First, some lack assurance because they sit under demanding, confrontive, convicting preaching of the law that upholds a high standard of righteousness, forces people to acknowledge their sinfulness, and causes them to feel the weight of sin and God’s displeasure. Such preaching may greatly disturb some listeners and cause them to waver concerning their spiritual condition. The pulpit that features strong confrontation does not always balance that with preaching that conveys strong comfort to those under grace, which produces genuine assurance.

Second, some people feel they are too sinful to be saved, and thus they have difficulty accepting forgiveness. There may be two basic causes for this. First, the human conscience can be relentless in some sensitive souls, and it naturally offers little forgiveness, grace, and mercy to relieve conviction and guilt (cf.

σπουδὴν πᾶσαν παρεισφέρω: (an idiom, literally ‘to bring every effort to’) to do one’s very best in attempting to do something

believers are compelled to call on all their regenerate faculties to live godly lives

ἐγκρατεύομαι; ἐγκράτεια, ας f: to exercise complete control over one’s desires and actions—‘to control oneself, to exercise self- control, self-control.’

ὑπομονή, ῆς f: capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances—‘endurance, being able to endure.

θρησκεία, ας f; εὐσέβειαa, ας f; θεοσέβεια, ας f: appropriate beliefs and devout practice of obligations relating to supernatural persons and powers—‘religion, piety.’

ἀγαπάωa; ἀγάπηa, ης f: to have love for someone or something, based on sincere appreciation and high regard—‘to love, to regard with affection, loving concern, love