I have met very few Christians who have never doubted their salvation. This world and our churches are full of people who really don't have the faintest idea at times whether they are saved or not. The Bible teaches three things about salvation. First of all, you can be saved. Secondly, you can know that you're saved. Thirdly, you can be sure that you will never lose your salvation. Your joy, as a Christian, will be directly proportional to your assurance that you are a Christian.
If you're ever in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets for a flight, and those who are flying standby. The ones with confirmed tickets are reading newspapers, talking, or sleeping. The ones on standby hang around the ticket counter, walk back and forth, and keep checking nervously to see if they are going to make the flight. The difference is: One has a confirmed seat on the flight, and he knows he's going to get on the plane, and the other person is not sure. As presumptuous as it may sound, I'm going to show you how you can know for sure that you are saved, and you have a home reserved for you in heaven--But before I do, let me warn you of something----There are two types of assurance: There is, first of all, undeserved assurance. Some people have assurance who have no right to it. The old spiritual put it well: "Everybody talkin' about heaven ain't goin' there." I want to deal with what I call undermined assurance. There are some people who are saved, but they are basing their assurance on the wrong reason, and they are filled with doubt. Doubt in the power of Christ is not the ticket you want to have.
The second statement that Jesus made on the cross was to a convicted felon, and this statement settles, once and for all, three truths: Anyone that wants to be saved can be saved. It is never too late for anyone to be saved at any place or any time. Anyone who is saved, should know that they are saved. We're going to look, first of all, at what the sinner said to the Savior; then we're going to look at what the Savior said to the sinner; and then we're going to look at the result of their conversation.
I. The Sinner's Reason For Doubt
The sinner makes one statement--It really is in the form of a prayer--He says: "Lord,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (v.42) This thief saw something in the last minutes of his life that, had he not seen it, would have doomed his soul forever---He saw his sinfulness. He realized that it was his sin that had nailed himself to the cross; but more than that, he realized it was his sin that had nailed Jesus to the cross. The reason why this thief was saved is because he finally realized he was lost. Here was a man who had probably broken every commandment many times over. I want to remind you that this thief, who was wonderfully saved, was not so sympathetic to Jesus at first. Matthew tells us that he, too, was singing in the choir of the critics as they mocked and ridiculed the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mt. 27:41-44) Likewise the chief priests, also mocking with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.' Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. At first he, too, mocked the Lord Jesus. He, too, ridiculed the Lord Jesus. He, too, scorned the Lord Jesus. He, too, cursed the Lord Jesus--But a tremendous transformation took place.
Condemnation turned into adoration, derision turned into devotion, laughter turned into love, ridicule turned into reverence. He makes a one sentence request of Jesus, and he begins by calling him "Lord." That was not only a statement of confidence, it was a statement of courage. Do you realize at that moment this thief was the only person in the world that was willing to call him "Lord?" He then makes a simple request: "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." That may be the most amazing example of faith found in the Word of God. Why? Because Jesus never looked less like a king than he did at this moment. His throne was a cross--His diadem was a crown of thorns. His scepter was a bloody spike--His court was a mob of mockers. Yet, this dying thief, seeing through the eyes of faith, recognized this suffering Savior as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Here was a man who had lived in sin and wickedness and rebellion all of his life. In fact, just moments before, as we have already learned, he had been ridiculing and blaspheming the Lord Jesus Christ. But now he makes a simple request: "Lord, remember me." This thief realized that he was dying in his sin, but that Jesus was dying for his sins.
II. The Savior's Reply To Doubt
Above the cackle of the crowd, Jesus hears the cry of the criminal and immediately, Jesus answers this man's prayer and makes a reservation for him in heaven. Now this is the only person in the Bible ever saved at the last moment--This is the only deathbed repentance recorded in the Bible. It is the only case of a person being saved literally in the last moments of his life. There is one case that none might despair, but only one that none might presume.
Jesus says to this man: "Today, you will be with Me in Paradise." He was not saved by good works, because he didn't have any. All he had was a Savior's grace, and a sinner's faith. This thief is the classic illustration of two of the greatest verses in the Bible. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Salvation is not in the merit of man, it is in the mercy of God. It is not in the goodness of man, it is in the grace of God. It is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty. That is God's equation for salvation. When you take a guilty sinner and link that guilty sinner to a gracious Savior, by the chain of faith, the result is salvation for the sinner, and glory to the Savior.
No one would have given this thief a prayer to go to heaven. Yet, in the end a prayer is all he had, and in the end a prayer is all it took. This man had breakfast on earth with the devil, and supper in paradise with the Lord. In just one act of faith, with just three words, "Lord, remember me," this thief went from prison, to punishment, to pardon, to paradise.
III. The Savior's Remedy For Doubt
Now how does this conversation help us to turn doubt inside out? Well, notice carefully again what Jesus said to this man: "And Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you." The word assuredly is the Greek word Amen--It is a word of affirmation, a word that guarantees the truth of what is being said. This thief only had one basis of assurance that he was going to heaven, and that was the Word of the Savior. The only way that thief had of being sure he was going to heaven was because Jesus said that he would.
I want to say to you that the only way you and I can know for sure that we are going to heaven is what God says in his word: "These things I have written unto you that you might know that you have eternal life." (I Jn. 5:13)
One of two things is true: Either that thief is in heaven, or Jesus lied. If Jesus lied, then not only is that thief not going to heaven, none of us are going to heaven.
