Good News:  Its a free gift  

Lutherans believe that faith is created and strengthened not by looking inside of one's self, to one's own faith and/or doubts, but by looking outside of one's self to God's Word and promises in Christ.

Therefore, assurance of salvation is to be sought by looking to God's Word and promises in Christ, which create and strengthen the faith through which one is saved, not by looking inward at the strength or weakness of one's own faith, which creates pride and false assurance or doubt and lack of assurance.

Anxiety regarding doubts, strength of faith and certainty of salvation are signs of faith (however weak it may be), not signs of unbelief, since the unbeliever has no concern or anxiety about doubts, faith or salvation. That means if your here reading this - you have it - salvation is yours in Christ.

Salvation from God's word
What Jesus Saw...

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)

We don't know what Jesus looked like... But we do know what he saw.
He saw people.
He saw sinners.
He saw death.
He saw pain.
He saw injustice.
He saw sickness.
He saw faith.
He saw unbelief.
He saw sadness.
He saw joy.
He saw you.

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)

We know how He saw.
He looked with love.
He looked with grace.
He looked with compassion.
He looked with mercy.
He looked with sorrow.
He looked with joy.
He looked with human eyes.
He looked with divine eyes.
He looked with eyes of life.

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)

And from the cross He saw your sins.
And He forgave them.
From the cross He saw the devil.
And defeated him.
From the cross He saw death.
And He conquered it.
For you.

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

And leaving the grave behind, He saw eternal life.
And He gives it to you.
And He welcomes you.
And He loves you.
And He redefines our lives in His.
And He gives to you.
Eyes of life.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

To see all as those who are loved.
To see all as those whom God loves.
To see all life as a gift from God.

Please email or call if you have questions about salvation.