A. INTRODUCTION
1. Why some people doubt their salvation.
a. Sin. When they disobey God, they doubt their relationship to God.
b. False doctrine. Some doubt because they believe the wrong things.
c. Ignorance. Some doubt because they don’t know God’s Word.
d. Never saved. Some doubt because they have never been saved.
e. Psychological problems. Some doubt because they don’t have the mental ability to accept themselves, i.e., they doubt everything.
2. There are two aspects of salvation, first what Christ did on the cross in the history, i.e., salvation past; and second, how someone responds to salvation today, i.e., salvation present.
a. Some doubt because they don’t understand the historical death; the cross.
b. Some doubt because they don’t understand what they did; conversion.
3. You don’t have to know the exact time and place you were converted, but there was a time and place.
4. Most of the reasons for assurance of salvation are found in I John 5:10-21. The key word is know.
B. SEVEN REASONS HOW YOU CAN KNOW
1. You can know you are saved when you have Christ in your heart. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John 5:12).
If you have a Savior,
You have Salvation.
If you don’t have a Savior,
You don’t have Salvation.
2. You can know you are saved when you have the witness of the Word, i.e., the Bible.
a. "He that hath the Son hath the witness of himself . . . and this is the record that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (I John 5:10-11).
b. The Bible is objective truth. When we meet the conditions of the Word of God, i.e., believe in Jesus Christ, we can have assurance of salvation.
3. You can know you are saved when God answers your prayers.
a. God has promised to answer your prayer (John 14:14).
b. God has not promised to answer the prayers of the lost (Isa. 59:1-2; John 9:31; Psalm 66:18).
c. The only prayer God promises to answer for the unsaved, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
d. Answered prayer gives assurance of salvation. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (I John 5:14-15).
4. You can know you are saved when you understand the Bible.
a. The unsaved do not understand the spiritual nature of the Bible (II Cor. 4:3-4).
b. Understanding the Bible gives assurance of salvation. "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding" (I John 5:20).
5. You can know that you are saved when you want to keep His commandments.
a. "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments" (I John 5:2).
b. The unsaved person does not want to please God.
c. Trying to live for God by obeying God’s Word gives assurance of salvation. "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (I John 5:18).
6. You can know you are saved when you love the brethren.
a. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (I John 3:14).
b. How can you demonstrate your love for the brethren and overcome your doubts?
(1) By attending church with them. Heb. 10:25
(2) By ministering to them.
(3) By praying with them and for them.
(4) By fellowshipping with them.
7. You will know you are saved when you have the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.
a. Lost people do not have the Holy Spirit. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9).
b. The indwelling Holy Spirit gives us assurance of salvation. "The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:16).
C. REWARDS OF SALVATION
1. Your fear of being eternally lost is gone.
2. You will have confidence in Christian service.
3. You will pray boldly.
4. You will have confidence witnessing to lost people.
5. You will enjoy your Christianity.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
