As God is not confused, we can expect that the revelation of Himself will not cause confusion either. As we faithfully walk with Him, He increasingly grows spiritual certainty and confidence in Him, which hatches assurance of eternal security in Christ.
God tells us in Numbers 23:19, that He is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Great news people, God knows His own mind perfectly!
The apostle John writes to remove confusion, to clarify uncertainty, and to remove doubt. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13). John is categorical concerning the power of Scripture and the Holy Spirit to rebirth sinners into a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:3, 23). These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31). Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ replaces doubt, surrender replaces indifference to God, and trust replaces fear.
Psalm 19:7-9 catalogues the absolute sufficiency and certainty of God’s written Word as the Lord reveals Himself through Scripture.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
The Lord has provided the most comprehensive provisions in His Word. Jesus declared God’s word is truth (John 17:17), as such, God’s Word provides knowable absolutes which meet our needs and gives assurance for eternity. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3). God increasingly unleashes His power within us as we obediently believe His truth. Behavioural knowledge is the path to discovering God’s glory and excellence in our thinking and living (Romans 12:2).
When we withhold our obedience to the truth of God, we interfere with the growing and controlling work of God the Spirit. Biblical truth must be obeyed if we want to receive the blessings. Solomon highlighted this in Proverbs 16:20, whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. John reinforces this in 1 John 2:3, by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Knowing God’s truth opens the possibility to increased obedience, which delivers assurance. 1 John 3:18-19 explains this, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.
In 1887, John H. Sammis wrote a hymn with the refrain that says it well:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
God’s ingenious design for Christian living is explained perfectly in the Bible and well proven by millions of believers over thousands of years. Knowledge of God is essential. Applied knowledge of God through obedience is essential. Conviction from knowledge expressing itself through repentance is essential. The result is wonderfully inescapable, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). There is no room for confusion in the Lord Jesus Christ.