I was raised and immersed in a (almost) completely Wesleyan/Arminian heritage since I was young, though my theology and soteriology has taken quite a decisive swing to a more Reformed/Calvinistic position in recent years. However, the question of assurance remains as pertinent to both the Arminian and the Calvinist. While both may disagree on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, both still grapple with the question, "How do I know if I am (truly) saved?" And both do come to similar, but not identical, conclusions.
The Calvinist says he is saved based upon the eternal electing decree and unconditional Love of God and His effectual calling evidenced by continuing faith and fruitfulness in his life, whilst the Arminian would say that he is saved for now by his responding, out of his own free will, to God's offer of salvation and his present ongoing faith and fruitfulness in his life. Now one would of course soon realize the fundamental difference in both statements though their latter ends may be identical. One bases his security fundamentally upon God's Sovereign and Eternal decree for His elect, while the other bases it upon his conditional obedience to God and His Word. However, I hope not to digress into a debate upon this doctrine, but rather, I hope to focus on that portion of similarity and of which is the topic of this post.
Now ultimately, as my friend once put it, both positions lead to the same conclusion in answering the question, "How do/can I know if I am (truly) saved?" Whether one is a Calvinist or an Arminian, one would be led to answer it is by the evidence of good works, increasing Christ-likeness, fruits of the Spirit, etc... Now such evidence is the logical outworking of what is described in the Bible as the new birth or, to put it in a more theological term, the doctrine of regeneration.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it.....We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
- Romans 6: 1-2, 6-7
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
- Ezekiel 36: 25-27
Now of course there is a third position (becoming increasing popular here I suspect) that simply dismisses the question of assurance by labelling any call for self-examination or searching of spiritual fruit in one's life as a legalistic add-on to a gospel of grace. "Just believe in your heart and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and you shall be saved!" is their reassuring cry. Now is that statement true? Yes. Do I believe it? Most definitely! Is it the full story? Not quite. To simply focus on this one verse and build your entire theology upon it, while ignoring the rest of Scripture is a sure recipe for spiritual ship-wreck. One would be wise to remember our Saviour's own words in Matthew 7.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"
-Matthew 7:21-23
Surely this should give us sufficient warning against spurious professions of faith. Was it not said, men are justified by faith alone, but true faith is never alone? Now one should never ever confuse the work of Justification and the work of Sanctification. However, one cannot also claim the work of one without the evidence of the other. For those whom God justifies, He also sanctifies.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
- Romans 6:22
Let us beware, lest we presume upon the Grace and Love of God (cf. Rom. 2:4) and let us heed the Apostles' exhortations.
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
- 2 Peter 1:10
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
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