Salvation: Assurance – Life in the Already-Not-Yet

Pr Enos Mwakalindile
Sep 28
3 min read

🌍 Series Title: From Grace to Glory – Salvation as a Journey into God’s New Creation

Family of three holds hands, standing on a sunny beach by the ocean. Blue sky, gentle waves, and sand create a peaceful, joyful scene. — Hands joined, heaven’s light, waves sing eternal belonging.

Introduction

What if assurance was not about achieving perfection but about resting in a love that never lets go? Paul’s soaring words—“nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38–39)—anchor our confidence, not in flawless performance, but in the Messiah’s finished work. Assurance is the deep breath of the gospel: God has secured our future, even as we wait for its fullness.

➡️ Assurance is the confidence that we are already part of God’s future, even as we await its fullness.

🔍 Assurance in the Drama of Scripture

Act 1 – Creation: Humanity was created to live in unbroken fellowship with God (Gen. 2:15–17). The original design was secure belonging, rooted in trust of the Creator’s word.
Act 2 – Fall: Sin shattered that assurance. Adam and Eve hid in fear (Gen. 3:8–10). Shame and separation became humanity’s default posture.
Act 3 – Israel: God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:6) and Israel’s exodus became signs of God’s promise-keeping love. Even amid exile, prophets declared hope of restoration (Isa. 40:1–2).
Act 4 – Jesus the Messiah: In His death and resurrection, Jesus secures the ultimate assurance: forgiveness, reconciliation, and new creation life (John 10:28–29). Assurance is not a feeling but a fact grounded in Christ’s triumph.
Act 5 – The Church and New Creation: Believers, sealed with the Spirit (Eph. 1:13–14), live in the “already-but-not-yet.” Assurance means living today as citizens of the kingdom to come, confident in God’s unbreakable love.

📜 Key Texts That Illuminate Assurance

Romans 8:38–39 – Paul’s crescendo after tracing God’s saving plan (Rom. 8:28–37) declares that nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Echoing Psalm 136’s refrain of steadfast love and recalling Isaiah 54:10, this assurance anchors believers in God’s unbreakable covenant.
John 10:28–29 – Jesus promises His sheep eternal life and security in His hand. The imagery draws on Psalm 23’s Shepherd and Ezekiel 34’s promise of God shepherding His flock. Assurance rests not on the sheep’s strength but the Shepherd’s grip: “No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
Ephesians 1:13–14 – Paul describes believers sealed with the Spirit as God’s guarantee of the inheritance to come. Like Israel marked by the Exodus blood sign (Exod. 12:13), the Spirit is a seal pointing to God’s faithfulness. Assurance here is a down payment of the future, echoing 2 Cor. 1:22 and Rom. 8:23.
Hebrews 10:22–23 – With temple imagery fulfilled in Christ, believers are invited to draw near with confidence, washed and cleansed. Assurance rests on God’s faithfulness: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” This echoes the call of Lam. 3:22–23 and anchors hope in God’s steadfast character.

🛡️ What Does Assurance Teach Us About God?

Assurance reveals God as faithful and steadfast. He is not a fickle ruler waiting for our next failure but a covenant-keeping Father whose love is stronger than death. In Christ, we see the God who secures His people’s future, and through the Spirit we experience a foretaste of the coming kingdom. Assurance teaches us that God’s promises are unshakable.

🔥 How Do We Live Out Assurance?

Rest in God’s Love – Build confidence on Christ’s finished work, not shifting feelings or achievements.
Live the Future Now – Practice kingdom values today—justice, mercy, and faithfulness—as signs of the world to come.
Encourage One Another – Share assurance in community, reminding each other of God’s promises when doubts arise.

🛤️ Practices to Embrace Assurance

Daily Remembrance: Repeat Romans 8:38–39 each morning as a declaration of confidence.
Gratitude Journal: Record daily signs of God’s faithfulness, cultivating awareness of His steadfast love.
Hopeful Action: Serve others as a witness that God’s promised future is breaking into the present.

🤝 Group Discussion Questions

How does assurance free us from fear and striving in our spiritual life?
Which biblical image of assurance (Shepherd, seal, covenant) speaks most to you, and why?
How does assurance reshape the way you face trials, loss, or uncertainty?
In what ways can our community embody assurance as a sign of God’s kingdom?

🙏 How Should We Pray in Response?

Faithful God, thank You that nothing can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. Teach us to rest in Your promises and live with confidence in the Spirit’s seal. May our lives today reflect the certainty of Your coming kingdom. Amen.