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Similarly obedience is small and weak, and thus often undermines
assurance of our election. Taffin acknowledges and laments the
reality of imperfect obedience. But as with faith, he states that the
desire to obey and honor God, resistance to sin, and signs of
progress in holiness are all marks of God‘s true children.
Both apostasy and persecution militate against faith and
undermine assurance. But suffering for the sake of Christ should
serve rather to confirm believers‘ adoption, since the most worthy
Christians have always been the most severely persecuted. Taffin
devotes several chapters to biblical and historical examples of
believers‘ suffering as well as to reflecting on the spiritual impact
of suffering. Suffering drives us to prayer. It teaches us hope. But
it also tests our obedience, he says.
By means of trials God puts our obedience to the test. When
all goes well according to the flesh, it is not difficult for us to
yield to his will and to recognize his goodness and love
toward us. But when he visits us with sickness, poverty,
reproach, or some other misery, it is then true obedience to
feel that he loves us, to embrace his divine guidance, and to
submit to his will. 104
Taffin celebrates martyrdom as the ultimate mark of obedience
under the duress of suffering for the sake of the gospel. The gospel
―is not merely doctrine to be tucked away in your mind. It needs to
live in your heart. Nor is it only to be talked about with the tongue
but must be expressed in your behavior and actions.‖ 105 His
treatment of the ―marks‖ of God‘s children culminates with a
litany, a recital, of biblical admonitions to holiness, faithfulness,
obedience.
That man is spiritually well schooled who knows that he is
nothing in himself and who has abandoned all personal
power and glory. He lives entirely for God, submitting his
104 Taffin, p.107.
105 Ibid., p.136.