How do we know that we won't be among this group of people who at the last judgment will come expecting entrance into the kingdom,

addressing Jesus in intimate terms, and then be cast out?

The Apostle Peter commands us to make our calling an election sure.

Jesus warns that there would be those who address him as Lord Lord,

but Jesus will say that he never knew them.

So it is vital and very practical to know for sure that you are a Christian.

That will be our topic over the next several weeks on renewing your mind, so be sure to join us each Saturday. You can also study the Christian's assurance of salvation more deeply

when you request this Saturday series on DVD, along with the digital study guide

and a copy of R.C. Sproles' title, Can I Be Sure, I'm Saved? We'll send you the book and DVD

and grant you access to the study guide when you give a donation of any amount at Renewing Your Mind.org.

Well, here's Dr. Sprold to begin this series as he discusses

our duty to pursue assurance. Today we're going to begin a new series focusing on the question

of the assurance of salvation, which I think is an extremely important

theological question to examine, not simply that we may fulfill our interests in theological

investigation or curiosity, but this is a question that touches us where we live as Christians,

because it has a tremendous impact on our senses, our feelings, our comfort, and our behavior

as Christians to get it settled in our lives whether we are in a state of grace. And so I'd like to begin

this particular series by turning your attention to a text in the New Testament that I believe

is one of the most terrifying texts that we can ever see in the Bible, and it comes from the lips of Jesus in the

end of the Sermon on the Mount.

We tend to think of the Sermon on the Mount as strictly an upbeat proclamation that Jesus

made, where he talks about the beatitudes, blessed are those who do this

...