FEBC released an essay on their website titled "KNOWING FOR SURE I AM SAVED," it can be retrieved at https://www.truelifebpc.org.sg/church_weekly/knowing-for-sure-i-am-saved/ to which a response is provided below.
Samuel and Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for the sermon on "Knowing For Sure I Am Saved." It thoughtfully addressed the vital biblical themes of assurance, the dangers of false confidence, and the grounding of our certainty in God's Word and work. The emphasis on self-examination (2 Pet. 1:10) and the warning against the Pharisees' self-righteousness (Matt. 23) were particularly crucial.
However, with deep concern and a heavy heart, I must observe that the lived reality within our congregation seems tragically disconnected from the very marks of true salvation and assurance you so rightly described. The sermon calls us to examine the evidence of God's work in our lives as a ground for assurance. When we look at our collective behavior through the lens of Scripture, we see red flags that demand urgent, humble repentance, lest we fall into the very category of those with "false assurance" you warned about.
Where is the Evidence of God's Work?
You stated: "To be a Christian is to be God’s workmanship... where there is true salvation, true life, there will be signs of life... When we see such signs... we can be assured that God is at work." Let us honestly examine these signs in light of the concerns raised:
Pride, Division, and a "Holier-Than-Thou" Spirit: You warned powerfully against the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. Yet, the reported attitudes – feeling like "the most faithful Christians on earth," seeing ourselves as "better than others," possessing the "perfect Bible" (KJV-onlyism), attacking other denominations, splitting churches, and chasing out pastors – exemplify the very Phariseeism Christ condemned (Luke 18:9-14). This pride directly contradicts the humility Scripture associates with true faith (Micah 6:8, Phil. 2:3). How can assurance coexist with a spirit that actively destroys the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 1:10-13, 3:3)?
Lack of Love & Compassion: True salvation, rooted in God's love (Rom. 5:5), inevitably produces love for others, especially the poor and marginalized (1 John 3:17-18, James 2:14-17). The reported absence of "real love for the poor" and the focus on doctrinal battles over practical Christ-like service is a glaring contradiction. Does this evidence "God’s workmanship" or a heart hardened by self-focus?
Unloving Correction & Pastoral Ego: The desire among BPC pastors to "punish those who disagreed," coupled with an unwillingness to admit fault or ego, stands in stark opposition to the Biblical model of leadership (Mark 10:42-45, 1 Pet. 5:1-5). True shepherds correct gently (Gal. 6:1), mourn over sin (including their own), and seek restoration, not domination. Where is the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23) – in these actions and attitudes?
Misapplication of "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS): The sermon rightly distinguishes assurance from salvation and warns against presumption. Yet, the reported behavior suggests OSAS has been twisted into a license for unloving, divisive, and prideful conduct. If we are truly secure in Christ, shouldn't that security produce profound gratitude, humility, and a desire for unity and love, not a fortress of superiority and condemnation? Assurance that doesn't lead to increasing Christ-likeness and love is suspect (1 John 4:20-21).
Assurance Leading to Complacency, Not Consecration?
You concluded powerfully: "true assurance of salvation is such as to lead us, not to complacency, but to greater obedience and consecration... the more zealous we are to live for the Lord... the more we desire... worship."
Does the described behavior – the lack of love, the pride, the division, the harshness – reflect "greater obedience and consecration"? Or does it reflect a dangerous complacency, rooted in a false assurance that says "We have the truth (doctrine/Perfect Bible), therefore we are okay," regardless of how we treat others or reflect Christ's character? This looks like the very complacency and presumption your sermon warned against.
A Call to Align Our Lives with Our Doctrine
Samuel, your sermon provides the perfect foundation for addressing these deep concerns. You called us to ground our assurance in God's Word and God's Work evident in our lives. The behaviors described raise serious questions about the nature of that "work" evident in our congregation.
Let us urgently take to heart the call to "examine ourselves" (2 Cor. 13:5). Not just for intellectual assent to doctrine, but for the undeniable fruit of the Spirit and the radical love of Christ. Let us repent of pride, division, lovelessness, and harshness. Let us seek the humility and servanthood of Christ. Let our assurance manifest not in attacking others, but in serving them; not in splitting churches, but in building up the Body; not in neglecting the poor, but in loving them as Christ loves us.
True assurance, grounded in Christ alone and evidenced by His Spirit at work within us, will lead us together towards greater holiness, unity, and love – not further into the isolation of self-righteousness. May we have the courage to confront these contradictions and seek the genuine assurance that produces the undeniable fruit of a life transformed by grace.
In sorrowful love and hope for repentance and renewal,
A Concerned TLBPC Member
PS. What's the point? Knowing for certain you are saved? You continue to divide the church and families, as well as attack pastors who use the NIV, ESV, and other translations.
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