How Do I Know I’m Really Saved?
If you grew up in church, you have probably raised your hand in a church service, made your way to the altar, or recited the “ABC’s of Salvation” at some point. Maybe you genuinely felt some emotional response to the message, or maybe you just did what you were expected to do. Either way, you can point to a past event where you made a commitment to Jesus in some capacity.
If you didn’t grow up in church, the idea of believing in Jesus can be a little bit confusing. Maybe you have heard that salvation is by “faith alone”, but what does that really mean? Do we have to do good works to be saved? What things are required and what things aren't? If you believe that God exists, is that enough?
No matter where we come from, we all bring our preconceived notions into our understanding of God, Jesus, sin, and salvation. So the question of utmost importance is this: How can I know that I am truly saved?
Fortunately, the Bible has a lot to say on this matter. So let's first examine why we need to be saved and how God saves people. Then we can turn our attention to some biblical keys to examining the truthfulness of our faith in Jesus.
Why “Salvation”?
The term “salvation”, “saved”, or “save” is used 161 times in the New Testament. Meaning that this is a massive theme of the Bible. As a matter of fact, the entire Bible is the story of God’s salvation of His people through His son Jesus Christ. From Adam's sin to Jesus’ sacrifice, the Bible records the rescue mission of God’s grace in redeeming His fallen image bearers.
So why do we need to be saved? The message of salvation is what Christians refer to as the gospel or “good news” (Romans 1:16), but in order to understand the good news, we must first understand the bad news.
The bad news is this: that each of us, from the moment of our birth, are sinners by nature. Sin is rebellion against God, and just like our father Adam, we all bend toward rebellion. The Apostle Paul explains that no one is exempt from this disease of the heart:
“For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.’” (Romans 3:9-11)
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
Paul is describing the universal effect of sin. Every human, everywhere is under condemnation for our rebellion against God. And furthermore, no good work can undo our bad works (Romans 4:4). We are all deserving of judgment for our sins, and God is just to punish wickedness (Romans 1:18, 3:5-6). This is the bad news. That we all are in desperate need of a merciful rescue.
The Good News
This bad news paves the way for the good news, the greatest news, that God did not leave us to receive what we deserve, but rather offers to us a way out – a way of salvation. God looked at us in our desperate state, and chose to give us mercy instead of wrath, grace instead of judgment, life instead of death. And He does so at great personal cost to Himself:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)
Jesus came to live the life we couldn't live, and went to the cross to die the death that we deserve to die, completely satisfying the just wrath of God. After three days, He rose from death, securing new life for all who belong to Him. And how has God commanded that we receive this great mercy? How is it that we are to have Jesus' sacrifice count for us? The Bible records that it is by faith alone that we lay hold of the salvation that Jesus purchased (Romans 3:24-25, 4:5). Having placed our faith in Jesus, we are justified, or completely forgiven, and we have peace with God (Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8-9). The path to salvation is not charity, or good deeds, or penance, or church attendance; it is faith from beginning to end.
But what does faith mean? What does it mean to trust or believe? Is it a mental checklist of thoughts that we ascribe to? Paul explains the nature of saving faith in Romans 10:9: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Saving faith is trusting in all that Jesus is, and all that Jesus has done. The faith that leads to salvation is a trust in Jesus as savior and a humble submission to Jesus as Lord. It is turning from sin (repentance) by confessing that Jesus is Lord, and trusting in His finished work on our behalf (faith).
How Do I Know?
The Bible describes salvation not only as a legal clearing of our debt, but also as a loving adoption by a Heavenly Father (Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:14-15). When we come to Christ, we belong to God. He adopts us, loves us, cherishes us, and gives us His Spirit to live within us. The gospel isn’t merely about forgiveness, but reconciliation – loving union with the Living God.
So how can you be sure that you really have believed? How can you know that your faith is genuine? Paul encourages us to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). So let’s look at a few scriptures to see what someone's life looks like if they really have trusted in Jesus. Here are six attributes of someone who possesses genuine faith in Jesus Christ:
YOU HAVE AN AWARENESS OF SIN AND A GROWING HATRED FOR IT (1 John 1:5-9, 1 John 3:9)
The Christian is not one who is perfect, but one who has been made new. Once we have been forgiven of sin, God then takes us on a journey of getting rid of our sin. The one who has been adopted by God has a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), and therefore despises the sins that separates them from God. Are you aware of your sin and have a hatred for it? Are you striving forward toward holiness, or is everything pretty much the same as before your “confession” of faith?
YOU HAVE A GROWING LOVE FOR GOD AND HIS WORD (Deuteronomy 6:5, 1 John 4:19, John 14:21, Psalm 119:140)
To love God is to love His word. God reveals Himself most perfectly in the scriptures. Just like when we enter into a new relationship, we love to get to know the person we are falling in love with. It is the same in our relationship with God. Do you have a desire to spend time with God? Do you have a desire to learn about Him from His written word?
YOU ARE GROWING IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD (John 14:15, James 1:22, 2:17, 1 John 5:3)
Those who love God have a desire to order their lives as God commands. An evidence of true faith in the Lordship of Jesus is humble submission to Him. Do you desire to conform your life to God’s standards? Do you recognize your need for God’s standards in your daily decisions?
YOU ARE GROWING IN LOVE FOR OTHERS, ESPECIALLY GOD’S PEOPLE (Mark 12:29-31, 1 John 3:11, 1 John 4:7-8)
It is impossible to claim to love God and to not love God’s people. God has united us to other believers as a divine family. As we grow in our love for God, God begins to grow us in our love for others. Is your heart burdened for the people of God, the church? Do you have a desire to actively love your neighbor?
YOU ARE BEARING FRUIT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (John 15:16, Colossians 1:10, Galatians 5:22-23)
Jesus says that His people can be recognized by their “fruit” (Matthew 7:16-19), or the actions and attitudes that flow out of them. Is your character being conformed to God’s character? Do you find yourself growing in the attributes described in Galatians 5:22-23?
THE HOLY SPIRIT TESTIFIES TO YOUR SPIRIT THAT YOU BELONG TO GOD (Romans 8:16-17)
Those who belong to God have assurance that God will never leave them nor forsake them. The Holy Spirit lives within them, and they experience the presence of God, especially in their times of hardship. Have you encountered the presence of the Holy Spirit? Does your spirit testify that you belong to God? Have you personally encountered the God you claim to know?
Take Heart, God Will Not Fail
None of these attributes should make you think that a Christian is someone who is perfect. We are not saved because we never stumble, but because we belong to the one who perfectly fulfilled the law for us. Our salvation is not based on our perfection, but on Jesus’ perfection.
If you have trusted in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, you can rest assured that although you may struggle, God is not finished with you. His love cannot be taken from you. If you belong to Him, He promises to see you through to the end (Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:38-39).
And if you don’t belong to Him, maybe today is the day that everything changes. Cry out to the Lord, trust in Jesus, and He will answer you, redeem you, save you, and adopt you. Today can be the first day of your new, eternal life.
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
