Can A Christian Have Assurance Of Salvation?
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How can we receive this assurance? Just as medical technicians test vital signs to look for indicators of health, so there are several “vital sign indicators” in Scripture for spiritual health.
1. The Bible says we are to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (1Co 9:24-27; 2Co 13:5). There is nothing wrong, and everything right, with a Christian stopping from time to time and asking the question “Am I doing okay, spiritually?” We are not looking for perfection at such times, just signs that God is making a difference.
2. Are we walking in obedience to God? Those who love him obey him (1Jn 2:3). This is an objective test. Again, we are not looking for perfection, since becoming like Christ is a process that lasts a lifetime (Rm 8:29-30; 1Jn 3:2). The question is, is obedience to him what I want more than anything else?
3. Do we have a sense that we truly belong to the Lord and he to us? Scripture teaches that if we are Christians, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rm 8:9), a Spirit who “testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rm 8:16). It is this same Spirit who enables us to cry out, “Abba, Father,” to our Father in heaven (Rm 8:15; Gl 4:6).
Scripture gives both objective and subjective vital signs. When it comes down to it, as John Calvin once noted, assurance comes with faith. If we are trusting Jesus alone for salvation, that brings assurance with it.