Understanding The True Meaning Of Full Assurance Of Faith

what does full assurance of faith mean

The phrase full assurance of faith is found in the Bible, in Hebrews 10:19-22. It is a point of encouragement for Christians, who are told that they have every reason to be confident and courageous in living out their faith. This is because, under the new covenant, Christians can truly experience a release of guilt. The old covenant emphasised ceremonial cleanliness, but the new covenant encourages Christians to set aside feelings of guilt, since all of their sins are forgiven. The phrase full assurance of faith thus refers to the idea that Christians can confidently approach God with sincere hearts, assured that their sins have been forgiven.

Characteristics Values
Boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Full assurance of faith
A new and living way, consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh Full assurance of faith
Having a high priest over the house of God Full assurance of faith
A sincere heart Full assurance of faith
Sprinkled clean from an evil conscience Full assurance of faith
Washed with pure water Full assurance of faith
Devotion to God's name Full assurance of hope
Service to God's people Full assurance of hope

shunspirit

Full assurance of faith is not based on emotional experience

The phrase "full assurance of faith" appears in the Bible, in Hebrews 10:22. It is a point of encouragement, following a long explanation of how the new covenant is superior to the old covenant. Christians are encouraged to set aside feelings of guilt, as their sins are forgiven.

The Bible states:

> "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

This verse emphasizes the importance of sincerity and trust in God, rather than relying on emotional experiences or feelings. It is about having a "true heart" and a "full assurance of faith", which comes from the confidence in God's promises and one's trust in Jesus Christ.

While emotional experiences can be a part of one's spiritual journey, they are not the foundation of one's assurance of faith. The foundation lies in the objective achievement of Jesus and one's trust in his redemption. This assurance is what will energize and motivate believers to live a life of faith and patience, confidently expecting God's promises to be fulfilled.

shunspirit

It is not the assurance of a carefully reasoned-out system of philosophy

The "full assurance of faith" is a phrase from the Bible, specifically Hebrews 10:19-22. It is not the assurance of a carefully reasoned-out system of philosophy. Instead, it is about having boldness and confidence to enter a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible passage reads:

> "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

This passage emphasizes the importance of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and a relationship with God. It is not about intellectual reasoning or philosophical arguments but about placing one's trust wholly in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work.

The phrase "full assurance of faith" highlights the completeness and certainty that comes with faith in Jesus. It is not based on human emotions or philosophical arguments but on the promises of God and the work of Jesus Christ. This assurance is available to all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

The passage also mentions having a "true heart" and being cleansed from an "evil conscience." This speaks to the sincerity and authenticity of one's faith, which involves a transformation of the heart and a turning away from evil.

In summary, the "full assurance of faith" is about having a bold and confident relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not based on human reasoning or emotions but on the promises of God and the work of Jesus, which provides a solid foundation for our faith.

shunspirit

Faith is taking God at His word

Faith is not mere intellectual acceptance of certain facts. It involves trust and confidence in those facts, and this results in the word of faith and the work of faith. Faith in Christ is not simply accrediting the historical statements revealed concerning our blessed Lord. It is to trust oneself wholly to Him in reliance upon His redemptive work. To believe is to trust. To trust is to have faith. To have faith in Christ is to have full assurance of salvation.

When we are told that "the just shall live by faith," it does not simply mean that we live in a spirit of optimism, a faith or hope that everything will come out alright at last. Faith is not the savior. Faith is the hand that lays hold of Him who does save. Therefore, there is no such thing as weak faith or strong faith. The feeblest faith in Christ is saving faith. The strongest faith in self, or anything else but Christ, is but a delusion and a snare, and will leave the soul at last unsaved and forever forlorn.

When we are bidden to draw near to God with true hearts in full assurance of faith, the meaning is that we are to rest implicitly on what God has revealed concerning His Son and His glorious work for our redemption. This is set forth admirably in the Bible, which is God's well-ordered plan of salvation for sinners who otherwise are lost, helpless, and hopeless.

