Page 20 - May 2025 - Truth & Tidings

it explains the relevance of the answer to of doubt and discouragement steepens,
his cry for deliverance: “[Paul], my grace and the enemy who could not thwart
is sufficient for thee” (2Co 12:9). God’s grace in saving you succeeds in
Doubts, particularly concerning the robbing you of all joy and effectiveness
great matter of personal salvation, can for God.
arise because of an incomplete under- What is the answer? When the Lord
standing of God’s purpose (as with John), Jesus healed the woman whose life was
or because circumstances are exploited slowly ebbing away, Mark records that
by the Adversary who lets fly a salvo of “she felt in her body that she was healed
“fiery darts” (as with Paul), or from a of that plague” (Mar 5:29). In His kindness
sense of personal worthlessness (as with and wisdom, the Lord Jesus did not leave
Elijah). For each of those godly servants,
deliverance and assurance came by the the woman with her feelings as the only
word of the Lord. And so it will be for the assurance that she was healed; He left her
believer who, through whatever cause, with His word: “Daughter, thy faith hath
is tormented by doubts about salvation. made thee whole; go in peace, and be
Probably, the most common form of doubt whole of thy plague” (v34). Assurance of
does not concern the doctrine of how a salvation does not come from the memory
righteous, sin-hating God can “be just, of some experience or feeling, however
and the justifier of him which believeth in precious it was at the time; it comes from
Jesus” (Rom 3:26), but simply this: Have I resting confidently on the Word of God.
really got it? Am I truly saved? Doubts, ultimately, are a trial of faith,
That particular doubt often arises from and the Saviour, when tried in body, soul
the conflict in the believer between that and spirit in the wilderness, answered the
which we inherited from Adam and that taunts of the devil in the words of Scrip-
which has been born of God. “For the flesh ture alone. While doubts, of course, never
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit assailed the Lord Jesus, he went through
against the flesh: and these are contrary the wilderness experience so that He could
the one to the other: so that ye cannot do truly sympathise with us today (Heb 4:15-
the things that ye would” (Gal 5:17). Thus, 16). When doubts arise, three immediate
the Accuser brings to the Christian’s notice actions will help: first, remember that
all the thoughts, words and deeds that are the ungodly do not have such doubts!
inconsistent with being “a new creature: In themselves, they are an evidence of
[in whom] old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new” (2Co salvation. Second, earnestly and honestly
5:17). Deceitfully, the impression is given pour out your soul to the Lord. There is
that the troubled believer is the only one no greater issue in life than to be assured
thinking, speaking and acting like this. At- your sins are forgiven and your soul is
tention is drawn to others in the assembly saved; so confess your doubts and cry to
and the cheerful, confident Christian life the Lord for clarity and assurance. Then,
that they are (apparently) living. You are third, read the Scriptures carefully, and let
not like that, he whispers; you are a failure the Spirit of God restore confidence in the
in your testimony and only pretending to living Word and “full assurance of faith”
have what others clearly have. The spiral (Heb 10:22).

148 TRUTH kTidings May 2025