“My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.”

1 John 2:1-6

When we go wrong, we have a counsellor in heaven who pleads with the Father for our sakes, continually. His blood is sufficient to save the whole world, and is sufficient to save us from our sins. He is able to approach God’s holy throne, because He is holy and has won the right to make a plea on our behalf to the Father and judge for all.

This blessing is for those who know the Lord Jesus, personally, and have come to Him and had their sin dealt with. The root of sin is destroyed in that person and they are able to close the right way, and please the Lord. The mark and identification sign that we know the Lord, is that we are eager, willing and able to keep His commandments. It is not about our experience of God, or our feelings about Him and spiritual life, or about prayer and Bible study, but about obedience. We read the Word, believe it and do what God says.

If we are carrying out our spiritual duties and not obeying the Word, we are not of the household of faith. We cannot say we love God and His Word, and remain rebels against Him. All who have come to Him have bowed their knees and have given up the right to self determination and are now slaves to holiness. Without this indwelling holiness, taught and empowered by the Spirit within, we can never see God. If we don’t agree and want our own way, insist that we are believing Christians, we are liars. We do not speak the truth, because the truth is not in us.

If we keep the Word and obey it, then that Word is perfected in us and we know and love the Truth, who is Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. Our righteousness stems for Him and not from our own hearts, that is impossible, since we are dead without Christ and incapable of pleasing God.

What is my Christian assurance based upon?

I look at my life and see that I am walking with God, just as Jesus walked with God. I am so in love with my Saviour, that I do what He says and copy His lifestyle and attitudes and obedience to the Father. Jesus was always in communion with His Father and obeyed the sound of His voice, at all times. He was obedient to the Word and obeyed right to death on a cruel cross. He trusted the Father so implicitly, that He was able to obey, even when it meant pain and death. This shows us true faith and devotion to a loving God, who knows every outcome, even when we don’t. We must trust in Him at all times, especially when the going gets difficult and we cannot see the way ahead of us, and can only see trouble. If that is the way He desires us to go, we walk into the trouble, knowing that all things work for the good of those who love Him. Knowing that God will give the strength at the right time, to walk through the dark pathways.

When we fall into sin, it is the same principle. We walk in faith and seek forgiveness again in faith, knowing that He will receive us because of Jesus.

We can never ultimately fail, and so we can walk with the confidence that we have the power, the grace and the faith, all given to the believer, to make it to the end of the journey with joy and have lives full of glory. Love is our defining mark, love for God and other people, and that love must show itself as obedience.