Forgiven, Loved, FreeSample

The Spirit’s Assurance

The first way we can receive assurance of forgiveness is believing that God is reliable. He doesn’t break his promises, and he has promised to forgive and cleanse those who confess. The second way that we can receive assurance is through the Holy Spirit assuring us that we have been adopted by a God who loves us.

When we fear that God is not pleased with us, we have good ways and bad ways to resolve that insecurity. One unhelpful test of God’s attitude toward us is to ask "have I sinned today?" If this is how we reassure ourselves of God’s love, we will always feel distant and ashamed. This is how some of us live, hoping to achieve a streak of sinless perfection so that we can be confident our relationship with God is strong. This would be putting your confidence in your character, instead of in what Jesus has done for us on the cross, and in God’s compassion and gracious kindness to us.

Instead of checking to see if we have sinned recently, we can look for the signs Paul describes in Romans 8. Do I agree that sin leads to death and that God has set good boundaries for human life? Do I try to restrain my desires that are contrary to these boundaries, even if I fall short? Do I want to follow Jesus, even if it means I suffer? Finally, do I love God? Do I cry out to him as my Father?

If we answer no to these questions, it could be that our lack of assurance is not really about God’s character, but about our own unwillingness to follow him. Is there some pattern in your life you know is against God’s boundaries, but something is stopping you from really wanting change? If this is the case, God is lovingly calling you to be set free. Talk to a pastor or a trusted Christian friend to help you figure out what is stopping you from choosing Jesus instead of sin.

If our answers are yes, be thankful for the evidence of the Spirit’s presence in your life. God is working in you to break the power of sin and comfort you with his love.