One Friday night of his ninth grade year he would question his salvation once again. He had probably asked Jesus into his heart 5,000 times before but was he sure? He had been baptized four times already but was that enough? These are pieces to the puzzle at the beginning of J.D. Greear’s excellent book, Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart. Though J.D. Greear is now 62nd President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, NC, and author of 20 plus Christian books, he too has struggled with assurance of Salvation. His honesty and readability combined with his experience and desire to help others helped create this practical book for every age.
In this short book, Greear begins by laying out the necessity of assurance. It is one thing to have a date recorded in your Bible and a certificate on your wall of the day you “asked Jesus into your heart,” It is an entirely different thing to have an assurance of salvation that guides your life, removes doubt, and continues throughout your life.
He continues the book with some defining chapters regarding the Gospel, Faith, and Repentance. Even if you do have assurance, these chapters will provide you with great illustrations and descriptions for sharing your faith with others. In these chapters, Greear is clear and understandable even for young students about the foundational truths of salvation.
Finally, he provides three practical chapters addressing real concerns. He discusses the idea of losing your salvation, evidence of genuine salvation, and what to do when you doubt. These three chapters answer common objections and give boots on the ground answers to the nagging question in your life.
Let me conclude by telling you that you should buy two copies. One for you and one for a friend. Read through it together and be blessed by the conversation that follows.
As a church we have chosen to use this book as a discipleship tool with the students 6th -12th grade that desire to participate in mature activities. They meet with adults to discuss, ask questions, and work through their own story. However, this could be used as a discipleship tool in your family as well. Set down with your teen and wrestle through these tough questions together.
Some Favorite Quotes:
“Repentance and Faith are heart postures you take toward the finished work of Christ. You might express the beginning of that posture in prayer. But don’t make the mistake of equating the prayer with the posture.” pg. 8
“How can you stand against a hostile world if you are not assured of the God whom you are leaving it all for?” pg. 14
“Don’t try to find assurance from a prayer you prayed in the past; find assurance by resting in the present on what Jesus did in the past.” pg. 47
