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Q&A with BBH

How can I be certain of my conversion? John says whoever abides in Christ does not sin.

You mentioned the passage from First John, which reads “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him” (1 John 3:6).

This is of course speaking of one who is (or is not) continually sinning (as is evident from the “linear present”, or continuing action, of the verbs). We also know this from some other passages which have gone before in this same chapter: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1:10) and “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1).

So John is clearly teaching 1) that our goal should be not to sin at all, 2) that we will commit some sins nonetheless, 3) that as long as we are continuing in a state of rebellion and sin, we have no assurance of our salvation, and 4) that, when we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

So, back to your question of how we can be certain of our conversion. It seems that God has purposely withheld assurance from those who are walking in constant sin and rebellion. And, yet, He also wants those who come to Him in repentance to know that they will be seen in the righteousness of Christ, not in their own righteousness. Therefore, each time that we willfully sin, we rob ourselves of the comfort and assurance of our salvation. And, yet, each time that we turn again in repentance, God assures us of a ready and open-armed reception, because of the righteousness of Christ.

How then can we be certain of a genuine conversion? By continually coming to God, through Christ, in repentance and faith.

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