The subject of knowing if one is saved or not is probably the most important issue in the Christian life.

The assurance of salvation only comes from the Word of God.  Your feelings will change.  Your pastor can lie.  Your life will not always be an example of perfect Christian living.  The scripture, however, cannot be broken and will never pass away.

A common feature of many stories of salvation is that a person has a moment in life, when a particular verse or truth based on the teaching of a verse is the only ground on which that person stands.  If you know that Christ died for your sins on the cross, what is it that tells you that truth? It's the scripture - the Word of God.

The God who cannot lie is the God who wrote the Bible.  Through his word, you can be assured that if God says something, you can trust it.

Some assurances from the scripture include:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. - John 5:24

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. - 1 John 5:11

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  - John 1:11-12

There is a book online called "Here is the difference " by William McDonald that may help answer some of your doubts.  There are other doctrines such as forgiveness for the believer and salvation from the habits of sin that are relevant to your question.

Also, read the book Safety Certainty and Enjoyment to answer similar questions.

Shad Sluiter
Postville, IA

• Are all believers "saints" or are saints a special class?
• Are Christians supposed to be ambassadors for God?
• Are old testament believers saved by grace?
• Are people on the Broad Way condemned?
• Are there two types of "rest" in Matthew 11:28-29?
• Can I present the gospel without mentioning sin?
• Can ungoldy people enter the kingdom of God?
• Could Old Testament believers be lost?
• Could you explain "captivity to the law of sin," Romans 7:23?
• Do people in Hell go insane?
• Does a person have to be told he is a sinner in order to be saved?
• Does God give someone their faith as a gift so they can be saved?
• Does God hold us responsible for sins of ignorance?
• Does God need to be reconciled or only man?
• Does God sometimes stop talking (striving) with men who reject Him?
• Does Hebrews teach that salvation can be lost if a believer sins?
• Does Mark 16:16 teach that baptism is necessary for salvation?
• Does once-saved-always saved give permission to sin?
• Does the believer have two natures?
• Does the Bible teach "total depravity"
• How can Old Testament believers be saved by believing in Jesus?
• How could Cornelius the centurian's prayers ascend to heaven as a memorial since he was not saved?
• How do we reconsile God's election and man's free will?
• How does a saved person have "the rightousness of God"?
• How often does a Christian sin?
• How were people saved in the Old Testament?
• How will sin affect a believer when he gets to heaven?
• I am thinking about suicide. Can God help me?
• I know Christ took our sins on the cross, but for some reason I'm not sure if I'm saved.
• If a person believes in "falling away", can they really be saved?
• If God's sovereign election is true, then why preach the gospel?
• If man is incapable of pleasing God in his sins, then why does God commend Cornelius in Acts 10?
• If there is only "one baptism", why do we practice water baptism for believers?
• In what sense have we "crucified the flesh"?
• In what sense is the world reconciled to God through Christ?
• In what ways does a believer's sin differ from an unbeliever
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• Is baptism required to be saved?
• Is gospel preaching too opinionated, narrow or manipulative?
• Is Hell forever?
• Is it possible to be lost once you have been saved from sin?
• Is it scriptural to refer to a Believer as a "sinner saved by grace"?
• Is salvation on a different basis in this age, being now by faith and baptism?
• Is the Atonement a truth that belongs only to the Old Testament?
• Is the narrow road a message for believers or a message of salvation?
• Is the phrase "Jesus died for you" true if the person rejects Christ?
• Is the righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer?
• Is there such a person as an ex-Christian?
• Is there to be forgiveness without acknowledgment of wrong?
• My friend has doubts about his salvation. How can I help?
• Should a Christian be baptized in the name of Jesus?
• Should unbelievers confess their sins in order to be saved?
• To what does the "healing" (Isaiah 53:5) refer?
• Was baptism required for salvation before Pentecost?
• Was Peter's gospel different than Paul's?
• Were OT believers born again?
• Were the Old Testament saints born again?
• What are the sacraments? Do I need to complete them to be a complete Christian?
• What did Old Testament believers know about Christ's sacrifice?
• What does "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" mean?
• What does it mean to be "in Christ"?
• What does the phrase mean "many are called but few are chosen"?
• What is "baptism unto the remission of sins"?
• What is a mortal sin? a venial sin?
• What is an evangelist? What does an evangelist do?
• What is Confirmation?
• What is our condemnation in Adam?
• What is the difference between redemption and propitiation?
• What is the meaning of "He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin" (1 Peter 4:1)?
• What is the meaning of "our old man is crucified"?
• What is the unforgivable sin?
• When was Peter saved?
• Where did Old Testament believers go when they died?
• Why couldn't Job find a mediator when he knew about the Redeemer?
• Why did Jesus tell a young rich man to keep the commandments to obtain eternal life?
• Why do some object to the expression the old nature?
• Why preach the gospel if God has already chosen those who are going to be saved?
• Will all people eventually be saved?