“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” (1 John 5:13 NASB).
Do you know for a fact where you are going to spend eternity? What
evidence can you provide that proves that you are in fact saved and on your way
to heaven?
Last month we considered how the teaching that once a person is saved
they are always saved is false. The doctrine of once saved always saved offers
a dangerous sense of security which will provide a very rude awaking for some
when they stand before the Lord. Furthermore, those who teach that once a
person is saved they are always saved will tell you that if a person followed
the Biblical plan of salvation yet ended up not going to heaven, then they will
tell you that that person was never truly saved to begin with. Therefore, what
concrete assurance can a person who holds to that teaching truly have? The
answer is none!
On the other hand, the Bible does teach that a genuine follower of Jesus
Christ can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are in fact saved. There
are three evidences that a believer has proving their salvation.
First, do you have a present active trust in Christ for your salvation? The Greek word that gets translated as “believes” in John
3:16 speaks of a present active trust in Christ for their salvation. This is
something that begins when a person receives Christ and continues until the
Lord calls them home. Paul tells the Colossians that they will be saved on the
last day, “provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not
shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard” (Col. 1:23). And Hebrews
3:14 says, “We share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to
the end.” Therefore a person should ask themselves: Today, do I trust in Christ
to forgive my sins and take me without blame into heaven forever? Do I have
confidence in my heart that He has saved me?
If I were to die tonight and stand before God’s judgment seat, and if He
were to ask me why He should let me into heaven, would I begin to think of my
good deeds and depend on them, or would I without hesitation say that I am
depending on the merits of Christ and am confident that He is a sufficient
Savior? When a person is able to answer these questions positively, it affirms
that they have saving faith.
Second, is there evidence of the Holy Spirit in your heart? The Holy Spirit testifies within our hearts that we are
God’s children (Rom. 8:15-16; 1 John 4:13). This testimony will usually be
accompanied by a sense of being led by the Holy Spirit in paths of obedience to
do God’s will (Rom. 8:14). Similarly, the Holy Spirit will be producing the
fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23). Of course, the question is
not, “Do I perfectly exemplify all of these characteristics in my life?” but
rather, “Are these things a general characteristic of my life? Do I sense these
attitudes in my heart? Do others (especially those closest to me) see these
traits exhibited in my life? Have I been growing in them over a period of
years?”
Third, is there a long-term pattern of growth in your Christian life? Peter tells us that there are some character traits
which, if we keep on increasing in them, will guarantee that we will “never
fall” (2 Peter 1:10). He tells his readers to add to their faith “virtue…knowledge…self-
control… steadfastness… godliness…brotherly
affection…love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Then
he says that these things are to belong to his readers and to continually
“abound” in their lives (2 Peter 1:8). He adds that they are to “be more
zealous to confirm your call and election” and says then that “if you do this
(literally, “these things,” referring to the character traits mentioned in
verses 5-7) you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10).
Everyone who gains assurance through a self-examination such as the one
above should know, “I am truly born again; therefore, I will certainly preserve
to the end, because I am guarded by God’s power working through my faith (1
Peter 1:5) and therefore I will never be lost. Jesus will raise me up at the
last day and I will enter into His Kingdom forever” (John 6:40).
Once one stops trusting in Christ and obeying Him (I am speaking in terms
of outward evidence) they have no genuine assurance of salvation, and they
should consider themselves unsaved, and turn to Christ in repentance and ask
Him for forgiveness of their sins.
In His service,
Matt
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