How Do I Know If I’m Saved?

How Do I Know If I’m Saved?

            If you admit to God that you are a sinner (which means you repent), and believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He came and died on a cross for your sins, and then rose from the dead three days later, you are saved. 

            And then it begins: You’ve made it too simple.  You left out too much.  What if I sin again?  What if I sin intentionally?  What if I don’t keep the ten commandments? What if I don’t do enough good works?  What if I commit the unpardonable sin?

Grace

            First of all, we are saved by grace (the gift of God) and not by works lest any man should boast.  Our good works are a result of our salvation and not the cause of it.  When we are in Christ (by believing what I stated at the beginning of this article) we are no longer under the law; IE the ten commandments.  The ten commandments are good and should be followed to the best of our ability because they show us what pleases God.  But we who believe will not be judged by how well we keep them.  We will be judged by how well Jesus kept them, and His performance was perfect.  Jesus took our sins in His body on the cross and, in turn, gave us His righteousness.  When God the Father looks at us now, He sees only the perfect performance of His Son.  That is the amazing gift of God.

But What About My Sins

            The apostle Paul was accused in his day of saying that because the Christian is now under grace, and not law, that we can just go out and sin all we want and we will still be saved.  And technically, that is true!  What!!!  I can just hear some of you now.  But in truth that is what Jesus did; so great was His work of salvation.  But that does not mean that there are no consequences for sin. The apostle Paul said, “God forbid,” when he mentioned it, and this is why he did.

The Holy Spirit

            When we accept Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us.  When we sin, He convicts us of that sin and encourages us to repent immediately and seek to avoid that transgression in the future.  But because we are human, and tempted by the world, the flesh and the devil, we inevitably fall into sin again.  The bible tells us that the blood of Christ is continually cleansing us from sin. 

But What About The Worst Of Us

            What about the person who says, “I’m a drug addict and haven’t been able to lick it yet.  What happens to me?”  “I have a sex addition and I haven’t been able to overcome it yet.  What happens to me?”  “I believe in Jesus, but I committed a sin so terrible that I can’t even mention it.  What happens to me?”  First of all, you are still saved.  Jesus died for all sin, and all means all; even intentional sin.  But there are consequences for sin.  If you continue to do drugs you could die from them or go to jail while stealing to support your habit.  If you commit adultery you could destroy your marriage and your life.  If you commit murder you could go to jail for the rest of your life, or, in some states you could be put to death.  Continue to pray for deliverance from your addictions.

            And then there is the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Everyone who believes in Jesus will one day stand before Him in the judgment of the saved.  And we will be judged by our performance as Christians; whether good or bad.  You see, it says good or bad.  Yet, this is a judgment for rewards not for salvation.  But the sin in our lives can bring some difficult repercussions when we pass into eternal life; because our deeds will be tried as though by fire to determine if they are wood, hay and stubble, or, fine gold and jewels.  That which was not good will be burned away and rewards can be lost.  We should fight against sin for the sake of this judgment.  Still, we are saved in Christ no matter what.

But What About…..?

            You may be thinking, “But, sir, what about this or that?  You didn’t mention it.  Anything else added to this gospel that I have stated is either law or works, and we are under neither.  There is only one unforgivable sin; blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  And what is that?  The Holy Spirit always shows mankind its sinful nature and its need for a savior.  He always points the way to Jesus Christ.  To reject this witness of the Holy Spirit is blasphemy toward Him, and that (in the eyes of God) is unforgiveable.  Aside from Jesus there is no atonement for sin, and God cannot have sin in His presence.  It is written in the scriptures: “Judgment has come upon man.  And what is that judgment?  That God sent light into the world, but men loved darkness more.”  The meaning of this is simple.  Jesus Christ is the light of the world.  To believe in Him is life eternal.  To reject Him………well, if you reject Him you will have to stand before God on your own merit.  But don’t forget that the bible also tells us: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  There is none righteous, no not one.”

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