[Dr. Eckleburg]

How do you know that the "assurance verses" apply to you?

I think if you spent more time actually reading Scripture rather than interrogating it, you'd understand more fully. To question those "assurance verses" is to question the work of the Holy Spirit within you.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." -- Ezekiel 36:26

If a man is compelled to read the Bible and obey God, it is because he is no longer living for himself. Christ lives within him.

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." -- Galatians 4:6

"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." -- Galatians 5:18

To question the assurance of our salvation, as given us in Scripture by God, is to deny Christ on the cross. Did He die for your sins? Did He rise from the dead? Is it all true?

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." -- Hebrews 10:14

How do we know we are sanctified? We look around and observe the fruits of our lives.

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

(For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord." -- Ephesians 5:8-10

"Proving" His grace; not earning it.

[adiaireton8]

So I ask you how you know that the "assurance verses" apply to you, and you simply quote "assurance verses" to me.

That's called "begging the question".

Regarding the "bearing of fruit", apostates-to-be also bear faux-fruit. So how do you know that your fruit is *true* fruit, and not faux-fruit?

-A8

[wmfights]

Another verse:

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

IOW, if you are one of Jesus's there is NOTHING that will be able to pull you away from him.