Let’s be honest. If you do not know that you are saved it is because you are not.

I am not trying to be cruel or mean, but simply honest. It would be the worst kind of negligence if I encouraged you to believe you were saved if actually you were not.

Unsaved people roam the earth thinking they are right with God, but are not. This reality may be driving your honest question about how to know if you are saved. This question is the greatest question one could ask, because the answer is understanding the gospel that saves.

Many people remain unconvinced about their own salvation because of a fear they have left something undone, did not say something right, are not worthy enough, or have not done the right thing to be accepted by God.

Perhaps this is you! You want to do right, and want to be saved, but do not know for certain how to know. What you need to know is the gospel of Christ.

Do You Know the Gospel?

At this point you may object because you claim to already know the gospel. But your question betrays you. The gospel that saves provides the knowledge of salvation. If you do not know you are saved, then you do not know the gospel that saves.

If you claim to know the gospel and still do not know if you are saved you have been told the wrong gospel. Perhaps you have been told salvation comes by…

If so, you were told wrong. Your doubts testify to the inadequacy of any of these “gospels” to bring the knowledge of salvation. Have you loved the Lord enough? Don’t the devils also believe Jesus is the Son of God (Jam 2:19)? How do you know Jesus accepted your invitation into your heart? Is salvation really by uttering a name?

Though many of these are Biblical and true, you are still left wondering how you know you are saved even after knowing or believing these “gospels”. This is because they do not describe the gospel that saves.

Proof of Salvation

The Bible gives proof to every saved person to know they are saved: the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16).

If we test your proof of salvation against the gospel of Christ we can know if you are saved or not. (I do not pretend to be the judge of your soul, but using God’s word to evaluate your salvation is prudent.)

So, what is the proof of your salvation?

If you say you have none, or that no one can know for certain, then you do not have salvation.

If you say proof is in the good way you live your life, then you have not heard the truth.

If you say proof is found in the promises of God to Israel, then you are taking what is not yours. God made promises to the nation of Israel, but there were many people in Israel who died in their sins at God’s hand of judgment and not salvation. How do you know you are part of the promises?

If you say proof is in what you have done or not done, said or not said, then you are not saved.

Without proof on what basis can you know that you are saved? There is none! Do you see now that you are not saved at all, and rather than needing to be convinced by Scripture that you are, you need to have the power of God unto salvation open your eyes to the truth of the gospel?

What is the Gospel that Saves

Now the question is seen in a new light. It is no longer the question of a saved person lacking confidence. It is the cry of an unsaved person lacking proof of salvation.

Sinners cannot save themselves or make themselves worthy enough for God to save them. Salvation is not for the righteous or the good, but for the unrighteous and the ungodly. The truth is that there is none righteous, and all have fallen short of God’s glorious standard.

Salvation of sinners is accomplished through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. God manifest in the flesh died innocently in the place of sinners shedding his blood as a sacrifice for sins. He rose from the dead three days later defeating the power of death and offering his finished work as the means of salvation to all men.

Salvation is not proven by our own efforts, but in the righteousness of God in Christ when he died for our sins, rose from the dead, and offers salvation freely to sinners who need it. Proof of salvation is found in the gospel of Christ. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself by the cross.

“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” – Romans 3:25

We will be saved “if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” –Romans 4:24-25

This is the gospel of Christ; it is the preaching of the cross. Christ is God, and he did everything necessary to save men through his death and resurrection. His work is the proof of salvation.

If his work is the proof of your salvation, then you have peace with God and eternal life. You are no longer trying to provide proof. God has provided it by his grace in Christ.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” – Romans 5:1

“…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

How Do I Know?

I know that I am saved because Christ died for my sins, rose from the dead, and offers salvation freely to all who believe in him. I’ve seen him save other people who believe the gospel of Christ. He will save you, when you believe it (Eph 1:13; Rom 3:22).

Stop trusting your life, your prayers, your works, your good deeds, your feelings, trust the finished work of Christ and know that you are saved.