In Part one we considered a desiringGod.org article (see here) by Greg Morse entitled “Almost Saved: Four Reasons to Examine Yourself.” We looked at his first two reasons. We will now consider points three and four and the conclusion.
Point 3: “Desiring Salvation.” Morse uses the Parable of the Ten Virgins to show that a person can desire salvation yet not have it. See the second quote Jerry provided in his question.
My response: The issue in this parable is kingdom rulership, not entrance. The five foolish virgins are all believers awaiting the Lord’s return and desiring to be part of the torch dance in his wedding. Morse is right, however, that desiring everlasting life is not the same as having it. Yet Morse does not mention the need to believe in Jesus for everlasting life.
Point 4: “Joy in Everyday Religion.” He uses Israel’s joy in its worship to show that one can be unregenerate yet religious. He wrote, “In the end, the fair scent of their spiritual habits could not mask the stench of their deep unbelief, injustice, and hypocrisy.” He implies that they need to do three things to be born again: have deep belief (whatever that is), act justly, and not be hypocrites. His emphasis is on works here and throughout the article.
My response: It is true that many professing Christians who enjoy worship are not born again. The reason, however, is not their failure to live righteously. Most professing Christians believe the way Morse does. They believe they will get into the kingdom if they are good enough. But they never will be. The only way is Jesus, and He gives everlasting life only to those who believe in Him for it.
Conclusion: “Am I His?” Morse quotes favorably from a very unsettling poem by John Newton that exalts doubting one’s salvation. “Many of us resonate with John Newton’s verse above, and I have not left us with many sure signs of salvation in this article. We have but looked at four positive signs—obedience, profiting others spiritually, desiring salvation, and drawing near to God with joy—and noticed them not to be decisive signs of salvation by themselves.”
In this article, Morse mentions faith six times, but never as persuasion. For him, faith combines repentance, surrender, commitment, and obedience. He speaks once of “saving faith,” which is evidenced by obedience. Twice, he writes about “true faith” that is marked by “true love” for God. His other references to faith are in quotes from Gal 2:20 (twice), 2 Cor 13:5, and Luther.
In this article, Morse does not quote from John’s Gospel or anyone who did. He mentions everlasting life only once: “This is the most miserable creature in hell, one who was always approaching, but never crossed over, the asymptote of everlasting life.” Asymptote refers to a line that gets ever closer and closer to a curve but never actually touches it. That is his view of the almost Christian.
Based on his flawed understanding of 2 Cor 13:5, Morse suggests that the solution is self-examination.
How can you know whether you are born again? The only way to have assurance is to look to Jesus (John 3:16). Since our works are imperfect, we can never find assurance in ourselves.
I encourage well-grounded believers to listen to and read Morse’s article. It should motivate you to tell people like him that they can be sure of their eternal destiny by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for the gift of God.
