How do I know for sure I'm saved?
I am excited by this question, because there
was once a time when I didn't know if I was saved or not.
Then God revealed Himself to me through His Holy Spirit, and
all doubt was removed. Let me share with you what I have
found out about this:
First of all, there are four things that I had to realize
before I could be saved:
1. I am a sinner. Rom 3:23-24 "All have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God." NIV
2. I deserve death. Rom 6:23 "The wages of sin is death."
NIV
3. Jesus died for my sins. Rom 5:8 "But God demonstrates his
own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us." NIV
4. When I repented God forgave me. Acts 3:19 "Repent, then,
and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out." NIV
But once I understood these things, what assurances did I
have to know for certain if I am saved or not? Here are a
few:
1. External Witness: the Bible.
First of all, I discovered that God's Word, the Bible, is
accurate and true. Numerous prophecies were fulfilled in
Bible times, and nowadays, God
talks to me though His Word. I look forward every day to
reading His message for me for that given day.
God's Word confirms that we are saved. There is no doubt
about that. I read prayerfully the following texts and
discovered beyond a doubt that I am saved:
Rom 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus." NIV (Wow! This text is quite
powerful and removes any doubt about our salvation!)
Rom 10:9 "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." NIV
Eph 2:8-10 8 "For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." NIV (I like
this text as many believe they can reach heaven by their own
deeds. This is a lie! We are saved through Jesus Christ. No
one else can save us, not even ourselves!)
Rom 10:13 "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will
be saved." NIV
John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath
remains on him." NIV
John 5:24 4 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and
believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be
condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." NIV
1 John 5:11-14 "And this is the testimony: God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the
Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not
have life. I write these things to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have
eternal life." NIV
John 1:12-13 "To all who received him, to those who believed
in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- 13
children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision
or a husband's will, but born of God." NIV
2. Internal Witness: God's Holy Spirit
Secondly, God convinced me of my salvation through His Holy
Spirit. Not only did He make me victorious over my sins,
strongholds that I thought were unbreakable, but as He took
His residence in me, He convinced me of my salvation.
Eph 1:13-14 "And you also were included in Christ when you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the
promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's
possession-to the praise of his glory." NIV
Wow! This text is powerful. A seal in the past was used by
kings to show ownership over something. The seal identified
that for example a letter that was send had the authority of
the king. We are sealed by God. God's seal is His Holy
Spirit who resides in us.
This guarantees our inheritance. We are saved!
Other texts confirming this can be
found at:
2 Cor 1:21-22 "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on
us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come" NIV
and
Rom 8:16-17 "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God's children." NIV
3. Changed life.
The third proof that I am saved is my own life that has been
changed through the power of God's Holy Spirit. What once
used to be important to me is no longer important to me.
What used to be my weakness is not my weakness any longer.
God has given me victory and has changed my life all around!
I still struggle with sin, but it does not have a hold on me
any longer. I am forgiven and I am a new creation!
Rom 6:18 8 "You have been set free from sin and have become
slaves to righteousness." NIV
Rom 6:11 "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in
Christ Jesus." NIV
Rom 6:2 "He died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
NIV
Acts 13:38-39 "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren,
that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all
things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of
Moses." NASU
In case I fall and stumble, I know beyond a doubt that my
Father will forgive me.
1 John 2:1-2 "My dear children, I write this to you so that
you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who
speaks to the Father in our defence-Jesus Christ, the
Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and
not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
NIV
My dear friend would you like to experience that kind of
salvation? Would you like to know beyond a doubt that you
are saved? Then kneel and invite Jesus in your heart. Answer
the Altar call (http://answers2prayer.org/saviours_call.html)
and accept Jesus' invitation. Turn away from your sinful
life. Accept God's Holy Spirit in your life and you will
experience victory. God keep His promised. He is awesome!
Will you let Him in now?
Rob Chaffart
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In these days of confusions the devil has a
subtle way of bringing thoughts into the hearts of the
believers to challenge their faith in the Lord. Some who are
not saved are also deceived into believing that they can be
saved by the works of righteousness.
