For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. 1 Thess. 1:5.

Personal assurance goes hand in hand with experiencing Christ. To deny assurance is to deny that we are sure of Christ. Our assurance is real because God who is for us is mightier than all these who are against us. We have assurance because God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," and with Him will "freely give us all things" (Rom. 8:32). We have assurance because "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (verse 1). We have assurance because nothing can "separate us from the love of God" (verse 39). We have assurance because Christ is with us always, "even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20).

The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Spirit. God forbid we should have no assurance of salvation. Christ offers us newness of life. This new life is full of certainty and assurance. Paul was sure of God. He had no doubts about the future. Assurance is something to be experienced and enjoyed so long as our lives are hid with Christ in God. We are not whistling in the dark. While we are conscious of our weaknesses and our shortcomings, we are very sure of Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We do not belong to ourselves. We are Christ's.

Furthermore, our witness must be with that same assurance, otherwise people will not believe us. This is no complacency. We must spread the good news with a courageous, assured heart that we know redemption in Christ to be true. For we have ourselves experienced the truth of it. We know that God has forgiven us. We are messengers of certainty. In the name of Jesus Christ we offer all those we meet a chance to live the same life of assurance.

In the midst of all the agony on the cross, Christ was concerned to save a criminal. He gave him that assurance before He died.

We may never give another person exactly the same experience we have, but we can make him hungry for what we have. We can lead him to Christ and from Him receive true assurance. "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Heb. 10:22).