Many worry if they are really saved or not. They doubt that just believing is enough. John lets us know. Throughout the New Testament God’s Word tells us that we cannot earn our salvation but God through His love, sent Jesus to pay for our sins by dying on the cross. Not only that, but Christ was raised from the dead defeating death and sin. He paid the price. We are saved by grace through our faith by trusting that only through Jesus Christ are we saved. It is a gift of God. In this little series we discussed how we are saved; what happens when we are saved; the assurance and promises God gives to those of us who are saved, and what salvation does not look like. Today we will answer the specific question of how do we know that we are saved.
I guess the easy answer to this question is by asking yourself, do you believe that Jesu is the Christ, the Savior, the Son of God who came to this earth and paid for our sins by giving His life as a sacrifice to pay for all of our sins? Do you believe that He was raised from the dead and lives today seated at the right hand of God the Father? Do you trust Him that He has done this and that He can changed your life? If you honestly answered yes to these, you know you are saved. So what is the evidence in your life? John wrote his first letter to the church to answer this very question.
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
John wants us to know that it is not a mystery to know if we are saved or not. Not only do we know because of what Christ did on the cross and that we believe, but, as we have also mentioned in the previous posts, there is a change in us that take place. What is that change? How will the Holy Spirit living within us make us different. It is not just a feeling or emotional high. It is a change within our hearts.
1 John 4:13-21
By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Whoever has Christ, those who are saved, loves God and loves others. In particular, John talks about loving our fellow believers. This is agape love, the love that is unconditional. Also see 1 Corinthians 13 about what it looks like to love in this way. These are the two greatest commandments that Jesus has given us.
Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
We confessed our sins and asked God for forgiveness. 1 John 1: 9 says that If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We believe that Jesus is the Christ and paid for our sins. John 3:16 says that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Romans 10:13 says whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith. Nothing we can do will earn salvation but through God’s love and sacrifice we are saved if we accept that gift. Yet, many still are unsure of the assurance of their salvation. We are not saved by the things we do, but the things we do are evidence of our faith.
1 John 5:1-5
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
We know that we love God if we keep His commandments. His commandments are that we love one another and love God. His commandments are that we do what is righteous. Love your neighbor. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Share God’s great truths and how He loves us. And as this scripture says, God’s commands are not burdensome to those who love God.
1 John 2:1-6
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
But we know Him, and we love Him, and because we love Him, we want to do His will and we want to please Him. Of course we are not perfect and we all mess up. And when we sin against God, we can confess our sins and know that He has forgiven us. But our desire is to please Him. And the Holy Spirit lives within us and will guide us to do what is right.
1 John 2:28-3:1
And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Knowing that we are saved, and that we are His children, and that the Spirit lives within us, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14), we can have confidence before God and have no need to fear.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
So, relax! Rest in Him. Know that He keeps His promise and that His word is true.
1 John 5:9-12
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that 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.
My Daily Scriptures 