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Bible Will I Find: That Feelings Are A Safe Guide? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: That Feelings Are A Safe Guide? By: Gary Colley
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Though many seem to rely on “feelings” for the assurance of salvation, we should be warned that this is not a safe course. When asked “To what do you credit your salvation,” some answer “my parents,” “my church,” “my friend,” “a religious experience,” “a dream,” “my preacher,” etc. When it comes to your salvation, upon what evidence do you depend? Also people often give themselves credit for their own salvation. They think their own feelings, opinions, or emotions, are the real proof of their salvation. These may contend that they know they are saved because they feel good, instead of feeling good because they know they have obeyed the Gospel. Saul of Tarsus “felt” for many years that he was saved and doing the right thing in the sight of God, even though he was persecuting Christians! He was even religious in “the Jews’ religion” (Gal.1:13-14). If just any religion would bring salvation, Saul would have been saved! But he later realized, when he learned the Truth or the Gospel, that his “feelings” were wrong and deceptive (Acts 26:9). When he heard and was convinced that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, he did not confer with relatives or friends, but honestly obeyed the Gospel in faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and being baptized (Gal.1:16; Acts 22:16). Our consciences are not a safe guide. Our consciences prick us when we do not act in harmony with our moral judgment. And when our moral judgment has not been educated with God’s Word, our conscience will not act to assure us we are right and safe in religion (Prov.14:12). Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn.8:32). Many attribute the safety of their souls to “what my parents taught,” “what my pastor, priest, or preacher taught me,” but none of these are a safe course. Paul said, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb.11:6). Saving faith comes by hearing God’s Word (Rom.10:17). Without the evidence of God’s Word, no saving faith is established in our life. Jesus taught us not to rely on others for our knowledge or salvation, not even upon our parents (Matt.10:37). If you have been taught and have believed a “damnable heresy” by a false prophet or teacher you will be lost (II Pet 2:1). We are all responsible in the sight of God to search the Scriptures to be certain of our salvation (II Tim.2:15). We need to be as the Bereans who “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things (they were taught GC) were so” (Acts 17:11; II Tim.3:16-17). This would stop our worry about whether some man or woman has been leading us astray!--Gary Colley