h o w c a n i k n o w i f i a m r e a l l y s a v e d ? ? ?

H o w C a n I K n o wH o w C a n I K n o w

I f I a m I f I a m R e a l l yR e a l l y S S a v e d a v e d

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How Can I Know If I am How Can I Know If I am ReallyReally Saved? Saved?How Can I Know If I am How Can I Know If I am ReallyReally Saved? Saved?

I. Why ask this question?

One of Jesus’ disciples asked Him:

"Lord, are there few who are saved?”

(Luke 13:23)

"Lord, are there few who are saved?”

(Luke 13:23)

I. Why ask this question?Jesus answered:

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able…then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’

(Luke 13:24, 26)

"But [Jesus] will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’”

(Luke 13:27)

"But [Jesus] will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’”

(Luke 13:27)

Jesus said:“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,

Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven…”

Jesus said: “…Many will say to Me in that day,

'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt.7:21-23)

Isn’t it just a matter of believing in Jesus?

“You believe... Even the demons believe --and tremble!”

(James 2:19)

“You believe... Even the demons believe --and tremble!”

(James 2:19)

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”

(Galatians 5:6)

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.” (Luke 8:11-13)

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?

-unless indeed you are disqualified”

(2 Corinthians 13:5)

II. Can the question be answered with certainty?

The first epistle of John says:

The first epistle of John says:“by this we know that we know Him…”

(2:3)“We know we have passed from death to

life…” (3:14)

life…” (3:14)“By this we know we abide in Him…” (4:13)

The first epistle of John says:“by this we know that we know Him…” (2:3)“We know we have passed from death to

life…” (3:14)“By this we know we abide in Him…” (4:13)“that you may know that you have eternal

life… (5:13)

III. What assurance are we given?

John’s epistle provides four “tests”

A. What we believe and confess about

Christ and ourselves

B. If we possess the Holy Spirit

Christ and ourselvesB. If we possess the Holy Spirit

C. If we love one another

Christ and ourselvesB. If we possess the Holy Spirit

C. If we love one another

Christ and ourselvesB. If we possess the Holy SpiritC. If we love one another

D. If we obey His commandments

IV. What does it mean to be “saved”?

If we are talking about something as non-verifiable as the question of going to heaven after we die, then it would be very easy to be self-deceived about our own status—since we would not have any confirmation of our own salvation until we died and found ourselves in heaven.

However, the Bible nowhere defines “salvation” in terms of “going to heaven when you die.”

That “saved” people will ultimately

be with Jesus is guaranteed…but their being “saved” is a condition experienced in this life—and merely continued in heaven after death.

That “saved” people will ultimately

be with Jesus is guaranteed…but their being “saved” is a condition experienced in this life—and merely continued in heaven after death.

Those who are “saved” (as the Bible uses the term) after death

are the same ones as are saved during this life.

In other words, to know for sure that you will be saved after death requires knowing (by certain evidences) that you are saved even now.

Consider the variety of ways in which John describes salvation:

1. Fellowship with God

1. Fellowship with God “…that which we have seen and heard

we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1:3)

1. Fellowship with God “If we say that we have fellowship with

Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

(1:6-7)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed “But if we walk in the light as He is in

the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin…If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1:7, 9)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed “I write to you, little children, Because

your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.” (2:12)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed “I write to you, little children, Because

your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.” (2:12)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed “In this is love, not that we loved God,

but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (4:10)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed “In this is love, not that we loved God,

but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (4:10)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God “Now by this we know that we know

Him…” (2:3)

Him…” (2:3) “I write to you, fathers, Because you

have known Him.. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.” (2:13)

Him…” (2:3) “I write to you, fathers, Because you

have known Him.. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.” (2:13)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God “everyone who loves is born of God

and knows God.

and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (4:7-8)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God “the Son of God has come…that we

may know Him who is true…This is the true God…” (5:20)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God “the Son of God has come…that we

may know Him who is true…This is the true God…” (5:20)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world “I write to you, young men, Because

you have overcome the wicked one…I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” (2:13-14)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world “I write to you, young men, Because

you have overcome the wicked one…I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” (2:13-14)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world “For whatever is born of God

overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (5:4-5)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world “For whatever is born of God

overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (5:4-5)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world 5. God abiding in us

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world 5. God abiding in us “If we love one another, God abides in

us… Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (4:12, 15)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world 5. God abiding in us “If we love one another, God abides in

us… Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (4:12, 15)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world 5. God abiding in us 6. Having life (or, “eternal life”)

IV. What does it mean to be “saved”? 6. Having life (or, “eternal life”)

“And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.” (2:25)

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (3:14-15)

“And this is the testimony: that 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…This is the true God and eternal life.” (5:11-12, 20)

6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God

“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (2:29)

6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God “Behold what manner of love the

Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!…Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him…” (3:1-2)

6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God “Behold what manner of love the

Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!…Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him…” (3:1-2)

6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God “everyone who loves is born of God and

knows God.” (4:7)

6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God “everyone who loves is born of God and

knows God.” (4:7)

1. Fellowship with God 2. Forgiven and cleansed 3. Knowing God 4. Overcoming Satan and the world 5. God abiding in us 6. Having life (or, “eternal life”) 7. Born of God

V. What must one do to be saved?

Now when they heard [Peter’s preaching]they were cut to the heart, and said…"Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 2:37-38)

…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom.10:9)

1. Repent

1. Repent2. Confess Jesus is Lord

1. Repent2. Confess Jesus is Lord3. Believe in your heart that God raised

Him4. Be baptized

Him4. Be baptized5. Receive the Holy Spirit

1. Repent2. Confess Jesus is Lord3. Believe in your heart that God raised Him4. Be baptized5. Receive the Holy Spirit

VI. The tests of whether we are saved will be found to be:

A. What we believe and confess about Christ and ourselves

B. If we possess the Holy SpiritC. If we love one another

B. If we possess the Holy SpiritC. If we love one anotherD. If we obey His commandments

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