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    How to Know You're Saved
    How to Know You're Saved
    How to Know You're Saved
    Ebook88 pages1 hour

    How to Know You're Saved

    By C. Donald Cole

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    About this ebook

    With his comfortable blend of Scriptural knowledge and love for people, Pastor Donald Cole addresses on of the most troubling concerns many Christians have: assurance of their eternal salvation. By exploring the tenets of the Christian faith, Pastor Cole gives those who already believe confidence in their position in Christ. This trusted Bible teacher never shrinks from tackling difficult texts, such as those that seem to suggest salvation can be lost, and he explains why a saved person still sins. In this freshened edition of his classic book, Donald Cole’s clear teaching and compassionate voice come through in response to one of life’s most important questions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMoody Publishers
    Release dateSep 1, 2008
    ISBN9780802480231
    How to Know You're Saved
    Author

    C. Donald Cole

    C. DONALD COLE served as a host and commentator on Moody Radio's Open Line for 26 years before retiring in 2008. He previously served on the faculty at Emmaus Bible College and as a missionary in Angola with his wife, Naomi. Pastor Cole is the author of a number of books, including How to Know You're Saved and All You Need to Believe: The Apostle's Creed. Pastor and Mrs. Cole live in Carol Stream, Illinois.

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      Book preview

      How to Know You're Saved - C. Donald Cole

      HOW TO

      KNOW

      YOU’RE

      SAVED

      C. Donald Cole

      MOODY PUBLISHERS

      CHICAGO

      © 1988, 2008 by

      C. DONALD COLE

      All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

      All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

      Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

      Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

      Scripture quotations marked TEV are taken from the Good News Bible: Today’s English Version. Copyright © 1976 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

      Scripture quotations marked PHILLIPS are taken from The New Testament in Modern English, copyright © 1958, 1959, 1960 J. B. Phillips and 1947, 1952, 1955, 1957 The Macmillian Company, New York. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Cover Design: John Hamilton Design (www.johnhamiltondesign.com)

      Cover Image: Barry Rosenthal / Getty

      Interior Design: Ragont Design

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Cole, C. Donald.

        How to know you’re saved / by C. Donald Cole.

           p. cm.

        ISBN-13: 978-0-8024-3632-0

        ISBN 10: 0-8024-3632-3

        1. Assurance (Theology) 2. Salvation—Christianity. I. Title.

        BT752.C65 2008

        234—dc22

      2008003653

      We hope you enjoy this book from Moody Publishers. Our goal is to provide high-quality, thought-provoking books and products that connect truth to your real needs and challenges. For more information on other books and products written and produced from a biblical perspective, go to www.moodypublishers.com or write to:

      Moody Publishers

      820 N. LaSalle Boulevard

      Chicago, IL 60610

      1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

      Printed in the United States of America

      This booklet is dedicated to Christians who lack assurance

      but, like those noble people of ancient Berea,

      are willing to search the Scriptures

      to find out that they can be saved and know it

      CONTENTS

      Introduction

      1. The Basis of Salvation

      How a holy God can save sinful people and still be holy

      2. The Way of Salvation

      What sinful people must do to be saved and

                what God does to save them

      3. The Question of Sin

      Why saved people still sin

      Summary

      Appendix: Examining Controversial Texts

      INTRODUCTION

      In 1971 I became the host of the radio program Dial the Pastor . The program was broadcast from the studios of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. At that time, reception was limited to the area covered by WMBI’s transmitter, mainly eastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana. Even so, the potential number of listeners was enormous. Listeners were invited to call and ask questions about the Bible. What does the Bible say, what does it mean, and how can it be applied to life today? It was never necessary to wait for a call.

      Most listeners to Christian radio stations are believers. Perhaps surprisingly, they represent the whole spectrum of Christian tradition—from older denominations to the latest independent group. As might be expected, they often disagree about peripheral issues. In fact, they may not even agree as to what are the peripheral issues! They are alike, however, in that they subscribe to the truths set forth in the great creedal statements of the historic church, such as the Apostles’ Creed.

      They are also alike in that they want to know how the Bible answers questions not handled in the historic creeds. What does the Bible teach about baptism? What does it say about church polity? Who was Cain’s wife? Does the Bible permit divorce and remarriage? Will we know each other in heaven? Will those who die in childhood be children forever? The creeds don’t handle questions such as these. On Dial the Pastor I did—although not always successfully.

      Later, with the development of a satellite network, Dial the Pastor became part of the nightly program Open Line, broadcast nationally. I wondered if listeners outside the WMBI listening area would ask different questions about the Bible and Christian living. Now I know the answer. Believers around the country are troubled by, or curious about, the same things. But of all the serious questions that Christians ask, what is the most common?

      Christians want to know if they can be certain of heaven. They want to know whether they can be saved and know for certain that they are saved. In other words, can one have positive, unshakable assurance of salvation? Or is it possible to lose one’s salvation? This question vexes more believers than any other. And this is the question this booklet undertakes to answer.

      Why do sincere Christians lack assurance of salvation? Why do they worry about the possibility that they may lose their salvation? First, they have inadequate knowledge of the basis of salvation (they don’t understand the meaning of the cross). Second, they have inadequate knowledge of the way of the salvation (they don’t understand the meaning of faith and God’s part in saving us). Third, they have misconceptions about the results of salvation (they expect perfection and don’t understand sin in their lives after conversion).

      Sometimes a fourth reason for lack of assurance of salvation is deliberate, persistent sin in a believer’s life. Fear of loss of salvation is inevitable in a person who persists in doing what he knows is wrong.

      This booklet is an attempt to reassure Christians that, having been truly saved, they can no more lose their salvation than God can lie. However, having salvation as an eternal possession is one thing; knowing for certain that one has it is something else. Sinners are saved when they accept salvation according to God’s terms. They can have assurance (i.e., confidence) that they are eternally saved only to the extent that they understand the way of salvation and believe it.

      While assurance depends in part on subjective factors, knowledge and understanding of the Word of God are essential to it. That’s the reason for this booklet. Its purpose is to instruct—and by instructing to reassure.

      One

      The Basis of

      SALVATION

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