I John 4:21 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have
we confidence towards God.
I John 5:10 “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the
witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made him
a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of
his Son.
The following scripture will give you assurance that you are
saved:
Roman 10:8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even
in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith,
which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou salt be saved
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth in him shall
not be ashamed.
Christian faith is a peculiar. It is not a religion. It is
beyond any religion. Religion has rules and regulation with
their founders as mortals. Jesus is immortal and invisible.
The only wise God. Religions have “dos” and “don’t”
(legalistic) but faith in Christ is a way of life. Christian
faith promises life after this world. Eternity. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son; that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but
have everlasting life”. Furthermore, Christians are eagerly
expecting the coming of the Lord the second time. Even if
some of us do not experience the rapture, we know when we
die we shall see him in heaven. Jesus said, He has gone too
prepare a place for us. We will see him and be like Him.
Once you are saved you will know. When confused, the Holy
Spirit will use His word to confirm your salvation that you
are in Him.
From the above passages, salvation is a process. The word
that you speak out from your mouth having been convinced of
Jesus’ story (death, resurrection from the grave the third
day, ascension to Heaven and His glorious second coming) you
heard without anybody coercing or forcing it on you.
Let’s look at this blessed Word from the Lord:
John 3:18-20: He that believeth in Him is not condemned; but
he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth
the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deed should
be reproved.
What this scripture is saying is that you are not condemned
because you have believed. You are not an accused in the law
court standing trial. You have been discharged and acquitted
by the highest powers. You are not longer in sin. All those
who have refused to believe still stand condemned and the
reason why they refuse to believe is because their deeds are
evil.
I remember witnessing to a young man working for a telephone
company in Nigeria. He said that he believed the Gospel but
would not accept it because he could not do without taking
bribe. Such a person is still bound by the devil and is
condemned already. Until he accepts the Gospel; he remain a
criminal.
Conversely there was another brother who was working in the
same company with him. He believed the Gospel and decided to
be saved instead of being condemned. He accepted that taking
bribe and humanizing is of the devil. That working the path
of the world, sexually immorality, deceit and all that are
work of the devil. Today he has been saved. He is in one of
the mission fields in Africa.
Once you are working in the path of righteousness you are
saved… Your name is in the book of the lamb. Make sure you
depart from sin completely.
Proverbs 28:13: “He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper; but whosoever confesseth and forsaketh them shall
have mercy.
God is a God of mercy. At the same time he does not behold
iniquity. Once you forsake your sins having confessed them
all, you stand enjoying the mercy of God till eternity.
In a way salvation comes through the following to every
believer:
Acceptance:
You accept the story of the living and infallible Word of
God.
Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation
of my heart, be acceptable in they sight, O Lord my strength
and my redeemer”.
1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of
God:
Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received of bondage again to fear; but ye
have received the Spirit of adoption, where by we cry, Abba,
Father.
Have you made that confession in your heart and have you
left your sins? If yes, you are saved. No controversy.
Continue to walk in Him.
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of
anti-Christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come; even
now already is it in the world.
Believe: You willingly believe the Word because it is the
Spirit and it is Life
Mark 1:15 “And saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom
of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the Gospel.”
Acts 3:38 “The Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall received the gift of the
Holy Ghost
I John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children and have
overcome, them because greater is he that is in you than he
that is in the world.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved
us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
12 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another.
Forsake:
Forsake your sins and live a holy life: You forsake your
sins and continue to walk in the righteousness of Him whom
you have believed.
Look at this beautiful scriptures that guarantees you being
in Him:
I John 2:1-5 “My little children, these things write I unto
you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous; And
he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only
but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do
know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that
saith I know, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth is word, in
him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know
we that we are in him.
NO CONDEMNATION
Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit”.
Romans 8: 33-34: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God
elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again ,
who is even at the right hand o God, who also maketh
intercession for us”.
Romans 8:15-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the sons of God. And if children, then
heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together”.
Another property that a Christian must demonstrate is to
love his fellow men with the sharing of the Gospel and
desiring that others must know the truth that He has known
through His grace.
