In the world of ministry, a pastor will seldom deal with questions that are more important than the assurance of salvation. Since ministry leaders are continually talking about the application of truth, it seems proper for God’s people to be sure of the foundation upon which they stand.
How do I know if I’m really saved? This is such an important question, and it deserves a careful answer.
The Bible clearly teaches that the moment a person turns from his sin and trusts in Jesus to be forgiven of his sin, he is saved (Acts 2:37-41). He has passed from spiritual death to spiritual life (John 5:24) and has been declared not guilty in God’s court of law (Rom 3:21-26). From God’s perspective, his salvation is an objective reality that cannot be changed (Rom 8:28-30).
But from our subjective experience, we may not feel certain. The difficulties of life and discouragement over our sin can lead us to question the reality of our salvation. Or perhaps we read one of the “warning” passages about turning away from the faith or the unforgivable sin and yet again ask the question, “how do I know if I’m really saved?”
The Apostle John wrote his first letter to address this very question: “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). So when we read through John’s letter, we see that he answers this question from several different angles.
The starting point is the person and work of Jesus Christ. He describes Christ as our advocate (1 John 2:1), meaning that he pleads our case before the Father when Satan accuses us. Through his sacrificial death on the cross for our sins Jesus has satisfied God’s righteous wrath against us (1 John 1:7; 2:2; 4:10). By confessing that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came in the flesh to save us from our sins we can be confident that we have eternal life (1 John 4:2, 13-15; 5:13). Therefore “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
John does not stop there, however. He builds on the foundation of ongoing trust in the person and work of Christ by reminding us about the testimony of the Holy Spirit living inside of believers (1 John 3:24). The Spirit reminds us of the truth of who Jesus is and what he has done for us (1 John 4:2, 6). As we experience the Spirit at work in our lives we are reassured that God truly abides in us (1 John 4:13).
Of course, faith in Jesus Christ and our perception of the Holy Spirit living inside of us can still seem quite subjective. That is why John points to how a person lives as tangible evidence of truly being born again. Those who truly know Jesus Christ by faith will actively pursue obeying God’s commandments (1 John 2:3) just as Jesus himself did (1 John 2:6). The most fundamental commandment is to believe in Jesus (1John 3:22-24), but genuine faith works itself out in love in tangible acts of love towards others, especially fellow believers (1 John 3:11-18; 4:7-12, 20-21; 5:1-2). Those who are children of God show their true identity by pursuing a pattern of turning away from sin and towards a life of righteousness (1 John 3:4-10). And when we inevitably fall short of perfect obedience, we have the promise that God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9).
How do I know if I’m really saved? Put simply, our salvation depends solely on the person and work of Jesus Christ. As we continue to trust in him, we will experience the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives to make us more like Jesus. When we see this happening, our assurance that we truly are one of God’s children grows.
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FAQs
By confessing that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came in the flesh to save us from our sins we can be confident that we have eternal life (1 John 4:2, 13-15; 5:13). Therefore “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).
How do you know if you are truly saved? ›
A person is saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not by bodily sensations and religious ecstasy. Still, you might say, “Is there no place in saving faith for any feeling?” Certainly there is room for feeling, but we are not saved by it.
Can you lose your salvation if you are saved? ›
There are two main views on this subject: We cannot lose our salvation and once we have accepted Jesus as Saviour, we are eternally secure. Once we are saved, we are always saved. We can lose our salvation and, if after professing salvation we backslide and lose our faith, we are lost.
How do I know if I'm born again? ›
A New Root and Principle of Your Life. If you have been born again, not only is your inward self altered, and your outward self too, but the very root and principle of your life must become totally new. When we are in sin we live to self, but when we are renewed we live to God.
What is the evidence of salvation? ›
FACT: The first witness, evidence or proof that a person is truly saved is their Scriptural Testimony. This means that a person gives a personal testimony that they had a time and place sometime in their life where they called upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to come into their life and save them.
How do you know the holy spirit is in you? ›
9 ways the Holy Spirit works in your life today
- He makes known the presence of Jesus. ...
- He makes us more like Jesus. ...
- He helps us understand the Bible. ...
- He calls you to work. ...
- He empowers you for service. ...
- He helps you pray. ...
- He guides you. ...
- He empowers you for building the church.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Can I lose my salvation according to the Bible? ›
God promises to keep us safe, so that no force, no circ*mstance, not even Satan himself, can snatch us out of God's hand. As Christians, we are the sheep who listen to Christ and follow him by faith. We cannot be snatched away.
Do you have to forgive to be saved? ›
According to Matthew 6:14-15, a person who doesn't forgive others will not be forgiven by God. In the verses, Jesus states: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
What are the chances of being born again? ›
The numbers are nearly opposite in the East and West -- 26% of residents of the East are born-again, while 69% are not, and 27% of Americans living in the West say they are born-again, while 64% are not.
Evidence of a new life
The life of a person with new life will have joy, kindness, peace, and other virtues. The behaviour of the changed life will be noticed by the people around.
What makes you born again? ›
In fact, the phrase “born again” more literally means “born from above.” Just as your mother gave physical birth to you, if you want to have eternal life, you need the Holy Spirit to give you a spiritual birth. This is the moment of conversion when you go from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive through Christ.
What is the first step to true salvation? ›
The first step is repentance: to recognize that we are lost without God, and we are doomed to an eternal death apart from him because we lack his grace, which makes us alive in him. We must turn away from anything that would lead us away from God and then turn to God in faith.
What are the five stages of salvation? ›
There are five steps which we must take to receive this salvation.
- Hear. First, we must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ...
- Believe. Second, one must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). ...
- Repent. ...
- Confess. ...
- Be Baptized. ...
- What does one have to do in order to be forgiven of his sins?
God's Word says that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
What is the difference between salvation and being saved? ›
Salvation is meant to fundamentally change us at the very core of our being. To be saved means to be rightly related with God. It's a process that is constant, for we “have been saved” (Ephesians 2:8), “are being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18), and “will…be saved” (Romans 5:9) through Christ.
Do I have to be baptized to be saved? ›
Just note the order that Jesus presents and the order that man presents. He places hearing, believing and baptism prior to being saved. Man comes along and says one is saved at the point of faith and is then baptized, that baptism has nothing to do with being saved.
How do I know if I am saved by desiring God? ›
Many people ask questions about assurance of salvation: “How do I know if I am saved?” Some would answer, “The Bible says, 'Once saved, always saved. ' So if you truly believed in Jesus in the past, you have a ticket straight to heaven; you need never question your salvation.”