The Bible tells us that God has given His Son to die for our sins, and He has testified in His own unalterable Word that if we trust in Him, all our sins are gone. God has given something better than happy feelings or the voice of an angel—He has given His Son to die for our sins, and He has testified in His own unalterable Word that if we trust in Him, we will receive remission of sins.

Confidence based upon an emotional experience would leave one in utter bewilderment when that emotion passed away. But assurance based upon the Word of God abides, because that Word is unchangeable.

shunspirit

Faith is not mere intellectual acceptance of certain facts

Faith is not a simple intellectual exercise, a mere acceptance of certain facts. It involves trust and confidence in those facts, and this results in the word of faith and the work of faith. Faith in Christ is not simply accrediting the historical statements about our Lord. It is to trust oneself wholly to Him and rely on His redemptive work. To believe is to trust, and to trust is to have faith.

Faith in Christ is to have full assurance of salvation. Faith must have something tangible to lay hold of, some definite worthwhile message to rest upon. When we are told that "the just shall live by faith", it does not mean that we live in a spirit of optimism, or that everything will turn out alright in the end. Faith is not the saviour, but the hand that lays hold of Him who does save.

The feeblest faith in Christ is saving faith. The strongest faith in self, or anything else, is but a delusion and a snare, and will leave the soul unsaved and forlorn. When we are bidden to draw near to God with true hearts in full assurance of faith, it means that we are to rest implicitly on what God has revealed concerning His Son and His glorious work for our redemption.

The full assurance of faith is not based on an emotional experience, but on the Word of God. Faith rests on the naked Word of God. That Word believed gives full assurance. Then the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the believer's heart and to conform him to Christ. Growth in grace follows naturally when the soul has trusted Christ and entered into peace with God.

The full assurance of faith is also not based on feelings of happiness or emotional experiences. Confidence based on emotional experiences would leave one in utter bewilderment when that emotion passed away. But assurance based upon the Word of God abides, because that Word is unchangeable.

The full assurance of faith is based on the objective achievement of Jesus Himself and our transformed lives as we seek to live for His glory and the good of His people. Biblical hope is the confident expectation that what we want to come to pass will undoubtedly come to pass. It is rock-solid and unshakable because it is rooted and grounded in the faithfulness of God.

shunspirit

Faith involves trust and confidence in those facts

Faith involves trust and confidence in facts, not just intellectual acceptance of them. It is about taking God at His word and unquestioning certainty in what He has declared to be true.

Faith is not a mere feeling or emotion, but it is deeply connected to our emotions. When we have faith, we can be filled with joy and satisfaction, and our hearts can be warmed. However, our faith is not based on our emotions; instead, our emotions are the result of our faith. Faith is about trusting in God and His word, not our feelings.

Faith is also not based on our own strength or efforts. It is not about having a "strong faith" or a "weak faith". Even the weakest faith in Christ is saving faith. Our faith is not based on our ability to believe but on God's ability to save.

Faith is about trusting wholly in God and His redemptive work. It is about laying hold of Him who saves. It is about resting implicitly on what God has revealed about Himself and His Son.

When we have faith, we can have full assurance, a confidence that comes from God Himself. This assurance is not based on our feelings or experiences but on the Word of God, which is unchangeable. We can have certainty and conviction because God is faithful and true.

Having this assurance of our faith in God, we can then draw near to Him with sincere and true hearts. We can be confident and courageous in living out our faith, knowing that we are forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Christ.

Frequently asked questions

The full assurance of faith is a concept from the Bible, specifically Hebrews 10:19-22. It means having complete reliance on the promise of God, which results in the "word of faith and the work of faith".

An example of the full assurance of faith is the rock-solid assurance that your hope will not disappoint and that your relationship with God is unshakably certain.

Hope is something of a subset of faith. Hope is that expression of faith that focuses on the future. Faith typically looks to the past and present.

Written by
  • Aisha
  • Aisha
    Author Editor Reviewer
Reviewed by
  • Seti
  • Seti
    Author Editor Reviewer
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment