How do you really know if you are saved?

Question

I was raised to be a christian, but as a teen and twenty something I back slid. Now at 30 something there have been times I wanted to be saved and asked for God's forgiveness, and really meant it. Do you not feel different once saved? Is there no kind of sign? I do not expect a burning bush or anything, but I do sort of expect to feel differently. I now have small children and want to bring them up the right way. Please do not be too harsh as I asked a earlier question in this catergory and received some harsh remarks.

Answer 1

I highly recommend you read the First Epistle (Letter) of John. I think it is the most in depth explanation of what it means to be saved and sets forth the characteristics of someone who has truly been born of the Spirit.

"Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
I John 5 :10-13

If you are unsure whether you fit the pattern, and the Holy Spirit is leading you to believe you may not be born again, I believe the clearest explanation of what we can do to come into this experience is given in Romans 10:6-13.........


"But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." "

no faith??

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
Romans 10:17

Answer 2

Dear child of God,
If you gave Him your heart, you are His and He knows it. During your lifetime, you will have doubts about it. That's what the devil does.

But know this for sure, how you FEEL at any given time does not change the reality of Christ in your heart.
Please please read 1 John 5:12,13 in your version.

"These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, in order that you may KNOW that you have Eternal life" 1Jn. 5:13 NASB (capitalization emphasis mine)

Consider this as well:
You know that Salvation is a gift from God. Ro.6:23
Now look at what Romans 11:29 says. It's BOLD
I Peter 1:5 says you are KEPT or protected by the power of God Himself.
You should re-read Romans 8:35-39 until Christ illuminates it in your heart.

Finally, to be sure, look at Jeremiah 32:40 carefully and then immediately go to 2 Tim. 2:13.

Bless your heart. Ask God to take you by the hand and heart as you check out these passages. I pray they help.
I'll see you when we get Home.

Answer 3

The problem with knowing whether or not you are saved is a difficult one in todays Christian Worldview with so many denominations that place an emphasis on some supernatural and/or tangible expression that one could point to that would give evidence or validity to a claim on salvation.
Amoung the hinderances to an assurance of salvation is the expectation of some emotionally based "feeling" that I have heard some refer to as the "Holy Ghost goose bumps," and other charismatic existential experiences that are nothing more than a blatant misunderstanding of the conversion experience. Many of the "gifts" that are listed in the scriptures have been used as evidence of an infilling of the Spirit and in some churches are required to be demonstrated in order to claim a saving conversion experience.
It is interesting to note that todays emphasis on getting one to recite the "sinner's prayer" was not a part of early christianity.
With the advent of evangelicalism which is an American invent whereby the early methodist missionaries carried the gospel to an expanding frontier whose westward thrust left the gospel behind were it not for the efforts of these courageous men. A quick formula of a statement of belief was preceded by a fire and brimstone sermon that instilled in its hearers a fear that this new way of quickly establishing a community of believers by way of a "sinners prayer." Most of these pioneers were left without a preacher to feed the newly found flocks of believers and the call to the east for young pastor's willing to endure the harshness of a fledgling young country was only one of the desperate situations that plagued the church in America.
Amoung the theological premises that entered the church of that time also was the Scottish theologian John Nelson Darby's dispensationalism.
Both of these theological ideologies fed on the fears and guilt of the new converts and it was another movement known as the pentecostal movement that expanded this emphasis on an emotional based conversion experience.
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah....boring stuff...but I said all this so that you might understand something very important regarding your salvation.
You obviously understand the concept of "God," right? Okay, this understanding should include the understanding of His Virtues which inherently would include the truth that it is impossible for God to lie. The Word of God educates us to who God is and what the circumstances are in our relationship to Him,i.e., the fall and Gods work of redemption upon the cross.
There is a dynamic of the working of God in the person of the Holy Spirit within the heart of the believer. The heart it must be remembered is that place within your spirit and soul where intentions spring from and your volitional capabilities is the instrument which carries these intentions to the external world around you. With Christ in the throneroom of your heart the intentions change from being initiated from selfish aims to those propensities engendered from a heart desirous of doing Gods Will.
This is not something that you have to "feel."
If you think about it hard enough you will realize that it has been your sensibilities, that is your emotions, that have gotten you in so much trouble over the years. Emotions are valid but you must remember that your emotions developed for "X" number of years and wrestled with your reason for preeminnence in all the choices that you made prior to giving the Lord that preeminent place in your heart.
I would say that you need to saturate your mind with the Word of God. When you awake and throughout your day and as you lie down to sleep meditate upon the word of God. When you pray the Lord will bring scripture to your mind relevant to your prayer. This is how He speaks to your heart. He responds to your emotions with the facts of what He has revealed in His Word. You don't have to wonder about your salvation and you can kiss your doubts goodbye dear one. God has chosen Gladly to give you the Kingdom.....thats a fact. self doubt is common to all believers at one time or another. You can rejoice that if you did not have struggles maybe you were not a threat to satans kingdom. Spiritual struggles are a sure sign that you pose a threat to the evil one. God is closer to you than you could ever realize and wants to equip you with the tools for making a difference in the people in your life. Read the Word, know it, eat it up, let it be the bread of life for you and put on the whole armor of God that you might stand in the evil day against the evil of our days. Check out ephesians chapter 6. God bless you....always.

Answer 4

Just believe. We are all going to the same place, we just take different paths. If you believe you accomplished what you set out to do, then you did accomplish that feat. Go ahead and teach your children what you want but leave enough of curiosity open that they know they have their choices on what to believe and what not to believe. God gave us free choice, don't the children we raise have the same choice? Teach them what you will about belief, but let them make their own choices. At least in my opinion, this makes the most sense. I think there would be far fewer wars and strife if all peoples everywhere let their peoples have this choice instead of ramming one set of beliefs down their throats or brain-washing them into believing this is the only way to believe.

Answer 5

As stated by the guy above me, if you believe then you are saved...but in church there is a formaly ceremony (only a few minutes long) that has you publicly open your heart and soul to God. I'm wouldn't say there is one major feeling to confirm your saved but, if you really are serious about it, you will feel a change in your thinking. You will begin to consider God in the choices you make and the image you uphold. Nobody is perfect but we all strive to be...so don't think that because you backslid you are no longer a person of God. He forgives and we learn from our backslide.

Ultimatly I suggest going to church and speaking to your Pastor. God Bless

Answer 6

By the very desire you feel of wanting forgiveness and raising your kids right should be enough. That is Gods Spirit tell you you need to be saved. The Holy Spirit is drawing you to God. Accept His forgiveness and believe it in Faith.

Answer 7

Why ask us?
Ask God.
Read the Scripture.
Listen to the Holy Spirit!

Answer 8

It's ironic how Christians constantly repeat the following nonsense: "If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and that he is your savior, then you will go to Heaven."

Let us see how truthful this claim really is:

"Many will say to me (Jesus) on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (From the NIV Bible, Matthew 7:22-23)"

These verses clearly prove that believing in Jesus as the "Savior" who died on the cross for our sins may not necessarily really save us, hence this refutes the nonsense that the Christian missionaries keep repeating, because they themselves may not be saved and are going to Hell without even knowing it.

Let us look at further verses from the Bible that prove that most Christians are going to Hell:

Adultery is prohibited in the Bible, and that's perfectly fine with me:

Deuteronomy 22:22 "If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die."

Leviticus 20:10 "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death."

Proverbs 6:32 "But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself." He destroys himself by being put to death as shown above.

But here comes the part that will cause most Christians of today to go to Hell:

Matthew 19:9 "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Mark 10:11 "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her."

Mark 10:12 "And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Luke 16:18 "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Since adultery is clearly prohibited in the Bible, and since most Western Christians today are divorced and are either living with their boyfriends/girlfriends or married to other people, wouldn't that cause for them to be thrown in Hell? After all, most Western Christians according to the Bible are committing adultery!

Jesus never Claimed to be God not even good want proof?

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (From the NIV Bible, Deuteronomy 6:4)"

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (From the NIV Bible, Mark 12:29)"

Notice also how Jesus said "our God", which included him to be under GOD Almighty's creation and Divine Authority, and not someone or an entity that is equal to GOD Almighty.

The Bible's New Testament also records Jesus saying: ""Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good–except God alone." (From the NIV Bible, Mark 10:18)"

If Jesus doesn't consider himself as "good", then how can any sane person put him on the same level as GOD Almighty?

I have yet to see a good answer to this one by any polytheist trinitarian.

Answer 9

The book of 1John was written expressly to answer that question. See study guides at http://www.bcbsr.com/books/1jn.html

Answer 10

Your answer is found in I John 5:9

These things are written so that you will know that you have eternal life.