1 John 5:11-13 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
There are many in the world today who live in a state of doubt and fear. This is not only true for those of the world, but even some Christians as well. One question that many ask in horror is “How do I know if I am saved?” Allow this article to assist you in giving you a peace of mind. You can know whether or not you are a Christian. If you are struggling, then I pray that this will help motivate you to do what you need to do in order to be pleasing to God.
Question #1 Can we be sure of our salvation? (Absolutely!)
1 John 2:3-5 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him”, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.
2 Pet 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.
Question #2 How do we possess assurance?
We do this by becoming a Christian. We get in Christ! Then once doing this, do we stay, or remain in Christ?
Romans 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
We must be careful not to think that we can be “near” Christ. As if that is good enough. We see that we must be “in Christ”, we must “put on Christ”. Allow me to also say that I am not saying that we are “good enough”. This is why we have God’s grace. If our salvation was based on our “being good enough”, nobody would be saved.
As mentioned above, once we have put Christ on, then we must remain in Christ.
John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
2 Cor 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?
With the grading of ourselves, what standard are we using? Many tend to use the idea of “perfection” which will always end in disappointment. What we need to consider is the idea of our “direction”. Where are we going? What is our plan? As long as we live in this world, we will encounter sin. Does this sin have dominion over us? When we sin, do we confess our sin or do we defend our sin? The answer to this question will help us in examining ourselves.
1 John 1:7-10 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
Most would agree with the idea that “actions speak louder than words.” We see that very principle in James 2:15-16. The words of the man were for the person to go in peace, be warmed and be filled. He said the right thing but when it came down to it, he was not willing to help. This is true for many of us today. We are fast and loose with our words. We say all the right things but then when it is time to fulfill our obligations, we find all kinds of excuses not to do something.
We can be sure of our salvation. We do not have to fear the idea of death or dying. Not because we expect to live forever, physically, but because we are spiritually alive in Christ. God reassures His people throughout all His word. If you need reassurance, then I encourage you to take 30 minutes – 1 hour every day to open your Bible and read about Jesus. It is not much, but it is a start.
-Lee Elkins
