“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” — 2 Corinthians 13:5
The Question of Eternal Assurance
Few questions in life are more important than this: How can I know I am saved?
Eternal salvation is not a matter of religious tradition, moral effort, or emotional experience—it is a matter of divine truth grounded in the Word of God. Assurance of salvation does not come through human reasoning or fleeting feelings; it comes through the witness of the Holy Spirit and the unchanging promises of Scripture.
God desires His children to know—not guess, not hope—that they are saved. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Salvation is not hidden in mystery, but revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Foundation of Salvation: Faith in Christ Alone
1. Salvation Is by Grace Through Faith
Ephesians 2:8–9 declares, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Salvation begins and ends with Jesus Christ. It is not earned by religious deeds, good behavior, or church membership. It is a divine transaction where the sinner places faith in the finished work of Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection—and is declared righteous before God.
2. The Object of Faith Determines Its Power
True saving faith rests upon the person and work of Jesus Christ, not upon one’s own merit or emotion. Romans 10:9–10 states, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Faith is not merely believing that Jesus existed, but trusting that His sacrifice fully satisfied the judgment of God for your sins.
The Witness of the Holy Spirit
After one has believed, the Holy Spirit bears inward witness of this new birth. Romans 8:16 proclaims, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
This inner assurance is not a fleeting feeling but a spiritual confirmation—an inward testimony that aligns with the written Word. The Spirit produces peace where there was once fear, conviction where there was once indifference, and a desire for holiness where there was once rebellion.
The indwelling of the Spirit is both the seal and the guarantee of salvation:
“In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:13–14).
If the Holy Spirit dwells within you, He will bear fruit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22–23). These are not human traits but divine evidence that a transformation has occurred.
The Evidence of a Transformed Life
1. A New Heart and New Desires
When a person is truly born again, there is an inward change—a spiritual rebirth. Ezekiel 36:26–27 describes it: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
This transformation manifests in new affections. The believer no longer loves sin as before but is grieved by it. He hungers for righteousness, desires fellowship with God, and delights in His Word.
2. Obedience as Proof of Love
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience does not produce salvation—it proves it. A saved person walks in repentance, not perfection. When he sins, conviction follows, leading him back to confession and restoration (1 John 1:9).
3. Endurance and Faithfulness
True believers endure. “He that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). This is not a call to self-effort but a description of the sustaining power of God in the life of the redeemed. The one who is truly saved will not abandon Christ, for Christ abides in him.
The Assurance of the Word
Assurance of salvation is not grounded in emotion or circumstance but in the authority of God’s Word. Feelings fluctuate, but truth remains steadfast. When doubt arises, the believer must stand upon what God has said:
- “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” — Romans 10:13
- “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” — John 3:36
- “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” — John 10:28
The believer’s security rests in the faithfulness of God, not in the frailty of human resolve.
The Testing of Faith
Scripture commands self-examination: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
This is not to create fear, but to confirm truth. The following questions are vital:
- Have I personally repented of sin and trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation?
- Do I have the inward witness of the Holy Spirit?
- Do I love the Word of God and desire obedience to it?
- Do I see evidence of spiritual fruit and transformation in my life?
- Am I enduring in faith, or am I living comfortably in sin?
If the answer to these questions aligns with the testimony of Scripture, then you can know—beyond doubt—that you are saved.
The Hope of the Redeemed
The assurance of salvation brings peace, but it also brings expectation. Those who are truly saved look for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13 calls this “that blessed hope.”
A genuine believer lives in readiness for the rapture of the Church, when the dead in Christ shall rise and the living saints shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). This hope purifies and strengthens the believer to walk faithfully until that glorious day.
Conclusion: Knowing Beyond Doubt
You can know you are saved—not by emotion, nor by human approval, but by the unshakable testimony of God’s Word, the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, and the evidence of a transformed life.
If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ—His blood, His resurrection, His lordship—you are eternally secure in Him. But if you have not, today is the day of salvation. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Salvation is not a feeling; it is a fact sealed in the blood of Christ. Rest upon that fact, walk in that truth, and look forward to the day when faith becomes sight—when you stand before the Savior and hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”