Hi Ricky,
I think we do have Scripture that may very well point to the thought that we can know if God is doing His work of salvation in us. Jude certainly did not sound doubtful of himself or the believers he was speaking to.
Jude 1:1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
v. 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
v. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
Look how Peter spoke to the believers he was teaching.
1Peter 1:6 You greatly rejoice in this, even though you have to suffer various kinds of trial for a little while,
v. 7 so that your genuine faith, which is more valuable than gold that perishes when tested by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed.
v. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
v. 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Peter must have known them well enough to see the fruit of the Spirit in them and that is how you know if somebody is truly in Christ.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit.
v. 19 Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.
v. 20 So by their fruit you will know them."
Paul did show a belief that he was chosen, notice when speaking about salvation he says it's the reason he endured, so that believers "too" might receive it.
2Tim 2:8 Meditate on Jesus, the Messiah, who was raised from the dead and is a descendant of David. This is the gospel I tell others.
v. 9 Because of it I am experiencing trouble, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. However, God's word is not chained.
v. 10 For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive the salvation that is in the Messiah Jesus, along with eternal glory.
v. 11 This saying is trustworthy: In dying with the Messiah, true life we gain.
I'm not trying to say that somebody could know for sure and then they could rest easy having that knowledge... wouldn't you think if somebody truly were that the spirit would not let them ever rest easy? Somebody who is chosen would not be so cocky or arrogance. But I would certainly think the Holy Spirit indwelling a person should be noticeable.
But Jesus did speak of those who falsely believe they are chosen "tares" (Matt 13). In that parable Christ speaks of those who are right among the chosen and it is really hard to tell them apart, but you can know, "by their fruit you will know them." Look at the parable of the sower and the seed, few chosen come from those that actually believe the truth. Jesus also speaks in another parable quite plainly and says that these false believers (tares) actually go right to the end thinking they are chosen... here is where the false believer is actually revealed at the very actual wedding supper 'with' the elect.
Mat 22:11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
v. 12 So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.
v. 13 Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
v. 14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."
So I believe there can be a certain degree of real hope as I do believe the Apostles did have that, but the fruit of the Spirit is what is the surety that one must have. So we certainly have to "watch" our self, but not this world.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
v. 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
v. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
v. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
v. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Topic: Islam (Read 12842 times)