G.K. Wallace
True heartfelt religion makes a child secure and keeps him happy at all times. He who has this kind of religion will do what God says at all times. Jesus said the seed on the “good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart” (Luke 8: 15).
No heart is a good heart that will not do what the Lord requires. Obeying the truth purifies the heart (1 Pet. 1:22). The honest and good heart will do what Jesus says do. The conduct and actions of the body must be right and a right heart produces right conduct. Christianity includes the body as well as the soul. A religion that makes me feel well according to the Bible is a religion that does well. No man has a scriptural right to feel well who does not obey Christ. Someone says, “I feel like I am saved”—well I know that I am saved. My feelings are like the stock market—up and down. I have an assurance that is a “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1:8). I have an assurance that goes beyond feeling. John says “and hereby we do know” (1 John 2:3).
We know that we know. “How do you know?” someone asks. “Well, Jesus told me so.” He said “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:15-16). I believed what He said and I “know I am saved” because He said I was saved. I did what Jesus told me to do 67 years ago and I have never had a doubt. All the demons in hell and all the devil’s angels on earth cannot cause me to doubt my salvation. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).
Many feel good who have a strong delusion. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 The. 2:11). One always feels good if he does what he believes to be right. Paul had a good conscience while persecuting Christ (Acts 23:11). Let us be sure that we are led by the Word of God and not by our own feelings. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3).
If we have not obeyed Christ, our feelings of salvation are a strong delusion (2 The. 2:9-12).
