How can I be sure I am saved?

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]

When I worked in a large department store, a young child would occasionally become lost. If they could tell us the actual name of the person they’d come with, we’d call that person over the loudspeaker. But if all they said was ‘Dad,’ we simply had to wait for ‘Dad’ to realise he only had two little heads following him instead of three. And sometimes—sorry to stereotype dads here—that realisation took a while.

When the parent or grandparent finally appeared, you could see the fear leave the child’s face. It didn’t matter how kind we were, or how many lollipops we offered, the child didn’t feel safe until they were reunited their parent.

At times, just like that lost child, we all need assurance. Doubts surface so frequently. Did I make the right decision? Am I loved? Am I correctly interpreting God’s will? But the doubt that shakes a Christian to their core is this: Am I truly saved?

How do I know I’m saved? Did I repent enough? Have enough faith? Understand enough? Pray the right prayer?

Doubts about our salvation are often the most crippling of all. These doubts don’t disappear until we have assurance of salvation, which the Apostle John describes as the state of knowing “that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Assurance of salvation is the confidence that one is saved, both now and for eternity.

Perspectives on assurance of salvation differ across Christendom. Catholics teach one’s eternal destiny is decided by the soul’s state at the moment of death. Calvinists claim that ultimately only God knows if you are part of the ‘predestined elect’. Other Christians teach that anyone who says they believe in God and Jesus will go to heaven. And then there are those who are so terrified of giving false assurance that they either avoid the topic, or encourage repeat professions, arguing that it’s better to make many true professions of salvation than none.

But what’s the right, Biblical perspective? Let’s look at what the Bible says about the possibility of having assurance, why it matters, and some scriptural tests for assurance of salvation.

Is it scriptural to claim you can be sure you are saved? A common objection immediately arises: what about people who deceive themselves into thinking they are saved? In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus speaks of those who refuse to do “the will of my Father which is in heaven”, yet claim to have cast out devils, prophesied, and performed works in His name. Sadly, these verses describe many who attend charismatic churches yet refuse to hear the truth (Matthew 13:15). Because self‑deception exists, we shouldn’t offer assurance lightly. However, Christ and the Apostles also make it clear that believers can—and should—have assurance of salvation. In 1 John 5:13, the Apostle says, “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.” Similarly, Scripture speaks of salvation in definite, permanent terms, such as having “eternal life” (John 10:28), having “passed from death unto life” (John 5:24), being “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13), and being “the children of God” (Romans 8:16). Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6), so we can be sure that He meant what He said when he stated, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life” (John 5:24b). Everlasting life has no expiry date. Salvation cannot be lost after it is received, because it rests entirely on the finished work of Christ (1 John 2:2). It is a gift received through faith (Ephesians 2:8) and repentance (Luke 13:3). We did not earn salvation (Titus 3:5), so we cannot “earn” the loss of it either. In short, Scripture teaches that salvation is permanent – and it is possible to know when you have it.

Why does having—and teaching about—assurance of salvation matter? 

It matters because Scripture says it does. Jesus repeatedly assured His disciples that they belonged to Him. Speaking of His sheep—which includes us—Jesus declares, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). This certainty is an emotional and spiritual stabiliser. God knows how doubts cause us to waver (James 1:6), so Scripture is full of reminders of such things as His boundless love (Romans 8:38-39), the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10-12), and the certainty of Christ’s return (John 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16). If God wants us to be sure about these things, we can also be confident He doesn’t want us to doubt something as foundational as our salvation. Assurance protects us against the Devil’s darts. When the Devil says “Hath God said? Did He really say you can be sure you are a Christian?”, you can say straight back, “Yes, God did!” and refuse to be swayed. Additionally, assurance enables maturity and growth. Salvation is a foundational doctrine; once we are sure of it, we can move forward in knowledge of deeper truths. In Hebrews 6:1a, readers are encouraged, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection”, while in 1 Corinthians 3, we told to move on from milk and into the solid meat of the Word. Rather than worrying about our salvation, we can focus on sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3) and serving others – including sharing the same comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Now we come to the crucial question. How can I know for sure I am saved, especially if I’ve just sinned? Rather than relying on feelings or perfection, we should look to God’s Word. The Bible outlines various ‘tests’ that identify who is a true Christian, including growth in godly traits and desires. As Matthew 7:20 says, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

So here are eight scriptural tests to help us know we are saved, in no particular order:

1.        The truth of Scripture. The Bible outlines the criteria for salvation: “Repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15b). No matter what we feel or people claim, we can be sure that if we’ve repented and believed, we are saved, because God’s Word is true (Psalm 119:160).

2.        The indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) and “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16). “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself” (1 John 5:10a)

3.        A love for Christ and His Word. When you care about someone, you value them and want to know more about them and what they have to say. The Bible says, “Unto you therefore which believe he [Christ] is precious” (1 Peter 2:7a).

4.        The desire to obey God. When we love God, we will want to obey Him. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:5).

5.        A different attitude towards sin. We will hate the things of darkness, because we are children of light. “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10a). Romans 6:2b asks the rhetorical question, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” We will reject a life of sin (1 John 3:9), and, if we do sin, will be troubled by it and seek forgiveness from God (1 John 1:9).

6.        A love for God’s people. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (1 John 3:14). “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7).

7.        A desire to tell others (particularly unsaved people) about Christ. We won’t be able to keep the news to ourselves; we will want to tell others what has happened in our life! “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).

8.        The development of godly character and desire to do good works. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23,25).

Let’s close with the confident words of the Apostle John, “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).