LOOK AT ANOTHER SCRIPTURES THAT GUARANTEES YOUR SALVATION:
III John 9 “Whosever transgresseth, and abideth not in the
doctrine of Christ hath not God, He that abideth in the
doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
CONCLUSION:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the
whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this
is the whole duty of man.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
God bless you real good!
Rev Debo Adeyemo
N. B. Quotations are from the King James Version of the
Bible
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Romans 10:9-13 says 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. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Ephesians 2: 4-10 says: Because of his great
love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with
Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by
grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ
Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness
to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is
the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast. For
we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. MAY ALL
BE BLESSED!
DeeDee
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The primary evidence of knowing if you are saved is the
Scripture, that is, have you had a salvation experience as
described by Scripture. First, one must realize they are
lost in sin, second one must realize that God has paid their
sin debt through the cross of Christ and third one must
repent of sin (not believing (trusting in, relying on,
adhering to) Jesus and must believe on Jesus (trust him to
save you, rely solely on him based on this shedding of blood
on the cross and dying for you, and totally expressing faith
in Jesus to save you (that is forgive you, redeem you,
deliver you, come to indwell you by the Holy Spirit, adopt
you into God's family as a child of God and joint heir with
Christ).
The secondary evidence of knowing if you are saved is your personal experience. Do you love Jesus? Do you hate sin? Do you understand the Bible? Do you realize you need to grow in Christ and get victory in certain areas of your life? Typically when a person from an unbelieving family or a family with a cycle of sin (anger, physical, verbal, sexual abuse, substance abuse, materialism, rebellion, pride, etc), there is a two to three year period of intensive growth that needs to take place.
The new Christians will need an older mature Christian to disciple and mentor them if at all possible. I have know some new Christians to be mentored by only the Holy Spirit, but Typically the Holy Spirit works with and in and along side mature believers. Passages that give me assurance of salvation are in John 6 where Jesus says 'I will no in no wise cast you out', John 10 where Jesus says 'No one will pluck me out of the Father's hand, Romans 8 where it says 'nothing shall separate me from the love of God', Ephesians 4 which states I am 'sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption' and Hebrews 3 where Jesus says to me 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'
I believe in the eternal security of the believer and find great comfort that I can never be lost. Instead of that making me want to push the envelope of sin, it makes me want to thank Jesus, live for Jesus, trust Jesus, love Jesus, and bring glory to Jesus. I do have friends who believe one can lose their salvation who are godly friends. I just laugh and tell them they will have one more thing to thank God for when they get to heaven---their eternal security!
Larry DeGarmo
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Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
That is it basically.
Much of the Gospel is given to a description of Christian
lifestyle, things we should and should not do, but this
little verse encapsulates salvation.
Here is a description of the process. Firstly we hear the
Gospel preached to us. This may result by growing up in a
Christian family, attending a church, attending an
evangelical meeting, hearing it from a friend or reading
about it in a book, perhaps the bible or a book or article
written about the bible. Perhaps even this article.
Secondly, the Holy Spirit whose job it is to make us aware
of our sin and our need for salvation, impresses upon our
mind, our need. This then calls for a response from us. It
may take the form of going forward in church in response to
an alter call, or through the email service from answering
the call in this newsletter, or it may simply be in the
privacy or your own bedroom. The sinner humbles his or
herself before God in prayer, confessing to their sinful
state, and asking Jesus to forgive them and accept them.
Jesus will do this instantly, and from that moment the
person is saved. Should they die from that point on they are
assured of eternal life. However, should they go on living
for days, months, years from that day, they will gradually
grow in faith and Christian experience, the longer they
live. They will never reach perfection in this life but sins
and sinful behavior will gradually drop away. The carnal
human nature will continue to sin but will be constrained by
the Holy nature that is 'born' (being born again) in them at
the time of salvation. Trust in Jesus and faith will develop
and strengthen.
