A Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance
By Matthew Emadi
Overview
Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace is doctrinally rich and pastorally sensitive. With contributions from ten different authors, this book examines the biblical teaching of assurance in relation to other significant biblical doctrines. Written for Christian laypeople, each author writes with a concern to help Christians understand how God’s Word anchors their assurance not in a sense of self-confidence, but in the unshakeable truth of the gospel.
Table of Contents
1 Our Sure Foundation (Burk Parsons)
2 Assured from Beginning to End (Philip Graham Ryken)
3 Guarded through Faith (R. Albert Mohler Jr.)
4 Assured in Christ (Richard D. Phillips)
5 Assurance Justified (Sinclair B. Ferguson)
6 The Fullness of Grace (Joel R. Beeke)
7 The Glory of True Repentance (John MacArthur)
8 God’s Means of Assurance (Keith Mathison)
9 The Blessings of Discipline (Jerry Bridges)
Epilogue The Anatomy of Doubt and Assurance (R. C. Sproul)
Summary
Chapter 1: Our Sure Foundation
(Burk Parsons)
Many Christians struggle with assurance of their salvation. We readily admit that our salvation is a gift from God but perceive our perseverance in the faith is something we must do on our own. Such an understanding situates our assurance on unstable emotions instead of the unchanging truth of God’s Word. The Bible exhorts believers to endure to the end (2 Timothy 2:9; Matthew 10:22), but it also tells us that our ability to endure does not depend on our own strength.
Scripture assures us of our acceptance in Christ (Eph. 1:6). Our assurance of salvation will grow stronger when we realize that God is the one who saved us and that he is also the one who will keep us.
We can easily begin to doubt our justification and victory in Christ because we all still struggle with sin and we live in a fallen world. But God will remain faithful to his promises. He assures his people of their salvation by convicting them of sin, leading them to repentance, disciplining them in love, and placing a godly fear in their hearts (cf. Romans 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25; 1 John 1:9; Jeremiah 32:40; Hebrews 12:4). For his own glory, God will ensure that his people persevere until the end.
Chapter 2: Assured from Beginning to End
(Philip Graham Ryken)
The plan of salvation originated in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:3–14 articulates God’s plan of salvation, emphasizing the work of every person of the Trinity in accomplishing our redemption and highlights the sovereignty of God in working out his own eternal decree. God does all things according to the counsel of his will (Eph. 1:11). Part of this decree is God’s choice to save particular sinners. He elected them in Christ unto eternal life according to the counsel of his will. He made this choice compelled by nothing except his own free grace and love.
How can we be sure that we are among the elect? The certainty of our election comes from recognizing that the elect are chosen in Christ. God planned no other way of salvation for his people other than salvation in Christ. If you want to be certain of your election. . .
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