2. We must have a genuine love for the truth. a) 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11
2 Thessalonians 2:10-11

10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,

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b) Without Bible authority there is no assurance of salvation.
  1 Thessalonians 5:23
1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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  Jude 3
Jude 3

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessar to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

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 (must contend for the faith, not only for its purity or trueness, but also
  for adherence to IT!);
  1 Timothy 6:12
1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

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3. We must give diligence to make our calling and election sure.
  2 Peter 1:5-11
2 Peter 1:5-11

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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a) Verse 9
2 Peter 1:9

For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

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shows what happens when these are not added
  (an ever-present danger).
  He that lacketh is BLIND, CAN'T SEE ... , FORGOTTEN.
b) Verse 10
2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;

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shows the secret of success - diligence. We will never stumble
  if we are diligent in doing those things.
c) "Giving all diligence" - The assurance of salvation is found in the diligence
  on our part. (Give diligence to make your calling & election sure.)
  We know that God will always do His part.
  We must earnestly strive to do WHATEVER is our part.
d) "If these things be in you AND ABOUND" (not barren nor unfruitful)
  "and are increasing" (NASV) We must continue to grow and develop
  spiritually!

4. We must continually strive to keep God's commandments.
  I John 2:3-6
I John 2:3-6

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

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a) Thus, to be in union with God (having all the blessings available from God),
  we must keep His commandments.
  For examples:
  1 Corinthians 6:18
1 Corinthians 6:18

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

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''Flee fornication."
  1 Corinthians 11:24-25
1 Corinthians 11:24-25

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

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"This do in remembrance of me."
b) Keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
  Again, there must be diligence on our part.
  We must keep, or guard, ourselves.

5. When we continue to rely on God. a) God provides a way of escape.
  1 Corinthians 10:13
1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

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b) Christ is able to aid those who are tempted.
  Hebrews 2:18
Hebrews 2:18

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

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c) We must come boldly to the throne of grace.
  Hebrews 4:16
Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

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d) Remember that God is able to save us eternally.
  Jude 24
Jude 24

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

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e) There is no uncertainty with God, but within each of us occasionally there
  surely will be. 1) This is why the Lord taught us to watch and pray always.
  Luke 21:36
Luke 21:36

Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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2) Prayer will bring peace into our hearts, when it's offered with an active,
  living, abiding faith.
  Philipians 4:6-7
Philipians 4:6-7

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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    1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,
13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

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D. In addition to all the rest, THANK GOD that He has granted us a system of
  grace.
  Romans 4:1-8
Romans 4:1-8

Abraham Justified by Faith

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. David Celebrates the Same Truth

David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

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1. Paul is showing that a system of works, or works alone will not justify. a) Verse 2
Romans 4:2

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

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- "For if Abraham was justified by works (by a system of works,
  by works alone), he has something of which to boast, but not before
  God (because he did it himself)."
b) Verse 3
Romans 4:3

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

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- His faith was accounted for righteousness.
c) Verse 4
Romans 4:4

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

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- "Now to him who works (works perfectly, lives by a system
  of works) the wages are not counted as grace but as debt
  (if he worked perfectly).
d) Verse 5
Romans 4:5

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

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- ''But to him who does not work (does not work perfectly,
  does not rely on a system of works or law) but believes ...
  his faith is accounted ... "
e) Verse 6
Romans 4:6

just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

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- " ... Apart from works (apart from perfect works,
  from a system of works).
f) Verse 7-8
Romans 4:7-8

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

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- Sins forgiven is emphasized.

2. When we DON'T live up to GOD'S STANDARD, any so-called faith we may
  SUPPOSE we have will NOT be counted for our righteousness. a) The Law of Moses demanded perfect obedience.
  Galatians 3:10
Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

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b) Under the New Testament system of grace, when one does not keep the
  commandments perfectly, his faith is accounted for righteousness when
  we are AIMED, or DEDICATED to God's righteousness, even though
  at times we DO temporarily falter along the way!

CONCLUSION:
A Are you sure you are saved? How can we know we are saved?

B. Review of the main points: 1. We must daily comply with the terms of pardon.
2. We must have a genuine love for truth.
3. We must give diligence to make our calling election sure.
4. We must continue to keep God's commandments.
5. We must continue to rely on God.

C. Let us be thankful that God has given us a system of grace.