“How can I know for sure that I’m saved?”
If you’ve ever asked this question, you’re not alone.
It’s not uncommon for people who have, at one time, made a profession of faith in Christ to need assurance of their salvation at some later point in their lives.
After all, we know how high the stakes are, don’t we?
And we also know there’s no margin for error.
Jesus Himself said:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
I sure don’t want to be one of the ones who have been so deceived about such a critical matter, and I’m guessing you don’t either.
So how can we know for sure?
Here are some steps to work through if you’re experiencing a season of doubt about your salvation.
How to Know for Sure That You’re Saved
1. Spend time in prayer.
God does not want anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). So I know without a doubt that He doesn’t want earnestly seeking people to be deceived about the state of our hearts before Him. Ask Him to lead you through this process, and beckon His Spirit to either convict your heart that you’re not saved, or confirm that you are.
2. Study the biblical book of 1 John.
This little book almost at the very end of the Bible offers an invaluable description of what a Christ-follower’s life looks like. It’s not meant to be a “to-do list” for you and I to complete as a means of earning our salvation. Instead, it’s a vividly painted picture of what a Christian becomes by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.
A word of caution: this book is an easy read. But while a quick read-through might help as an introduction to the book, I don’t recommend that you stop there.
Instead, take your time examining each verse. Pick up a spiral notebook and record in your own words every description you see of the Christian life. This may take several days or even weeks – that’s okay! The speed doesn’t matter one bit; it’s thoroughness and thoughtfulness that matters here.
For example, your entries for I John 1:6-8 might look like this:
1:6 – Christians do not walk in darkness.
1:7 – Christians walk in the light, have fellowship with other Christians, and are cleansed from their sin.
1:8 – Christians don’t deny their sins, but admit them.
When you finish this exercise for the entire book, go back through, and prayerfully consider each element. Compare your life to the one described in I John. What are the consistencies? What are the discrepancies? Take care of any unfinished business God reveals by His Spirit through His Word.
3. Stake your claim.
I said it earlier, but it’s worth repeating: God doesn’t want the state of your soul to be a mystery to you. In fact, He’s made many statements and promises about this very thing.
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. I John 5:12-13
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:14-17
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. John 10:27-30
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. John 6:47
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Acts 16:31
Are you convinced yet?
One of the most important things we can do to eliminate fear and doubt is to choose to believe God. His Word trumps your feelings. It trumps the lies touted by the world. It trumps the enemy’s voice whispering in your ear.
Romans 10:9 tells us that if we confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus, and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
I can’t explain it.
I can’t deserve it.
I can’t get over it.
But I absolutely believe it.
Because I believe Him.
Latest posts by Jennifer (see all)
- Dear Christian Voter - October 17, 2016
- 35 Things to Do Instead of Facebook - September 19, 2016
- Praying the Scriptures for America - August 15, 2016
Good read…one of my all time favorite verses is John 5:24
God is so good to offer us the gift of assurance, Richard! I’m glad this post blessed you. Thank you for taking the time to say hello!
My pleasure jennifer…
Thank you for this enlightening post, Jennifer. We all need to draw closer to God as this world becomes more difficult day by day. May God continue to bless your work for Him, and to bless us as readers of your posts and Christ followers.
You’re exactly right, Barbara. It’s all the more important as we see the Day of our Lord’s return approaching. Thank you so very much for your kind words of blessing! I pray He shines forth in all that I write. May God bless you in your walk with Him!
Loved the post. God Bless you and your family. Jesus saves.
I’m so glad, Angie! May He bless you and yours, too.
We need to remember Yehweh’s comanments, I belive keeping the Sabbath Holy is one we neglect. The way is narrow, keeping all of the comanments make Elohim very happy with us. Keeping the Tora is a must! Blessing to you all Amen
Hello, Judy, and welcome! God gives us His commands for our good and for His glory, and we can keep them only by God’s grace. The same grace that saves us sustains us in our faith and in our obedient walk with the Lord – what a good God He is! Thank you for sharing your thoughts here.
We must be born of water and spirit to enter the kingdom of God. What does that mean to you?
Hi, Jermaine, and welcome! In the passage you’re referring to (John 3:5), is Jesus offering a description of being “born again.” The water could be a reference to spiritual cleansing, perhaps more specifically that which is accomplished by the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26).
Being saved during a revival at our church in the 3rd grade I have often questioned myself was I at the age of accountability? I go back to the night and I truly believe I asked God to come into my heart. During all the many years past that night I have had doubts. I an now 51 and I can honestly say God has never left me nor forgot me in my times of great need. There have be seasons in my life where I have wandered away from him but I have found my way back. Thank you for this posting. I look forward to my study and truly feel I was led to this posting. Thank you for being a blessing.
Hello, Sharon! I’m so glad this post ministered to your heart. Thank you for taking the time to let me know, and to share your testimony of God’s faithfulness.
Very good read. It explains plainly how easy it is too be saved, but, . . . , REPENTANCE must come first. We must want to stop sinning because of our Lord God’s love for us. As one does for their spouse and children, we, also, do for our heavenly spouse and fellow saints. The hate of our sins is a prerequisite to salvation. Although we may still be in a sin, we must continue to pray that we have the strength to stop sinning and requesting our Lord God for help to stop. That is His love for us, to do everything for us, not some things. We must learn that those workers of iniquity took credit for all they did in our Lord God’s Holy Name, and did not give Him any credit,and, besides, many claim to be His sons and daughters but perish due to lack of knowledge of Him. He is the one and only True, and Eternal God, the Alpha and the Omega, our Redeemer. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this, ISAIAH 9:6-7. There is, ONE, ONLY ONE, SOVEREIGN AND SOLITARY LORD GOD, OUR REDEEMER.
He hates those who also adopt the Babylonian religious worship system.Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to idols, therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated. So I will gather them against you from every direction and expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness, EZEKIEL 16:36; and Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, 16“We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm, JEREMIAH 44:15-17; also, This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’
“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows! But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt: ‘I swear by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign Lord lives.” For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed. Those who escape the sword and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs, JEREMIAH 44:25-28.
Hi, Bob, and welcome! Thank you for adding this insight. I agree that repentance is a necessary aspect of salvation; no one can be saved without it.
Thank you for this! As a new believer I ask this of myself a lot. God bless you!
Marissa, I’m so glad that you found this helpful. God is so good to give us such clear and kind instruction in His Word!
I appreciate your desire to be confident in your faith and to help others achieve the same assurance, but I’m unsure about your method of confirming salvation. I have a friend who sent this to me and I can’t help but feel that the need to clarify the uncertainties she is working through. I appreciate your heart and your efforts toward sharing the gospel but would you be interested in a private discussion, via email maybe, to see if there is something we are misunderstanding? I know that the Bible teaches one way and so of course, not all ways can be correct. I think we can both agree that we share a desire to grow with each other in truth and be willing to dig deep to discover what that truth is in all matters pertaining to God and His word.
Hi there! Thanks so much for being willing to engage about this very important matter. I’m certainly open to an email discussion, although if you believe I have taught something unbiblical, it might be better for us to work through it here, allowing others to benefit from our dialogue.