WLC 81

Q81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved?

Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith, true believers may wait long before they obtain it; and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions; yet are they never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them from sinking into utter despair.

Proof texts

• Eph. 1:13 — [13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
• Isa. 50:10 — [10] Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.
• Ps. 88 — [1] O LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. [2] Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! [3] For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. [4] I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, [5] like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. [6] You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. [7] Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. <i>Selah</i> [8] You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; [9] my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you. [10] Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? <i>Selah</i> [11] Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? [12] Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? [13] But I, O LORD, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. [14] O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? [15] Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. [16] Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. [17] They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. [18] You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.
• Ps. 22:1 — [1] My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
• Ps. 31:22 — [22] I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.
• Ps. 51:8,12 — [8] Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. [12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
• Ps. 77:1-12 — [1] I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. [2] In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. [3] When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. <i>Selah</i> [4] You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. [5] I consider the days of old, the years long ago. [6] I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search: [7] “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? [8] Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? [9] Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” <i>Selah</i> [10] Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” [11] I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. [12] I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
• Song 5:2-3,6 — [2] I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” [3] I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? [6] I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.
• 1 John 3:9 — [9] No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
• Job 13:15 — [15] Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.
• Ps. 73:15,23 — [15] If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. [23] Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
• Isa. 54:7-10 — [7] For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. [8] In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer. [9] “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. [10] For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Eph. 1:13 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 12 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. CD 4.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. The Assembly divided over this: Assurance: Of the Essence of Saving Faith?. Does every true believer have full assurance, or is assurance a separate gift? What turns on the answer?

Read alongside

CD 4.1