How Can I Be Sure I'm Saved?
One of the more common themes I hear asked by Christians when giving counsel or even in casual conversations is the question “How Can I Be Sure I’m Saved?”. This is more than merely an abstract theological question. For those struggling with this issue it is often a cause of anxiety and an unnecessary burden which they carry on a daily basis. I want to address this very important question and turn our eyes to the Word of God because no matter what we think or how we feel, His Word is the final authority on all things and we can trust the promises of God. Speaking of promises, there are many found in Scripture and what I believe to be the most glorious promise of all is that Jesus saves and His work of salvation is sealed for ETERNITY!
The Bible teaches us that once we hear the Gospel and we respond by putting our trust in Christ, at that very moment of belief we are “sealed” by God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) (Ephesians 4:30), (John 3:33) (2 Corinthians 1:22). The word “sealed” demonstrates security and ownership much like the ancient Kings would “seal” their edicts with the impression of their signet rings indicating this was sealed by the king and was his doing. For example, we see this when Daniel was placed in the lions den. A stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and king Darius sealed it with his own signet (Daniel 6:17). The King’s authority was final. That’s an earthly example of how powerful a King’s seal was but in a supernatural manner so is the way we are sealed by God. We are no longer our own, we now belong to Him. Our salvation through faith in Christ sealed and that supernatural seal can never be broken. It is an eternal divine act that no one can undo. We can be sure we’re saved because it is the Lord who supernaturally saved us and permanently sealed us as His own.
I Struggle With Sin, Won't That Cause Me to Lose My Salvation?
The short answer is……NO! Every single Christian struggles with sin. Our sinful human nature is constantly at war with our renewed spiritual nature as the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. We see in Scripture that when a person is in Christ they are spiritually a new creation. The old things have passed away and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are also reminded that no one is without sin and everyone falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23-24). One of the ways we know we are saved and belong to God is that we DO struggle with sin. If there was no struggle with sin or temptation and no conviction of sin in our lives then there IS something to be spiritually concerned about. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is in and of itself, evidence of your sealed salvation through Christ. God knows your past sins, present sins and even your future sins. With full knowledge of your entire life He still forgave you and sealed you as His Child for eternity the moment you put your faith in Christ. The Apostle Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). The word “nothing” means…….You guessed it…..“nothing”! It covers it all.
Remember this, being a follower of Christ does not mean we are sinless BUT it should mean that we sin less! This isn’t because we’re trying to not lose our salvation, but because we ARE saved and we ARE sealed for eternity by the Holy Spirit. Our desire is for the Lord to mold us and shape us more into His image so our lives will better reflect him. Let’s choose every day to try and be more Christlike than we were the day before. If we will do that on a consistent basis, just imagine how we could see God use us for His purposes in more ways than we can imagine.
I want to leave you with this encouragement and assurance, if you have put your faith and trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins and eternal salvation, It is a DONE DEAL! As we’ve seen, the Bible assures us it is sealed by God through the Holy Spirit within you and there is nothing you can do to lose it. It is a gift from God by His grace alone accepted by you through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) and at that moment the Lord sealed you as His child for eternity.
Closing Prayer:
Father God thank you for not saving me on a temporary basis but rather, for all eternity. Help me to trust your Word when I have doubts and the faith to stand on your promise of sealing my salvation which cannot be undone. In Jesus name…..Amen.