QUESTION 2: Can anybody really have assurance of salvation?
Yes, absolutely. It is certainly true that even the most devout Christian will always find at least a little rotten fruit in their lives. Nevertheless, the Bible does indicate that believers can have assurance: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." The more a Christian walks with God, worships God, and obeys God, the more the Spirit of God will provide a sense of assurance. It is extremely important the Christians understand that it is never the responsibility of a pastor or parent to give assurance. Assurance is a gift of the Holy Spirit as a Christian matures in His faith. Only the Spirit can provide it, only the Spirit can take it away.
QUESTION 3: Can Christians backslide for a period of time?
The Bible certainly recognizes that true believers can backslide for a period of time. When a Christian allows himself to be taken by a sin for a season, he should expect these three things:
First, he should expect to lose any assurance of salvation the Spirit has previously granted. When a Christian dwells in sin, all of the warnings of the Bible about hell and damnation apply to him. Nobody can live in disobedience to God and expect to go to heaven.
Second, the backslidden Christian should expect confrontation by brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what is commanded by the Apostle Paul in Galatians: "Brothers, if anyone is caught (ensnared) in a transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness." Any church that cares about its members will take steps to lovingly reprove any Christian who is backsliding in his relationship with Christ.
Finally, a backslidden Christian should expect discipline from God. Hebrews 12 reminds us that God disciplines every child He loves. This discipline can come in a variety of forms: loss of joy, suffering reproach from God's people, sickness, or even death.
QUESTION 4: How does one discern an unbeliever from a backslidden Christian?
This is a question often asked by parents of wayward children. Many children make decisions for Christ when they are young, and then live in a season of disobedience when they enter their upper teens or leave Home. Church leaders also often wonder how they can distinguish between their members who are truly saved but backslidden and those who were never saved to begin with. How can we know the difference?
In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus gives us instructions of what to do if a Christian in our midst falls into blatant sin. First, an individual is to approach the backslidden believer and urge him to repent of his sin. If the person refuses, then that individual is to confront him again, this time with two or three brothers or sisters. If the person still refuses to repent, Jesus commands that the matter be taken before the church. If after being confronted by the church the person still refuses to turn from his sin, that person is to be removed from church membership and treated as an unbeliever.
Jesus' message in these instructions seems to be that the difference between a backslidden Christian and an unbeliever is that a backslidden Christian - when confronted about his sin - will ultimately repent, where as an unbeliever will not.
QUESTION 5: If a person truly believes himself to be a Christian, yet is really struggling with a sin, should he doubt his salvation?
No. The Bible is clear that it is those who do not struggle with sin who are in danger. It is those people who are not battling sin that I worry most about. Paul himself struggled with sin. He said, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."
If a woman is living with someone in a sexually immoral relationship, and sees no conflict with her lifestyle and her relationship with Christ, she ought to question her salvation. If a professional is involved in unethical Business practices, or a student is involved in cheating at school, and they do not see any conflict between these actions and their professions of faith, they ought to question their salvation. Any person who neglects the means of grace - Bible reading, prayer, fellows
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