Am I Saved?

It is a Christian question.  Salvation is mentioned throughout the Bible, but it’s usually those learning about Christianity that ask the question. 

According to the Bible, that depends on a couple of things.  Have you realized, as it was written in both the Old and New Testament:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23 KJV)

Jesus explained to Nicodemus:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)

The discussion continued, for Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus meant.  He went on to explain, giving us some of the most beautiful verses, memorized over and over again.  It is a spiritual rebirth that includes God’s gift of eternal life. And it has a requirement:

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 KJV)

Those are Christ’s words, not mine.  Those are biblical requirements, not mine.

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:15-17 KJV)

Many hear the words.  Many apply them.  But some do not understand.  Recently a youth, who had made a profession of faith and had been baptized, asked how a person who was saved could continue doing the same sin over and over again.  This week I read a quote that addressed that, clearly:

"If you can live happily with unconfessed sin, if you can live and flourish while you've not any real communion with God, then you have the infallible proof that you've never been born again." - Alan Cairns

I was not familiar with Dr. Cairns, but I’m going to look into his sermons to see if they are as factual as this one statement.  It certainly provides the answer for the youth’s question.

Now, a belief in Jesus Christ does not automatically cause us to stop sinning.  Paul recognized this:

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (Romans 7:15 KJV)

Living a life that brings us closer to Jesus’ example takes time.  We are in various states of maturity, and none of us are perfect as He is. But we should be working on it.  If we are not in communion with God in prayer and Bible study, we’re not working on it.  If we continue our lives quite happily with unconfessed sin, we’re not working on it.

We can know, though.  The Bible tells us so:

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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)