Answer
Everyone is born into sin, and we all “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; cf. Romans 5:12). Therefore, everyone needs to be saved from sin and death (Romans 6:23). We cannot save ourselves. To be saved, we must place our faith in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Mark 10:45). When we place our faith in Him, we receive forgiveness for our sins (Acts 2:38), and we are made right with God (Romans 3:24).
So, how can you know that you are saved? Here are a few things that will be true about you if you are saved:
1. You believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. This means that you have confessed “with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Romans 10:9).
2. You have repented of your sins. Repentance is the act, enabled by God, of turning away from sin and turning toward God (Acts 11:18). You have “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature” (Romans 8:13, NLT). Yes, you will still sin, but you now have an earnest desire to honor God by following His commands.
3. You have a new heart and a new life (Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3, 5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This means that you are no longer the same person that you used to be. Because you have been transformed by the power of God, you now have a desire to glorify Him in everything that you do (1 Corinthians 10:31).
4. You have the Holy Spirit within you. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, lives within every believer (Romans 8:9). If you have received salvation, then you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), who will empower and guide you to become more like Christ (Galatians 5:22–23).
5. You will read and obey the Bible. The Bible is God’s authoritative self-revelation to humanity (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and it is the primary way that He communicates with us. If you have received salvation, then you will want to learn more about God (Philippians 3:10) and His will for your life (Romans 12:2). You will also obey His commands out of love for Him (John 14:15).
6. You will share the gospel with others (Matthew 28:18–20). The gospel is the “good news” of what Jesus Christ has done in dying and rising again. If you have received salvation, then you will testify about the goodness of Jesus and how He transformed your life. You will want others to also experience the joy of salvation.
As a reminder, salvation is not something that we can earn or achieve. It is a gift that is provided by God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). We cannot save ourselves through good works or by trying to be a good person. It is only through faith in Jesus that we can be saved (John 14:6).2. You have repented of your sins. Repentance is the act, enabled by God, of turning away from sin and turning toward God (Acts 11:18). You have “put to death the deeds of your sinful nature” (Romans 8:13, NLT). Yes, you will still sin, but you now have an earnest desire to honor God by following His commands.
3. You have a new heart and a new life (Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3, 5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This means that you are no longer the same person that you used to be. Because you have been transformed by the power of God, you now have a desire to glorify Him in everything that you do (1 Corinthians 10:31).
4. You have the Holy Spirit within you. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, lives within every believer (Romans 8:9). If you have received salvation, then you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), who will empower and guide you to become more like Christ (Galatians 5:22–23).
5. You will read and obey the Bible. The Bible is God’s authoritative self-revelation to humanity (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and it is the primary way that He communicates with us. If you have received salvation, then you will want to learn more about God (Philippians 3:10) and His will for your life (Romans 12:2). You will also obey His commands out of love for Him (John 14:15).
6. You will share the gospel with others (Matthew 28:18–20). The gospel is the “good news” of what Jesus Christ has done in dying and rising again. If you have received salvation, then you will testify about the goodness of Jesus and how He transformed your life. You will want others to also experience the joy of salvation.
If you are uncertain about the security of your salvation, here are a few things that you can do: First, you can pray and ask God for clarity. He does not want you to wonder and worry about whether you are truly saved (see 1 John 5:13). Second, you can talk to a trusted pastor or Christian friend who can address any questions or doubts that you have. Third, you can read the Bible and study what it says about salvation and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead, and are you trusting Him fully? If the answer is “yes,” then you are saved.
