Book Review: Gospel Assurance & Warnings by Paul Washer

It is sad to say that many Christians are unaware if they are saved. Some have received bad teaching that will make them feel they are not such as, "can you remember the day, time, and place where you were saved?" Many Christians do not have assurance that they are saved. They start "trying harder" to get that assurance they need. What is also sad to say is that many people in the church think they are saved because of something such as their parents were Christians to the proclamation, "I was in church 9 months before I born" as if they had a choice to go anywhere because they were in the womb.

Paul Washer in his book, Gospel Assurance & Warnings is the third book in his "Recovering The Gospel" series. This book now takes a look at salvation as it is proclaimed in the Bible. Yes, we know that faith in Christ alone is the means by which we must be saved, yet this book deals with the evidence of conversion as well as warnings to those who are caught in an "easy believism" form of Christianity, which Dietrich Bonhoeffer called, "cheap grace."

The book begins with Washer teaching on the false assurances that many Christians have regarding their salvation. Some in the church believe they have received Jesus based on filling out a card or praying the "sinner's prayer." Some people also think they are saved because of their trust in Savior's work on the cross, yet they refuse to submit to the Lordship of Christ.

Washer also calls on every Christian to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith as the Apostle Paul once told the Corinthians, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Washer then goes on to write about assurances believers can have such as walking in obedience to God's commandments, loving fellow Christians, remaining in the church, and rejecting the world.

The second half of the book deals with warnings regarding those who think they are saved. Many people in the church have false resumptions about their salvation that they will go to their grave thinking they have eternal life. One thing Washer writes about is "Gospel Reductionism" where churches or even those who claim to be Christians would reduce the gospel to make it easy to believe where there almost no faith and repentance. To be more precise, they have faith that God has saved them but they live as if they were hellbound. Practical atheism is believing God exists but live as He does not exist.

Washer has offered another great gospel-centered, theology-driven book on issues that need to be addressed in today's church. Great book to give to a believer struggling with assurance. This is also a great resource for pastors and small group leaders to use when teaching on assurance.

Thanks Reformation Heritage Books for letting me review this book.