How may believers be sure of their salvation?

For centuries, this question has troubled Christians in both the pew and the pulpit. Some believers live for years under a cloud of doubts. Others minister to professing Christians who have complete assurance of salvation but show little fruit of it.

Among theologians, debates rage especially over two general questions: what may Christians be sure of regarding their salvation, and what should make them sure of it? May they be sure of final salvation now, or is assurance possible only about their present state? Should they look only to the promises of God to gain this assurance, or should they also examine their own lives?

To sort through the debate, Matthew Hoskinson begins by exploring historical views of assurance and the major schools of thought among orthodox Protestants today. Then he details what each part of the New Testament teaches about hope, measuring today's positions accordingly. Along the way, he discusses topics such as Lordship Salvation, Reformed and Wesleyan theology, the Second Coming of Christ, and whether assurance is a necessary part of saving faith. The result will clarify how to have--and how to teach how to have--what Hebrews 6:11 calls "the full assurance of hope until the end."