Second: the visible became more important than the invisible; gradually the idol became a god. Idol worship got deeply entrenched in the human psyche. Ancient Israel strayed into idolatry repeatedly till the exile.
Third: different people worshiped different gods. The desire to please all gods led to polytheism. The belief that gods are in everything is called pantheism.
Fourth: since the time of Abraham, some got convinced that there is only one true God. Abraham and Melchizedek, priest-king of Jerusalem, called this God the “Most High” (Gen. 14).
Humanity’s idolatry gave false security. They thought they pleased the gods, but they displeased the Highest.
Greek mythology pictures the manipulative interaction of the gods and the pranks they played on vulnerable humans. The Bible ridicules dead idols and depicts the triumph of the true God over them (1 Kings 18).
The Bible presents itself as the word of the one true God. Although it was written by about 40 people, it shows the unity and consistency of One — the Author of our faith (Heb. 12:2, 2 Pet. 1:21).
The self-testimony of the Bible is so convincing that those who read it openmindedly become convinced of self-evident truth. It does not need scientific facts to prove its truth. Reading what Christ did and said shows that he was not an imposter but the incarnated Son of God.
God did not give mankind his full revelation all at once, but he gradually revealed more of it. Vague prophecies of the Old Testament became as clear as crystal in the New (Ps. 2, Is. 53). The portrayal of the Messiah as suffering yet triumphant is linked to his first and second coming.
Jesus said he was the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep. He is the way, the truth and the life; nobody comes to the Father but by him (John 10:11, 14:6).
He invited the burdened to come to him and find true rest (Matt. 11:28-30). Whoever comes to him, he will not drive away — this is his word of honour (John 6:37). Anyone who trusts his word of honour and comes to him for salvation can be sure of receiving it, because he said so. His word of honour gives assurance of faith (Rom. 10:8, 9, 17).
Trusting in good works give false security. Faith in Christ is needed for justification; it is followed by sanctification which is driven by faith, hope and love (Gal. 2:15-16, Eph. 2:5-10, James 2:14-26, John 6:47, 13:34).