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The first means of assurance is the promises of salvation. They are the promises given to us in the Word. That is definitely distinct from the latter two. I would say that the promises of salvation gives us assurance inasmuch as we believe that God has written it. It throws the entire weight of God's own testimony behind our assurance. So, if you believe that God has written the Word, then you can believe that if you have repented of your sin, and trusted in Christ, then you are saved, and can never lose it. The story of Cromwell is instructive. He had doubts on his deathbed, and he inquired (either of Goodwin or Owen, I can't remember which right off) about assurance. The theologian replied that if he had ever been assured of grace, then he could be assured now, given the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. That was good enough for Cromwell.
The inward evidence (I believe) is based primarily on what God has been doing in our lives. The proof texts are helpful here, to which I would add Romans 7. I believe that the evidence of our struggle with sin contributes to our assurance. The unbeliever does not struggle with sin as the believer does. Indeed, most of the time the unbeliever just gives right in to sin.
The third testimony is that of the Spirit's sealing. This is again based on the Word, but with a slightly different focus: the application of the Word to us.
I don't agree with Guthrie that we can work up our own hearts to close with the offer. Our faith is a gift from God. By all means, we should consider our lost estate apart from Christ, and be persuaded that Christ is the answer. However, I don't believe that the actual persuading comes from us, but from the Spirit.
By the way, most people struggle with assurance because of sin in their lives. At least, that is when I most struggle with assurance. The answer is repentance. God WILL forgive the repentant sinner, no matter how many times he has sinned, and no matter how many times he has sinned the same sin. God allows us to struggle with the same sin all our lives sometimes to make sure that we know that the power to conquer sin does not come from us, but from God.
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