You may be saying, "Are you telling me that the only assurance that I can have that I will go to heaven when I die is the Word of God? In reality, I am saying more than that. Not only is the Word of God all we have, the Word of God is all we need. If God says it, that settles it, and we ought to believe it. What else could you possibly need?
If you're ever in an airport, observe the difference between passengers who hold confirmed tickets for a flight, and those who are flying standby. The ones with confirmed tickets are reading newspapers, talking, or sleeping. The ones on standby hang around the ticket counter, walk back and forth, and keep checking nervously to see if they are going to make the flight. The difference is: One has a confirmed seat on the flight, and he knows he's going to get on the plane, and the other person is not sure. As presumptuous as it may sound, I'm going to show you how you can know for sure that you are saved, and you have a home reserved for you in heaven--But before I do, let me warn you of something----There are two types of assurance: There is, first of all, undeserved assurance. Some people have assurance who have no right to it. The old spiritual put it well: "Everybody talkin' about heaven ain't goin' there." I want to deal with what I call undermined assurance. There are some people who are saved, but they are basing their assurance on the wrong reason, and they are filled with doubt. Doubt in the power of Christ is not the ticket you want to have.
The second statement that Jesus made on the cross was to a convicted felon, and this statement settles, once and for all, three truths: Anyone that wants to be saved can be saved. It is never too late for anyone to be saved at any place or any time. Anyone who is saved, should know that they are saved. We're going to look, first of all, at what the sinner said to the Savior; then we're going to look at what the Savior said to the sinner; and then we're going to look at the result of their conversation.
I. The Sinner's Reason For Doubt
The sinner makes one statement--It really is in the form of a prayer--He says: "Lord,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (v.42) This thief saw something in the last minutes of his life that, had he not seen it, would have doomed his soul forever---He saw his sinfulness. He realized that it was his sin that had nailed himself to the cross; but more than that, he realized it was his sin that had nailed Jesus to the cross. The reason why this thief was saved is because he finally realized he was lost. Here was a man who had probably broken every commandment many times over. I want to remind you that this thief, who was wonderfully saved, was not so sympathetic to Jesus at first. Matthew tells us that he, too, was singing in the choir of the critics as they mocked and ridiculed the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mt. 27:41-44) Likewise the chief priests, also mocking with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.' Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. At first he, too, mocked the Lord Jesus. He, too, ridiculed the Lord Jesus. He, too, scorned the Lord Jesus. He, too, cursed the Lord Jesus--But a tremendous transformation took place.
Condemnation turned into adoration, derision turned into devotion, laughter turned into love, ridicule turned into reverence. He makes a one sentence request of Jesus, and he begins by calling him "Lord." That was not only a statement of confidence, it was a statement of courage. Do you realize at that moment this thief was the only person in the world that was willing to call him "Lord?" He then makes a simple request: "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." That may be the most amazing example of faith found in the Word of God. Why? Because Jesus never looked less like a king than he did at this moment. His throne was a cross--His diadem was a crown of thorns. His scepter was a bloody spike--His court was a mob of mockers. Yet, this dying thief, seeing through the eyes of faith, recognized this suffering Savior as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Here was a man who had lived in sin and wickedness and rebellion all of his life. In fact, just moments before, as we have already learned, he had been ridiculing and blaspheming the Lord Jesus Christ. But now he makes a simple request: "Lord, remember me." This thief realized that he was dying in his sin, but that Jesus was dying for his sins.
II. The Savior's Reply To Doubt
Above the cackle of the crowd, Jesus hears the cry of the criminal and immediately, Jesus answers this man's prayer and makes a reservation for him in heaven. Now this is the only person in the Bible ever saved at the last moment--This is the only deathbed repentance recorded in the Bible. It is the only case of a person being saved literally in the last moments of his life. There is one case that none might despair, but only one that none might presume.
Jesus says to this man: "Today, you will be with Me in Paradise." He was not saved by good works, because he didn't have any. All he had was a Savior's grace, and a sinner's faith. This thief is the classic illustration of two of the greatest verses in the Bible. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Salvation is not in the merit of man, it is in the mercy of God. It is not in the goodness of man, it is in the grace of God. It is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty. That is God's equation for salvation. When you take a guilty sinner and link that guilty sinner to a gracious Savior, by the chain of faith, the result is salvation for the sinner, and glory to the Savior.
No one would have given this thief a prayer to go to heaven. Yet, in the end a prayer is all he had, and in the end a prayer is all it took. This man had breakfast on earth with the devil, and supper in paradise with the Lord. In just one act of faith, with just three words, "Lord, remember me," this thief went from prison, to punishment, to pardon, to paradise.
III. The Savior's Remedy For Doubt
Now how does this conversation help us to turn doubt inside out? Well, notice carefully again what Jesus said to this man: "And Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you." The word assuredly is the Greek word Amen--It is a word of affirmation, a word that guarantees the truth of what is being said. This thief only had one basis of assurance that he was going to heaven, and that was the Word of the Savior. The only way that thief had of being sure he was going to heaven was because Jesus said that he would.
I want to say to you that the only way you and I can know for sure that we are going to heaven is what God says in his word: "These things I have written unto you that you might know that you have eternal life." (I Jn. 5:13)
One of two things is true: Either that thief is in heaven, or Jesus lied. If Jesus lied, then not only is that thief not going to heaven, none of us are going to heaven.
You may be saying, "Are you telling me that the only assurance that I can have that I will go to heaven when I die is the Word of God? In reality, I am saying more than that. Not only is the Word of God all we have, the Word of God is all we need. If God says it, that settles it, and we ought to believe it. What else could you possibly need?
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