There are other things that the new Christian is expected to
do. A public witness is expected. The means we were given
for this is baptism. Either at the time of salvation or as
circumstances permit thereafter, the Christian should be
baptized. This is symbolic of dying to the old life (being
fully immersed in water, a foreign element to us and one in
which we would surely die if we did not emerge.), and being
resurrected to new life in Christ. (emerging from the
water). Baptism is done in the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Ghost. Maintaining companionship with other
Christians (going to church or similar) is also necessary
for renewal and strengthening. Regular feeding on the
'bread of life' (reading the bible) is also necessary for
this growth.
Perhaps the best example of salvation is the thief on the
cross.
Luk 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged
railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and
us.
Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost
not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due
reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee,
To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
You will notice that this man did only three things. He
acknowledged his guilt. He acknowledged Jesus as Lord. He
asked Jesus to forgive him (remember me...). Jesus responded
with a promise that the man would be in paradise with Him.
Nothing more is required. Nothing we can do will save us. No
sacrifice we can make, even giving our lives is acceptable
to God because we are evil. The only thing that saves us is
the Grace of God, accepting the sacrifice of Jesus as
payment for our sins.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved
And that salvation is sure.
Jhn 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my
hand.
Jhn 10:29 My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than
all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's
hand.
If we sin after we are saved, and we all do, the Holy Spirit
will tell us of it and bring us again to repentance.
1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him
abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but
as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is
truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye
shall abide in him.
If we fail to repent and continue to rebel, we will be
disciplined and brought back into line.
Deu 8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a
man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth
thee
Job 5:17 Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth:
therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty
Psa 94:12 Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD,
and teachest him out of thy law;
Hbr 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us]
after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we]
might be partakers of his holiness.
Hbr 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are
exercised thereby.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent.
Hbr 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as
with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth
not?
If we ignore the chastening of the Lord it will get harder
until we give up. It is possible through a concerted effort
of will to refuse the Holy Spirit and change our minds about
following Jesus. This is rare because it means we have to
continue to ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit and the
chastening of the Lord, but it can happen. Be assured it
will not happen by accident. It requires premeditated
deliberate sin in the face of opposition from the Holy
Spirit. There are two notable examples in the bible, namely
king Saul and Judas Iscariot. The following verses have
reference.
Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers
of the world to come,
6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he
be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of
God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith
he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance
belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And
again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received
the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins,
Dear reader. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, if
you have born witness of this before men, if you believe in
your heart that Jesus Christ is the resurrected Son of God,
then you are saved. There will be periods of doubt, there
will be sometimes yielding to temptation, there will be
periods of chastening where you may think God is no longer
with you. The devil will do his best to bring these thoughts
into your mind. Fear not. No one is able to pluck you from
the Father's hand. While you maintain that belief in Jesus
and seek after the Kingdom of God, you will remain saved. It
is not your responsibility to get you to heaven, it is the
Holy Spirit's, and He is quite capable of doing it. Only a
concerted effort to commit deliberate premeditated sin on
your part can see you lost. The unforgivable sin, blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit, is refusal to repent.
Brother and Sister, if you are not presently assured of
salvation, or if you are no longer sure after reading this
article, please answer 'The Savior's Call' in this
newsletter.
Lance Wearmouth
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I believe that in order to be saved one must accept Jesus as his or her personal Lord and Savior. The important thing is not to trust your feelings. Your senses will lie to you almost 100% of the time.
Dave
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Oh what a blessed feeling to know this and I
do know this. Why do I know this? First I am born again and
second I said the Savior's Prayer! Third, I just simply
asked God to make sure of this.
I have a habit of talking to Jesus like He is in the room
with me as I feel that He is. I simply one day said, God, I
love you and when I die I want to be in heaven with you.
Please always send an angel to nudge me in the right
direction if you see me faltering from the right path. You
came to earth and died for my sins so I know you forgive my
sins and love for who I am, and I in turn love You for Who
you are. Please send the wisdom and guidance of The Holy
Spirit to me daily so I may walk in Your light and lead
others to You. I Thank You and Praise You Dear Jesus.
In His Love, Barb
