Many believers struggle with assurance. They can confess the gospel—Jesus Christ is God, He died for sins, He rose again—but inside, a storm of accusations rages: Did I really believe? Am I a false brother? Have I gone the way of Cain? The very gospel that should bring peace becomes a source of torment. Yet this anguish is often the clearest evidence that one is not who the accuser claims. An unbeliever does not wrestle like this; they are indifferent or hostile to the message. This torment arises because there is an accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), and he would not waste his time on a dead man.
The foundation of salvation is not the quality of faith, the fervency of feeling, or the absence of doubt. It is a record—a testimony. God has spoken concerning His Son, and salvation rests entirely on whether one takes Him at His word.
“He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.” (John 3:33)
The question is simple: Did God tell the truth about Jesus? If the answer is yes, the believer is sealed. The Spirit Himself bears witness to that record within. This is the objective, unshakable rock. Everything else—the feelings, intrusive thoughts, fear—is like weather. It may be terrifying weather, but it cannot move the rock.
The Attack on “Mental Assent” and Why It’s a Lie
A common and destructive teaching claims that mere mental assent is insufficient and that one must believe with the heart. This creates a false, unbiblical dichotomy between mind and heart. Scripture teaches that the heart (kardia) is the seat of understanding, will, and conscience. To think something with the mind is to think it with the heart. The idea that one can intellectually agree with the gospel while some deeper, spiritual part rejects it is a fiction. It is a tool designed to divert attention from Christ and provoke a spiritual autopsy on oneself.
Many believers articulate the gospel perfectly: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again on the third day. They believe Jesus is the Son of God. Yet they are told, “If you really believed, you would see more fruit. You would sin less. You would be different.” The enemy first accuses them of unbelief, then demands proof through performance. This causes believers to focus on their failures, doubts, and lack of feeling. When they look away from Christ, they see no evidence of Christian life—and of course they don’t! Their life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
The gospel is the incorruptible seed. When the word was received, the believer believed it. That moment was regeneration. The growth that follows—what the Bible calls “full assurance of faith”—is about appreciating and resting in what is already possessed, not qualifying for it.
The Way of Cain and the Testimony of Christ
Fear of having “gone the way of Cain” often reflects a misunderstanding of Cain’s sin. Cain rejected God’s prescribed way of approach—blood sacrifice—and insisted on his own works. He then hated and murdered his brother who was accepted by faith. The “way of Cain” is to refuse to recognize a believer by the gospel. It is to look at someone who trusts in Christ’s blood and say, “Your faith isn’t genuine unless I see my idea of fruit in your life.”
Those who are tormented by doubts are not on that path. Their torment arises because they desire God’s way. They cling to the testimony of Christ even while being bombarded. The very fact that these thoughts are unwanted proves they are not the belief of the heart. An unbeliever does not believe and does not fight for the truth. This conflict is the war of a son.
What to Do When the Storm Hits
First, the gospel must be preached to oneself—out loud. Hearing one’s own voice speak the truth is vital. When thoughts arise saying, “You are not saved,” believers must put on their armor. Begin with who they are in Christ: “Wait. No. I am saved because I believe God’s record. This accusation cannot be true. Therefore, I must not understand this verse or thought correctly.” Stand in grace first, then open the Bible.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
Peace is with God, based on faith in Jesus Christ. It is not peace with self, feelings, or performance. That peace with God is a settled legal reality. Experiential peace in the soul comes as the conscience is cleansed by repeatedly resting in that legal reality.
Second, recognize the physiological reality. The heavy attacks—panic, dread—are often the body’s chemistry reacting to bad information, fear, and anxiety. The enemy feeds lies, the mind processes them as threats, and the body responds. Renewing the mind with truth is not just spiritual; it calms the nervous system. The gospel is life and peace. It is the flesh and blood of Jesus, real food for the soul. As believers feed on Him and are satisfied in Him, the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). They move from knowing “Jesus died for the world” to knowing “He loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Where Assurance Lives Today
Assurance is not a memory to excavate. It is not necessary to pinpoint a past moment and wonder, “Was that real?” Assurance is present tense. It is based on the now.
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:12-13)
Do believers have the Son today? How do they get Him? By believing the testimony. Do they believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Do they believe He died for their sins and rose for their justification? If the answer is yes—even a yes whispered through tears and doubt—then they have the witness in themselves. They have the Son. They have life.
The struggle is real. The pain is acute. But salvation is not. It is a finished work, a sealed testament, a settled record. God is not unrighteous. He will not endure the agony of the cross, secure redemption, give a testimony sealed by the blood of martyrs and the witness of the Spirit, and then say, “Sorry, you didn’t feel it deeply enough.” He said if one believes, they have eternal life. Period. Eternal hope is banked on His righteousness, not ours. It is banked on His truthfulness, not emotional stability.
Believers may be beaten sheep, but they are His sheep. No one can pluck them from His hand—not even themselves.
