Menno Simons on the Assurance of Salvation - Chortitzer Mennonite ...

what Christ intends
for us. And “since no
one under heaven has
perfectly fulfilled the
righteousness required
of God but Christ Jesus
alone, therefore none
can approach God,
obtain grace, and be
saved, except by the
perfect righteousness,
atonement, and
intercession of Jesus
Christ…we are sinners
in thought, word, and
deed. Yes, if we did
not have before us the
righteous Jesus Christ,
no prophet or apostle
could be saved.”
“Therefore,” <strong>Menno</strong> tells the woman, “be of good
cheer and comforted in the Lord…In and by yourself you
are a poor sinner and by eternal righteousness banished,
accursed, and condemned to eternal death. But in and
through Christ you are justified and pleasing unto God, and
adopted by him in eternal grace as a daughter and child.”
<strong>Menno</strong> refers to Romans 5:6: “You see, at just the
right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for
the ungodly.” Then he refers to Romans 5:10, “For if,
when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him
through the death of his Son, how much more, having been
reconciled, shall we be saved through his life.”
<strong>Simons</strong> points the woman to “Christ Jesus and his
merits, believing and confessing that His precious blood
alone is your cleansing; His righteousness you piety; His
death your life; and His resurrection your justification; for
He is the forgiveness of all your sins; his bloody wounds
are your reconciliation; and his victorious strength is the…
consolation of your weakness.”
How can <strong>Menno</strong> say this? He says it on the basis of
God’s Word. Scripture was given that we might be drawn to
Christ so that we might be comforted, not insecure.
But what if we struggle? In this instance, <strong>Menno</strong>
A women, facing the possibility of death due to disease,
became increasingly aware of her sinful nature, to the point
of questioning her own standing before God. <strong>Menno</strong> <strong>Simons</strong>
told her, “Be Comforted in Christ Jesus...Soon the inheritance
of his glorious promise will be due.”
points to her struggle as proof that she is a child of Christ.
“Dearest child and sister,” he says, seeing that she wants
to do what is good and hates what is evil, “therefore you
may rest assured that you are a child of God, and that you
will inherit the kingdom of grace in eternal joy with all the
saints.”
We know we dwell in Christ, and He in us, <strong>Menno</strong> says,
because “he has given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13).
This woman cares about following the Lord. She
isn’t careless or rebellious or proud. She agonizes over
her weakness. Remember what God has said: He will not
despise a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). He will
not turn away anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37).
Together our desire to do what is right and our sadness
over what we do wrong is a sign that we have faith in Jesus
Christ.
At the end of this short letter, <strong>Menno</strong> prays a blessing
upon this woman. Notice where the blessing is focused:
“The saving power of the most holy blood of Christ be with
my beloved child and sister, now and forever. Amen.” The
focus is on Christ and his saving blood now and forever,
not on our weakness.
Where is our focus? Is it on our weakness, on our
insecurity? If so, then turn to look at our gracious Lord
Jesus Christ. Without Him, no matter how good we are,
we aren’t going anywhere. But because of Christ and His
Cross, we can have a confidence that is based on His kind,
willing, and free acceptance of us.
Bold or insecure we might be, Christ’s grace is the only
focus on which our rest has its proper foundation. This
was <strong>Menno</strong> <strong>Simons</strong>’ counsel 452 years ago; and that is his
counsel, based on God’s Word, for us today. ~
Terry M. Smith is an
ordained minister who
serves as an Executive
Secretary/Editor
within the Evangelical
<strong>Menno</strong>nite Conference
national office. He joined
the EMC in 1979.
<strong>Menno</strong>’s letter is found
on pp.1050-1052 (Harold
Press ediiton)
July/August Page 5