Hey, this is Pastor Adriel.

If you're watching this video, I'm assuming it's because you've been wrestling with the question that I know many Christians struggle with.

How can I be sure I'm saved? I struggle with assurance of salvation.

For many years, I've had the privilege of answering questions about the Christian faith,

and I can tell you that this question in particular, the question of assurance,

is probably the most asked question among Christians, among sincere believers who want to know

that they're right with God, and yet because they struggle with sin or because they struggle with

doubt, are unsure. And so right now I want to give you two reasons that you might be

struggling with assurance as a sincere follower of Jesus.

So one of the first things I like to ask someone who's wrestling with this question of assurance is, is there something in your life that you know is dishonoring to the Lord but that you're

clinging to, some sin that you're unwilling to offer up to the Lord?

The Bible makes it very clear that as Christians we can grieve the Holy Spirit. Paul says this to the Galatians. None of us are

perfect. We're going to continue to battle with sin, even as Christians. And yet sometimes

there are things that we know that we're doing, that are displeasing to the Lord,

and yet instead of turning from them, repenting, we cling to them, we conceal them.

And when we do that, as I said, we're grieving the Holy Spirit, but we also, in one sense,

experience this sense of distance when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. This is in line with

the conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit. And it's really important for you to understand

that there's a difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction is what we experience

as Christians because the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us when we've sinned

to lead us, draw us to repentance, showing us our sins, where we've fallen short, so that we

might confess them to the Lord. There's always hope with conviction, the hope of the gospel,

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