GODFREY: It's found in our Christ.
Did you want me to expand?
THOMAS:
Yeah, I mean, that's a perfect answer, and it was the answer of the Marrow Men. You know,
faith is not faith in faith. It's not faith in me. It's not faith in me. It's not faith in what I
feel to be faith. It's not faith in whatever assurance I have. It must always be in Christ. And
my assurance isn't dependent on my works. Unless those works are issuing from
my relationship with Jesus, they are not going to help me at all. So, every day in every way we
have to run to Jesus and make sure that our relationship with Him is what it should be.
NICHOLS: I think this is a crucial question because it really does impact
Christian life. And so, when we're talking about assurance, we've got 1 John,
and John wants us to know that we are a child of God. He doesn't want us doubting and wondering.
How do you make progress if you're just constantly in despair? And so, you know, read 1 John. He
wants us to know these things. But the Westminster Confession has an interesting way of dealing with
this in talking about assurance in terms of our ... we are in Christ and that's the basis
of our assurance, but it also speaks of assurance as our sort of existential sense of assurance and
uses that expression of assurance, "waxes and wanes," and it's related then to, you know,
our keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, our doing these Christian duties of attending church.
And when we are negligent in the mortification of sin, our assurance will wane and rightfully so,
and it's sort of a prod then for us to sort of get back in there and then our assurance will wax. So,
there is that sense of which our identity is in Christ, our assurance is solid and firm,
but our awareness of that and our sensibility of that, and I think the Westminster Divines
were very helpful there with that expression. I believe I have that right that it waxes and wanes
as we live the Christ.
GODFREY: If you want to read another John who's helpful, it would be John Calvin.
NICHOLS: And I thought you were going to say,
"If you want to read a real confession of faith you can go back to the Three Forms of Unity."
GODFREY: No, I would never say anything that rude. But if you want to read a
great definition of faith, do read question and answer 21 of the Heidelberg Catechism
or question 1 of the catechism. But, you know, I think what Calvin is so sensitive to is that
if we start looking at our faith it's so easy to see all the weaknesses in our faith. If we start
looking at our works, it's so easy to see all the sins that attach to our works. And so, Calvin
says we have to with the question of assurance always first look to the promises of Christ,
and then if you really embrace the promises of Christ, if you rejoice in the promises of Christ,
then you dare look to see if you have a little faith and have a few good works, because
they should be there and should support that assurance, but the primary assurance needs
to be in Christ and His promises. And I think that's helpful. But certainly, if you're falling
desperately into sin, you're not looking to the promises of Christ and the assurance will wane.
THOMAS: And this issue, of course, is examined in detail in another John, John Bunyan
in Pilgrim's Progress. And actually, a good many of these questions this morning
find answers in John Bunyan's wonderful allegory, which you need to read to enter the Pearly Gates.
NICHOLS:
Could I ask a question? Could you recommend a good teaching series on Pilgrim's Progress?
THOMAS: Yes, somebody who is not called "John."
LARSON: Ligonier has A Guided Tour of Pilgrim's Progress with Dr. Thomas available for you.