How do I know I’m saved?
Alane Zlotnicki
Did I remember to unplug the curling iron?
Did I study hard enough for this exam?
Did I lock the door before we left for vacation?
Am I really saved?
We all want to be certain about things that can have serious consequences if we’re wrong. Setting the house on fire, failing an important class, and leaving our home vulnerable to burglars are mistakes that could have life-changing effects.
But thinking we’re saved, only to die and find out we actually weren’t? That’s every believers’ worst nightmare. The good news is we can be confident that we truly belong to Jesus.
Being assured of our salvation really comes down to two things. If we can answer yes to these two questions, it’s time to set aside our doubts and rest in the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12).
Two Questions To Ask Ourselves Regarding Our Salvation
1. Do I believe in Jesus?
Some people remember falling to their knees in repentance like it was yesterday. But knowing the specific date and time you asked Jesus into your life isn’t a requirement to be saved.
Salvation doesn’t have to be complicated. Romans 10:9 assures us that “if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
We either believe Jesus is God’s Son, that He died in our place to pay for our sins then rose from the dead, or we don’t. If we believe that truth and accept it for ourselves, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
2. Has my perspective on life changed?
When you get married, your life changes. When you become a parent, everything is different. Likewise, if we have accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation, our lives change (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Look back at your life. Do certain activities or habits hold less appeal for you now? Galatians 5:22 describes what happens when we begin to follow Jesus. Are you more patient than you used to be? Do you show kindness toward people who once irritated you? Do you feel an inexplicable peace even when things are falling apart?
Traits like love, joy, gentleness, goodness, and self-control do not come naturally. Only a person who has a relationship with Jesus can consistently grow in these characteristics. They won’t all come at once. But once we’re saved, we will want to be more like Jesus and it will be easier to do.
It can be difficult to feel saved sometimes if we don’t have a date we can look back on as the moment we realized we were a sinner who needed Jesus to save us. But if we believe that Jesus is who He says He is, and our lives are slowly starting to look more like His, we don’t have to wonder if that prayer we said worked.
We can know, simply because He said so: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).