Insurance or Assurance?

(A sermon preached by Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo at True Life BPC on 10 August 2008)

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end” (Heb 6:9-11).

“And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” (Heb 10:21-23).

Life or Death?

Life in this world poses many dangers and uncertainties. Sickness, accidents, death may befall us at any moment. How do we protect ourselves? Many seek protection from such misfortunes in life by buying insurance whether health insurance, home insurance, car insurance, life insurance or whatever kind of insurance that is available out there. Yes, such insurance schemes may protect us to a certain degree from misfortunes or mishaps in our life on earth, but what about our life hereafter? What about life after death? What kind of insurance plan can protect us from that? There is none, but one! Not insurance but assurance. Not from this earth but from heaven, not from man but from God! It is something that no man can give, and no money can buy; it is a gift from God. Life insurance is only good when you die, and you cannot even collect; your next of kin collects, not you. But life assurance is forever, effective when you die, guaranteeing you eternal life without end. That is why we sing “Blessed Assurance,” and not “Blessed Insurance.”

Gospel of Jesus Christ

Man sells insurance, but God gives assurance. In order to give us assurance, God had to come down from heaven to earth. This happened two thousand years ago when God became man. God Himself in Christ Jesus came into this world by being born of the virgin Mary: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt 1:23). The Lord Jesus Christ was both God and Man, our great High Priest and our sinless Sacrifice as the Lamb of God. To save us from our sins, Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross, He died and was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead according to the Scriptures. And on account of what Jesus had done, we can now be saved from our sins, and draw near to God. God has made Himself very accessible to man through the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants man to be reconciled to Him, to have fellowship with Him, and to live with Him forever in heaven.

All religions in the world talk about how man can reach God or become God. Christianity is the only religion that says quite the opposite. Matthew 18:11 says, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” John Calvin has wonderfully stated it this way, “The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.”

What is a True Heart?

In order for man to draw near to God, he needs to have a “true heart.” The true heart is a heart born again, spiritually revived, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The only way our sinful heart can become pure and holy is to have it washed and cleansed by the Gospel and Blood of Jesus Christ. Our hearts must be “sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22). We must be sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ, and our whole spiritual being must be washed by the pure water of the Word of God. 1 John 1:7-10 tells us, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” Walk in the light of the Gospel, “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4).

Guaranteed for Life

Is God so far away that we cannot reach Him or find Him? No, God has given to us His Word—the Holy Scriptures, and God says, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed” (Rom 10:8-11). You will not be ashamed or disappointed for taking up a life assurance with God. Taking up a life insurance sold by man can be disappointing because it can only be collected when you die, and even then it will not be you who will collect but another. But life assurance as promised by God is quite different, it guarantees life and not death, it guarantees personal gain and not loss, it guarantees entrance into heaven and a home above, and it is an assurance that never expires, and it is free of charge, all paid for by the blood of Christ. That is why it is not blessed insurance, but blessed assurance!

Faith Not Works!

And this blessed assurance comes by means of faith and not works! The Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit 3:5-7). “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal 2:16). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph 2:8-9).

Please do not trust in your own strength, personality, intellect, wealth, talents, popularity, industry, philanthropy, for in the sight of God all our good works are as filthy rags. God is not impressed by our good works because of sin. An Olympic athlete who has taken drugs may run the race with all his might, but he is disqualified and has lost the race even before it has begun. It is the case with every man for “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). As far as God is concerned, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa 64:6).

Make Peace with God

Therefore, the only way for sinful man to get right with God, and make peace with Him is to believe on the Prince of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:1-6).

So, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb 10:21). And the only way to do so is to believe in the Word of God that has just been preached to you. The Word of God is near you. Simply confess the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in what He has done for you and you will be given this blessed assurance of salvation that only God can give. Romans 10:8-9 says, “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Do not delay, believe in Christ today!

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Be Prepared!

Praise the Lord for Dn Leong Kwok Whye who, after one semester of studies at FEBC, has decided to commit himself to study for his BTh degree so as to prepare himself for Christian service. He is under the scholarship of True Life BPC. Dn Leong shares why he has so decided to answer the call of God to study His Word and serve Him:
“Jesus Christ’s return is near. Matthew 24:7-8 says, ‘For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.’ In the years 2007/8, I saw the events in Matthew 24:7-8 literally described in the news. Jesus Christ is returning soon.

“What should I do? The Bible tells me not meet my Lord with wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor 3:12-15). In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25), the wise virgins were prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival while the foolish virgins were not prepared. I want to learn from the wise virgins and be prepared for the bridegroom’s arrival. Christ’s grace and mercy constrained my heart to yield to His pure love. Hence I must study God’s Word faithfully to obey His will and serve him unconditionally with joy and gladness. These are works that withstand the test of fire (1 Cor 3:14). This is the reason why I must study in FEBC. Jesus Christ is my only Lord and King.”

Surely to spend time studying God’s Word is heavenly investment. Dn Leong had quit his job as an engineer to study full-time at FEBC. This step of faith to trust the Lord and serve Him unconditionally is not insurance but assurance! May the Lord raise up more men and women to study at FEBC—a 21st century school of prophets—and be fully equipped for faithful service in these last days of apostasy and compromise.