Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Blog
    • Grace in Focus International Blogs
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Email Subscription
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Seminary
    • Seminary Info
    • GES Seminary Curriculum
    • GES Seminary Faculty
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
Home
→
Blog
→
John Mueller on Works Salvation and Assurance

John Mueller on Works Salvation and Assurance

October 17, 2016 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Assurance of Salvation, Sanctification, Shawn Lazar, Works

By Shawn Lazar

The Greatest Certainty

I was recently referencing John Mueller’s Christian Dogmatics (St Louis, MO: Concordia, 1955), when I came across some excellent quotes on assurance being part of faith, and not something extra in addition to it.

“Since saving faith is the believer’s trust in the perfect righteousness which Christ has secured for all men by His vicarious satisfaction and which therefore exists even before a person believes, it is clear that a believer is in full possession of divine pardon, life, and salvation from the very moment in which he puts his trust in Christ; for in that very moment all the merits of Christ’s suffering and death are imputed to him (Acts 16:31). For this reason the believer is also certain of his salvation; for saving faith is in its very nature the truest and greatest certainty” (p. 329).

What is Mueller arguing here? His basic point is this. In contrast to religions that teach that salvation is only given at a future date, Biblical religion teaches that salvation is given at the moment of faith in Jesus. When you believe in Jesus for salvation, it is given to you in that moment. In fact, that is what you are believing in Jesus for—for salvation imputed at the moment of faith, not given at some future date. Hence, saving faith is certainty that you are saved, because that is the promise that is being believed. If we were believing in Jesus for a future salvation, we could not be sure that we are saved now, because that is not what is believed.

Saving faith is the greatest certainty, because it is faith in the greatest gift the world has ever known: eternal salvation through Christ.

Assurance, Justification, and Sanctification

Mueller goes on to clearly point out a major reason why people lack assurance of salvation—they think salvation depends, in some way, upon works:

“If papists and Romanizing Protestants deny that the believer may be sure of his salvation, it is because they teach that salvation, in part at least, depends on the believer’s good works, in other words, because they intermingle justification and sanctification” (p. 330).

How perceptive of Mueller to recognize that pastors and theologians who confuse justification with sanctification, generally lack assurance, because assurance of salvation is tied to belief in the former, not the latter.

If salvation depends on a life of good works, a conscientious person will always recognize even their best works are not pure, and realize that he cannot be sure he will continue to do good works in the future. Hence, he will lack assurance of salvation.

Subscribe by Email

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Shawn_L

by Shawn Lazar

Shawn Lazar (BTh, McGill; MA, VU Amsterdam) was the Editor of Grace in Focus magazine and Director of Publications for Grace Evangelical Society from May 2012 through June 2022. He and his wife Abby have three children. He has written several books including: Beyond Doubt: How to Be Sure of Your Salvation and Chosen to Serve: Why Divine Election Is to Service, Not to Eternal Life.

If you wish to ask a question about a given blog, email us your question at ges@faithalone.org.

Recently Added

July 11, 2025

The Hebrew Roots Movement, Part 1 

As the name implies, this is a movement within Christianity that suggests that the Hebrew roots of Christianity are much more profound than is thought...
July 11, 2025

When is the Great White Throne Judgment? And When Does the Judgment Seat of Christ Take Place?

Welcome to the Grace in Focus podcast. Today, Bob Wilkin and Steve Elkins are fielding a question on eschatological timing. When do certain judgment events...
July 10, 2025

A Fallen Beautiful Tree

Until this week, a large tree grew in the middle of our church parking lot. Its shade provided a great place to park your car,...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Listen on YouTube

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Grace Evangelical Society

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram