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Amish Views on Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Security

The question of assurance of salvation and eternal security is a point of significant theological divergence among Christian traditions. While some traditions affirm that believers can have certain knowledge of their salvation in this life, others emphasize a continuous process of faith and obedience without absolute certainty until the end.

The Reformed tradition, as articulated in the Westminster Confession of Faith, teaches that those who truly believe in Jesus Christ and strive to live righteously "may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" [3]. This assurance is not based on "carnal presumptions" but on a genuine faith and love for God [3]. John Calvin similarly emphasized that believers can have a "tranquil mind" and "security" by understanding God's care and resting in His providence [10]. He linked the hope of eternal life to Christ's resurrection, stating that "by his death sin was taken away, by his resurrection righteousness was renewed and restored" [9]. The concept of "full assurance of faith" is described as a complete trust in God that leaves no room for doubt, and "full assurance of understanding" as an unwavering conviction in the truth of Scripture [1]. This assurance is produced by faith, made full by hope, and confirmed by love [2].

In contrast, other traditions, while affirming the hope of salvation, do not necessarily teach that believers can attain absolute certainty of their eternal destiny in this life. The Patristic tradition, for instance, speaks of the "hope of eternal life" and being "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" [7]. Hippolytus and Cyprian speak of the "glory of martyrdom" as a way to "come immaculate to Christ" and "reign in a perpetual eternity with the Lord," suggesting a focus on perseverance and faithfulness until death [6]. Augustine, in his anti-Pelagian writings, emphasizes that believers are "regenerated unto the hope of eternal life, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, flourishing, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" [7]. This highlights God's preserving power and the future revelation of salvation.

Despite these differences, various traditions share common ground in affirming the importance of faith in Christ for salvation and the ultimate hope of eternal life. The Athanasian Creed, for example, states that "it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ" [8]. The resurrection of Jesus is universally seen as God's pledge that His revelation is true and worthy of acceptance [1]. The divergence often stems from differing interpretations of the nature of God's election and the role of human free will in the process of salvation [4, 5].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Assurance — The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance ”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Assurance — Produced by faith -- Eph 3:12; 2Ti 1:12; Heb 10:22. Made full by hope -- Heb 6:11,19. Confirmed by love -- 1Jo 3:14,19; 4:18. Is the effect of righteousness -- Isa 32:17. Is abundant in the understanding of the gospel -- Col 2:2; 1Th 1:5. Saints privileged to have, of Their election. -- Ps 4:3; 1Th 1:4. Their redemption. -- Job 19:25. Their adoption. -- Ro 8:16; 1Jo 3:2. Their salvation. -- Isa 12:2. Eternal life. -- 1Jo 5:13. The unalienable love of God. -- Ro 8:38,39. Union with God and Christ. -- 1Co 6:15; 2Co 13:5; Eph 5:30; 1Jo 2:5; 4:13. Peace with ”
  3. Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 18 (part 1): CHAPTER 18 Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 1. Although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and estate of salvation (which hope of theirs shall perish): yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may, in this life, be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope sh”
  4. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 106: § 1. State of the Question. This is a question between Augustinians and Anti- Augustinians. The former believing that God from all eternity having elected some to everlasting life, had a special reference to their salvation in the mission and work of his Son. The latter, denying that there has been any such election of a part of the human family to salvation, maintain that the mission and work of Christ had an equal reference to all mankind. The question, therefore, does not, in the first place, concern the nature of Christ’s work. It is”
  5. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 137: as well as Mystics, hold that the supernatural teaching of the Spirit is granted in sufficient measure to every man to secure his salvation, if he yields himself up to its guidance. It would be very agreeable to our natural feelings to believe this, as it would be to believe that all men will be saved. But such is not the doctrine of the Bible; and it requires but little humility to believe that God is better as well as wiser than man; that his ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts than our thoughts; and that whatever He ordain”
  6. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM.[1] (part 9): their desires for eternal salvation, and have overcome their longings for this life, have been made by the Lord's precepts free from the universal suffering.[1] Therefore from this especially, beloved brethren, we shall be able to set forth what great things the virtue of martyrdom is able to fulfil. 14. And, to pass over everything else, we ought to remember what a glory it is to come immaculate to Christ--to be a sharer in His suffering, and to reign in a perpetual eternity with the Lord--to be free fro”
  7. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 41.--FROM THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER.: See with what earnestness the apostles declare this doctrine, when they received it. Peter, in his first Epistle, says: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to His abundant mercy, who hath regenerated us unto the hope of eternal life, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, flourishing, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time."[4] And a little afterward”
  8. Athanasian Creed (Ecumenical) “Athanasian Creed (Ecumenical, c. 5th-6th century AD), Section 5: Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. Who, a”
  9. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 52: his death, but by his resurrection, that we are said to be begotten again to a living hope ( 1 Pet. 1:3 ); because, as 447 he, by rising again, became victorious over death, so the victory of our faith consists only in his resurrection. The nature of it is better expressed in the words of Paul, “Who (Christ) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,” ( Rom. 4:25 ); as if he had said, By his death sin was taken away, by his resurrection righteousness was renewed and restored. For how could he by dyi”
  10. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 19.5: Abram to be of a tranquil mind; but what foundation is there for such security, unless by faith we understand that God cares for us, and learn to rest in his providence? The promise, therefore, that God will be Abram’s shield and his exceeding great reward, holds the first place; to which is added the exhortation, that, relying upon such a guardian of his safety, and such an author of his felicity, he should not fear. Therefore, to make the sense of the words more clear, the causal particle is to be inserted. ‘Fear not, Abram, bec”
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